The Posthyaluronidase Syndrome: Dosing Strategies for Hyaluronidase in the Dissolving of Facial Filler and Independent Predictors of Poor Outcomes.

Background: Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are used extensively in periocular aesthetic medicine, and the incidence of filler-related complications is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the optimal dosing strategy for hyaluronidase and to identify predictors of poor outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 157 orbits of 90 patients treated with hyaluronidase over a 4-year period. Demographic data, indication, and details of hyaluronidase treatment and outcomes were recorded. Results: The primary indication for dissolving filler was swelling in 52%, lumpiness in 20%, and before surgical blepharoplasty in 17%. The most frequently used hyaluronidase concentration was 150 U per mL in 66%, followed by 75 U per mL in 31%, 37.5 U per mL in 3%, and 100 U per mL in 1%. Outcomes were characterized as follows: 59% with a satisfactory result; 24% as insufficient treatment requiring further hyaluronidase; and 18% complaining of facial changes such as hollowing, indicating a post hyaluronidase syndrome. There was no statistical difference in outcomes between the 75 and 150 U per mL dosage groups (P = 0.625). A significant correlation was identified between posthyaluronidase syndrome and duration of filler in situ (P = 0.00019) and volume of filler (P = 0.000017). Conclusions: The posthyaluronidase syndrome may be related to previous filler volume and duration, rather than the concentration or dose of hyaluronidase used. All patients should be informed about the risks of adverse effects after hyaluronidase treatment; patients with longer histories of filler use and higher total volumes should be advised of the increased risk.

Quantitative Assessment of Periocular Autologous Fat Transfer Survival Using 3D Stereophotogrammetric Imaging.

PURPOSE: To assess periocular autologous fat transfer (AFT) survival by assessment of volume change with sequential 3D VECTRA imaging. OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the patterns of graft survival of AFT in the periorbital region, especially in cases involving prior radiotherapy or trauma. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize fat survival following AFT in patients with a broad range of clinical indications, with and without a history of prior radiotherapy, for both periocular and orbital AFT, and in a subgroup of patients with an anophthalmic socket. METHOD: A single-institution, prospective cohort study involving 18 applications of AFT for volume augmentation in the periocular and orbital area. All patients had sequential 3D VECTRA photographs following a validated standardized protocol. Patient demographics, including gender, age, ethnicity, underlying diagnosis, and volume of fat injected, were also collected. RESULTS: In total 13 patients were enrolled, 9 female (69.2%) and 4 male (31.0%). Mean age at the time of surgery was 47.8 years. Patients had volume deficiency secondary to a variety of causes; the most common cause was postenucleation socket syndrome following trauma in 6 patients (46.2%). The mean fat survival volume at the 1-month postoperative point was 70% and 55% by 6 months. AFT conducted with a multiport cannula for fat harvesting use had an initial higher rate of fat reabsorption with ANOVA p = 0.002, however, this was not observed at the later follow-up periods. There was no statistically significant difference in fat survival between abdominal or thigh donor fat sites. There was no statistically significant difference in residual injected volume at the early follow-up period between patients who had prior radiotherapy and those who did not p = 0.8496. CONCLUSION: AFT is an effective treatment for periorbital volume compromise with an acceptable survival rate in all categories of patients. Complex etiologies such as radiotherapy-related orbital and midface dysgenesis should not be a contraindication for AFT, with no difference in outcomes.

Safety and Efficacy of Mucograft Porcine Collagen Bioengineered Acellular Dermal Matrix as a Spacer Graft in Lower Eyelid Elevation Surgery.

Background: Recent regulatory changes have limited the access to a widely used commercially available bioengineered acellular dermal matrix (BADM) product as a spacer graft in the surgical correction of lower eyelid retraction. We report our off-label usage of Mucograft, a porcine BADM, as an alternative BADM. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients undergoing bilateral lower lid surgery with Mucograft (12 eyes) at a single institution. Results: For the six patients, there was a mean lower lid elevation of 1.93 mm, without any serious complications. There was greater elevation of the lower lid position for the Mucograft group compared with four septo-retractor control patients (1.93 versus 0.94mm, P = 0.008). Conclusion: Mucograft performed satisfactorily, and further investigation is warranted regarding its longer-term safety and efficacy.

The Whitnall Barrier: A Technique for the Management of Lacrimal Gland Prolapse.

BACKGROUND: The Whitnall barrier procedure, a modified Beer and Kompatscher surgical technique to reposition the lacrimal gland, is presented alongside a case series of patients demonstrating excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes. METHODS: The Whitnall barrier procedure is illustrated procedurally and accompanied by a case series of 20 consecutive patients treated in a single institution by a single surgical team between December of 2016 and February of 2020. Lid contour and function were assessed postoperatively, as was patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Thirty-seven eyes of 20 patients were included. All patients were women, with an average age of 50 years. Fourteen patients underwent surgery for cosmesis, four had inactive thyroid eye disease, and two had lacrimal gland enlargement secondary to dacryoadenitis. The degree of lacrimal gland prolapse was described as mild in two eyes and moderate in 35 eyes. All patients had one or more additional surgical procedures. Mean follow-up duration was 11 months, with complete resolution of lacrimal gland prolapse in 34 eyes. The patient who did not have complete resolution had dacryoadenitis and required ongoing immunosuppressive therapy. Two patients were discharged on topical lubricants: one with thyroid eye disease and one cosmetic patient who underwent upper and lower lid blepharoplasties at the same time. There were no intraoperative complications and no incidences of infection, dehiscence, or damage to the lacrimal gland ductules. CONCLUSIONS: The Whitnall barrier technique is a safe and effective surgical procedure to restore the anatomic location of the lacrimal gland. It provides excellent aesthetic and functional outcomes.

Blepharospasm Secondary to Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Parkinson Disease: Clinical Characteristics and Management Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment for patients with motor symptoms of Parkinson disease but can be complicated by disabling blepharospasm and apraxia of eyelid opening (ALO). Currently, there is no clear consensus on optimal management, and addressing these issues is further hindered by systemic morbidity and resistance to treatments. We aim to describe the different phenotypes of these eyelid movement disorders, to report our management approach and patient responses to treatment. METHODS: A retrospective case series of all patients with blepharospasm/ALO secondary to STN-DBS that were treated at a tertiary center between 2011 and 2020. Data collected included date of Parkinson diagnosis, date of DBS surgery, date of development of blepharospasm/ALO symptoms, STN-DBS stimulation settings, and treatment given. Patients' symptoms before and after treatment were measured using the blepharospasm disability index and Jankovic Rating Scale. RESULTS: Five patients were identified with eyelid movement disorders secondary to STN-DBS. All patients had moderate-to-severe symptoms at presentation. Four patients received periocular botulinum toxin injections. Three patients underwent surgery in the form of frontalis suspension or direct brow lift with or without upper lid blepharoplasty. All reported an improvement in symptoms following treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A multimodality, patient-specific approach is required in the treatment of blepharospasm/ALO secondary to STN-DBS. Botulinum toxin injections can be effective, but patients may require surgery if toxin treatment alone becomes ineffective. Tailoring treatment to individual needs can result in a measurable improvement in symptoms.

Tear Trough Filler Using the Three-point Tangent Technique: Lessons from 1452 Tear Trough Applications.

This study describes a novel three-point tangent technique for tear trough filler and the results from the largest series to date. Methods: A retrospective case review was performed for all patients treated between 2016 and 2020. Patient demographics, filler details and complications were recorded. The injection technique involves using a blunt cannula to deliver filler along three linear tangents bespoke to each patient. Results: A total of 1452 applications of filler to the orbits of 583 patients were recorded. The median patient age was 41 years (range 19-77), and 84% were women. The mean volume of applied filler at the first appointment was 0.34 mL to each orbit (range 0.1--1.5); 82% reported no complication, 10% reported swelling with a median duration of 4 weeks (range 1-52), 4.3% experienced bruising, 4.6% reported contour irregularities, and 3.3% experienced a Tyndall effect. Retrobulbar hemorrhage occurred in one patient (0.17%), which was managed immediately with no lasting visual compromise. Volume of filler injected was significantly associated with a risk of edema (P < 0.00001) and contour irregularities (P = 0.012). In total, 50% of cases of edema resolved spontaneously after 4 weeks. Filler was dissolved in 1.9% of orbits. Patients with a history of dissolving were significantly more likely to require dissolving after subsequent reinjection (P = 0.043). Conclusions: The three-point tangent technique is a safe and effective method. Increasing volume of filler administered is associated with complications of edema and contour irregularities. Edema is the most common complication and resolves spontaneously in half of patients by 4 weeks.

Introducing the 'Benign Eyelid Lesion Pathway': 1 year experience of synchronous tele-oculoplastics in a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: Patients with benign eyelid lesions make up a large proportion of referrals to the oculoplastic service and lend themselves well to telemedicine with assessments heavily reliant on history, observation-based examination and photographs to enable management decision-making. Our tertiary unit set up tele-oculoplastics clinics for all new patients referred for benign eyelid lesions comprising tele-consultation with antecedent patient photograph: Benign Eyelid Lesion Pathway (BELP). One year on, we describe a retrospective analysis of 974 patients looking at distinct parameters of effectiveness. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from electronic patient records (EPR) for BELP patients from July 2020 to August 2021 (n = 974). We analysed time efficiency (referral time to treatment plan, consultation duration in minutes, average waiting times, number of patients seen per clinician and DNA rate), accessibility, safety (via video surveillance clinic) and theatre utilisation. RESULTS: 57.3% (n = 558) were listed for a surgical procedure direct from tele-consultation with 94.9% (n = 513) of these proceeding to surgery; 22.8% (n = 222) were discharged, 10.7% (n = 104) had further video follow-up and 6.7% (n = 65) required face-to-face follow-up. Our results showed efficient referral-to-treatment times, waiting times, consultation times and non-attendance rate. There was only a 2.57% non-attendance rate. There was no missed diagnosis of a malignancy of a presumed benign lesion. CONCLUSION: Tele-oculoplastics provides a streamlined, safe, effective, and logistically convenient way to review benign eyelid lesions. With the increased waiting times for referral to biopsy of eyelid lesions, this clinic shows it is imperative to provide digital accessibility for patient assessment and booking to operating theatre.

Blood-stained tears-a red flag for malignancy?

BACKGROUND: Blood-stained tears can indicate occult malignancy of the lacrimal drainage apparatus. This study reviews data on patients presenting with blood in their tears and the underlying cause for this rare symptom. METHODS: Patients presenting with blood in their tears, identified over a 20-year period, were retrospectively collected from a single tertiary ophthalmic hospital's database and analysed. RESULTS: 51 patients were identified, the majority female (58%) with a mean age of 55 years. Most cases were unilateral (96%) with blood originating from the nasolacrimal drainage system in 53%. The most common diagnosis for blood-stained tears was a lacrimal sac mucocele (n = 16) followed by a conjunctival vascular lesion (n = 4). Three patients had systemic haematological disorders. The rate of malignancy was 8% (n = 4), with 2 patients having lacrimal sac transitional cell carcinomas, one with a lacrimal sac plasmacytoma and the other with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and bilateral orbital infiltration (with bilateral bloody tears). One patient had a lacrimal sac inverted papilloma, a premalignant lesion. Four patients had benign papillomas (of the lacrimal sac, conjunctiva and caruncle). CONCLUSION: Haemolacria was a red flag for malignancy in 8% of patients (and tumours in 18% of patients). A thorough clinical examination including lid eversion identified a conjunctival, caruncle, eyelid or canalicular cause in 27% of cases.

Orbital compartment syndrome following tear trough filler injection.

A patient was treated with tear trough filler and developed a retrobulbar haemorrhage. This was managed acutely with a lateral canthotomy and cantholysis with no lasting visual compromise. This is the first reported case of an orbital compartment syndrome following filler injection and highlights the potential blinding complications which can occur. There should be an increased awareness of this complication amongst practitioners administering tear trough filler.

Unravelling the Complex Anatomy of the Tear Trough and Lower Eyelid Folds: A Review of Cadaveric Studies in the Literature.

The lower eyelid tear trough deformity is a common cosmetic concern which is the result of multiple anatomic changes in the lower eyelid, usually resulting from age. A sound understanding of the underlying anatomy is vital to inform surgeons about the ideal treatment options for rejuvenation of this region and to minimize the risk of complications. Cadaveric studies provide unique insight into underlying anatomic changes. Here we review the relevant published cadaveric studies relating to the tear trough deformity and its treatment.

Rituximab for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is the most frequent extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease, affecting up to 50% of patients. It has a great impact on quality of life. Rituximab (RTX) is a human/murine chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the CD20 receptor on B-lymphocytes. Preliminary work has shown that blocking this CD20 receptor with RTX may affect the clinical course of TAO by reducing inflammation and the degree of proptosis.  OBJECTIVES: This review update, originally published in 2013, assesses the efficacy and safety of using RTX for the treatment of TAO. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2022, Issue 2), which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Information database (LILACS), the ISRCTN registry, clinicaltrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP). There were no language restrictions in the electronic search for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 22 February 2022.  SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of RTX administered by intravenous infusion using any dosage regimen for the treatment of active TAO in adults, compared to placebo or glucocorticoids treatment.  DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Two review authors independently scanned titles and abstracts, and screened full-text reports of potentially relevant studies. The outcomes of interest in this review were: clinical activity score (CAS), NOSPECS severity scale, proptosis (mm), palpebral aperture (mm), extraocular motility (degrees or diplopia rating scale), quality of life and adverse effects. MAIN RESULTS: We identified two studies that met the inclusion criteria in this updated review. Across both studies, the mean age of participants was 55 years and 77% were women. RTX compared to intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) One study, conducted in Italy, compared RTX (n = 15 after one participant withdrew) with IVMP (n = 16) for active TAO (CAS ≥ 3 out of 7 or 4 out of 10). We judged this study to be at low risk of bias in most domains, but it was stopped early because of disease reactivation in the comparator group (5/16 participants). This study provided low-certainty evidence that RTX may result in CAS improvement at 24 weeks compared to IVMP (15/15 versus 12/16 improved by ≥ 2 points; risk ratio (RR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98 to 1.78). Only very low-certainty evidence was available for the other outcomes: NOSPECS improvement by 2 or more classes (3/15 versus 3/16; RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.25 to 4.49); proptosis improvement by 2 mm or more (0/15 versus 1/16; RR 0.35, 95% CI 0.02 to 8.08); palpebral aperture improvement by 3 mm or more (2/15 versus 0/16; RR 5.31, 95% CI 0.28 to 102.38); motility improvement by 1 class or more (3/15 versus 3/16; RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.25 to 4.49); and improvement on the Graves' ophthalmopathy QoL scale by at least 6 points for "functioning" (5/14 versus 8/13; RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.32), and "appearance" (9/14 versus 6/13; RR 1.39, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.82). Adverse events were more common in the RTX group (RR 1.39, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.13; low-certainty evidence). Minor adverse effects (mild infusion reactions) were observed in most people receiving RTX at first infusion. Two participants experienced a major infusion reaction, likely cytokine release syndrome. RTX compared to placebo One study, conducted in the USA, enrolled 25 participants with active TAO (CAS ≥ 4 out of 7), comparing RTX (13 participants) to placebo. We judged this study to be at low risk of bias in most domains, but it was stopped early due to recruitment issues. It provided very low-certainty evidence on the following outcomes at 24 weeks: CAS improvement by 2 or more points (4/13 RTX versus 3/12 placebo; RR 1.23, 95% CI 0.34 to 4.40); NOSPECS improvement by 2 or more classes (2/13 versus 2/12; RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.15 to 5.56); proptosis improvement by 2 mm or more (2/13 versus 4/12; RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.10 to 2.08); palpebral aperture median change (0 mm in RTX group, in both eyes separately, versus -0.5 mm and 0.5 mm in placebo group right and left eye, respectively); motility median diplopia score (3 versus 2.5); SF-12 physical component median score (45.9 versus 40.3) and mental component median score (52.8 versus 46.1). More participants in the RTX group experienced adverse effects (8/13 versus 3/12; RR 2.46, 95% CI 0.84 to 7.18).  AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is currently insufficient evidence to support the use of RTX in people with TAO. Future studies investigating RTX in people with active TAO may need to be multi-centre in order to recruit enough participants to make an adequate judgement on the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy.

A patient-initiated treatment model for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To test, in a two-arm, single center, superiority, randomized controlled trial, the effectiveness of and costs associated with a patient-initiated treatment model for people with hemifacial spasm (HFS) and blepharospasm (BEB) in comparison to usual care. METHODS: One hundred and thirty patients with HFS or BEB, aged 18 years or over, were recruited from a nurse-led botulinum toxin type A clinic at an eye hospital in the United Kingdom (UK), completed baseline measures and were randomized (1:1). The intervention group determined their own botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) treatment schedule during the trial period (9 months) and received an information leaflet with a "hotline" number to book an appointment. Usual care appointments were scheduled by treating clinicians. Data analysts were blind to study group. The primary outcomes were disease severity and functional disability, as measured by the Jankovic Rating Scale and Blepharospasm Disability Index, respectively. Secondary outcomes included quality of life, anxiety and depression, satisfaction with care, confidence in the service, economic costs and employment days lost. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were randomized to each group. The intervention demonstrated no statistically significant difference to usual care for any of primary outcomes. On secondary outcomes the levels of anxiety differed significantly (F2, 142.39 = 1.65, p = 0.02), with the intervention arm exhibiting a decrease and the control arm an increase (Hedges' g = - 0.26 [99% CI -0.83, 0.32]). No other statistically significant differences were found for secondary outcomes. Overall healthcare costs and costs to the patient were on average £198.95 less (95% CI -£256.76, £654.67; p = 0.10) per participant for those in the intervention compared to usual care, although this finding was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe differences between the patient-initiated treatment model and usual care for people with BEB or HFS, on any primary outcome measure, quality of life, or depression. The patient-initiated treatment model may, however, have the potential to save healthcare costs and reduce anxiety. Patients using this new model were also equally as satisfied in the service and confident in their care as those receiving treatment as usual. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov ID NCT02577224 , 16th October 2015.

Telemedicine in oculoplastic and adnexal surgery: clinicians' perspectives in the UK.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The COVID-19 has facilitated a paradigm shift in the sphere of ophthalmic telemedicine: its utility is no longer limited to providing care to remote regions, rather it is expeditiously being adopted as the new standard of care. The aim of our paper is to explore the current attitudes of oculoplastic surgeons towards telemedicine and its utility in the present landscape and its prospects in the future. METHODS: A 39-item questionnaire was distributed to consultant oculoplastic surgeons practising across the UK and anonymised responses were collected and analysed. RESULTS: The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed rapid implementation of telemedicine services in oculoplastic departments across the UK with 86.6% of the respondents incorporating telemedicine into the routine clinical practice. Clinicians reported a statistically significant increase in utility of telemedicine, confidence in using telemedicine and quality of infrastructure available to employ telemedicine following the COVID-19 outbreak. The greatest utility of telemedicine is in triaging, postoperative assessment and eyelid lesion assessment. Main barriers to implementation of telemedicine included difficulties in conducting clinical examinations, lack of administrative support and poor access to digital technologies for patients. Overall, most clinicians were satisfied with the impact of telemedicine services and almost all experts foresee themselves continuing to use telemedicine in the future. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine has become an integral part of the oculoplastic service delivery since the COVID-19 pandemic its use is likely to continue. Further development of digital infrastructure and improvement of clinical examination capabilities are required to enable its wider adoption.

Recurrent epiphora after dacryocystorhinostomy surgery: Structural abnormalities identified with dacryocystography and long term outcomes of revision surgery : Success rates of further surgery following failed dacryocystorhinostomy surgery.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the aetiopathology of recurrent epiphora or stickiness after dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery, identifiable on dacryocystography (DCG), and to assess the success rates of secondary corrective surgeries. METHODS: Consecutive post-DCR DCG images from patients with recurrent symptoms were reviewed between 2012 and 2015. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-nine eyes of 137 patients were evaluated. Fifty-eight DCGs showed normal postoperative findings, 4 an upper/lower canalicular block, 13 a common canalicular block, 31 a completely closed anastomosis, 50 a narrow anastomosis, and 3 an anastomosis draining into a nasal sinus. The most successful corrective procedures for each failure category were: Lester Jones Tube (LJT) for a normal post-operative DCG (17/18 success), Sisler trephination with tubes for upper/lower canalicular block (1/2 success), redo-DCR with tube for common canalicular blockage (5/6 success), redo-DCR +/- tube for completely closed anastomosis (12/16 success), LJT followed by redo-DCR +/- tube for narrow surgical anastomosis (1/1 and 17/27 success respectively), and redo-external-DCR with tube for anastomosis into a nasal sinus (1/1 success). Redo-DCR was ineffective in patients who had good post-DCR anatomical patency (22% success). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report success rates of redo-DCR surgery according to anatomical findings confirmed by DCG. The outcome flow diagram help clinicians recommend procedures that are most likely to be successful for their patient's specific anatomical abnormality. It also provides a visual tool for the shared decision-making process. Notably, symptomatic patients with a normal DCG post DCR are unlikely to benefit from redo-DCR, with a LJT being the recommended next step.

Quantitative Assessment of Orbital Decompression Surgery Using Photogrammetric Stereoimaging.

PURPOSE: To evaluate periorbital volume changes, using quantitative photogrammetric stereoimaging, after bony orbital decompression for thyroid eye disease (TED) and compare this to changes in Hertel exophthalmometry. Tissue volumes of the upper and lower eyelids were also assessed independently. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, nonconsecutive series of patients. SUBJECTS: Adults with inactive TED who had elected to undergo bony orbital decompression at Moorfields Eye Hospital between 2015 and 2017. METHODS: With their eyes gently closed, patients with inactive TED underwent imaging using the VECTRA M3 system (Canfields Imaging, Fairfield, NJ), both before and at least 3 months after orbital decompression. Proptosis was assessed by Hertel exophthalmometry. Using the manufacturer's software, changes in periorbital volumes between the preoperative and postoperative images were calculated for the upper and lower eyelids. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to assess the linear relationship between changes in periorbital volume and exophthalmometry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in stereoimaging volumes of the upper and lower eyelids, and clinical proptosis as measured with Hertel exophthalmometry. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (11 males; 33%) underwent lateral decompression (39 orbits in 26 patients), lateral decompression with complete ethmoidectomy (3 orbits in 3 patients), combined decompression of lateral wall, medial wall, and medial half of floor (10 orbits in 6 patients), or bilateral lateral, medial, and complete floor decompression (1 patient). The corresponding average volumetric changes were 1.74 ml (median 1.64; range 0.39-3.73 ml), 3.38 ml (median 3.38, range 1.89-4.88 ml), 4.05 ml (median 3.53, range 1.72-6.43 ml), and 4.52 ml (range 4.36-4.68 ml), respectively. Similarly, the average reduction in proptosis was 3.6 mm (median 3; range 1.5-7 mm), 5.3 mm (median 5; range 5-6 mm), 7.4 mm (7.5; range 6-9 mm), and 9 mm (range 8-10 mm). Periorbital volume changes were related to the reduction in exophthalmometry (r = 0.713, p < 0.0001), and reduction of lower eyelid volume did not increase further with more than two-wall decompression. CONCLUSION: Graded orbital decompression reduces both proptosis and the upper and lower eyelid tissue volumes, the eyelid changes being likely to influence decisions about future restorative eyelid surgery. The significant changes in eyelid profiles underlines the established principle of thyroid periocular rehabilitation, namely decompression, then strabismus surgery, and finally eyelid surgery.

Validating three-dimensional imaging for volumetric assessment of periorbital soft tissue.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy and interobserver variability of three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetric imaging for volumetric assessment in the periorbital region and to propose a protocol for measurement. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Fifty-eight normal adult subjects had photographs taken using the VECTRA M3 imaging system on two separate occasions at a single center teaching hospital. The primary study outcome measurement was mean volume change in the periorbital region, using different methods of image analysis with the following variables: registration method, eyes open or closed, eyelids measured separately or together, extension of area measured to include mid-face. Accuracy was defined as the agreement between paired images with no measured change in volume (0 mL). The agreement between two independent observers was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (P < .0001) between the different methods of measurement, with registration of images having the most effect (partial eta squared 0.229). A mean change in volume of 0.11 ± 0.13 mL was reported for the most accurate method. Agreement between observers was confirmed (highest Intraclass Correlation Coefficient 0.63). Conclusions: Assessment of volumetric change in the periorbital region using 3D image reconstruction is accurate with good interobserver repeatability and is suitable for clinical use. A protocol for data acquisition using the VECTRA M3 is proposed. 3D image reconstruction holds promise to enable diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and surgical outcome evaluation in ocular adnexal disease.

Which factors impact on quality of life for adults with blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm?

Purpose: Benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and hemifacial spasm (HFS) are debilitating conditions causing spasms to the eyes and/or face and can significantly impact on quality of life (QoL). Initial research has highlighted potential factors impacting on QoL in BEB, but there remains a wealth of demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors that may contribute to QoL but have not received attention. Methods: Cross-sectional baseline data were collected before a single-masked randomised controlled trial from 130 adults with BEB and HFS recruited from botulinum toxin clinics at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. QoL was measured using the 24-item Craniocervical Dystonia Questionnaire (CDQ24), which provides a total score and five subscale scores relating to Stigma, Emotional state, Pain, Activities of daily living (ADL), and Social/family life. Treating clinicians provided clinical data. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed on this baseline data to identify significant predictors of QoL. Results: ADL and Stigma were the areas most impacted upon whilst patients experienced better adjustment in relation to Pain, Social/family life, and Emotional state. CDQ24 Total scores were explained by the model (80% variance) and were significantly associated with appearance concerns, emotional representations, perceived negative consequences of the condition, mood, and dose of botulinum toxin. Conclusions: Patients with BEB and HFS report a detrimental impact on ADL and perceived stigma in relation to their condition. Predominantly, individual perceptions and mood are associated with QoL in this population, rather than demographic and clinical factors, signifying areas to target in the design of future healthcare services or interventions.

A Tenon's capsule/bulbar conjunctiva interface biomimetic to model fibrosis and local drug delivery.

Glaucoma filtration surgery is one of the most effective methods for lowering intraocular pressure in glaucoma. The surgery efficiently reduces intra-ocular pressure but the most common cause of failure is scarring at the incision site. This occurs in the conjunctiva/Tenon's capsule layer overlying the scleral coat of the eye. Currently used antimetabolite treatments to prevent post-surgical scarring are non-selective and are associated with potentially blinding side effects. Developing new treatments to target scarring requires both a better understanding of wound healing and scarring in the conjunctiva, and new means of delivering anti-scarring drugs locally and sustainably. By combining plastic compression of collagen gels with a soft collagen-based layer, we have developed a physiologically relevant model of the sub-epithelial bulbar conjunctiva/Tenon's capsule interface, which allows a more holistic approach to the understanding of subconjunctival tissue behaviour and local drug delivery. The biomimetic tissue hosts both primary human conjunctival fibroblasts and an immune component in the form of macrophages, morphologically and structurally mimicking the mechanical proprieties and contraction kinetics of ex vivo porcine conjunctiva. We show that our model is suitable for the screening of drugs targeting scarring and/or inflammation, and amenable to the study of local drug delivery devices that can be inserted in between the two layers of the biomimetic. We propose that this multicellular-bilayer engineered tissue will be useful to study complex biological aspects of scarring and fibrosis, including the role of inflammation, with potentially significant implications for the management of scarring following glaucoma filtration surgery and other anterior ocular segment scarring conditions. Crucially, it uniquely allows the evaluation of new means of local drug delivery within a physiologically relevant tissue mimetic, mimicking intraoperative drug delivery in vivo.