Cyclodialysis Cleft After Secondary Intraocular Lens Placement With Yamane Technique.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report a rare case of cyclodialysis cleft after secondary intraocular lens (IOL) placement using the Yamane flanged intrascleral haptic fixation technique. METHODS: This study is an observational case report. RESULTS: A 74-year-old man with an ocular history of spontaneously dislocated IOL and subsequent anterior chamber IOL (ACIOL) placement presented with monocular diplopia secondary to ACIOL subluxation. The patient underwent explantation of the subluxed ACIOL and placement of a scleral-fixated IOL using the Yamane technique. The postoperative course was complicated by persistent hypotony, prompting ultrasound biomicroscopy, which revealed a cyclodialysis cleft adjacent to one of the externalized IOL haptics. The haptic was discovered in the involved supraciliary space while performing direct cyclopexy. The cyclodialysis cleft closed with return to physiologic intraocular pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclodialysis cleft formation is a possible complication of scleral IOL fixation and should be suspected in cases of prolonged postoperative hypotony. Extended longitudinal tracking of the needle and haptic through the supraciliary space may be one mechanism for cyclodialysis cleft formation in the Yamane technique.

Peripheral Blood Transcriptome in Patients with Sarcoidosis-Associated Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To identify peripheral blood transcriptome differences in uveitis patients with sarcoidosis compared to those with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and controls. METHODS: Ten patients with uveitis compatible with sarcoidosis (eight with pulmonary sarcoidosis, one with central nervous system sarcoidosis, and one with conjunctival sarcoidosis), nine patients with VKH, and nine healthy controls were prospectively enrolled. RESULTS: Ten genes exhibited a four-fold difference in expression in sarcoidosis patients compared to controls, many being involved in regulating inflammatory processes or cellular responses to microbes. CONCLUSIONS: This research suggests that the transcriptome in sarcoidosis is robust enough to be detected in the peripheral blood and that sarcoidosis can be distinguished from healthy controls. Differentially expressed genes may serve as candidates warranting further investigation with respect to disease pathophysiology and may provide additional information, such as ability to stratify patients based on associated disease severity and anatomical location of inflammation within the eye.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Here, we provide an overview of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH), including recent updates in our understanding of disease pathophysiology, classification and therapeutics. RECENT FINDINGS: Advancements in bioinformatics, metabolomics and genomics investigations continue to illuminate VKH pathogenesis, and may provide insight into future therapeutic options. Multimodal imaging is indispensable in the initial evaluation of VKH, and is becoming increasingly important in understanding disease pathogenesis, as well as monitoring therapeutic response. Enhanced VKH classification criteria, released in 2021, provide standardized guidelines and terminology for clinical and research purposes. SUMMARY: Modern research and imaging techniques continue to improve our understanding of VKH; more work is needed to further elucidate pathogenic mechanisms and establish optimal therapeutic recommendations.

High Resolution DNA Typing of Human Leukocyte Antigen A29 in Familial Birdshot Chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To describe high-resolution DNA typing of HLA-A29 in patients with familial birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR).Methods: A retrospective clinical chart review was performed of all patients at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation with BSCR with a documented family history of HLA-A29 positive BSCR. High-resolution HLA-A29 typing was performed for these patients.Results: Two families with familial BSCR were identified. Family 1 consisted of a mother, daughter and maternal aunt with BSCR. All were positive for the HLA-A29*02 allele. Family 2 consisted of two sisters with BSCR who were both positive for the HLA-A29*02 allele.Conclusions: Familial BSCR is rare and we report the high-resolution DNA typing of HLA-A29 in two families with familial BSCR and their associated clinical outcomes, including the first documented case of multigenerational BSCR.

Validation of a Novel Confocal Microscopy Imaging Protocol With Assessment of Reproducibility and Comparison of Nerve Metrics in Dry Eye Disease Compared With Controls.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to assess the reproducibility of a novel standardized technique for capturing corneal subbasal nerve plexus images with in vivo corneal confocal microscopy and to compare nerve metrics captured with this method in participants with dry eye and control participants. METHODS: Cases and controls were recruited based on their International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) diagnoses. Participants completed the following 3 ocular symptom questionnaires: the Ocular Surface Disease Index, Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory, and Dry Eye Questionnaire 5. A novel eye fixation-grid system was used to capture 30 standardized confocal microscopy images of the central cornea. Each participant was imaged twice by different operators. Seven quantitative nerve metrics were analyzed using automated software (ACCmetrics, Manchester, United Kingdom) for all 30 images and a 6-image subset. RESULTS: Forty-seven participants were recruited (25 classified as dry eye and 22 controls). The most reproducible nerve metrics were corneal nerve fiber length [intraclass correlation (ICC) = 0.86], corneal nerve fiber area (ICC = 0.86), and fractal dimension (ICC = 0.90). Although differences were not statistically significant, all mean nerve metrics were lower in those with dry eye compared with controls. Questionnaire scores did not significantly correlate with nerve metrics. Reproducibility of nerve metrics was similar when comparing the entire 30-image montage to a central 6-image subset. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized confocal imaging technique coupled with quantitative assessment of corneal nerves produced reproducible corneal nerve metrics even with different operators. No statistically significant differences in in vivo corneal confocal microscopy nerve metrics were observed between participants with dry eye and control participants.

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment masquerading as exudative panuveitis with intense anterior chamber inflammatory reaction.

PURPOSE: This is a retrospective case report illustrating the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with a chronic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment masquerading as a severe panuveitis with intense anterior chamber inflammation. We have included clinical features, anterior segment and fundus photography, B-scan ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography, and intraoperative findings. OBSERVATIONS: A 26-year-old male presented with features of unilateral panuveitis: hypotony, anterior segment inflammation (posterior synechiae and anterior chamber cell with fibrin clumping), diffuse choroidal thickening, and retinal detachment. Laboratory investigations for infectious or rheumatologic processes were negative, and empiric systemic corticosteroid therapy was unsuccessful. This prompted suspicion for an alternate primary etiology, and pars plana vitrectomy revealed small retinal breaks as the underlying cause of the retinal detachment and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments are a known cause of intraocular inflammation. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to recognize retinal breaks in this setting, particularly with robust anterior segment inflammation and posterior findings resembling severe exudative uveitis. Being aware of this unique presentation may prevent delays in diagnosis and have important prognostic implications.

A double masked randomised 4-week, placebo-controlled study in the USA, Thailand and Taiwan to compare the efficacy of oral valganciclovir and topical 2% ganciclovir in the treatment of cytomegalovirus anterior uveitis: study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior uveitis is a recognised cause of anterior uveitis in immunocompetent patients and is preventable cause of vision loss. Ocular sequelae include corneal endothelial damage which can cause corneal oedema and failure, as well as glaucoma. Recurrences of inflammation are common and therefore patients are often exposed to long-term therapy. Oral therapy is available in the form of valganciclovir, although with the caveat of systemic side effects such as bone marrow suppression and renal failure necessitating regular interval laboratory monitoring. Recent reports have demonstrated that topical 2% ganciclovir solution may offer promising treatment outcomes in patients with CMV anterior uveitis with superior safety, cost-effectiveness and convenience profiles. An investigation into the relative equipoise of these therapies is warranted for these reasons. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Systemic and Topical Control of Cytomegalovirus Anterior uveitis: Treatment Outcomes (STACCATO) trial is designed as a multicentre, block randomised by site, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial comparing the efficacy of oral valganciclovir, 2% topical ganciclovir and placebo in treating PCR-proven CMV anterior uveitis. Participant clinical evaluation will occur at three study time points by a masked study ophthalmologist over a 28-day period to assess resolution of ocular inflammation (secondary outcome). A control group will provide additional information about the possible impact that the infected host's immune response may play in controlling local viral replication. The primary analysis is an analysis of covariance (three arms) correcting for baseline to compare quantitative CMV viral load in the anterior chamber (AC) aqueous fluid before and 7 days after treatment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The University of California San Francisco Committee on Human Research and the Khon Kaen University Institutional Review Board have given ethical approval. The results of this trial will be presented at local and international meetings and submitted for peer-reviewed journals for publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03576898.

Accuracy of computer-assisted vertical cup-to-disk ratio grading for glaucoma screening.

PURPOSE: Glaucoma screening can be performed by assessing the vertical-cup-to-disk ratio (VCDR) of the optic nerve head from fundus photography, but VCDR grading is inherently subjective. This study investigated whether computer software could improve the accuracy and repeatability of VCDR assessment. METHODS: In this cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study, 5 ophthalmologists independently assessed the VCDR from a set of 200 optic disk images, with the median grade used as the reference standard for subsequent analyses. Eight non-ophthalmologists graded each image by two different methods: by visual inspection and with assistance from a custom-made publicly available software program. Agreement with the reference standard grade was assessed for each method by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the sensitivity and specificity determined relative to a median ophthalmologist grade of ≥0.7. RESULTS: VCDR grades ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 for visual assessment and from 0.1 to 1.0 for software-assisted grading, with a median grade of 0.4 for each. Agreement between each of the 8 graders and the reference standard was higher for visual inspection (median ICC 0.65, interquartile range 0.57 to 0.82) than for software-assisted grading (median ICC 0.59, IQR 0.44 to 0.71); P = 0.02, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Visual inspection and software assistance had similar sensitivity and specificity for detecting glaucomatous cupping. CONCLUSION: The computer software used in this study did not improve the reproducibility or validity of VCDR grading from fundus photographs compared with simple visual inspection. More clinical experience was correlated with higher agreement with the ophthalmologist VCDR reference standard.

Ocular manifestations of cytomegalovirus in immunocompetent hosts.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights recent studies that have increasingly implicated cytomegalovirus (CMV) as a significant cause of keratouveitis and retinitis in immunocompetent hosts. RECENT FINDINGS: Molecular testing has identified that CMV infection is frequently present in cases of Posner-Schlossman and Fuchs, keratouveitis syndromes previously presumed to be idiopathic conditions. Ocular hypertension and endothelial cell loss are important complications of CMV keratouveitis and are likely mediated by viral invasion of the trabecular meshwork and corneal endothelium. Topical ganciclovir is a well tolerated, effective, and economical therapy. CMV retinitis is possible in the absence of HIV/AIDS. SUMMARY: CMV has long been considered an innocuous infection in the general population, though recent studies have found otherwise. Intraocular reactivation, replication, and invasion of the trabecular meshwork and endothelium lead to recurrent bouts of ocular hypertension and endothelial cell loss, the complications of which may be tempered with initiation of antivirals. Topical ganciclovir is a promising therapy that needs investigation. CMV retinitis, an entity previously believed isolated to the severely immunosuppressed population, has been reported on numerous occasions in presumably immunocompetent individuals, particularly following local steroid injections. Further studies may elucidate the pathogenesis of CMV in immunocompetent populations.