Conjunctival lichen planus simulating ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

PURPOSE: To describe the history and clinical presentation of a case of conjunctival lichen planus simulating ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN). METHODS: A 32-year-old Hispanic man presented with a 6-month history of worsening foreign body sensation, localized conjunctival hyperemia, and a progressively enlarging "bump" located in the temporal aspect of his right eye. The patient denied any prior ocular trauma or surgery to the affected eye. Evaluation consisted of slit lamp examination and surgical excision of the mass with histopathologic studies. RESULTS: Slit lamp examination revealed the presence of a 6 x 5 x 1 mm elevated conjunctival fleshy mass that extended into the corneal limbus in the right eye. The lesion exhibited intrinsic pigmentation and vascularization as well as the presence of a dilated feeder vessel. Based on clinical findings, a diagnosis of OSSN was suspected. An excisional biopsy was performed with cryotherapy application to the surgical margins. Histopathologic study of the lesion revealed hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, irregular acanthosis, and a band-like infiltrate of predominantly lymphocytes hugging the epithelium, consistent with the diagnosis of lichen planus. CONCLUSION: Ocular lichen can present as a focal conjunctival lesion. Excisional biopsy allowed us to make the diagnosis of this rare entity, which presented as a simulating lesion with clinical features consistent with ocular surface squamous neoplasia.

Incidence of rainbow glare after laser in situ keratomileusis flap creation with a 60 kHz femtosecond laser.

PURPOSE: To report the incidence of and factors associated with rainbow glare after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap creation with a 60 kHz femtosecond laser. SETTING: Department of Refractive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. METHODS: Consecutive patients having LASIK by the same surgeon were questioned during postoperative examinations or by telephone about postoperative rainbow glare (radiating colors around a white light at night). Femtosecond laser (IntraLase) settings included pulse frequency 60 kHz, flap thickness 90 to 110 mum, and spot/line separation 8 mum. Raster energy was 0.8 microJ (75% of eyes) and 1.0 to 1.1 microJ (25%). Excimer laser ablation was performed with the LADAR 4000 or 6000 platform using custom or conventional treatments. RESULTS: Of 260 consecutive patients, 256 (98.5%) were successfully contacted. Fifteen patients (28 eyes) reported postoperative rainbow glare (5.8%), described as 4 to 12 bands of color around a white light, with 6 bands most common. The symptom did not correlate with refractive error, age, or sex but was more frequent at 1.0 microJ or 1.1 microJ raster energy (11.6%) than at 0.8 microJ (4.1%). The incidence followed a bimodal distribution, with the first grouping due to inadequate alignment and higher energy just after laser installation and the second just before a later maintenance service call. CONCLUSION: Rainbow glare is a mild optical side effect of femtosecond LASIK. In this study, higher raster energy levels and length of time between service calls were associated with the occurrence of rainbow glare.

Tracking difficulties after femtosecond laser flap creation with the LADARVision excimer laser system.

PURPOSE: To describe a series of myopic patients in whom a LASIK flap was created with the IntraLase femtosecond laser. The LADARVision (Alcon Laboratories Inc) tracking system failed and resulted in postponement of surgery. METHODS: Five myopic Asian patients with darkly pigmented irides underwent bilateral superior hinge flap creation with three different femtosecond laser (IntraLase Corp) pulse frequencies: 15, 30, and 60 kHz. Mean patient age, preoperative best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and spherical equivalent refraction were 33 years, 20/20, and -6.25 diopters (D), respectively. Despite uncomplicated flap-lift and adequate pharmacologic dilated pupil diameter >7 mm, difficulty was experienced with LADARVision eye tracking in 9 of 10 eyes. Intraoperative manipulations (fluid application, levitation of the laser bed, and tracking through a repositioned flap) were attempted to facilitate eye tracking at the time of femtosecond laser flap creation, but without success. RESULTS: The flap was repositioned, and patients were asked to return 1 to 5 days later, at which time the flap was relifted, eye tracking was successfully achieved, and the surgery was completed. Mean postoperative uncorrected visual acuity was 20/18 and no eyes lost any lines of BSCVA at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Irregularities of the IntraLASIK stromal bed surface induce forward light scatter, and dark ocular pigmentation further reduces retinal reflectance, leading to tracking failure with the Alcon LADARVision platform. Delaying the surgery by 1 to 5 days may aid in reducing the light scatter, so that eye tracking can be achieved.

Staged intrastromal delivery of riboflavin with UVA cross-linking in advanced bullous keratopathy: laboratory investigation and first clinical case.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of staged ultraviolet A (UVA) cross-linking following intrastromal 0.1% riboflavin administration in eyes with advanced corneal edema. METHODS: Ten eye bank corneas divided in two groups (n = 5) were placed on a pressurized artificial anterior chamber following Descemet's membrane stripping. Two consecutive corneal pockets (350- and 150-microm depth) were sequentially created using a femtosecond laser. Sequential intrastromal injections of 0.1% riboflavin (0.2 mL) followed by either UVA irradiation (15 mW/cm2) for 7 minutes or exposure to air were performed for each pocket. Corneal clarity and central thickness were measured before and after the two UVA cross-linking steps. The same steps were clinically applied in an 84-year-old woman with bullous keratopathy prior to corneal transplantation and followed for 6 months. RESULTS: The corneal clarity improved in the treated but not the control eyes. The mean central corneal thickness was significantly reduced by 256 microm (ultrasound, P = .0002) and 273 miccrom (Scheimpflug, P = .0004) in treated eyes, but only 100 microm (ultrasound, P = .048) and 107 microm (Scheimpflug, P = .075) in the control eyes. The clinical treatment of corneal edema showed improved clarity and reduced central corneal thickness from 675 to 550 microm (ultrasound) and 696 to 571 microm (Scheimpflug) at 1 month. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity improved from finger counting to 20/80 at 1 week and beyond, postponing corneal transplantation for > 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Staged UVA cross-linking (15 mW/cm2) with femtosecond laser facilitated intrastromal 0.1% riboflavin administration may be a safe (no corneal scarring) and effective (marked reduction of edema) temporizing alternative method for managing bullous keratopathy.

Comparative study of riboflavin-UVA cross-linking and "flash-linking" using surface wave elastometry.

PURPOSE: To investigate comparative stiffness values in porcine corneas after standard cross-linking and a new, rapid method of cross-linking (flash-linking) using surface wave elastometry. METHODS: Ten porcine eyes were treated using an ultraviolet A (UVA) double diode light source with a wavelength of 370 nm and delivering an irradiance of 4.2 mW/cm2 at a distance of 1.2 cm while applying 0.1% riboflavin-5-phosphate drops to the central cornea every 5 minutes as a photosensitizer for 30 minutes (riboflavin-UVA group). The next 10 porcine corneas were treated with a single application of a customized photoactive crosslinking agent and 30 seconds of UVA light at the same power and wavelength (flash-linking group). Following treatment, the Sonic Eye system (PriaVision Inc) was used to measure ultrasound surface wave propagation time between two fixed-distance transducers applied to the cornea along central horizontal and vertical positions. Intraocular pressure was continuously monitored. RESULTS: Mean surface wave velocity was determined from the last 5 of 10 sequential measurements for each eye, and was 90.87 +/- 15.26 m/s for all eyes with a mean standard deviation (SD) of 2.34 m/s among each eye in the riboflavin-UVA group versus 83.66 +/- 12.30 m/s with a mean SD of 2.69 m/s among each eye in the flash-linking group before treatment and 109.2 +/- 21.76 m/s with a mean SD of 2.15 m/s among each eye (riboflavin-UVA group) versus 109.2 +/- 18.42 m/s with a mean SD of 2.26 m/s among each eye (flash-linking group) after cross-linking. The mean surface wave velocity increased by 18.3 units from 90.87 to 109.2 m/s (P = .003) after cross-linking with riboflavin-UVA, and by 25.5 m/s from 83.66 to 109.2 m/s (P = .0001) after flash-linking. Surface wave velocity was noted to increase after both cross-linking techniques, but the differences observed did not reach statistical significance (P = .74). CONCLUSIONS: A new, rapid method of cross-linking (flash-linking) is introduced by the use of a customized photoactive cross-linking agent. The method demonstrates similar efficacy in stiffening the cornea (when measured with surface wave elastometry) in comparison to standard cross-linking, but requires only 30 seconds of UVA exposure.

Treatment of multidrug-resistant Flavobacterium indologenes keratitis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

PURPOSE: To describe the history, clinical presentation, and successful medical management of a case of multidrug-resistant Flavobacterium indologenes keratitis. METHODS: An 83-year-old pseudophakic female presented with a 2-day history of decreased visual acuity, light sensitivity and dull ocular pain in her right eye. Two weeks before presentation, the patient had been treated for a red eye with combination topical loteprednol etabonate (0.5%) and tobramycin (0.3%) eye drops. Corneal scrappings were performed by the referring ophthalmologist, and hourly administration of gatifloxacin 0.3% eye drops was started. Evaluation consisted of slit lamp examination, organism identification, and antibiotic sensitivity testing. RESULTS: Examination of the right eye revealed a central 5-mm X 2-mm anterior stromal infiltrate with an overlying epithelial defect. Gatifloxacin 0.3% eye drops were stopped, and hourly topical fortified vancomycin (50 mg/mL) and ceftazidime (50 mg/mL) eye drops were instituted. Oxidase-positive gram-negative bacilli were identified in the thioglycollate broth on day 3, and therefore, vancomycin was discontinued and hourly ciprofloxacin 0.3% eye drops were added to the regimen. The cultures ultimately grew F. indologenes, which was highly resistant to all antibiotics tested except for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Accordingly, ciprofloxacin 0.3% and ceftazidime were discontinued. The patient was started on hourly topical trimethoprim (16 mg/mL)/sulfamethoxazole (80 mg/mL) eye drops, resulting in clinical control of the infection over a period of 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: Flavobacterium indologenes keratitis can be resistant to treatment with many medications, and antibiotic susceptibility profile testing in these cases may provide crucial information to help eradicate the infection.

Posttraumatic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infectious scleritis.

PURPOSE: To describe the history, clinical presentation, and successful surgical and antibiotic management of a case of posttraumatic infectious scleritis secondary to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. METHODS: A 51-year-old white man presented with worsening light sensitivity, localized conjunctival hyperemia, and a painful scleral nodule in his right eye that developed over a period of 1 month after minor ocular trauma. The patient was treated by his referring ophthalmologist for "episcleritis" with fluorometholone 0.1%, 1 drop 4 times a day, since injury onset without clinical improvement. Evaluation consisted of slit-lamp examination, ultrasound biomicroscopy, and surgical exploration with tissue cultures and histology. RESULTS: Ultrasound biomicroscopy of the right eye revealed the presence of a dome-shaped mass overlying an area of partial-thickness scleral laceration in the inferotemporal quadrant. The scleral nodule was surgically excised, and the scleral laceration was repaired with one 8-0 nylon suture. Culture results revealed infection by S. maltophilia, which was resistant to gentamicin, tobramycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The patient experienced immediate pain relief after surgery, and treatment was continued with both topical ciprofloxacin 0.3% and prednisolone acetate 1% for 1 month with full recovery. CONCLUSIONS: S. maltophilia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of posttraumatic infectious scleritis. Submission of appropriate surgical specimens for microbiologic analysis and adequate antibiotic therapy may prevent the development of endophthalmitis in cases of suspected posttraumatic infectious scleritis.

Change in head posture and character of nystagmus in a patient with neurological upbeat nystagmus.

PURPOSE: To report a case of a patient with chin-up head posture and presumed congenital toxoplasmosis chorioretinal scars, who had a change in the character of the nystagmus and therefore the head posture following treatment for a neurological upbeat nystagmus. CASE REPORT: A 5 month old female presented with a chin up head posture and upbeat nystagmus. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed an arachnoid cyst in the area of the pineal gland. Nine months after cyst-peritoneal shunt surgery, the upbeat nystagmus was dampened but change in character to a rotary nystagmus worse on the left gaze. The patient had assumed a left face turn, shifting the null point from the vertical to the horizontal plane. The left face turn was successfully corrected at age eight years with a Kestenbaum procedure. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the possibility of having two distinct types of nystagmus associated with two etiologies. In this case, an acquired upbeat nystagmus secondary to an arachnoid cyst, and a congenital left rotary nystagmus from the chorioretinal scars. Furthermore, there can be a change in head position and character of nystagmus after treating the cause of the central motility disorder, thereby affecting the choice and timing of surgical intervention to correct the head positioning.

How might corneal elasticity help us understand diabetes and intraocular pressure?

PURPOSE: To determine how changes in corneal elasticity/stiffness might influence intraocular pressure (IOP) readings in diabetic patients. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed to understand the conflicting relationship between diabetes, elevated IOP, and glaucoma progression. RESULTS: Diabetic patients have been found to have statistically significant higher IOP readings in some population-based studies compared to non-diabetics. Insulin resistance states, hyperglycemia and glycosylated hemoglobin have been correlated with higher IOP (1 mmHg) measurements in diabetic patients. In the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS), a self reported history of diabetes was found to be protective against the progression of primary open-angle glaucoma. Small differences in IOP measurements in diabetic patients may be due to corneal stiffening, as demonstrated by the protective effect of glucose-mediated collagen cross-linking against the manifestation and keratometric progression of keratoconus. Different collagen cross-linking agents may induce different degrees of corneal stiffening, which can result in differences in measured IOP. CONCLUSIONS: Glucose-mediated corneal stiffening due to collagen cross-linking might be responsible for IOP overestimation in diabetic patients. Corneal stiffening might explain why diabetic eyes tend to have higher IOP readings in large population-based studies and why those with ocular hypertension have a reduced risk for glaucoma progression.

Rapid resolution of topiramate-induced angle-closure glaucoma with methylprednisolone and mannitol.

PURPOSE: Topiramate-induced angle-closure glaucoma (TiACG) is believed to be related to its sulfonamide moiety. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, the time course and constellation of symptoms are consistent with a possible inflammatory pathophysiologic condition. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: We report the clinical outcome of a case of TiACG that was associated with an extreme intraocular pressure elevation of >60 mm Hg that was treated with the combination of systemic mannitol and methylprednisolone. RESULTS: The combination of the two systemic medications resulted in the resolution of the attack with a much more rapid time course than is seen typically for extreme cases of TiACG. Mannitol treatment alone did not lower the intraocular pressure after 90 minutes, although improvement was noted four hours after methylprednisolone. CONCLUSION: For severe cases of TiACG that are associated with very high intraocular pressures, the combination of mannitol and methylprednisolone can induce a rapid improvement. Inflammation may be a component of TiACG.

Bacillus megaterium delayed onset lamellar keratitis after LASIK.

PURPOSE: To report the history and clinical presentation of a 23-year-old man who developed delayed onset lamellar keratitis in his right eye 2 weeks after uneventful LASIK for correction of myopia. METHODS: Initial clinical presentation suggested an infectious etiology, which led to therapeutic elevation of the LASIK flap and further microbiologic investigation with bacterial cultures. RESULTS: Bacterial cultures revealed Bacillus megaterium, which was sensitive to all antibiotics against which it was tested. Twenty-four hours after initiating aggressive topical and oral antibiotic therapy, symptomatic relief occurred in the affected eye. The patient's uncorrected final visual acuity at 1-year follow-up was 20/15 in the right eye, and the stromal bed developed a faint peripheral non-visually significant scar. CONCLUSIONS: This case is an unusual presentation and course for microbial keratitis following LASIK, which occurred despite aseptic technique and fluoroquinolone antibiotic prophylaxis. Following refractive surgery one should be prepared to culture the lamellar interface in cases of suspected microbial keratitis and begin aggressive antibiotic therapy.

Is intraocular pressure in the early postoperative period predictive of antimetabolite-augmented filtration surgery success?

PURPOSE: To determine whether intraocular pressure (IOP) in the early postoperative period after trabeculectomy or combined phacoemulsification-trabeculectomy, augmented with antimetabolite, correlates with IOP at one year in surgeries considered to be successful at that time point. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: A chart review of antimetabolite-augmented surgical procedures done by DJG and JBS between January 1994 and November 2000 identified 82 primary or secondary trabeculectomies and 53 combined phacoemulsification-trabeculectomies with at least one year of follow-up. The success rate for each surgical subgroup was calculated and IOP on postoperative days (POD +/- SD) 1, 7 (+/-2), 30 (+/-5), 90 (+/-10), and 180 (+/-20) was correlated with IOP at one year (POY 1, between month 12 and 15) using linear regression. IOP at each time point was compared among eyes that achieved success at one year with and without the use of IOP-lowering agents. RESULTS: Of the 82 eyes having undergone antimetabolite-augmented trabeculectomies and the 53 eyes having undergone combined surgeries with at least one year of follow-up, the surgical success rates at POY 1 were 87.8% (72 of 82 eyes) and 92.5% (49 of 53 eyes). Of these, 42 eyes (58.3%) from 39 patients in the trabeculectomy group and 27 eyes (55.1%) from 24 patients in the combined surgery group did not require glaucoma medications at one year postsurgically, and were considered complete surgical successes. Mean preoperative IOP mm Hg +/- SD was 26.0 +/- 8.5 for the trabeculectomy group and 18.2 +/- 4.5 for the phaco-trabeculectomy group. Postoperative IOP at POD 1, POD 7, POD 30, POD 90, POD 180, and POY 1 respectively for the eyes undergoing trabeculectomy were 13.9 +/- 10.4, 9.5 +/- 6.2, 12.0 +/- 5.5, 12.0 +/- 5.2, 12.8 +/- 5.9, and 12.1 +/- 4.3, and for the combined surgery group were 20.8 +/- 12.5, 9.7 +/- 5.7, 12.2 +/- 5.4, 11.1 +/- 3.4, 11.6 +/- 4.6, and 10.3 +/- 4.3. Intraocular pressure on postoperative day one correlated poorly with intraocular pressure at POY 1 for the trabeculectomy group (R2 = 0.0788), and not at all for the combined procedures group (R2 = 0.018). The correlation was slightly better for intraocular pressure at postoperative day 90 for the trabeculectomy group (R2 = 0.546), and at postoperative day 180 for the combined group (R2 = 0.37), but still rather low. Eyes requiring glaucoma medication use at POY 1 in the trabeculectomy group had higher (P < 0.009) intraocular pressure at POD 30 and at all subsequent visits than eyes not requiring these medications. Eyes requiring glaucoma medication use at POY 1 in the phaco-trabeculectomy group had higher (P < 0.0025) intraocular pressure at POD 30, POD 180, and POY 1 than eyes not requiring these medications. CONCLUSION: Intraocular pressure in the early postoperative period correlates very poorly with intraocular pressure one year after successful antimetabolite-augmented trabeculectomy or combined cataract extraction and trabeculectomy. Starting one month after glaucoma surgery, intraocular pressure is substantially lower in eyes that will ultimately not require the use of ocular hypotensive agents to achieve clinical success one year postoperatively.

Mycobacterium chelonae-Mycobacterium abscessus complex clear corneal wound infection with recurrent hypopyon and perforation after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.

We report a clear corneal wound infection occurring in a 74-year-old man caused by a member of the Mycobacterium chelonae-Mycobacterium abscessus complex, presenting as crystalline keratopathy with recurrent hypopyon. This led to perforation after phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. Only after corneal biopsy of the incision was the causative organism isolated and found to be sensitive to clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin. Despite aggressive therapy, a full-thickness corneal perforation developed, requiring emergent cyanoacrylate glue to preserve ocular integrity. Both the difficulty and delays in obtaining a correct diagnosis led to severe ocular morbidity. Infectious lamellar keratitis limited to the clear cornea phacoemulsification incision is rare, but some unusual organisms such as atypical mycobacteria may be encountered.

The effect of laser iridotomy on the anterior segment anatomy of patients with plateau iris configuration.

PURPOSE: To determine if laser iridotomy altered the anterior segment anatomy of patients with plateau iris configuration. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 9 female and 1 male patients were imaged using an ultrasound biomicroscope within 19 weeks before and 52 weeks after laser iridotomy. Measurements obtained included the anterior chamber depth (ACD), trabecular-ciliary process distance (TCPD), iris thickness (IT), angle opening distance at 500 micrometers (AOD), iridozonular distance (IZD), and trabecular-iris angle (TIA). Comparisons of the pre- and post- iridotomy measurements were made using a two-tailed paired t test. RESULTS: Laser iridotomy elicited no statistically significant change in ACD, TCPD, IT, AOD, or TIA. However, IZD was decreased (P < 0.05) in both eyes after laser iridotomy. Configuration of the irides was flat before and after laser iridotomies. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that laser iridotomy did not alter anterior segment anatomy, probably because of the fixed anterior insertion of the iris and ciliary body in plateau iris configuration. The decrease in IZD distance may be the result of a small posterior movement of the iris due to a reduction in relative pupillary block, secondary to laser iridotomy. The small reduction in relative papillary block in plateau iris configuration does not alter the width of the anterior chamber angle as measured by AOD and TIA.