Pneumatic retinopexy preceded by drainage of subretinal fluid for the treatment of severe bullous retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety outcomes of scleral buckling (SB) and drainage-injection-pneumoretinopexy (DIP), a modified pneumatic retinopexy technique, in which, before gas injection, subretinal fluid is drained with a simultaneous injection of balanced salt solution (BSS) in the vitreous chamber, for the treatment of severe superior bullous rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (SBRD). METHODS: This prospective, randomized, comparative study included 58 eyes with severe SBRD that were randomized 1:1 to undergo SB or DIP. The main outcome measures included success rate, visual acuity, mean change in refractive error and surgery duration. RESULTS: The primary anatomic success rate was 93% for both procedures. Both groups showed significantly improved visual acuity after surgery. The change in refractive error and surgery duration was significantly higher in the SB group. Drainage-injection-pneumoretinopexy (DIP) appeared to be less traumatic, but with a longer persistence of subretinal fluid in a greater number of patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that both SB and DIP are safe and effective treatments yielding functional and anatomical recovery in patients with severe SBRD. However, the DIP technique may be easier and less costly, with a success rate similar to that of SB.

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy caused by a homozygous mutation in TSPAN12 in a cystic fibrosis infant.

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a genetic disease affecting the vascularization of the peripheral retina. The clinical manifestations are very heterogeneous, ranging from mildly affected patients, who could present no visual defects, to severe conditions which can also cause complete blindness at birth or in the first decade. FEVR can be inherited in all the three genetic forms: dominant, recessive and X-linked. To date, four genes have been associated with the condition: TSPAN12. NDP. FDZ4 and LRP5. Interestingly, mutations in TSPAN12 have been considered causative of both a dominant and recessive inheritance and a FEVR phenotype sensitive to the number of TSPAN12 mutations has been supposed. Here we describe a case of a female infant affected by cystic fibrosis and by a severe form of exudative vitreoretinopathy. In particular, we have detected the homozygous missense mutation c.668 T > C in TSPAN12. Neither of the heterozygous parents has ocular manifestations of the disease, suggesting a classic recessive mendelian pattern of inheritance.

Effects of topical hypotensive drugs on circadian IOP, blood pressure, and calculated diastolic ocular perfusion pressure in patients with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the short-term effects of timolol 0.5%, brimonidine 0.2%, dorzolamide 2%, and latanoprost 0.005% on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and diastolic ocular perfusion pressure (DOPP), calculated as the difference between the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and IOP. METHODS: According to a 4 x 4 Latin squares design for repeated measures, 27 untreated patients and patients with newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) were treated with timolol 0.5% at 8 AM and 8 PM; brimonidine 0.2% at 8 AM and 8 PM; dorzolamide 2% at 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM; and latanoprost 0.005% at 8 PM. The duration of each treatment course was 6-weeks, with a 4-week washout between each treatment. IOP and BP were measured at baseline and at the end of each treatment period. IOP was measured every 2 hours throughout a 24-hour period. Sitting IOP was measured from 8 AM to 10 PM by Goldmann applanation tonometry. Supine IOP was assessed from 12 to 6 AM by means of a handheld electronic tonometer (TonoPen XL; Mentor, Norwell, MA). BP monitoring was performed by means of an automated portable device (TM-2430; A & D Co., Saitama, Japan). RESULTS: All the drugs tested decreased the IOP significantly at all time points in comparison with baseline pressure. The mean 24-hour IOP after latanoprost administration (16.62+/-0.98 mm Hg) was significantly lower than that after timolol, brimonidine, or dorzolamide (P=0.0001). During the 24-hour period, brimonidine induced a significant decrease in systolic BP (SBP) and DBP at all time points when compared with baseline measurements and with those after administration of the other drugs (P<0.0001). Timolol caused a significant decrease in DBP and SBP at all the 24-hour time points when compared with the baseline and with the dorzolamide- and latanoprost-induced changes (P<0.0001). The mean 24-hour DOPPs were 50.7+/-5.9 mm Hg at baseline, 53+/-5.5 mm Hg with timolol, 46.2+/-5.4 mm Hg with brimonidine, 55.9+/-4.6 mm Hg with dorzolamide, and 56.4+/-4.9 mm Hg with latanoprost. Brimonidine induced a significant decrease in the mean 24-hour DOPP compared with that at baseline (P<0.0001), whereas dorzolamide and latanoprost induced a significant increase (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Latanoprost seemed to induce a uniform reduction in IOP during the 24-hour period, although timolol was as effective as latanoprost during the daytime, and dorzolamide are as effective as latanoprost at night. SBP and DBP were significantly decreased by either timolol or brimonidine. In this study of patients with newly diagnosed POAG, only dorzolamide and latanoprost significantly increased mean 24-hour DOPP.