Role of OCTA in the prognosis of dry-type AMD.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) in dry-type age-related macular degeneration (AMD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-five eyes of 25 patients with dry-type AMD were included in the study. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. First and last foveal avascular zone (FAZ), foveal density (FD), FAZ perimeter, non-flow area (NFA), foveal (F)-parafoveal-perifoveal superficial and deep capillary plexus (SCP-DCP) vessel density (VD) OCTA measurements were recorded. Foveal thickness (FT), macular volume (MV), and choroidal thickness (CT) measurements with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) mode were made with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). The relationship of all parameters with the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA-logmar) was evaluated. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 73.3±11.8 (45-91) years. There was a statistically significant difference between the first and last BCVA, FT, and FD. While FD and BCVA increased, FT was found to decrease statistically significant (p=0.002, p=0.001, p=0.045, respectively). The correlation of BCVA with other variables at the first and last visit was examined. There was a statistically positive correlation between BCVA and FAZ, FAZ perimeter, and NFA in the first and last measurements. In the second measurement, a statistically negative correlation was found between BCVA and MV, FT, superficial FVD, superficial FT, deep FT, superficial parafoveal VD, superficial parafoveal FT, deep parafoveal FT, deep parafoveal VD, and FD variables. CONCLUSIONS: There are positive and negative correlations between OCTA parameters and BCVA in the SCP-DCP in dry-type AMD. OCTA has prognostic significance in dry AMD.

Effects of omalizumab on allergic conjunctivitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of subcutaneous omalizumab therapy on the allergic conjunctivitis symptoms of patients being treated for asthma. METHODS: A total of 84 eyes of 42 patients who were receiving subcutaneous omalizumab therapy for asthma and complained of allergic conjunctivitis symptoms underwent complete ophthalmic examination. All of the patients were graded according to signs and symptoms and duration of symptoms, evaluated using an ocular severity index (SI) and quality of life questionnaires. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and both initial and final %FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in the first second) values were also evaluated. p values < 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS: The study included 36 women (85.7%) and 6 men (14.3%) with a mean age of 54.5 ± 10.8 years. The mean duration of omalizumab therapy was 46 ± 30.9 months. There were statistically significant changes between initial and final values for ocular SI, quality of life, subjective symptom frequency and severity and %FEV1. Final values of SI, quality of life, and symptom severity and frequency were statistically significantly lower compared to initial values, while final %FEV1 was statistically significantly higher compared to initial value (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Omalizumab therapy for asthma had a favorable effect on the patients' allergic conjunctivitis symptoms and decreased parameters related to ocular disease severity, improved quality of life and increased %FEV1values. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 2019/5-5, Trial Registration Date: 28/03/2019, Retrospectively registered.