Vitreoretinal interface changes in acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the significance of different clinical appearances of the vitreoretinal interface in the surgical management of acute postoperative endophthalmitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 22 patients underwent vitrectomy and were divided intraoperatively in 3 groups according to the degree of vitreoretinal interface changes: 10 patients had white infiltrates in the vitreous cortex but no retinal hemorrhages (group A), eight patients had white infiltrates in the vitreous cortex and retinal hemorrhages (group B) and four patients had advanced vitreous opacification, strong vitreoretinal adhesions and retinal hemorrhages (group C). In group A vitrectomy was performed and the vitreous cortex was removed cautiously, while in groups B and C the vitreous cortex was not removed in the first procedure. RESULTS: Visual acuity improved in 14 patients, remained stable in 2 patients and deteriorated in 6 patients. The visual prognosis was better in group A. None of the cases was complicated with retinal detachment following vitrectomy, but in groups B and C 37.5 % and 50 % of the patients, respectively, went into phthisis. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative assessment of the vitreoretinal interface insult in acute postoperative endophthalmitis contributes to an optimal surgical management, and it also has a prognostic value.

Secondary management and outcome of massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To present the results of secondary surgical treatment of five patients with massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage (MSCH), which occurred intraoperatively, postoperatively, or following ocular trauma. METHODS: Five patients presenting with MSCH were included in this study during or after phacoemulsification surgery (1 patient), glaucoma surgery (1 patient), combined glaucoma and phacoemulsification surgery (2 patients), and after traumatic sclera rupture (1 patient). Diagnosis was confirmed by ophthalmoscopy and B-scan ultrasonography. Pre-existing risk factors and distance visual acuity were documented. All cases received medical therapy and underwent secondary surgical intervention with radial sclerotomies combined with vitrectomy, use of perfluorocarbon, and silicone oil. Postoperative assessment included visual acuity measurement, ocular examination, and ultrasonography. RESULTS: In all cases, anatomic restoration of ocular structures was achieved. Distance visual acuity improved in all cases (preoperative Snellen visual acuity ranged from light perception to hand motions; postoperative Snellen visual acuity ranged from 0.05 to 0.3). The mean follow-up period was 17 months. CONCLUSIONS: In general, despite the advanced surgical techniques, the prognosis of MSCH remains guarded and the visual outcome poor. However, secondary surgical treatment with combined radial sclerotomies and vitrectomy should be considered in order to minimize the damaging effect and maximize the anatomic and functional restoration.

Congenital stationary night blindness and a "Schubert-Bornschein" type electrophysiology in a family with dominant inheritance.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To present the clinical, psychophysical, and electrophysiological characteristics of a family with dominantly inherited congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). METHODS: Five affected family members from three generations were ascertained. Four affected individuals underwent ophthalmic examination and electrodiagnostic investigations. Three affected individuals also underwent scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and psychophysical testing. RESULTS: Affected individuals reported night blindness from an early age. Visual acuities were normal. Fundal appearances were normal apart from one older patient showing areas of peripheral chorioretinal atrophy. Autofluorescence images showed no gross abnormality. International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standard electroretinography (ERG) showed undetectable rod specific responses and electronegative maximal responses, but normal ISCEV cone responses. Additional S-cone specific ERG recordings were of reduced amplitude in all patients studied. There was no apparent rod component to the dark adaptation curve. Central 30 degrees thresholds were normal under photopic conditions but showed increased thresholds under scotopic conditions for both red and blue stimuli. CONCLUSION: Results from investigation of this family are consistent with an impairment of rod photoreceptor signalling. The ERG findings suggest an abnormality occurring after phototransduction with rod and S-cone pathway involvement. These findings differ from those rare families reported previously with dominant CSNB.

Fundus autofluorescence imaging compared with different confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopes.

BACKGROUND: With the advent of confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopes (cSLO), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) resulting mainly from lipofuscin accumulation on the level of the retinal pigment epithelium can be visualised in vivo. Various cSLOs are available to document FAF. The authors analysed and compared results of FAF using three different instruments. METHODS: Eight eyes of eight normal volunteers and 18 eyes of 12 patients with different retinal diseases (age related macular degeneration, macular dystrophy, central serous retinopathy) were examined. FAF images were recorded from each subject with the Heidelberg retina angiograph (HRA), the Rodenstock cSLO (RcSLO) and the Zeiss Prototype SM 30-4024 (ZcSLO). For excitation an argon laser (488 nm) was used (barrier filter: HRA 500 nm; RcSLO 515 nm; ZcSLO 521 nm). 32 FAF images were aligned and averaged using the same software for all cSLOs. FAF distribution was measured and grey scale values as well as root mean square (RMS) contrast were compared. RESULTS: Mean age of all subjects was 55.5 (SD 21.4) years. The maximum grey scale value averaged across all eyes was 76.19 (39.34) for the HRA, 61.44 (22.12) for the ZcSLO and 37.0 (9.97) for the RcSLO. The RMS contrast was 0.46 (0.20) for the ZcSLO, 0.40 (0.12) for the HRA, and 0.13 (0.05) for the RcSLO. The differences between the cSLOs were statistically significant with higher grey scale levels and more contrast for the HRA and ZcSLO than the RcSLO (repeated measures ANOVA; p<0.0001). The differences between the HRA and the ZcSLO were not significant (post hoc comparisons; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: All cSLOs allow clinically useful FAF imaging in retinal diseases. However, grey scale levels and contrast were much lower on the RcSLO. Therefore, RcSLO images appear much darker than HRA or ZcSLO images. Furthermore, not all cSLOs have a fixed photodetector gain and a standardised value for the argon laser amplification, which is mandatory for an absolute comparison of FAF imaging results.