Avoiding mask-related artefacts in visual field tests during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS: To assess visual field (VF) pseudoprogression related to face mask use. METHODS: We reviewed a total of 307 VFs performed with a face mask (FPP2/KN95 or surgical masks) and compared them with prior VFs, performed before the pandemic. VFs with suspected pseudoprogression due to mask artefacts (VF test 1) were repeated with a surgical mask and an adhesive tape on its superior border (VF test 2) to distinguish from true VF loss. Several parameters including reliability indices, test duration, VF index (VFI), mean defect (MD) and pattern deviation probability plots were compared among last pre-COVID VFs, VF tests 1 and VF tests 2, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: We identified 18 VFs with suspected progression artefact due to masks (5.8%). In all of them, the median VFI and MD significantly improved after fitting the superior border of the mask, showing no significant differences with pre-COVID tests. The median fixation losses were significantly higher when wearing the unfitted mask (13% vs 6%,p=0.047). The inferior hemifield was the most affected, either as a new scotoma or as an enlargement of a prior defect. CONCLUSION: Unfitted masks can simulate VF progression in around 6% of cases, mainly in the inferior hemifield, and increase significantly the rate of fixation losses. A similar rate of artefacts was observed using FPP2/KN95 or surgical masks. The use of a surgical mask with an adhesive tape covering the superior border may reduce mask-related artefacts, although concomitant progression cannot be ruled out in all cases.

Consecutive strabismus after infantile nystagmus syndrome surgery and potential risk factors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of consecutive strabismus after infantile nystagmus surgery and its potential risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective study including 89 patients was conducted. Patients presented infantile nystagmus (idiopathic or ocular disease-associated nystagmus) without previous or coincidental strabismus. Sex, age at surgery, amblyopia, botulinum toxin (BT) injection before surgery, spherical equivalent, anisometropia, surgery procedure (Anderson's or retroequatorial recessions of four horizontal recti), and follow-up were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and univariate Cox regression were performed. RESULTS: The median age at surgery was 5 years. The median follow-up was 36 months. The incidence of consecutive strabismus was 11.2%. There were eight patients with exotropia and two patients with esotropia. Consecutive strabismus was associated with severe bilateral amblyopia (p = 0.036), previous treatment with BT injection (p = 0.025), and large recessions of the four horizontal muscles (p = 0.001). The hazard ratio for patients with severe bilateral amblyopia was 5.4 (95% CI 1.1-25.8), and for patients previously treated with BT was 6.1 (1.3-29.3). The survival rate was 95.4% at 6 months and 88.5% at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Severe bilateral amblyopia, previous BT treatment, and type of surgery seem to be associated with consecutive strabismus after infantile nystagmus surgery. Most cases appear within the first months after surgery.

Recurrent Bilateral Anterior Uveitis with Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease.

PURPOSE: To report an uncommon case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease-associated-uveitis. METHODS: A 31-year-old Caucasian woman with cervical lymphadenitis and Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease recently confirmed by biopsy, complained about unilateral blurry vision. Differential diagnoses, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, Behçet disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis was performed. We undertook a review of other similar cases found in the literature. RESULTS: Acute anterior unilateral uveitis was diagnosed, suffering from two recurrences of bilateral anterior uveitis. CONCLUSIONS: Additional reported cases are required to better understand the Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease and the pathogenesis and features of its ocular involvement.

Optic Nerve Head Biomechanic and IOP Changes Before and After the Injection of Aflibercept for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

PURPOSE: We investigated the early effects of intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) on optic nerve head (ONH) morphology. METHODS: All of the participants underwent applanation tonometry and enhanced depth imaging by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography immediately before injection, and within 5 and 30 minutes after IAI. Changes in the anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth, prelaminar tissue thickness (PTT), optic cup width, optic cup depth, and Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) were assessed. RESULTS: The study included 30 eyes of 30 subjects with a mean age of 77.4 ± 6.8 years (range, 65-89 years) following IAI (2 mg in 0.05 ml). Within 5 minutes after injection, the mean cup depth, mean cup width, and BMO were significantly increased (P = 0.013, P = 0.000, and P = 0.004, respectively), whereas the mean PTT was thinned (P = 0.009). These morphologic changes returned to near baseline values 30 minutes after injection. Cup widening and BMO expansion (P = 0.000; r, 0.668), as well as cup deepening and prelaminar thinning (P = 0.000; r, -0.838), were significantly correlated. The magnitude of cup deepening and prelaminar tissue thinning correlated with the IOP change in the opposite direction than expected (P = 0.039; r, -0.379 and P = 0.377; r, 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: A significant widening and deepening of the optic cup, BMO expansion, and prelaminar tissue thinning occurred following IAI for neovascular AMD. Eyes having greater optic disc cup deepening and prelaminar tissue condensation after IAI, associated with a lower IOP increase after injection, suggesting that ONH compliance might buffer the effect of additional intravitreal fluid injection on IOP values.