Reducing Blindness from Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in Argentina Through Collaboration, Advocacy and Policy Implementation.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a largely avoidable cause of blindness in children worldwide, requiring high-quality neonatal care, early detection and treatment. In middle-income countries throughout Latin America, Eastern Europe and South Asia, there has been a rise in ROP blindness due to a combination of increased survival of preterm infants, resource-scarce medical environments and lack of policies, training and human resources. However, Argentina is an example of country where rates of ROP blindness have declined and ROP programmes have been successfully and effectively embedded within the health and legal system. The purpose of this study is to describe the activities and stakeholders, including Ministry of Health (MoH) and UNICEF, involved in the process, from recognition of an epidemic of ROP blindness to the development of national guidelines, policies and legislation for control. Using a retrospective mixed methods case study design, data on rates of severe ROP was collected from 13 neonatal intensive care units from 1999 to 2012, and on the proportion of children blind from ROP in nine blind schools in seven provinces. Legislative document review, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with neonatologists, ophthalmologists, neonatal nurses, parents, MoH officials, clinical societies, legislators and UNICEF officials in seven provinces. Results are presented combining the stages heuristic policy framework and Shiffman including: agenda setting, policy formulation, implementation and evaluation. By 2012, ROP had declined as a cause of blindness in children in schools for the blind as had rates of severe ROP needing treatment in the NICUs visited. Multiple factors played a role in reducing blindness from ROP in Argentina and successfully coordinating its control including national advocacy, leadership, legislation and international collaboration. Lessons learned in Argentina can potentially be scaled to other LMICs in Latin America and beyond with further context-specific research.

Demand for Tertiary Eye Care Services in Developing Countries.

PURPOSE: To analyze the experience of a large developing country tertiary ophthalmology system to identify generalizable information relevant for those planning similar centers elsewhere. DESIGN: Retrospective utilization analysis. METHODS: A historical review of the development of the Aravind Eye Care system was undertaken to evaluate the services provided by various tertiary services of the system. Demand for services is inferred based on the utilization statistics described below and distance traveled by patients to obtain services. RESULTS: Utilization of subspecialty services increased logarithmically for 17 years in all specialties. At all centers except one historically focused on glaucoma, retina services had the highest demand among subspecialty surgical services. The proportion of tertiary care patients among all new outpatients (39% in 2009 and 45% in 2013) and the proportion of specialty surgical and treatment procedures among all procedures (30% in 1997 and 49% 2013) increased over time. More patients traveled long distances (>100 kilometers) to receive specialty services than to receive cataract services (30% vs 23%). CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that in regions where tertiary services are not widely available, (1) patients demand (travel further for) tertiary care more than general ophthalmology services; (2) demand for services can expand rapidly for many years; (3) tertiary care services tend to grow over time as a proportion of all services provided; and (4) retina services are the most highly demanded subspecialty surgical services. In such settings, it is likely that considerable latent demand exists; planned tertiary eye centers should anticipate sustained growth of tertiary services.

Ocular Neuromyotonia Noted after Recent Botulinum Toxin Injection for Sixth Nerve Palsy Following Resection of a Posterior Fossa Skull Base Meningioma.

A 56-year-old female complained of diplopia immediately after surgical excision of a recurrent left skull base tuberculum meningioma. She was found to have a left sixth nerve palsy, which was subsequently treated with botulinum toxin injection to the medial rectus muscle. Three months post injection, the patient had partial recovery of the sixth nerve palsy and new-onset ocular neuromyotonia.

Peripapillary choroidal neovascularization in pars planitis.

BACKGROUND: Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a rare complication of intermediate uveitis. Risk factors are not well-characterized. Here, we describe a case of peripapillary CNV in a patient with intermediate uveitis and explore the pathophysiology and treatment of this condition. This study is a case report and review of the literature. RESULTS: A 15-year-old boy with intermediate uveitis - suppressed for the preceding year on immunosuppressive therapy and low-dose corticosteroids - and chronic disc swelling presented with unilateral metamorphopsia, peripapillary subretinal hemorrhage, and subretinal fluid. Fluorescein angiogram confirmed the presence of an active choroidal neovascular membrane. Treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg every 4 weeks for 4 months resulted in resolution of subretinal fluid, subretinal hemorrhage, and regression of the CNV. The patient's intermediate uveitis remained inactive throughout this time. CONCLUSION: Review of the existing literature and pathophysiologic consideration suggests that chronic disc edema may be a risk factor for this condition. Peripapillary CNV in the context of intermediate uveitis appears to respond well to VEGF-inhibitor therapy.

Cost-effectiveness of 2 approaches to managing nasolacrimal duct obstruction in infants: the importance of the spontaneous resolution rate.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the rate of spontaneous resolution of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction on the relative cost-effectiveness of deferred nasolacrimal duct probing in a surgical facility (DFPS) compared with an immediate office-based probing surgery (IOPS). METHODS: Data from the literature, Medicare 2009 fee schedule, and consensus assumptions were combined to populate a model of outcomes of 2 treatment strategies: immediate office-based probing (IOPS) and deferred facility-based probing (DFPS) (deferred for 6 months). Sensitivity analyses were conducted, varying the 6-month spontaneous resolution rate from 50% to 90%. Additional factors varied during analyses included surgical cost and each procedure's probability of success. Outcomes measured were overall cost of treatment, chance of cure, and months of symptoms avoided by 18 months of life. RESULTS: Under the base case, assuming a 75% spontaneous resolution rate during 6 months prior to deferred probing, IOPS is more expensive ($771 vs $641) and slightly less effective (93.0% vs 97.5%) than DFPS, although IOPS costs only $44 per month of symptoms avoided. At spontaneous resolution rates between 50% and 68%, IOPS costs less than DFPS (from $2 to $342 less), although it also is slightly less effective (from 2.0% to 3.8% less). At a 90% spontaneous resolution rate, IOPS costs $169 per month of symptoms avoided. As the rate of spontaneous resolution falls, the cost per additional success for DFPS increases to $16 709 at a 50% spontaneous resolution rate. CONCLUSION: The relative cost-effectiveness of these strategies for treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction depends on the spontaneous resolution rate after diagnosis.

Surgical management of clinically significant hypertropia associated with exotropia.

PURPOSE: To report the surgical treatment of hypertropia coexisting with exotropia, with either vertical offset surgery or additional vertical muscle surgery simultaneous to correction of the exotropia. METHODS: A total of 35 patients with exotropia and hypertropia who underwent a horizontal muscle surgery for exotropia were included. To determine efficacy in resolving a vertical deviation in patients with exotropia, 28 patients were compared in 2 groups: those who underwent horizontal muscle surgery with vertical offset and those who underwent horizontal muscle surgery with additional vertical muscle surgery. An additional 7 patients who had exotropia and hypertropia but did not undergo vertically corrective surgery were included for comparison. RESULTS: Vertical offset of horizontal rectus muscles (4 mm) resulted in 8(Delta) correction of the distance hypertropia. Vertical rectus muscle recession used in the treatment of larger hypertropic deviations with exotropia had a 3(Delta) correction per 1 mm of recession. Success rates for hypertropia correction were similar between groups, 63% vertical offset and 71% vertical muscle groups; overcorrections occurred in 29% of the vertical muscle group. The vertical correction in both groups was stable in 88% over 6 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Vertical offset of the horizontal muscles simultaneous with exotropia correction has a beneficial effect in small-angle hypertropia (<14(Delta)). Vertical rectus muscle surgery in patients with hypertropia greater than 10(Delta) had equivalent success; however, in intermittent exotropia the hypertropia was prone to overcorrection.

Observations about objective and subjective ocular torsion.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between objective and subjective torsion in patients with cyclovertical strabismus and determine whether objective torsion differs according to which eye is fixing. DESIGN: A prospective evaluation of tests of objective and subjective torsion. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six patients with various types of cyclovertical strabismus. METHODS: Subjective torsion was assessed with the double Maddox rod, and objective torsion was graded in a masked manner from fundus photographs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quantification of objective or subjective torsion. RESULTS: Objective torsion was the same regardless of which eye was used for fixation. However, after prolonged occlusion of the nonaffected eye, there was often an increase in objective torsion in the nonaffected eye. Subjective torsion typically was absent in patients with objective torsion if they did not have bifoveal fusion but was similar to objective torsion in patients with bifoveal fusional potential. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of objective and subjective torsion are each important but play separate roles in the evaluation of cyclovertical strabismus. There is no immediate torsional motor shift when fixation switches from the nonaffected to the affected eye. However, prolonged fixation of the affected eye may possibly result in a motor torsional change in the nonaffected eye in some patients.

Identifying geographic disparities in the early detection of breast cancer using a geographic information system.

INTRODUCTION: Identifying communities with lower rates of mammography screening is a critical step to providing targeted screening programs; however, population-based data necessary for identifying these geographic areas are limited. This study presents methods to identify geographic disparities in the early detection of breast cancer. METHODS: Data for all women residing in Dane County, Wisconsin, at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis from 1981 through 2000 (N = 4769) were obtained from the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System (Wisconsin's tumor registry) by ZIP code of residence. Hierarchical logistic regression models for disease mapping were used to identify geographic differences in the early detection of breast cancer. RESULTS: The percentage of breast cancer cases diagnosed in situ (excluding lobular carcinoma in situ) increased from 1.3% in 1981 to 11.9% in 2000. This increase, reflecting increasing mammography use, occurred sooner in Dane County than in Wisconsin as a whole. From 1981 through 1985, the proportion of breast cancer diagnosed in situ in Dane county was universally low (2%-3%). From 1986 through 1990, urban and suburban ZIP codes had significantly higher rates (10%) compared with rural ZIP codes (5%). From 1991 through 1995, mammography screening had increased in rural ZIP codes (7% of breast cancer diagnosed in situ). From 1996 through 2000, mammography use was fairly homogeneous across the entire county (13%-14% of breast cancer diagnosed in situ). CONCLUSION: The percentage of breast cancer cases diagnosed in situ increased in the state and in all areas of Dane County from 1981 through 2000. Visual display of the geographic differences in the early detection of breast cancer demonstrates the diffusion of mammography use across the county over the 20-year period.