Syphilitic Uveitis With Diverse Clinical Presentations: Multimodal Imaging as a Useful Adjunctive Tool for Diagnosis and Treatment.

We report four cases of syphilitic uveitis with diverse clinical presentations. All patients were men who have sex with women, and were aged 19-68 years, and none were HIV-positive. All cases were bilateral. One case presented with anterior uveitis, while three exhibited panuveitis. One patient had acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis and two had retinal vasculitis resulting in damage to the outer retinal and retinal pigment epithelium. The rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and Treponema pallidum (TP) hemagglutination test were both positive in all cases. Six of eight eyes had improved vision and best-corrected visual acuity better than 20/20 after antibiotic treatment. Serological testing is mandatory for the diagnosis of syphilitic uveitis. Additionally, multimodal imaging, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and fluorescein angiography (FA), can provide useful adjunctive information for early diagnosis and assessment of treatment response.

Uveitis associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors or BRAF/MEK inhibitors in patients with malignant melanoma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of uveitis associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or BRAF/MEK inhibitors (B/MIs) in patients with malignant melanoma. Patients diagnosed with malignant melanoma who underwent radical or local resection for malignant melanoma, regardless of clinical stage or postoperative adjuvant therapy, at Hiroshima University Hospital from January 2015 to June 2021 were enrolled in a retrospective cohort. The medical records of patients were collected to estimate the prevalence of ocular adverse events. The clinical characteristics of patients who developed uveitis were reviewed. Among 152 patients, 54 and 12 were treated with ICIs and B/MIs, respectively. Four patients developed uveitis; 1 in the ICI group and 3 in the B/MI group, while there were no uveitis cases among patients who did not receive ICIs or B/MIs. Three patients had Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease-like findings. Uveitis was improved by steroid therapy with or without oncological treatment interruption. Oncological treatment could be resumed. Patients with melanoma treated with ICIs or B/MIs had a higher risk of uveitis compared with those who did not receive them. Oncological treatment could be resumed in all patients who developed uveitis.

Orbital fibrous capsule formation with abscess found 3 years after penetrating injury from a wooden chopstick.

Intraorbital wooden foreign bodies are sometimes difficult to diagnose because of nonspecific clinical manifestations and diversity of imaging characteristics. We herein report a case involving a 72-year-old woman with a history of trauma induced by a coated wooden chopstick 3 years prior. Two years after the incident, computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an intraorbital mass that was initially diagnosed as an intraorbital hemangioma. The patient presented with hyperemia, impairment of ocular movement, and optic neuropathy in her right eye. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed granulation tissue and an abscess around a foreign body, which was compressing the eyeball. Surgical extraction of the foreign body was performed, leading to resolution of symptoms. The depiction of wooden foreign bodies by imaging is complicated and affected by several factors, increasing the risk of delayed diagnosis. To avoid permanent sequelae, MRI might be helpful because its imaging capabilities are superior to those of CT.

Two Cases of Atopic Dermatitis Patients With Scleral Perforation After Recurrent Scleritis Induced by Scleral-Sutured Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantation.

This report describes two cases of atopic dermatitis patients with scleral perforation after recurrent scleritis induced by suture exposure after scleral-sutured posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) implantation. The first patient was a 41-year-old man (case 1), and the second was a 46-year-old man (case 2). Both had a history of atopic dermatitis and scleral-sutured intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Scleritis recurred at the suture site after scleral-sutured IOL implantation in both patients. Although the scleritis was controlled by topical and/or systemic anti-inflammatory drugs, the sclera was perforated in both cases because of exposure of the suture knots (after seven years in case 1 and after 11 years in case 2). In case 1, the superotemporal IOL haptic was also exposed over the conjunctiva, and in case 2, the ciliary body was incarcerated in the scleral hole with deformation of the pupil superonasally. Considering that there were no signs of severe intraocular inflammation, surgical intervention was performed in both cases. In case 1, IOL repositioning was performed with oral prednisolone cover at a dosage of 15 mg/day, starting two weeks prior to the surgery. The steroid dosage was gradually tapered off until two months after the surgery. In case 2, the scleral patch underwent without IOL extraction, and no steroid or immunosuppression cover was administered. There was no recurrence of scleritis after surgery in either case, and visual acuity was preserved in both cases. The scleral perforation that occurred after scleral-sutured IOL implantation in these patients was thought to be the result of recurrent scleritis caused by suture exposure and chronic mechanical irritation by a suture knot. The scleritis subsided without removal of the IOL by moving the suture site of the IOL haptic and covering the suture with a scleral flap or patch graft.

Faricimab for Diabetic Macular Edema in Patients Refractory to Ranibizumab or Aflibercept.

Background and Objectives: Faricimab is the first intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor-A and angiopoietin-2 bispecific monoclonal antibody. Here, we evaluate the functional and anatomical outcomes of faricimab treatment in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) that was refractory to ranibizumab or aflibercept. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective, observational, consecutive-case study of patients who had DME that was refractory to treatment with ranibizumab or aflibercept and were treated with faricimab between July 2022 and January 2023 under a pro re nata regimen. All the participants were followed for ≥4 months after the initiation of faricimab. The primary outcome was a recurrence interval of ≥12 weeks, and the secondary outcomes were the changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). Results: We analyzed 18 eyes of 18 patients. The mean recurrence interval of previous anti-VEGF injection was 5.8 ± 2.5 weeks, which was significantly extended to 10.8 ± 4.9 weeks (p = 0.0005) by the switch to faricimab. Eight patients (44.4%) achieved a recurrence interval of ≥12 weeks. A history of subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide (p = 0.0034) and the presence of disorganization of the retinal inner layers (p = 0.0326) were found to be significantly associated with a recurrence interval of <12 weeks. The mean BCVAs were 0.23 ± 0.28 logMAR and 0.19 ± 0.23 logMAR, and the mean CMTs were 473.8 ± 222.0 µm and 381.3 ± 219.4 µm at baseline and 4 months, respectively, but these changes were not statistically significant. None of the patients experienced serious adverse events. Conclusions: Faricimab may extend the treatment interval for patients with DME that is refractory to ranibizumab or aflibercept. DME previously treated with the subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide or associated with disorganization of the retinal inner layers may be less likely to be associated with a longer recurrence interval after switching to faricimab.

Incidence and pre/post-treatment risk factors of glaucoma in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence and pre/post-treatment risk factors of glaucoma in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. METHODS: Data regarding secondary glaucoma were collected from the medical records of patients with VKH disease who were followed up at the uveitis service at Hiroshima University for more than 6 months. We examined the incidence of glaucoma and pre/post-treatment risk factors for glaucoma in patients with VKH disease. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients with VKH disease were included in this study (31 women and 18 men). The mean age at onset was 50.4 ± 15.4 years and the mean length of follow-up was 40.7 ± 25.5 months. The most common initial treatment was pulse intravenous corticosteroid therapy (89.8%). Fifteen patients developed secondary glaucoma during follow-up. The median time of glaucoma onset from VKH development was 4.5 months (range 0-44 months). Disc swelling type as a pre-treatment factor (p = 0.089, hazard ratio = 7.268), worse final best corrected visual acuity (p = 0.099, odds ratio = 1.545), and cataract progression (p = 0.076, odds ratio = 7.886) as post-treatment factors showed trends for glaucoma development. The patients who progressed to the chronic recurrent stage had more complications including glaucoma. CONCLUSION: Secondary glaucoma occurred in more than 30% of patients with VKH disease. The factors that showed a trend toward glaucoma development may reflect an association with delayed treatment initiation and prolonged ocular inflammation.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss after Ciliary Sulcus Placement of Ahmed Glaucoma Valve in Patients with Noninfectious Uveitic Glaucoma.

This study was performed to investigate the corneal endothelial cell density (CECD) reduction and treatment efficacy in patients with uveitic glaucoma treated by the ciliary sulcus placement of the Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV). This retrospective study included 27 eyes of 27 patients with noninfectious uveitis who underwent the sulcus placement of the AGV. Each patient underwent a clinical assessment including a CECD measurement before surgery and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery. The mean CECD was 2431.4 ± 367.5 cells/mm2 at preoperative baseline and 2360.5 ± 391.3 cells/mm2 at 12 months (p = 0.074), with a reduction rate of 2.73 ± 9.29%. The CECD reduction was significantly greater in patients with unilateral uveitis than that with bilateral uveitis. The rate of successful intraocular pressure control was 88% at 12 months, and the number of intraocular pressure-lowering medications was significantly reduced (p < 0.001). The current study showed that the implantation of an Ahmed tube into the ciliary sulcus provided stable intraocular pressure control in patients with glaucoma secondary to noninfectious uveitis, and CECD reduction was moderate in most patients at 12 months.

DRAINAGE RETINOTOMY IS A RISK FACTOR FOR SURGICAL FAILURE AFTER PARS PLANA VITRECTOMY IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY UNCOMPLICATED RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors for recurrent retinal detachment after uncomplicated pars plana vitrectomy in patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included patients with primary RRD who underwent 23-gauge and 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy at Hiroshima University Hospital between January 2016 and May 2021. All patients had ≥3 months of follow-up. Patients were excluded if they had preoperative proliferative vitreoretinopathy worse than Grade C1; giant retinal tears; tractional, exudative, or traumatic retinal detachment; or the use of perfluorocarbon liquid. Factors that influenced RRD treatment outcome and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: We analyzed 519 eyes of 509 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for primary RRD. The primary and final success rates were 93.8% and 99.8%, respectively. Drainage retinotomy was a risk factor for surgical failure in both multivariate analysis (odds ratio 2.36, 95% confidence interval 1.08-5.15, P = 0.0314) and a propensity score-matching analysis (odds ratio 3.20, 95% confidence interval 1.14-9.04, P = 0.0277). Postoperative epiretinal membrane was associated with drainage retinotomy in multivariate analysis (odds ratio 1.93, 95% confidence interval 1.04-3.57, P = 0.0358). CONCLUSION: The avoidance of drainage retinotomy during small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy in patients with RRD may lead to better surgical success and less frequent epiretinal membrane formation.

Vitreoretinal Lymphoma in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis with a History of Methotrexate-associated Lymphoproliferative Disorders.

Methotrexate (MTX) may induce immunosuppression and facilitate the onset of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD). Most cases of MTX-LPD occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; the incidence is high in Japan. Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that can masquerade as steroid-resistant chronic uveitis, leading to fatal diagnostic delay. A 68-year-old woman exhibited optic disc swelling and retinal vasculitis causing floaters in the right eye. She was undergoing long-term MTX treatment for rheumatoid arthritis; she previously had been diagnosed with MTX-LPD, which regressed upon discontinuation of MTX. Steroid therapy was ineffective for optic disc swelling and retinal vasculitis; her best-corrected visual acuity decreased to 20/400. Vitreous biopsy revealed VRL, which was successfully treated with high-dose MTX-based systemic chemotherapy and intravitreal injections of MTX. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of VRL in a patient with an autoimmune disease who have a history of MTX-LPD.

Factors associated with low prevalence of Fuchs' uveitis syndrome in Japan.

Aim: To investigate the causes of low prevalence of Fuchs' uveitis syndrome (FUS) in Japan. Methods: Medical records of 160 patients diagnosed with FUS at 14 uveitis specialty facilities in Japan were reviewed retrospectively. Results: In 160 FUS patients, mean follow-up period before referral to our uveitis facilities was 31.6 ± 50.9 months. The most common reason for referral was idiopathic uveitis (61.9%), followed by cataract (25.0%), high intraocular pressure (IOP) including glaucoma (16.3%), and FUS (14.4%). Unilateral involvement was 96.9%. The most frequent ocular finding of FUS was anterior inflammation (91.9%), followed by stellate-shaped keratic precipitates (88.1%), cataract/pseudophakia (88.1%), diffuse iris atrophy (84.4%), vitreous opacity (62.5%), heterochromia (53.1%) and high IOP including glaucoma (36.3%). As treatments of these ocular findings, cataract surgery was performed in 52.5%, glaucoma surgery in 10.6%, and vitrectomy in 13.8%. Mean logMAR VA was 0.28 ± 0.59 at the initial visit, and decreased significantly to 0.04 ± 0.32 at the last visit. Proportions of FUS patients with BCVA <0.1 and 0.1 to <0.5 decreased, while that of ≥0.5 increased at the last visit compared with the initial visit. Conclusions: Ocular findings of FUS in Japanese FUS patients were consistent with the characteristic features. The low prevalence of FUS in Japan may be a result of being overlooked and misdiagnosed as mild idiopathic uveitis, cataract, and/or glaucoma.

Irreversible intraocular pressure elevation as a complication of MIRAgel scleral buckling.

Purpose: To report a case of ocular hypertension due to swelling and degeneration of hydrogel explant (MIRAgel) after retinal detachment surgery. Observations: The patient who had a history of left retinal detachment 23 years prior had been regularly followed up for epiretinal membrane in the left eye at the Department of Ophthalmology, Hiroshima University Hospital. Two years after the first presentation, the patient had symptoms of foreign body sensation and hyperemia, with elevation of the intraocular pressure (IOP) of the left eye to 24 mmHg. Two months later, the patient noticed omnidirectional oculomotor disturbances in the left eye, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed swelling of the buckle material, presumably hydrogel explant, surrounding his left eye. His oculomotor disturbances worsened, and the left eye IOP remained high at 40 mmHg, despite the administration of antihypertensive eye drops. Subsequently, the swollen hydrogel explant was surgically removed. After the surgery, there was improvement of the diplopia and foreign body sensation. However, IOP in the left eye remained at 34 mmHg, and a trabeculectomy was performed to normalize the IOP. Conclusions and Importance: As far as we know, there have been no reported cases of irreversible ocular hypertension due to hydrogel explant. Stenosis of the trabecular outflow pathway secondary to compression of the superior scleral vein by long-term swollen hydrogel explant and inflammation around the hydrogel explant may be the cause of irreversible IOP elevation. Trabeculectomy may be effective for treating the intraocular hypertension caused by hydrogel explant.

Efficacy and Safety of Adalimumab Therapy for the Treatment of Non-infectious Uveitis: Efficacy comparison among Uveitis Aetiologies.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of adalimumab treatment in patients with Non-infectious uveitis. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective chart review of patients with active Non-infectious uveitis who had received adalimumab in Japan. Outcome variables included change in systemic immunosuppressive treatment, intraocular inflammation, visual acuity, and relapse rate. RESULTS: In total, 48 patients were included. After the initiation of adalimumab, more than 80% of the patients received systemic corticosteroid ≤5 mg from 3 months onwards. Intraocular inflammation, relapse rate, and visual acuity showed persistent improvement. Adalimumab and methotrexate combination therapy was required in 71.4% of the patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease/sympathetic ophthalmia, whereas it was required in only 18.0% of the patients with Behçet's disease. There were no serious side effects that required discontinuation of adalimumab. CONCLUSION: Adalimumab is efficacious and safe for the treatment of patients with Non-infectious uveitis. Differences in the efficacy of adalimumab treatment may exist between patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease/sympathetic ophthalmia and patients with Behçet's disease.

Methotrexate Effectively Controls Ocular Inflammation in Japanese Patients With Non-infectious Uveitis.

This single-center retrospective study investigated the clinical characteristics and efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis for more than 6 months at Hiroshima University, from February 2016 to May 2021. Outcome variables included changes in systemic immunosuppressive treatment and intraocular inflammation. Out of 448 patients with non-infectious uveitis, 35 patients (14 male patients and 21 female patients; 65 eyes) treated with MTX for more than 6 months were analyzed. There were 15 patients with anterior uveitis and 20 with posterior and panuveitis. The mean dose of systemic corticosteroids decreased from 12.1 mg/day at baseline to 1.3 mg/day at 6 months and 0.6 mg at 12 months after starting MTX, and approximately 90% of patients were corticosteroid-free at 12 months. The percentage of eyes with inactive uveitis at 6, 12, and 24 months was 49.2%, 59.6%, and 90.0%, respectively. Mean relapse rate score also significantly decreased from 2.88 at baseline to 0.85 at 12 months (p < 0.001). Inflammatory control was achieved with MTX doses of 8-16 mg/week, with a median dose of 12 mg/week. Adverse effects of MTX were observed in 34.3% of patients, and 11.4% required discontinuation; most commonly hepatotoxicity (58.3%), followed by fatigue (25.0%), and hair loss (16.7%). No significant differences were found between the survival curves of patients with anterior uveitis and posterior/panuveitis (Wilcoxon rank-sum test). The percentage of eyes without IOP-lowering eye drops was significantly higher in patients with posterior/panuveitis at 24 months (p = 0.001). Our study suggests that MTX is effective in controlling ocular inflammation for Japanese patients with non-infectious uveitis. Relatively high incidence of MTX-related adverse effects in the Japanese population indicates that careful monitoring and dose adjustments are crucial for the long-term use of this therapy.

Infectious necrotizing scleritis and proliferative vitreoretinopathy after scleral buckling in a patient with atopic dermatitis.

PURPOSE: To report a case of necrotizing scleritis and proliferative vitreoretinopathy due to an acute infection following scleral buckling for the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in a patient with untreated atopic dermatitis. OBSERVATIONS: A 40-year-old man with untreated atopic dermatitis presented with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in his right eye. He underwent uncomplicated scleral buckling surgery with an encircling silicon sponge band, then noticed severe hyperemia and purulent discharge in the eye at 3 weeks after surgery. The silicon sponge was exposed and had migrated anteriorly. The patient was then diagnosed with post-scleral-buckling infection and underwent scleral buckle removal. Marked scleral thinning due to necrotizing scleritis was evident beneath the scleral buckle. Eye discharge culture findings were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. After removal of the scleral buckle, the patient's necrotizing scleritis improved, but he developed proliferative vitreoretinopathy. The patient then underwent pars plana vitrectomy, which resulted in reattachment of his retina. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Although postoperative infection within 1 month after scleral buckling is rare, surgeons should note that patients with atopic dermatitis are at high risk of postoperative infection after scleral buckling, leading to the development of sight-threatening complications such as necrotizing scleritis, which could lead to incomplete retinal attachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Incidence of ocular inflammation among patients with active tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in a tertiary hospital in Japan.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to elucidate the incidence of ocular involvement among patients with active tuberculosis (TB) or nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection in a hospital in Japan. METHODS: Patients with active TB or NTM infection at Yoshijima Hospital from April 2017 to July 2018 were included in this retrospective study. All patients underwent ophthalmic examinations, including fundus evaluation under pupil dilation, before initiation of antibiotic therapy. Patients with ocular inflammation were regularly followed up by ophthalmologists. RESULTS: In total, 101 patients with active TB and 27 patients with active NTM infection underwent ophthalmic examinations during the study period. Seven patients with TB (6.9%) had ocular inflammation; four had bilateral involvement. In these seven patients, ocular inflammation comprised anterior uveitis (n = 2), intermediate uveitis (n = 1), posterior uveitis (n = 4). Choroidal tubercles were observed in two patients with posterior uveitis. Female sex was associated with higher incidence of ocular inflammation among patients with TB. Conversely, no patients with NTM infection had ocular inflammation. CONCLUSION: Ocular inflammation was present in approximately 7% of patients with active TB. Although TB choroiditis is presumed to be rare in Japan, approximately 30% of the patients with ocular inflammation exhibited choroidal lesions in this study. In contrast, no ocular inflammation was observed among patients with systemic NTM infection.

Clinical Characteristics and Efficacy of Adalimumab and Low-Dose Methotrexate Combination Therapy in Patients With Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

This retrospective study investigated the clinical characteristics and efficacy of adalimumab and low-dose methotrexate combination therapy in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease who were treated at Hiroshima University from February 2012 to May 2021. The patients' demographics, clinical features at administration of immunosuppressive therapy, steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy, side effects, and relapses were recorded. The efficacies of steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy (methotrexate, cyclosporine A, adalimumab, and adalimumab and methotrexate combination therapy) were analyzed. Among 62 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 47 years and the median duration of uveitis was 51 months. Systemic corticosteroid therapy was administered to 93.5% of patients (n = 58). Thirty-four patients (54.8%) were treated with steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy. Methotrexate and cyclosporine A were administered to 12 and 22 patients, respectively; relapse occurred in 50.0% and 22.7% of the patients, respectively. Discontinuation of cyclosporine A was required in 63.6% of patients because of side effects. Adalimumab was administered to 14 patients. Recurrence occurred in 11 patients, requiring methotrexate concomitantly. The mean dose of methotrexate at inflammatory quiescence after side effect-related dose decrease was 8.0 mg/week (0.13 mg/kg). The median duration of combination therapy without recurrence was 20 months. There were no serious adverse events during adalimumab therapy. A high relapse rate was observed in patients receiving methotrexate; a high rate of side effects requiring discontinuation was observed in patients receiving Cyclosporine A. Patients with late-stage Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease may achieve better control with adalimumab and methotrexate combination therapy.

Clinical characteristics and efficacy of methotrexate in Japanese patients with noninfectious scleritis.

PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment of noninfectious scleritis in Japanese patients, focusing on the efficacy of methotrexate (MTX). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with noninfectious scleritis treated at Hiroshima University from February 2016 to May 2020 was performed. The patients' clinical features, associated systemic diseases, treatments, and visual outcomes were studied. The efficacy of MTX was also analyzed. RESULTS: The study comprised 57 patients (88 eyes) with noninfectious scleritis, of whom 31 had bilateral involvement and the majority had anterior diffuse scleritis (n = 45). The commonest ocular complication was anterior chamber cells (38.6%), followed by ocular hypertension (28.1%). Associated systemic diseases were observed in 24.6% of the patients. Systemic immunosuppressive treatment was required in 78.9% of the patients, and 45.6% of the patients needed corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive treatment. Treatment success was achieved in 88.2% of the patients. Decreased vision was observed in 9.8% of the patients with ≥ 3-month follow-up. Seventeen patients were treated with MTX; the median maximum dose was 16 mg/week (range 8-16 mg). The scleritis was well controlled in almost 80% of the patients treated with MTX and systemic corticosteroids ≤ 5 mg. MTX adverse effects occurred in 47.1% of the MTX-treated patients; they were either tolerable or improved with dose adjustment in most cases. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests the significance of prompt initiation of corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive treatment in treating patients with refractory scleritis or those intolerant of systemic corticosteroids. Moreover, MTX may be used effectively and safely for the treatment of noninfectious scleritis in Japanese patients.

Retinal detachment with retinal pigment epithelial tear under hypotony after trabeculectomy: A case report.

PURPOSE: To report a case of retinal detachment with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear, under hypotony after trabeculectomy, which immediately resolved upon elevation of intraocular pressure. OBSERVATIONS: A 67-year-old man who had undergone trabeculectomy presented for treatment of a visual field defect in his left eye. His glaucoma surgery was uneventful. At his first visit to our clinic, the patient's visual acuity was 15/20 in the right eye and 20/40 in the left; intraocular pressure was 18 mmHg in the right and 5 mmHg in the left. Fundus examination of the left eye revealed a retinal detachment, overlying a choroidal detachment, and an RPE tear. The retinal detachment did not resolve with systemic steroid pulse therapy or vitrectomy. The patient was then diagnosed with an exudative retinal detachment with RPE tear under hypotony, and transconjunctival sutures were applied to tighten the scleral flap, to elevate intraocular pressure. After the transconjunctival sutures were applied, intraocular pressure increased to 10 mmHg and the exudative retinal detachment immediately resolved. There was no recurrence of retinal detachment after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Because there have been few case reports of retinal detachment with an RPE tear after glaucoma filtering surgery, no therapeutic strategy has yet been proposed. The findings in this case indicate that intraocular pressure elevation is effective for treating exudative retinal detachment with RPE tear in cases of hypotony after glaucoma filtering surgery.