Cataract surgery by phacoemulsification in adults with retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE: To report the preoperative, operative, and postoperative factors associated with phacoemulsification cataract surgery in adults with retinopathy of prematurity. METHODS: Records of patients with retinopathy of prematurity who underwent phacoemulsification at The Wilmer Institute between January 1990 and January 2000 were retrospectively searched. Seventeen adults (9 women, 8 men) with retinopathy of prematurity were identified who had undergone phacoemulsification for visually significant cataract or phacomorphic glaucoma and who had at least 6 months of postoperative follow-up. RESULTS: Cataract extraction by phacoemulsification was performed on 20 eyes. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 103 months (mean, 32 months). A posterior chamber intraocular lens was placed in 18 eyes; two eyes were left aphakic for refractive reasons. Zonular weakness was noted in two eyes in which the intraocular lens was suture fixated to the sclera. Concomitant trabeculectomy was performed in one eye. Visual acuity improved in 18 of 20 eyes and remained unchanged in two eyes. Postoperatively, visual acuity was worse than 5/200 in two eyes, 5/200 to worse than 20/100 in five eyes, 20/100 to 20/50 in five eyes, and 20/40 or better in eight eyes. One eye developed a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment 1 month after cataract surgery; the retina was successfully reattached. CONCLUSIONS: Although cataract extraction in eyes with regressed retinopathy of prematurity may present challenges, such as high myopia, monocularity, glaucoma, and previous ocular surgery, phacoemulsification in this series proved to be relatively safe as well as visually rehabilitating. The surgeon should be aware of the special considerations in this population, alert to potential zonular weakness intraoperatively, and careful of increased postoperative risks, including retinal detachment.

Randomized comparison of diode laser photocoagulation versus cryotherapy for threshold retinopathy of prematurity: seven-year outcome.

PURPOSE: To report the structural and functional outcomes at a minimum of 7 years postmenstrual age after randomized treatment of threshold retinopathy of prematurity with laser ablation or cryotherapy. METHODS: Nineteen patients were entered into a prospective, randomized protocol, in which one eye received cryotherapy, while the other eye received diode laser photocoagulation. Asymmetric eyes were randomly assigned. Two patients have died, and seven were no longer available for 7-year outcome examinations, leaving 10 children for analysis. RESULTS: Six males and four females with a mean birthweight of 631 g and a mean gestational age of 24.8 weeks were examined. Eight were symmetrical cases and treated in both eyes. Of these, there were six concordant and two discordant structural outcomes. The laser-treated eyes had the favorable outcome in each instance. The geometric mean visual acuity of the paired eyes after laser photocoagulation was 20/33, and after cryotherapy it was 20/133 (P =.03). The mean refractive error was -6.50 diopters after laser photocoagulation and -8.25 diopters after cryotherapy (P =.27), although one of the cryotherapy eyes could not be refracted because of phthisis. CONCLUSIONS: Laser photocoagulation appears to be associated with a structural and functional outcome at least as good as cryotherapy 7 years after therapy. Visual acuity and refractive error data suggest that laser photocoagulation may have an advantage over cryotherapy.

Open globe injuries in children: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: To study the outcome of open globe injuries in patients aged <14 years and compare the results between patients who presented approximately 30 years ago and a recent series. METHODS: Between January 1970 and January 1993, 180 eyes of children who presented with an open globe injury were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups. One group of children underwent treatment of an open globe injury between January 1970 and December 1981 (group A) and another between December 1985 and January 1993 (group B). Main outcome measures studied were final visual acuity and enucleation rates. Risk factors studied included age, race, sex, visual acuity, type of trauma, and various injury characteristics at presentation. RESULTS: The factors associated with visual outcomes included: age, type of injury, wound size, initial visual acuity, and retinal detachment. Final visual outcome and enucleation rates were not significantly different between the older series (group A) and the recent series (group B). Lenticular damage, location, posterior extent of the injury, and presence of an intraocular foreign body had been significant prognostic factors in the older series, but were not statistically associated with the prognosis in the recent series. CONCLUSION: The nature of the injury and the patient's age are the main determining factors in the outcome of open globe injuries in children.

Anesthetic myotoxicity as a cause of restrictive strabismus after scleral buckling surgery.

PURPOSE: To explore the possibility that anesthetic myotoxicity may play a role in restrictive strabismus following scleral buckling procedures. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective study of patients who presented with strabismus following scleral buckling procedures. Details were sought regarding the scleral buckling procedure, including type and route of anesthesia. The types of strabismus were compiled, as were relevant findings at strabismus surgery. The contributing vitreoretinal surgeons were surveyed regarding the usual type and route of anesthesia used for their scleral buckling procedures. RESULTS: Over 90% of scleral buckling procedures resulting in significant strabismus were performed under local anesthesia. Of the 17 patients on whom strabismus surgery was performed, 14 had positive forced ductions. A hypodeviation of the buckled eye was the most common presentation. CONCLUSION: Based on the types, patterns, and amounts of strabismus encountered after scleral buckling procedures, and the similarity of these findings to cases of strabismus following retrobulbar anesthesia for cataract procedures, the authors propose that local anesthetic myotoxicity is often the primary cause of strabismus occurring after scleral buckling procedures for retinal detachment.

Strabismus after retinal detachment surgery.

Strabismus after retinal detachment surgery is temporary in most cases. Long-term diplopia, however, is seen in 5% to 25% of patients. In most cases the cause is restrictive strabismus due to adhesions, muscle fibrosis, or scarring involving the buckling material. Deviations due to direct muscle injury and "sensory" deviations due to poor vision also occur. Nonsurgical treatments include prisms and botulinum toxin injections. Surgical intervention using adjustable sutures is successful in most cases.

Increased nonenzymatically glycosylated proteins in the vitreous humor of diabetic animals.

One of the earliest pathologic changes of diabetes mellitus is increased nonenzymatic glycosylation (i.e., glycation) of proteins, which results in abnormal aggregation of collagen fibrils and production of superoxide radicals. These abnormalities may be responsible for the precocious senescence of connective tissue associated with the disease. We sought to determine whether glycation is increased in the vitreous humor of short-term diabetic cats (6 months' duration) and rabbits (2 months' duration), using a nitroblue tetrazolium colorimetric assay for fructosamine. Vitreous protein fructosamine concentration was significantly higher in diabetic cats and rabbits, compared with that in control (nondiabetic) animals. These results indicate that glycation is increased in the vitreous humor of short-term diabetic animals, and therefore may be one of the initial triggers for clinically apparent diabetic retinopathy.

Eye injuries associated with paintball guns.

AIMS: This study identifies the various types of ocular injuries sustained after blunt trauma with a paintball fired from a paintball gun. METHODS: We report two patients who sustained injury to an eye after being shot with a paintball and review similar cases presented in the world literature. The type of injury sustained and the final visual acuity obtained after a paintball hit to the eye are examined. RESULTS: The two boys presented were hit in the eye with a paintball resulting in lens subluxation, hyphema formation, and angle recession. Cataract extraction was required in both cases. One boy also had an optic neuropathy and a choroidal rupture. A review of the literature reveals a variety of injuries occur after a paintball hit to the eye. In some of the cases, the damage to the eye has led to loss of vision and at times loss of the eye. CONCLUSIONS: Paintball guns can cause devastating ocular injuries. Wearing protective eye and face gear during this game is essential. We recommend that an anti-fog face mask with a one-piece polycarbonate eye shield be worn by those participating in paintball games.