Long-term follow-up results of ilm peeling during vitrectomy surgery for premacular fibrosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of surgical removal of premacular fibrosis (PMF) with peeling of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Determination of factors associated with favorable outcomes (visual acuity between 20/20 and 20/40). METHODS: Retrospective chart review, evaluating visual outcomes in 38 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and triamcinolone-assisted ILM peeling by a single surgeon between December 2003 and December 2004. Data collected included visual acuity before and 3 months after surgery, and at final follow-up, as well as complications (cataract formation, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, retinal or subretinal hemorrhage, macular hole formation, cystoid macular edema [CME], and PMF recurrence). RESULTS: Pretreatment visual acuity averaged at 20/90. Vision improved or was unchanged in 89.5% of operated eyes with ILM peeling. Average follow-up was 20.2 months. The average improvement in visual acuity was 2.2 lines. The most common complication was cataract formation. There were no other complications until patients underwent cataract extraction. Two patients developed CME within 4 weeks of cataract surgery. Biomicroscopic recurrence of PMF was an asymptomatic and rare event with an incidence of 2.6% (n = 1 of 38 patients). No adverse outcomes were noted in patients with higher levels of visual acuity and these were in fact the patients with best final visual acuity. CONCLUSION: ILM peeling may not have the harmful consequences previously attributed to it. Stripping of the ILM may reduce reformation rates of PMF. Surgical removal of PMF with ILM peeling was not associated with unfavorable outcomes in our group of patients.

Intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization in ocular histoplasmosis.

PURPOSE: To define the role of intravitreal bevacizumab in individuals with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) resulting from Ocular Histoplasmosis syndrome (OHS). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of a surgical therapy. METHODS: We reviewed the course of 28 eyes of 28 patients who underwent intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for treatment of CNV secondary to OHS. Outcome was measured by pretreatment and posttreatment visual acuity (VA). RESULTS: The average pretreatment logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) VA was 0.65 (Snellen equivalent of 20/88). Mean follow-up was 22.43 weeks with an average of 1.8 intravitreal injections. Average final logMAR VA was 0.43 (Snellen equivalent of 20/54). Twenty eyes (71%) experienced an increase in central VA, whereas four eyes (14%) were unchanged and four eyes (14%) experienced a decrease in vision. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal bevacizumab may improve or stabilize VA in a significant majority of patients with neovascular complications of OHS (24 eyes [85.7%] in our study population).

Optical coherence tomography findings in autosomal dominant macular dystrophy.

The authors report a case of autosomal dominant cystoid macular dystrophy in which optical coherence tomography outlined the pathology and assisted in determining the etiology of the patient's macular edema.

Topiramate for the treatment of chronic corneal pain.

PURPOSE: To explore the option of using anticonvulsant drugs to modulate pain from corneal erosions. METHODS: N.M. is a 28-year-old woman with posttraumatic recurrent corneal erosions treated with bandage contact lenses, Muro-128, topical ketorolac, doxycycline, stromal micropuncture, and laser epithelial keratomileusis over the course of 4 years. Because of persistent episodes of corneal pain, she was prescribed topiramate. RESULTS: Before starting topiramate therapy, N.M. had experienced 3-4 awakenings at night because of pain and 5-6 episodes of spontaneous tearing and pain during the day. She started topiramate at 25 mg orally 4 times a day without significant change in her symptoms. After 1 week, the dose was escalated to 50 mg orally 4 times a day, and within 1 day, she experienced 0-1 awakenings at night. She had approximately 2-3 episodes of pain and tearing during the day. The dose was escalated to 100 mg orally 4 times a day. At that dose, the patient continued to have pain relief but complained of nausea. The patient's topiramate was weaned off to determine whether her symptom relief was caused by the medication or improvement in her condition. Once off the topiramate, N.M.'s nausea resolved but her corneal symptoms returned at the same frequency as before the initiation of topiramate. Therefore, she was restarted on topiramate 50 mg orally 4 times a day with rapid onset of improvement in her symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Anticonvulsants such as topiramate may be effective in the management of pain caused by recurrent corneal erosions.

Intravitreal pharmacotherapy: applications in retinal disease.

Intravitreal pharmacotherapies have been used with increasing frequency in the treatment of retinal disease. Indications for their use include choroidal neovascular membranes, diabetic macular edema, ischemic neovascularization, inflammatory and infectious processes, and neoplasia. Complications of intravitreal therapies include cataract formation, glaucoma, and endophthalmitis. Recent developments of pharmacologic agents administered intravitreally and the new applications of systemic medications in retinal disease present the practitioner with expanded treatment options. Current and emerging data will help guide therapy in order to maximize the benefits and limit the systemic and ocular complications of these new treatment options.

Presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome remains a significant cause of visual morbidity. We review recent literature on the pathogenesis and particularly on the treatment of complications of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. RECENT FINDINGS: The pathogenesis of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome remains mysterious; although some recent molecular evidence suggests a direct link between Histoplasma capsulatum and presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, other reports document nearly identical disease occurring in the absence of H. capsulatum seropositivity. Treatment options have advanced rapidly in the past few years. Small case series and clinical trials suggest excellent efficacy for photodynamic therapy in the treatment of subretinal neovascularization associated with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. Preliminary studies also suggest efficacy of intravitreal corticosteroids. A large randomized controlled clinical trial failed to show efficacy for subretinal surgery in the management of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, however. SUMMARY: Despite continued debate on the etiology of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, there have been significant advances in treatment of the blinding complications of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome.