One-year outcomes of less frequent bevacizumab in age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether a less frequent bevacizumab dosing schedule after repeated doses in short intervals would be effective in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: Twenty-seven treatment-naive eyes of patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration participated in this prospective, noncomparative, and interventional study at the Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital retina clinic. All lesion types were included. Intravitreal injections (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) of bevacizumab were given with a 6-week interval (Day 0, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks) for 3 months and then given at every 12-week interval up to 48 weeks. Main outcome measures of treatment were mean change in visual acuity and foveal center point retinal thickness from baseline documented by optical coherence tomography at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks. The effects of patient age, baseline visual acuity, lesion composition, and lesion size on final visual acuity and loss of <15 letters of logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) at 48 weeks were also assessed. RESULTS: Of the 27 eyes, 24 eyes of 24 patients (14 men and 10 women) completed the 48-week follow-up and study protocol. Compared with baseline (0.95 ± 0.27 on Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts), mean best-corrected visual acuity improved to 0.77 ± 0.21 logMAR (P < 0.001) at Week 6, to 0.74 ± 0.2 logMAR (P < 0.001) at Week 12, to 0.79 ± 0.257 logMAR (P = 0.03) at Week 24, to 0.85 ± 0.26 logMAR (P = 0.54) at Week 36, and to 0.87 ± 0.27 logMAR (P = 1) at Week 48. The baseline mean center point retinal thickness that was 343 ± 64 µm decreased to 236 ± 40 µm (P < 0.001) at Week 6, to 222 ± 39 µm (P < 0.001) at Week 12, to 237 ± 37 (P < 0.001) at Week 24, to 253 ± 44 µm (P < 0.001) at Week 36, and to 268 ± 58 µm (P = 0.002) at Week 48. The maximal visual benefit obtained during the frequent dosing schedule significantly decreased by doses every 12 weeks at 48 weeks (P < 0.001). This decline in the best-corrected visual acuity gain was associated with an increase in the mean center point retinal thickness on optical coherence tomography. Patients aged <70 years and those having a baseline vision of 20/200 or worse were more likely to gain vision at 48 weeks (P = 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). In addition, a lesion ≤ 4 disk areas at baseline was less likely to lose <15 letters from baseline at 48 weeks (P = 0.03). No serious ocular and nonocular adverse events were noted. CONCLUSION: Although intravitreal bevacizumab administration on a schedule of a 6-week injection interval for 3 months followed by every 12-week interval for neovascular age-related macular degeneration provided an improvement or stabilization in best-corrected visual acuity with anatomical improvement. This dosing strategy is unable to maintain the visual acuity and optical coherence tomography benefits seen with more frequent dosing.

Ocular involvement in sarcoidosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate ocular involvement in patients with sarcoidosis. METHODS: The prevalence of ocular manifestations was studied in 139 Turkish patients with sarcoidosis as a cross section. Color photography and fluorescein angiography were performed on patients suspected of having ocular involvement. RESULTS: Ocular involvement was seen in 12.9% patients. Of 18 patients with ocular sarcoidosis, 39% had anterior and posterior involvement, 28% only anterior, 11% only posterior, 16.7% conjuctival, and 5.6% eyelid involvement. There was no statistically significant relationship between radiological grading and ocular involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The most common ocular involvement in this study was both anterior and posterior segment involvement.

Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography in ocular toxoplasmosis.

PURPOSE: To document fluorescein and indocyanine green angiographic findings in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. METHODS: Charts of patients with ocular toxoplasmosis who were evaluated with fluorescein and indocyanine green angiograpy were reviewed. RESULTS: In this study, eight (38%) females and 13 (62%) males with a mean age of 20.3 years were included. Of the 21 patients, five (24%) had bilateral involvement with active or inactive toxoplasmic lesion. There were active lesions in 12 (46%) eyes and inactive lesions in 14 (54%) eyes. Indocyanine green angiograpy showed hypofluorescence of the active and inactive retinochoroiditis lesions at all phases. Hypofluorescent multiple satellite dark dots were observed in 11 (92%) eyes with active retinochoroiditis and in two (14%) eyes with inactive lesions. In two patients with unilateral active toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis, hyperfluorescent plaques were observed in the fellow eyes on indocyanine green angiograpy. The fundus examination and fluorescein angiography of the fellow eyes were normal and had a visual acuity of 10/10. Choroidal neovascularization was observed in two (8%) eyes. In eyes with active inflammation, fluorescein angiography revealed early hypo-fluorescence and late intense hyper-fluorescence with fuzzy margins of the retinochoroiditis lesion (12 eyes), hyperfluorescence of the optic nerve head (four eyes) and leakage from the vessels and/or vascular sheathing (four eyes) and neuroretinitis (one eye). CONCLUSION: Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is a more widespread inflammation than visible fundus lesions. Indocyanine green angiography is a useful method for evaluating the amount of inflammatory activity and late complications in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis.

Clinical features and prognosis in ocular toxoplasmosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate retrospectively the clinical characteristics, complications, and prognosis in patients with ocular toxoplasmosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 189 patients (243 eyes) with ocular toxoplasmosis who were examined between 1972 and 1999. Color fundus photography and, in some patients, fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography were performed. There were 98 male (52%) and 91 female (48%) patients with a mean age of 22.8 +/- 8.9 years. RESULTS: Of the patients, 140 (74%) had congenital and 49 (26%) had acquired toxoplasmosis. At the initial examination, there were active lesions in 65 eyes and inactive lesions in 178 eyes. Active lesions included retinochoroiditis in 59 (91%), papillitis in 2 (3%), and neuroretinitis in 4 (6%) eyes. There was also an inactive scar in 17 eyes with active retinochoroiditis. Localisation of the active retinochoroiditis was the macula in 44 (74%), the macula and peripheral retina in 3 (5%), the peripheral retina in 9 (15%) and the peripapillary retina in 3 (5%) eyes. Optic atrophy, pigment epithelial detachment, choroidal neovascularization, lamellar macular hole, and retinal neovascularization were seen during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular toxoplasmosis commonly affects the macula and seriously impairs visual acuity. The prevention of acquired and congenital infections is very important in controlling ocular toxoplasmosis. Patients should be followed to avoid late complications.

Factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G20210A mutations in ocular Behçet disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate genetic prothrombotic factors (factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G20210A mutations) and their relation with retinal vascular occlusions in ocular Behçet disease. METHODS: Thirty Behçet patients were prospectively recruited into the study. Their mean age was 34.2 +/- 8.3 years. All patients underwent complete ophthalmic examination and fluorescein angiography. Of the 30 patients, 15 (16 eyes) had retinal vascular occlusion. Patients were tested for the presence of factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G20210A mutations by polymerase chain reaction. The results were compared with the frequencies of factor V Leiden in 285 and prothrombin gene G20210A mutation in 182 healthy members of the Turkish population. RESULTS: The prevalence of factor V Leiden mutation was significantly higher in ocular Behçet patients (12/30, 40%), compared with healthy control subjects (28/285, 9.8%) (p < 0.001). Of the 12 Behçet patients with factor V Leiden mutation, eight had retinal vascular occlusion. The prevalence of factor V Leiden was 53.3% (8/15) of the 15 patients with retinal vascular occlusion and 26.7% (4/15) of the remaining 15 patients without vascular occlusion. Prothrombin gene mutation was detected in none of Behçet patients compared with 2.7% (5/182) of the control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that factor V Leiden may be an additional risk factor in ocular Behçet disease, whereas factor II mutations do not seem to be relevant.

A long-term follow-up of Eales' disease.

PURPOSE: To provide long-term follow-up information on Eales' patients. METHODS: Eales' patients, who had been examined at varying periods between the years 1970 and 1991 with a minimum five-year follow-up, were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 130 patients were followed up for a minimum of five and a maximum of 26.5 years. The retinal lesions found during the first examination included vascular sheathing, disc and/or retinal neovascularization, vitreous hemorrhage, branch retinal vein occlusion, retinitis proliferans, and retinal detachment. Visual acuity improved in 37 (20%) of the 185 treated eyes, was maintained in 79 (43%), and worsened in 69 (37%). The complications were tractional detachment, cataract, rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma, and phthisis bulbi. CONCLUSION: The most important elements in dealing with Eales' disease are periodic follow-up, a good and adequate laser treatment, pars plana vitrectomy combined with procedures for nonclearing vitreous hemorrhage, and retinal vasoproliferative changes to stabilize the retinal lesions and maintain functional levels of vision.