ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in the treatment of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: Prospective study, noncomparative, interventional case series. Twelve consecutive patients (12 eyes) with macular edema associated with nonischemic retinal vein occlusion were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg). All subjects underwent standardized ophthalmic evaluation at baseline and at weeks 1, 4, 12, and 24, consisting of visual acuity (VA) measurement using ETDRS charts, and imaging with ocular coherence tomography evaluating changes in foveal thickness (FT) and macular volume (MV). RESULTS: The median age was 66 years (+/- 4.16), and the median duration of symptoms was 4 months (+/- 1.81). There were six cases of inferior branch vein occlusion and six cases of superior branch retinal vein occlusion. Mean VA improved from 1.32 +/- 0.24 (logMAR values) at baseline to 0.8 +/- 0.15 (p = 0.0003) at the 6-month follow-up. The macular edema responded promptly, and a trend to restoration of normal macular anatomy was observed at by the seventh day. Mean FT improved from 615.50 +/- 116.29 microns to 420 +/- 72.53 microns (p = 0.001), and the mean MV improved from 19.81 +/- 2.31mm3 to 9.23 +/- 1.38 (p = 0.0001) at the 6-month follow-up.
ABSTRACT
A 53-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of visual loss in his left eye. Visual acuity could be corrected to 20/20 with an increased hyperopic correction. Dilated funduscopy showed faint choroidal folds and elevation of the left optic disc. The coronal view of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a fluid-filled dilated sheath surrounding normal optic nerves. General physical examination and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were normal. The subject was diagnosed as having dural ectasia of the optic nerve sheath and followed a course of acetazolamide 250 mg twice daily for three months, and displayed good anatomical and functional results during a 2-year follow-up period. Despite the fact that several authors have recommended an optic nerve decompression, most of the patients follow a benign clinical course. The role of corticosteroids is not described in the literature. Raised levels of proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid in the perioptic subarachnoidal space could be a determining factor. On the basis of an osmotic gradient between the cerebral subarachnoid space and perioptic subarachnoid space, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors could be beneficial. In contrast to other reports, we believe that surgical intervention could be reserved for patients with rapid or progressive optic nerve dysfunction.
ABSTRACT
A 57-year-old woman consulted our department about a plaque that had been present in her left eye for one year. Ophthalmological examination revealed a solid mass in the left conjunctival semilunar fold. An excitional biopsy was peformed, revealing an amyloid deposition. The patient was referred to the Internal Medicine Department for systemic study. All studies were negative for systemic amyloidosis. Throughout ten years of follow-up study, the patient has shown neither conjunctival recurrence nor any evidence of systemic amylodosis. Despite the fact that several authors have described ocular amyloidosis as an ophthalmologic manifestation of systemic amyloidosis, conjunctival location of amyloidosis is a very rare condition. Amyloid characterization in ocular structures should not be considered a final diagnosis since involvement of systemic underlying diseases must be ruled out. We report a case of localized conjunctival amyloidosis with a ten-year follow-up period that excluded ocular or systemic diseases.
