Autologous platelet-rich plasma eye drop versus artificial tear eye drop for symptomatic dry eye disease: A prospective comparative interventional study.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma (aPRP) eye drop and artificial tear (AT) eye drop in moderate to severe symptomatic dry eye disease (DED). Methods: This prospective interventional study included 121 eyes of 61 patients of moderate to severe DED. Patients were divided into aPRP (31 patients) and AT (30 patients) group. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, tear film breakup time (TBUT) (s), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score, and Schirmer test score (mm) of both the groups were evaluated and compared pre-treatment and post-treatment at the end of 3 months. Results: The mean age of the aPRP group and AT group was 52.8 ± 12.8 years and 55.5 ± 13.4 years, respectively. At the end of 3 months, OSDI score reduced more in the aPRP group as compared to AT group, and the mean difference (-22.7) was statistically significant (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in post-treatment Schirmer test score between the two groups (P = 0.44). Post-treatment improvement in TBUT and CFS score in the aPRP group was significantly higher in the aPRP group as compared to that in the AT group (P < 0.05). Bruising at the site of blood withdrawal was noted in two patients in the aPRP group. Conclusion: aPRP is safe and more effective than AT in treating patients with moderate to severe symptomatic DED.

Complete and incomplete lower motor neuron facial palsy in post-COVID-19 mucormycosis.

Purpose: To study facial nerve palsy (FNP) in post-COVID-19-mucormycosis patients and its ocular complications, report different presentations of FNP in such patients, and propose its etiopathogenesis based on presentation and clinico-radiologic localization. Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in patients of post-COVID-19-mucormycosis who presented at our tertiary center, over a period of 3 months. Motor and sensory examination of the facial nerve was done to diagnose FNP and localize the lesion clinically. Slit-lamp examination was done for grading corneal involvement. MRI brain, orbit, and paranasal sinuses (PNS) with contrast were studied to find involvement along the facial nerve. It was assessed whether this site of lesion corresponded with clinical localization. Data were analyzed using the percentage of total cases and Fisher's test. Results: A total of 300 patients with post-COVID-19 mucormycosis were examined, of which 30 (10%) patients were found to have FNP. All were lower motor neuron (LMN) type and were associated with corneal complications. The most common site clinically was distal to the chorda tympani (66.66%) and radiologically was infratemporal (IT) fossa (63.4%). The clinical localization significantly correlated with the radiological findings (P = 0.012). Twenty percent of patients showed incomplete involvement of facial muscles. Conclusion: FNP was found to be of LMN type. The most common site of insult was IT fossa. There was a good clinico-radiological correspondence of lesions. Isolated lesions were also found along the peripheral nerve course, presenting as incomplete facial palsy. Recognition of FNP in post-COVID-19 mucormycosis, in all its variable forms, is important to manage corneal complications.

COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: Preliminary report from a tertiary eye care centre.

PURPOSE: Mucormycosis is a life-threatening infection that has made sudden comeback in COVID-19 era. We conducted this study to determine demography, site of involvement, management, and outcome in these patients. METHODS: All cases presenting with signs and symptoms of mucormycosis were thoroughly evaluated and confirmed diagnosis was made on demonstration of fungi in the tissue (or body fluids) either by direct microscopy and/or culture. Patients underwent computerized tomography scan for paranasal sinuses and magnetic resonance imaging scan with contrast orbit and brain to know extent of disease. RESULTS: 540 proven cases of mucormycosis were included. Most common age group affected was 41-50 years with male preponderance (69%). Sinonasal was the most common site of involvement in mucormycosis (100%), followed by orbital (51.85%), cerebral (9.44%), cutaneous (1.85%), and pulmonary (0.18%). Most common presentation was periocular and facial swelling (28%). 97.96% patients had associated diabetes and 89.44% patients had history of COVID-19 with concurrent steroids use (84.85%), higher antibiotics (82.59%), oxygen therapy (52.40%), remdesivir (28.89%), and biological agents (2.56%). Duration from COVID-19 positivity to presentation of mucormycosis was 22.56 days, while 4.44% patients had coexisting COVID-19 with mucormycosis. The mortality rate was 9.25% (50/540). CONCLUSION: Timely diagnosis and appropriate management can ameliorate the consequences of mucormycosis. With the third wave of COVID-19 coming, epidemiological study to identify risk factors and possible management options can help physicians to develop the treatment strategy.

Study of retinal nerve fiber layer analysis using optical coherence tomography in different demyelinating diseases and its correlation with the severity of visual impairment.

Purpose: This purpose of this study was to find the association between severity of visual impairment and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness loss in different demyelinating diseases using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and, simultaneously, assess the fellow eye for subclinical RNFL thickness loss. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study included 60 eyes of 30 patients above the age of 20 years with diagnosed cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) who had history of (h/o) optic neuritis (ON) attack were included. Participants included in the study group underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, color perception, swinging flashlight test, slit-lamp examination, and dilated fundus examination (DFE). RNFL thickness was measured using spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) (Optovue RTVue-V6.11 A Fourier). Intergroup analysis of RNFL thickness was done using a Chi-square test (P < 0.05 was considered significant). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (Spearman'sρ) was used for association (ρ < 0.963 was considered significant). Results: RNFL thickness was significantly reduced in patients with NMO than MS, while all patients of CIS had the highest RNFL thickening (P = 0.00048). Lower visual function scores correlated with reduced average overall RNFL thickness, and this association was statistically significant in affected (R = 0.942) and fellow eyes (R = 0.963). Conclusion: The severity of visual impairment significantly correlated with the severity of axonal loss in affected as well as the fellow eye. NMO is associated with more widespread axonal injury in the affected optic nerve. Hence, RNFL thickness is an indicator of the progression of visual impairment in demyelinating diseases and OCT can help distinguish the etiology and, therefore, may be useful as a surrogate marker of axonal involvement in demyelinating diseases.