Orbital intramuscular hydatid cyst causing compressive optic neuropathy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis, commonly known as hydatid disease, is a zoonotic infection resulting from the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The occurrence of hydatid cysts in the orbital region is uncommon, representing less than 1% of all reported hydatid cases. This report details a unique case of an intramuscular hydatid cyst in the orbital region that led to compressive optic neuropathy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old male from Kabul, Afghanistan presented with a five-month history of progressive proptosis in his left eye, associated with a gradual decrease in vision over the past three weeks. The left eye exhibited upward globe dystopia, ocular motility limitation, mild conjunctival injection, and chemosis. Diagnosis was achieved through imaging and histopathological examination. Treatment involves surgical removal of the cyst and prolonged albendazole therapy. The postoperative course showed significant improvement in the patient's condition and restoration of his vision. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rarity, this case underscores the importance of awareness and knowledge of hydatid disease among physicians, especially those working in endemic areas. It emphasizes the importance of including hydatid disease in the differential diagnosis of orbital masses, particularly in endemic regions.

Subconjunctival Dirofilaria masquerading as nodular scleritis.

A man in his late 50s presented with a gradually enlarging, painless, reddish mass on the white portion of his left eye for 2 weeks. His best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. Slit-lamp examination showed a congested, nodular, elevated lesion on the temporal bulbar conjunctiva with two pustule-like elevations. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography showed a subconjunctival solid mass rather than an abscess or a cyst. Scleral deroofing was performed and a long thread-like object resembling a dead worm was identified. The worm was removed intact, and its histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of Dirofilaria Peripheral blood smear did not show any microfilariae. No recurrences or new lesions were observed during the follow-up examinations at 1 and 5 months post-surgery. This case highlights the importance of considering a parasitic aetiology in cases of nodular or infectious scleritis.

Long-term Outcomes of Surgeries for Retinal Detachment Secondary to Parasitic or Viral Infectious Retinitis.

PURPOSE: This study sought to compare the long-term outcomes of surgeries for retinal detachment (RD) secondary to viral or parasitic infectious retinitis. METHODS: A total of 47 eyes that received pars plana vitrectomy with or without scleral buckling due to RD secondary to polymerase chain reaction-proven viral (cytomegalovirus, varicella zoster virus, and herpes zoster virus) or parasitic (toxoplasma and toxocara) retinitis from October 1, 2006, to June 30, 2023, in a single medical center were retrospectively enrolled. RESULTS: Mean follow-up period was 59.03 ± 55.24 months in viral retinitis and 34.80 ± 33.78 months in parasitic retinitis after primary reattachment surgery. During follow-up, nine eyes (24.3%) with viral retinitis and five eyes (50.0%) with parasitic retinitis developed retinal redetachment. Visual acuity success at final follow-up was achieved in 19 eyes (51.4%) with viral retinitis and six eyes (60.0%) with parasitic retinitis (p = 0.64). The incidence of retinal redetachment during the 1st postoperative year was significantly higher in parasitic retinitis compared with viral retinitis (crude incidence, 0.21 vs. 0.85; p = 0.02). Hazard ratio analysis adjusted for age and sex showed 4.58-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.22-17.27; p = 0.03) increased risk of retinal redetachment in parasitic retinitis compared with viral retinitis during the 1st postoperative year. Tamponade with silicone oil and preoperative diagnostic vitrectomy were associated with significantly decreased risk of retinal redetachment in patients with parasitic retinitis. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with RD secondary to viral retinitis, RD secondary to parasitic retinitis showed higher incidence of retinal redetachment during the 1st postoperative year. Tamponade with silicone oil and preoperative diagnostic vitrectomy were associated with significantly decreased risk of retinal redetachment in patients with parasitic retinitis.

Multifocal Chorioretinitis with Serous Macular Detachment in Diffuse Unilateral Subacute Neuroretinitis (DUSN): Unique Presentation and a Diagnostic Dilemma.

PURPOSE: To report a case of multifocal chorioretinitis with serous macular detachment in diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN) and its diagnostic dilemma. DESIGN: Case report. METHOD: A 43-year-old woman presented with painless diminution of vision of right eye for 1 week. Dilated fundoscopy showed mild disc edema, multiple deep grey-white retinitis lesions in posterior pole with mild vitritis. Optical coherence tomography revealed serous macular detachment. Fundus fluorescein angiography was suggestive of active retinitis. Comprehensive workup was unremarkable. Six days later, a live subretinal worm was noticed in inferotemporal retina. A diagnosis of DUSN was made and treated with laser photocoagulation followed by antihelminthic therapy. One month later, patients vision improved and chorioretinal lesions also healed. CONCLUSION: This report presents a unique scenario of serous macular detachment in DUSN in addition to commonly seen multifocal deep retinitis lesions. Prompt treatment with laser, antihelminthic agent can prevent irreversible vision loss.

Recurrent vitreous opacity caused by intraocular Toxocara larva: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Toxocara larva entity has seldom been reported on the surface of the retina. We report on an unusual case of recurrent vitreous opacity caused by intraocular Toxocara larva after vitrectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old male was referred to our clinic with a 6-month history of decreased visual acuity in the right eye characterized as red, painless, and progressive. Optos fundus photograph showed optic disc elevation with granuloma, and proliferative membrane starting from the optic disc and running towards the superior temporal retina due to the movement of a Toxocara larva, which was covered by the proliferative membrane in the superior temporal retina. Since it adhered closely to the retina, the lesion in the superior temporal retina was not removed to avoid induction of an iatrogenic retinal break and the larva was not found during the first diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy. Intraocular Anti-Toxocara IgG was 45.53U (< 3, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)), and the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient was 8.55, confirming the diagnosis of ocular toxocariasis. After this operation, visual acuity improved to 20/200. However, vitreous opacity worsened again, and the proliferative membrane expanded around the Toxocara larva three weeks after the operation. Toxocara larva was found and removed in the superior temporal region during the second operation. His visual acuity improved to 20/100, vitreous opacity disappeared, and the retina was stable two months after the second operation. CONCLUSION: It is advisable to remove suspected Toxocara larva to prevent the reoccurrence of ocular toxocariasis.

The association of demodex infestation with pediatric chalazia.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association of Demodex infestation with pediatric chalazia. METHODS: In a prospective study, 446 children with chalazia and 50 children with non-inflammatory eye disease (controls) who underwent surgical treatment were enrolled from December 2018 to December 2019. Patient ages ranged from 7 months to 13 years old. All patients underwent eyelash sampling for light microscope examination, and statistical correlation analysis between Demodex infestation and chalazia, including the occurrence, recurrence, and course of disease, morphological characteristics, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in chalazia patients was performed. RESULTS: Demodex was found in 236 (52.91%) patients with chalazia and zero control patients. Demodicosis was significantly more prevalent in chalazia patients than the control group (P < 1 × 10- 14). Recurrent chalazia (P = 0.006) and skin surface involvement (P = 0.029) were highly correlated with Demodex infestation. Demodicosis was also associated with multiple chalazia (P = .023) and MGD(P = .024). However, Demodex infestation was comparable in the course of disease (P = 0.15), seasonal change (P = 0.68) and blepharitis subgroups (P = 0.15). Within the group of chalazia patients who underwent surgical removal of cysts, 4 (0.9%) patients with concurrent demodicosis experienced recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Demodex infestation was more prevalent in pediatric chalazia patients than healthy children, and was associated with recurrent and multiple chalazia. Demodicosis should be considered as a risk factor of chalazia. In children with chalazia, Demodex examination and comprehensive treatment of Demodex mites should be applied to potentially prevent recurrence.

Therapeutic Corneal Transplantation in Acanthamoeba Keratitis: Penetrating Versus Lamellar Keratoplasty.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to compare clinical outcomes between therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK), therapeutic deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (TDALK), and optical penetrating keratoplasty (OPK) in Acanthamoeba keratitis. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in online libraries from 1980 to 2021. The primary end points were best-corrected visual acuity (VA), graft survival, and infection recurrence. In addition, we enrolled 35 consecutive patients with AK from our practice evaluating best-corrected VA and high-order aberrations. RESULTS: A total of 359 AK eyes from 33 published studies were retrieved from 175 publications screened. One hundred sixty-five eyes (73%) that underwent TPK and 39 eyes (84%) treated with TDALK had a clear graft at the last follow-up visit. Only the patients treated with OPK had 82 clear grafts (94%) during the follow-up period. Forty-seven (21%) of TPK patients reached VA ≥20/30, compared with 11 (25%) of TDALK patients and 35 (40%) of OPK patients. Acanthamoeba infection recurrence occurred in 38 eyes (16.8%) that underwent TPK, 9 (19%) that underwent TDALK, and 8 (9.5%) that underwent OPK. In our series, best-corrected visual acuity in nonsurgically treated patients was 1 ± 0.50 logMAR compared with 0 logMAR of surgically treated patients. High-order aberrations were significantly lower in surgically treated eyes after AK resolution, particularly in TDALK when compared with TPK patients. Best-corrected visual acuity was better in TDALK patients compared with TPK patients. CONCLUSIONS: After AK resolution by 6 to 12 months of medical treatment, OPK seems to be the best surgical choice in patients with AK. If AK could not be eradicated by medical therapy, TDALK may be chosen in the early disease stage and TPK in later stages.

Extensive Chorio-retinal Damage Due to Dirofilaria Repens- Report of a Case.

Purpose: To report a case of ocular dirofilariasis causing extensive chorio-retinal damage.Method: Surgical removal of the worm and identification of the same by microscopic examinationand polymerase chain reaction.Results: The worm was identified as Dirofilaria repens.Conclusion: Ocular dirofilariasis is an arthropod borne parasitic infestation affecting the subconjunctival tissue and anterior chamber. Vitreous involvement in Dirofilaria is very rare. Dirofilaria repens can cause extensive chorio-retinal damage resembling diffuse unilateralsubacute neuroretinitis.

Subretinal Cysticercosis in a Challenging Case: A Case Report.

Ocular cysticercosis occurs rarely and may involve various parts of the eye including subretinal space. We report a case of a 42 years-old female with diminution of vision in the right eye for one month and no vision in the left eye for 10 years. Best corrected visual acuity in the right eye was 5/60. Fundus examination showed whitish round elevated cystic mass temporal to the macula. It was confirmed as a subretinal cyst by Brightness scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The subretinal cyst was removed in toto by pars plana vitrectomy followed by histopathological examination of the cyst which confirmed the diagnosis of cysticercosis. This case report highlights the importance of early diagnosis of subretinal cysticercosis which could threaten the vision in a one-eyed patient. Pars plana vitrectomy could be an effective method for subretinal cyst removal in toto even in a challenging case.

Surgical Removal of Intraocular Parasite in a Patient With Diffuse Unilateral Subacute Neuroretinitis.

Diffuse unilateral subacute neuroretinitis (DUSN) is a rare ocular infectious disease caused by migrating larvae of a nematode. DUSN is often a diagnostic challenge as it is difficult to identify the pathogenic nematode on funduscopic examination because it moves frequently and often resides within the subretinal space. Herein, the authors present a patient with unilateral, chronic visual loss who was noted to have a live, motile worm within the vitreous cavity. Initial attempts to treat with laser photocoagulation were unsuccessful. In the accompanying video, the authors report the first case of a live intraocular parasite successfully removed with pars plana vitrectomy.

[Loiasis (African eye worm): about a case]. / Une loase oculaire: à propos d'un cas.

The purpose of our study is to report a case of loiasis producing ocular manifestations in a patient living in the Sahel region, (non-endemic area). The study involved a 25-year old man admitted to ophthalmology consultation with foreign body sensation in the right eye. Ophthalmological examination objectified a tortuous, motile, translucent worm measuring around 4cm under the bulbar conjunctiva of the right eye. After surgical non-traumatic extraction, parasitological examination confirmed the diagnosis of loiasis, a parasitosis mainly occurring in African forests. As a result of population movements, it can occur everywhere in the world. It is essential to recognize it during consultations.

Case Report: Periorbital Filariasis Caused by Brugia malayi.

Brugia malayi is a lymphatic nematode that accounts for approximately 10% of lymphatic filariasis cases worldwide. It is endemic in several countries in South and Southeast Asia. In Thailand, B. malayi is endemic in the southern region. The extralymphatic presentation of B. malayi is rare. Here, we report the case of a woman residing in the central region of Thailand who presented with an erythematous periorbital nodule at the left medial canthal area caused by lymphatic filaria. A viable sexually mature filarial adult was removed from the lesion. The nematode species was identified as B. malayi by histology staining and DNA sequencing of the partial mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. As far as we know, this is the first case report of B. malayi presenting with a periorbital nodule that has occurred in a disease non-endemic area of Thailand with possibly a zoonotic origin.

Adult ocular leech infestation.

Ocular trauma accounts for a significant proportion of cases in any emergency eye outpatient department. There are very few cases reporting ocular injuries after leech exposure. Leeches are annelids belonging to the subclass Hirudinea; they dwell in fresh water and the sea and can be terrestrial. An oral sucker present anteriorly helps to attach to the host by releasing an anesthetic that prevents its recognition as a foreign body. Although many methods of leech removal have been proposed, its removal with forceps after instillation of local anesthetic remains a safe and effective method.

Outcome of therapeutic deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in advanced Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Purpose: To report and analyze the outcomes of therapeutic deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in patients with advanced Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Methods: Medical records of microbiologically confirmed AK, underwent DALK from 2004 to 2017, were reviewed and the data related to early and late outcome including complications were retrieved. Outcome of cases with largest diameter of infiltrate ≥8 mm at the time of surgery (advanced keratitis) were analyzed and compared with those with less severe keratitis (infiltrate size less than 8 mm). Results: Out of 23 patients of AK in whom DALK was performed, ten (43.4%) patients had advanced keratitis. Mean age of these patients was 38.7 ± 8.6 years (range, 25 to 56). Median visual acuity at presentation was 2.78 (IQR, 1.79-3.0) that improved to 1.79 (IQR, 0.70-2.78) postoperatively. Early complications included recurrence of AK in 2 (20%), Descemet's membrane detachment in 5 (50%), and persistent epithelial defect in 3 (30%) cases. Overall, 6 (60%) grafts failed, whereas 4 (40%) patients had clear graft at their last follow-up. Median follow-up of these cases was 5 months (IQR, 1.4-11.4). One graft developed stromal rejection, which resolved with increased dose of corticosteroids. In comparison, DALK performed for less severe keratitis (N = 13) had 1 (7.6%) recurrence and 2 (15.8%) grafts failure (OR, 8.25). The probability of one-year graft survival and eradication of infection was 32% and 74.1%, respectively, in advanced cases compared to 91.6% and 83.9% in less severe cases. Conclusion: Outcome of DALK in advanced Acanthamoeba keratitis is less favorable compared to those carried out for less severe keratitis cases.

Ocular Toxocariasis: Long-Term Follow-Up and Prognosis of Patients following Vitrectomy.

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of surgical treatment in patients with ocular toxocariasis and identify prognostic factors.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 56 consecutive patients who underwent vitrectomy.Results: The mean follow-up was 20.7 months. Visual acuity (VA) improved in 70.4% of patients by the final visit, but VA was better than Snellen 20/70 in only 31.5% of patients. Preoperative VA was closely correlated with final VA (P = 0.001). Macular involvement was associated with final VA worse than 20/70 (P = 0.03). The most common postoperative complications were ocular hypertension (19.6%) and retinal detachment (12.5%). Seven patients (12.5%) experienced recurrent inflammation postoperatively, but no preoperative factors were associated with recurrent inflammation.Conclusion: Surgical treatment could rescue visual function in patients with ocular toxocariasis but their prognosis was unfavorable. Preoperative VA was associated with final VA, whereas macular involvement was associated with poor visual outcomes.