Ocular Manifestations of Leukemia and Results of Treatment with Intravitreal Methotrexate.

Ocular involvement in leukemia is considered rare. Ocular symptoms can be the presenting signs of leukemia, they can appear after diagnosis has been established, or they can be the first manifestation of a relapse after remission. We report, to the best of our knowledge for the first time, the ocular manifestation of a series of patients with ocular leukemia and the result of their treatment with intravitreal methotrexate (MTX) injections. This is a retrospective cohort study. The medical records of 12 consecutive patients with ocular leukemia (24 eyes, 11 eyes treated with MTX) treated at the Sheba Medical Center from January 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Details on ocular inflammatory reaction and tumor cell infiltration at presentation and the end of follow-up were recorded as main outcome measures. The 12 patients included 7 women and 5 men (mean age ± standard deviation at diagnosis 25.92 ± 23.91 years, range 2-82 years). Eleven eyes of 6 patients were treated with intravitreal MTX injections. The indication for treatment was biopsy proven, tumor cell infiltration. The mean number of MTX injections was 3.37 ± 5.35 (range 1-18). The mean follow-up was 27.08 ± 36.79 months (range 1-93). All treated eyes showed improvement in the inflammatory reaction and tumor cell infiltration. In conclusion we found that Intravitreal MTX injections may be an effective therapeutic approach for eyes with intraocular leukemic tumor cell infiltration.

XCalibur aneurysm occlusion device for the treatment of direct carotid cavernous fistula: expansion of armamentarium.

We report the first case of a post-traumatic direct carotid cavernous fistula (CCF) treated with the XCalibur aneurysm occlusion device, which is a balloon mounted stent with flow diversion effect. Two devices were deployed across the fistula in an overlapping manner, resulting in complete occlusion of the fistula. Flow diversion with this device can provide a safe and alternative treatment option in direct CCF.

Myeloid sarcoma presenting as an unusual limbal mass.

A 19-year-old woman presented to the outpatient department with occasional ocular pain and redness and a perilimbal mass, which she noticed 5 months ago in her left eye. She had no systemic complaints. Ultrasound biomicroscopy of the mass showed a hypoechoic lesion with uniform reflectivity. The patient underwent an excision biopsy and a histopathological analysis revealed features suggestive of a granulocytic sarcoma/myeloid sarcoma. Further haematopathological evaluation confirmed concurrent acute myeloid (myelomonocytic) leukaemia French American British classification M4. There was complete remission of the ocular surface lesion and leukaemia with systemic chemotherapy. At the last follow-up of 18 months post-treatment the patient is free of disease.

Vitamin D Enhances the Efficacy of Topical Artificial Tears in Patients With Dry Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of topical carbomer-based lipid-containing artificial tears (CLAT) and hyaluronate (HU) in patients with dry eye disease (DED) based on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25HD) levels and cholecalciferol (vitamin D) supplementation. METHODS: A total of 116 patients with DED from June 2015 to June 2016 were included. The participants were divided into the vitamin D deficiency (VDD) group and the non-VDD group according to their serum 25HD levels. The patients determined the ways of cholecalciferol supplementation. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, visual analog pain scale score, lid hyperemia, tear breakup time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score, and Schirmer test were compared between baseline and 2 weeks posttreatment after topical applications and between before and after cholecalciferol supplementation. RESULTS: The OSDI and visual analog pain scale scores of both VDD and non-VDD groups decreased after application of topical CLAT and HU compared with baseline values (P < 0.05 for all, paired t test). TBUT, corneal fluorescein staining score, and lid hyperemia in the VDD group remained unaffected by topical CLAT and HU, whereas those in the non-VDD group were improved (3.2 ± 1.7 vs. 4.1 ± 2.2, 0.5 ± 0.7 vs. 0.4 ± 0.6, and 2.2 ± 0.8 vs. 1.9 ± 0.7 in the non-VDD group, P = 0.001, 0.030, and 0.012, respectively). OSDI score, TBUT, and lid margin hyperemia were improved in the intramuscular group after cholecalciferol supplementation compared with pretreatment (33.2 ± 23.2 vs. 28.5 ± 21.9, 3.5 ± 1.9 vs. 6.0 ± 2.5, and 2.2 ± 0.7 vs. 1.2 ± 0.8, P < 0.05, Wilcoxon rank test). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of topical CLAT and HU was dependent on serum 25HD levels. Cholecalciferol supplementation enhanced the efficacy of topical treatment and may be a useful adjuvant therapy for patients with DED refractory to topical lubricants.

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in a patient with choroidal melanoma simulating choroidal detachment: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ophthalmologists and retina specialists may consider choroidal detachment if patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment present with choroidal elevation. That misdiagnosis may lead to inappropriate treatments, development of tumor cell dissemination, and eventual promotion of patient death. We report a case of a patient with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with choroidal melanoma simulating choroidal detachment according to fundus findings. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old Japanese woman with blurred vision in her right eye was referred to our hospital because of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with complicated atypical choroidal detachment. Her intraocular pressure was normal with clear anterior chamber. Retinal detachment involving the inferior and nasal retina was observed, and a retinal hole was noted in the same quadrant. A small yellowish choroidal elevation was located in the inferonasal site. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed enhancement corresponding to the elevation, leading to the identification of a choroidal tumor. Enucleation of the patient's right eye was eventually performed. The enucleated eye histologically demonstrated malignant melanoma. CONCLUSIONS: If hypotony or an inflammatory sign is absent, ophthalmologists should pay attention to the differential diagnosis of choroidal elevations observed in such patients.

[Understanding chronic ocular pain]. / Vers une meilleure compréhension des douleurs oculaires chroniques.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common chronic condition with multifactorial etiologies that is increasing in prevalence worldwide, up to 20% in the elderly. The economic burden and impact of DED on vision, quality of life, work productivity, psychological and physical impact of pain, are considerable. Chronic ocular pain is the most common symptom of DED and there is currently no topical ocular analgesic therapy available to treat this debilitating disease. Eye pain can be perceived as itch, irritation, dryness, grittiness, burning, aching, and light sensitivity. Ocular pain is triggered by corneal nociceptors (cornea being the most sensory innervated tissue of the body). It was clearly established that repeated direct damage to ocular surface and per se corneal nerves can cause peripheral and central sensitization mechanisms explaining the ocular pain in some patients with DED. However, the brain regions and the neuronal pathways associated with ocular pain are still unclear. Thus, a better characterization of chronic ocular pain and an understanding of the peripheral and central molecular and cellular mechanisms involved are crucial issues for developing effective management and therapeutic strategy to alleviate ocular pain. In this review, we first describe the nociceptive corneal nerve pathways and the classification and the neurochemistry of primary afferents innervating the cornea. Then, an update of the fundamental and clinical studies related to the inflammatory processes linked to ocular pain is detailed. The last part of the review presents the diagnostic tools used in clinic for evaluating corneal sensitivity and corneal inflammation.

Post-Ebola Syndrome, Sierra Leone.

Thousands of persons have survived Ebola virus disease. Almost all survivors describe symptoms that persist or develop after hospital discharge. A cross-sectional survey of the symptoms of all survivors from the Ebola treatment unit (ETU) at 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone (MH34), was conducted after discharge at their initial follow-up appointment within 3 weeks after their second negative PCR result. From its opening on December 1, 2014, through March 31, 2015, the MH34 ETU treated 84 persons (8-70 years of age) with PCR-confirmed Ebola virus disease, of whom 44 survived. Survivors reported musculoskeletal pain (70%), headache (48%), and ocular problems (14%). Those who reported headache had had lower admission cycle threshold Ebola PCR than did those who did not (p<0.03). This complete survivor cohort from 1 ETU enables analysis of the proportion of symptoms of post-Ebola syndrome. The Ebola epidemic is waning, but the effects of the disease will remain.

Giant iris cyst with corneal perforation.

PURPOSE: To report a case of a giant iris cyst with corneal perforation. CASE REPORT: A 43-year-old woman presented with repeated episodes of pain and decreased vision in her left eye for 3 years. There was no history of trauma. Slit lamp examination showed a nasal limbal corneal perforation and a mass in the anterior chamber. Based on clinical examination, B-scan ultrasonography, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography, a presumed diagnosis of anteriorly subluxated lens was made. However, intraoperatively, the patient's own crystalline lens was found behind the anterior chamber mass. Successful aspiration was performed. Histopathological examination of the aspirated material showed an iris stromal cyst. Postoperatively, the visual acuity improved and there was no recurrence of the iris cyst at the end of 12 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A giant iris cyst was diagnosed intraoperatively in our case. Although rare, surgeons should be aware of similar situations in cases with an unexplained anterior chamber mass.

Histopathology of the Ex-PRESS Shunt.

The authors report the histopathologic features of a human enucleated eye with an Ex-PRESS shunt (Optonol, Ltd., Neve Ilan, Israel). An 86-year-old man with a blind painful eye underwent enucleation. He had a history of glaucoma with an Ex-PRESS shunt implanted. Histopathologic evaluation of the specimen showed a thin layer of fibrotic tissue surrounding the implant. In this case, the Ex-PRESS shunt was relatively well tolerated in the human eye.

An unusual case of pediatric painless ophthalmoplegia.

Acquired unilateral ophthalmoplegia in childhood has many potential causes. Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome is characterized by painful ophthalmoplegia caused by nonspecific inflammation of cavernous sinus or superior orbital fissure. It is rarely present in children. Corticosteroid treatment is the current mainstay of treatment but cases of THS that failed to respond to steroids have been reported. We report a case of cavernous sinus pseudotumour presenting as a painless ophthalmoplegia in a child, in which complete resolution was spontaneous. To our knowledge, such a case has never been reported in the literature.