Combined 23-Gauge PPV and Scleral Buckle Versus 23-Gauge PPV Alone for Primary Repair of Pseudophakic Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This review compares 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) alone versus combined 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy and scleral buckle (PPV/SB) for primary repair of pseudophakic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 70 eyes that underwent 23-gauge PPV and 43 eyes that received 23-gauge PPV/SB for pseudophakic RRD. Minimum follow-up was 3 months. Outcome measures included anatomical success, visual acuity, and complication rates. RESULTS: The 23-gauge PPV group achieved primary anatomical success in 58 of 70 cases (83%). Primary success in the PPV/SB group occurred in 36 of 43 cases (84%). Final anatomical success was achieved in all 113 cases (100%). The difference in primary success rates was not statistically significant (P = 1.000, Fisher exact test). Average visual acuity for macula-on RRDs in the PPV group showed a +0.07 logMAR improvement (P = .580) versus a +1.34 improvement (P < .001) in macula-off PPV cases. SB/PPV macula-on cases showed a decrease in logMAR visual acuity by -0.06 (P = .380) while macula-off SB/PPV cases improved by +1.28 (P = .002). There were no significant complications in either group. CONCLUSION: Both 23-gauge PPV and PPV/SB are effective procedures for repairing pseudophakic RRD and exhibit similar rates of success.

Hemorrhagic Retinopathy after Spondylosis Surgery and Seizure.

PURPOSE: To report bilateral hemorrhagic retinopathy in an adult female subject after lumbar spinal surgery and seizure. CASE REPORT: A 38-year-old woman presented with bilateral blurry vision and spots in the visual field. The patient had lumbar spondylosis surgery that was complicated by a dural tear with persistent cerebrospinal fluid leak. Visual symptoms started immediately after witnessed seizure-like activity. At presentation, visual acuity was 20/100 and 20/25 in the right and left eye, respectively. Dilated fundus examination demonstrated bilateral hemorrhagic retinopathy with subhyaloid, intraretinal, and subretinal involvement. At 4-month follow-up, visual acuity improved to 20/60 and 20/20 in the right and left eye, respectively. Dilated fundus examination and fundus photography showed resolution of retinal hemorrhages in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The first case of bilateral hemorrhagic retinopathy after lumbar spondylosis surgery and witnessed seizure in an adult was reported. Ophthalmic examination may be warranted after episodes of seizure in adults.

Inner and outer retinal thickness mapping of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report inner retinal thickness (IRT), outer retinal thickness (ORT), and total retinal thickness (TRT) mapping of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images were obtained in 31 study participants with nonproliferative DR. Semi-automated software generated IRT, ORT, and TRT maps. IRT, ORT, and TRT in each macular subfield were compared between groups with and without increased central subfield thickness. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in IRT, ORT, and TRT between groups (P < .007). In participants with nonproliferative DR with increased central subfield thickness, TRT was significantly increased in parafoveal and perifoveal inferior subfields (P < .001). In these subfields, both IRT and ORT were significantly increased (P < .007) compared to those in participants without increased central subfield thickness. CONCLUSION: Mapping of inner and outer retinal thickness shows promise for monitoring depth-specific thickness alterations by macular subfields due to DR.

Posterior segment toxicity after gemcitabine and docetaxel chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To report outer retinal disruption and uveal effusion after gemcitabine and docetaxel combination therapy. CASE REPORT: A 78-year-old woman presented with blurry vision after two cycles of gemcitabine and docetaxel combination chemotherapy for stage IV sarcoma. At presentation, visual acuity was finger counting and 20/25 in the right and left eyes, respectively. Slit-lamp examination and B-scan ultrasonography revealed severe uveal effusion in the right eye and choroidal folds in the left eye. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography showed disruption of photoreceptor inner segment ellipsoid band in the right eye. The patient was monitored weekly with ophthalmic examination and B-scan ultrasonography, while continuing with gemcitabine monotherapy. At 8 weeks follow-up, uveal effusion improved considerably and visual acuity was 20/40 and 20/20 in the right and left eyes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Uveal effusion and outer retinal disruption were reported after gemcitabine and docetaxel chemotherapy. Early detection and close ophthalmic monitoring may allow concurrent cancer treatment and prevention of possible chemotherapy-induced ocular side effects.

Influence of the vitreomacular interface on the efficacy of intravitreal therapy for uveitis-associated cystoid macular oedema.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of the vitreomacular interface (VMI) on treatment efficacy of intravitreal therapy in uveitic cystoid macular oedema (CME). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of CME resolution, CME recurrence rate and monthly course of central retinal thickness (CRT), retinal volume (RV) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after intravitreal injection with respect to the VMI configuration on spectral-domain OCT using chi-squared test and repeated measures anova adjusted for confounding covariates epiretinal membrane, administered drug and subretinal fluid. RESULTS: Fifty-nine eyes of 53 patients (mean age: 47.4 ± 16.9 years) were included. VMI status had no effect on complete CME resolution rate (p = 0.16, corrected p-value: 0.32), time until resolution (p = 0.09, corrected p-value: 0.27) or CME relapse rate (p = 0.29, corrected p-value: 0.29). Change over time did not differ among the VMI configuration groups for BVCA (p = 0.82) and RV (p = 0.18), but CRT decrease was greater and faster in the posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) group compared to the posterior vitreous attachment (PVA) and vitreous macular adhesion (VMA) groups (p = 0.04). Also, the percentage of patients experiencing a ≥ 20% CRT thickness decrease after intravitreal injection was greater in the PVD group (83%) compared to the VMA (64%) and the PVA (16%) group (p = 0.027), however, not after correction for multiple testing (corrected p-value: 0.11). CONCLUSION: The VMI configuration seems to be a factor contributing to treatment efficacy in uveitic CME in terms of CRT decrease, although BCVA outcome did not differ according to VMI status.

Postoperative vitreous hemorrhage after diabetic 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy.

PURPOSE: To report the frequency of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage (VH) in eyes that underwent primary 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for nonclearing VH resulting from proliferative diabetic retinopathy, as well as associated risk factors. DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series. SETTING: Institutional (Retina Service of Wills Eye Institute). STUDY POPULATION: One hundred seventy-three eyes of 157 patients. INTERVENTION: Twenty-three-gauge PPV for nonclearing diabetic VH. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of eyes in which postoperative VH developed, categorized as early, delayed, or severe persistent, as well as percentage requiring reoperation. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 32 weeks, 56 (32%) of 173 eyes demonstrated postoperative VH, categorized as early (8 eyes; 5%), delayed (13 eyes; 8%), or severe persistent (35 eyes; 20%). Twenty-two (13%) of 173 eyes required reoperation: 4 (50%) of 8 in the early group, 8 (62%) of 13 in the delayed group, and 10 (29%) of 35 in the severe persistent group. Mean preoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity was 1.5 (Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/600); mean postoperative VA was 0.65 (Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/90), a gain of 0.85 (P < .0001). Thirty-four (27%) of 127 eyes with complete scatter photocoagulation before undergoing PPV compared with 22 (48%) of 46 eyes with incomplete scatter photocoagulation before undergoing PPV demonstrated postoperative VH (P = .002). Other factors associated with postoperative VH included younger age (P = .022) and phakia (P = .036). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative VH was not uncommon after initial 23-gauge PPV for diabetic VH and was associated with incomplete scatter photocoagulation, younger age, and phakia before PPV. However, only a minority of patients required reoperation.

Changing causes of enucleation over the past 60 years.

BACKGROUND: The indications for enucleation have changed significantly over the past 60 years. We conducted a clinicopathologic study of enucleated globes to determine how and why the indications for enucleation have changed over time. METHODS: This retrospective review examined the pathology reports for 3,264 enucleated globes submitted to the Doheny Eye Institute between 1950 and 2006. Three years per decade were examined to generate a representative pool of specimens for each decade. Although the data for the 2000s were only available up to 2006, the data for this decade are drawn from 3 sample years as are all other decades. Pathology reports were reviewed for demographic information (age, sex, and ethnicity), clinical history prior to enucleation, and pathologic findings and diagnoses. Specimens were grouped according to the reason for enucleation into the following categories: atrophic/phthisis bulbi, congenital, glaucoma, infection, longstanding retinal detachment, trauma, tumor, uveitis, and other. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 3,264 enucleated globes. Overall, the total number of enucleations decreased over time from a peak of 1,014 in the 1960s to 275 in the 2000s. Glaucoma was the most common reason for enucleation during the 1950s (23%, 127 globes) and 1960s (31%, 315 globes). However, glaucoma steadily decreased over the following decades, and was responsible for only 8% (23 globes) of enucleations in the 2000s. Neovascular glaucoma (including glaucoma secondary to retinal vein occlusion and diabetic neovascularization) accounted for 21% (27 globes) of enucleations in the 1950s. By the 2000s, this number was 57% (13 globes). Trauma-related glaucoma accounted for 34% (43 globes) of all enucleations due to glaucoma in the 1950s, and 0% (0 globes) in the 2000s. Enucleation of globes with intraocular neoplasms accounted for 14% (79 globes) of total enucleations in the 1950s, 33% (120 globes) in the 1990s, and 51% (141 globes) in the 2000s. Uveal melanoma was the main intraocular neoplasm in the 1950s (77%, 60 globes), and retinoblastoma was the primary tumor in the enucleated globes of the 2000s (69%, 97 globes). CONCLUSIONS: Improved medical and surgical treatment of conditions that lead to end-stage eye disease have led to a decrease in total enucleated globes. This is particularly evident for glaucoma. Changing demographics in Los Angeles and referral patterns are most likely responsible for the increase in retinoblastoma. The absolute number of enucleations secondary to neoplasms has not decreased over time, despite an increase in globe-conserving treatments such as chemotherapy and radioactive plaques.

Sympathetic ophthalmia: incidence of ocular complications and vision loss in the sympathizing eye.

PURPOSE: To report the frequency on presentation and subsequent incidence of ocular complications and vision loss in patients with sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) and to describe factors associated with decreased vision in the sympathizing eye. DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective case series. SETTING: Three academic tertiary care uveitis clinics. STUDY POPULATION: Eighty-five patients with SO from 1976 to 2006. OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: Review of existing medical records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident visual acuity (VA) loss to 20/50 or worse and 20/200 or worse and the median acuity over time. RESULTS: Twenty-six percent of patients with SO presented with a VA of 20/200 or worse in their sympathizing eye. Further development of vision loss to 20/200 or worse occurred at the rate of 10% per person-year (PY). Ocular complications were seen in the sympathizing eye in 47% of patients at presentation; further development of new complications occurred at the rate of 40%/PY. The ocular complications most often associated with decreased vision were cataract and optic nerve abnormality. Exudative retinal detachment and active intraocular inflammation were significantly associated with poorer VA in the sympathizing eye. The benefits of corticosteroids were indirectly demonstrated as their use led to more rapid disease inactivation. Fifty-nine percent of patients maintained a VA of better than 20/50 in their sympathizing eye; and 75% maintained a VA of better than 20/200. CONCLUSIONS: Although ocular complications were seen in many sympathizing eyes with SO, most patients maintained functional VA. The presence of an exudative retinal detachment and active intraocular inflammation correlated with poorer vision in the sympathizing eye.