Topical silicone gel mistaken for a retained orbital foreign body on MRI.

MRI is now a well-regarded imaging technique, but due to its use of strong magnetic fields, some metallic objects are contraindicated. We present a case of a man in his 40s with thyroid eye disease, who underwent bilateral orbital decompression. Following surgery, he was advised to start scar massage with topical silicone gel (Dermatix). He later underwent an MRI head scan which was halted due to concerns of a retained metallic foreign body. Topical silicone gel is widely used clinically for scar management. Due to its properties, it can cause the appearance of an artefact on MRI and be mistaken for a metallic foreign body. We present the first case to our knowledge of an MRI susceptibility artefact which was attributed to topical silicone gel and describe the diagnostic confusion it caused. We recommend asking patients to wash off any topical silicone gel before having an MRI scan.

Co-existence of metastatic uterine sarcoma and orbital sarcoidosis: A case report and literature review.

A 77-year old lady with previously treated endometrial sarcoma presented with progressive left upper lid mechanical ptosis secondary to superior orbital mass. An orbital biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of orbital sarcoidosis. Further systemic work up revealed suspicious pulmonary nodules which were found to be endometrial sarcoma metastases rather than systemic sarcoidosis on image guided biopsy. She was treated with 20 months of chemotherapy for metastatic sarcoma. The ptosis completely resolved, however, pulmonary metastases progressed despite chemotherapy. The co- existence of malignancy with sarcoidosis should be considered in all cases of new onset sarcoidosis. Biopsy of suspicious lesions, close observation and multidisciplinary team management is advocated for these patients.

Patients' perceptions of visual impairment associated with smoking: A cross-sectional study of a United Kingdom tertiary eye centre.

Smoking is a well-established risk factor for several eye disorders including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. While many individuals are informed of the various adverse health effects, there is limited research into patients' awareness of the relationship between smoking and eye disease and the potential impact this might have on reducing smoking behaviour. Our findings document the low level of awareness of the risk of blindness from smoking at a tertiary eye unit in the United Kingdom and highlight the need for increased involvement from eye care professionals, alongside health campaigns to educate the public of this consequence of smoking.

Clinical challenges of thyroid eye disease in HIV-positive patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: Graves' disease (GD) as an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV has previously been reported. However, clinical challenges associated with HIV in the context of thyroid eye disease (TED) are not as well-characterized. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of coexisting HIV and TED, describe TED presentation and course in the context of HIV, and evaluate management difficulties as well as potential solutions. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of all patients with coexisting GD and HIV at University Hospitals Birmingham (2003-2014). Retrospective case note review to identify TED with particular reference to HAART regimen, CD4+ T-cell count, HIV viral load, and TED activity and severity. RESULTS: Of 783 subjects with GD and 1186 with HIV, 11 were identified with both GD and HIV. Of these, three had clinical features of TED; each was of Afro-Caribbean origin, was in their fourth decade, and initially presented with undetectable CD4 T cells and high HIV viral loads. All went on to develop GD >3 years after commencing HAART, with normal CD4 count and undetectable viral load at the time of GD diagnosis. The full spectrum of TED was represented, with two subjects requiring orbital decompression surgery. DISCUSSION: TED in the context of HIV is uncommon. Many challenges exist in such patients, particularly HAART drug interactions with antithyroid and immunosuppressant medications. To better understand TED in HIV and to counsel patients with this copathology most effectively, future multicenter surveillance is required.

Impact of cataract surgery on sleep in patients receiving either ultraviolet-blocking or blue-filtering intraocular lens implants.

PURPOSE: Although visual impairment is a well-recognized consequence of cataract development, little is known about the ability of the melanopsin-based photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs) to regulate sleep-wake timing in the presence of cataract. In this study, we replaced a cataractous natural crystalline lens with two different types of artificial intraocular lenses, a UV-blocking lens or a blue-filtering lens. We investigated the level of sleep disturbance before cataract surgery and any change in sleep due to improved light transmission following surgery and compared this in both types of intraocular lens. METHODS: Quality of sleep in 961 patients undergoing cataract surgery was assessed by administering the validated self-reported Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The PSQI distinguishes good sleepers from poor sleepers by scoring seven different sleep components over the last month, which are combined to produce an overall score for sleep quality. Patients received either an ultraviolet-blocking (UVB) clear intraocular lens (IOL) or a blue-filtering (BF) IOL. Questionnaires were completed four times: 1 month preoperatively and again 1, 6 (UVB-IOL only), and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Half of the patients reported poor sleep in the presence of cataract in both the UVB-IOL (mean PSQI = 6.35; SD = 3.82) and BF-IOL (mean PSQI = 6.39; SD = 4.04) groups. Cataract removal improved overall sleep quality significantly 1 month postoperatively in the UVB-IOL (mean PSQI = 5.89; SD = 3.71) and BF-IOL (mean PSQI = 6.08; SD = 3.88) groups. Sleep latency also improved for the UVB-IOL (preoperative mean = 1.16; SD = 1.003) and BF-IOL (preoperative mean = 1.17; SD = 1.03) groups at 1 month (UVB-IOL group mean = 1.01; SD = 0.923 and BF-IOL group mean = 1.00; SD = 0.95), which was sustained at 6 months for the UVB-IOL group (mean = 1.02; SD = 0.93) and 12 months for both the UVB-IOL and BF-IOL groups (6 months: UVB-IOL group mean = 0.96; SD = 0.92 and for the BF-IOL group mean = 0.99; SD = 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Overall sleep quality and sleep latency improves after removal of cataract irrespective of the type of IOL implanted. These data show that implantation of BF-IOL does not have a negative impact on the sleep-wake cycle.

Orbital compressed air and petroleum injury mimicking necrotizing fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Orbital injury secondary to petroleum-based products is rare. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of a combined compressed air and chemical orbital injury, which mimicked necrotizing fasciitis. CASE REPORT: A 58-year-old man was repairing his motorcycle engine when a piston inadvertently fired, discharging compressed air and petroleum-based carburetor cleaner into his left eye. He developed surgical emphysema, skin necrosis, and a chemical cellulitis, causing an orbital compartment syndrome. He was treated initially with antibiotics and subsequently with intravenous steroid and orbital decompression surgery. There was almost complete recovery by 4 weeks postsurgery. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Petroleum-based products can cause severe skin irritation and necrosis. Compressed air injury can cause surgical emphysema. When these two mechanisms of injury are combined, the resulting orbitopathy and skin necrosis can mimic necrotizing fasciitis and cause diagnostic confusion. A favorable outcome is achievable with aggressive timely management.

Meta-analysis of the adjunctive use of mitomycin C in primary and revision, external and endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy.

PURPOSE: To determine whether application of the anti-proliferation agent, mitomycin C (MMC), to the osteotomy site during dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery increases surgical success rates. METHOD: We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomised controlled clinical studies relating to the adjunctive use of MMC in primary and revision, as well as external (EX-DCR) and endonasal DCR (EN-DCR). RESULTS: 15 studies met our inclusion criteria with a total of 850 DCR procedures. The mean concentration of MMC used was 0.3 mg/ml (range 0.02-0.75 mg/ml) and mean duration of application 18 min (range 2-30 min). MMC significantly reduced the failure rate of primary EX-DCR (risk ratio, RR, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.31-0.86) and revision EN-DCR (RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.89). The adjunctive use of MMC in primary EN-DCR, however, did not confer a significant reduction in failure rate compared with control (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.44-2.04). We found a deficiency of evidence regarding the potential benefit of MMC in revision EX-DCR. Only two cases of adverse effects relating to the use of MMC were reported among the studies, both of which related to delayed wound healing. CONCLUSIONS: Application of MMC to the osteotomy site is a safe and effective way of increasing surgical success rate in primary EX-DCR and revision EN-DCR, but does not provide any significant benefit in primary EN-DCR. Further studies are required to evaluate the potential effect of MMC in revision EX-DCR.

Combined hamartoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium.

We report two cases of combined hamatoma of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (CHR-RPE), illustrated with ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography, fundus fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography images. CHR-RPE could clinically mimic several other retinal conditions. Failure to distinguish it from serious malignancies such as choroidal melanoma or retinoblastoma has led to unnecessary enucleation in the past. Through these case reports and a review of literature, we show the diagnostic features of CHR-RPE, its key differential diagnoses and the management options.

A surgical option for antipodean strabismus: four horizontal muscle resection.

The authors report a case of symptomatic antipodean strabismus caused by a combination of mechanical restriction of eye movement secondary to thyroid eye disease, longstanding intermittent divergence, and convergence weakness, which was alleviated by simultaneous resection of all four horizontal recti muscles.

Symptomatic dynamic vitreomacular traction during accommodation and head-down posture preceding definitive vitreomacular traction syndrome.

PURPOSE: To report a case of progressive vitreomacular traction, definitive optical coherence tomography evidence of established vitreomacular traction, and subsequent spontaneous resolution with posterior vitreous detachment occurrence. METHODS: Case report and literature review. This study involved a patient presenting to the Retina Clinic at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. RESULTS: Symptomatic improvement after posterior vitreous detachment. CONCLUSION: Dynamic vitreomacular traction should be suspected in cases of fluctuating central visual disturbance, particularly when associated with accommodation and downward head posture. The authors discuss the possible influence of accommodation and head position.

Laser epithelial keratomileusis for the correction of hyperopia using a 7.0-mm optical zone with the Schwind ESIRIS laser.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) for the correction of hyperopia using a 7.0-mm optical zone and a 9.0-mm total ablation zone diameter with the Schwind ESIRIS flying-spot laser. METHODS: Forty-seven patients (70 eyes) were treated with a mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction of +2.32 diopters (D) (range: 0 to +5.00 D). All eyes underwent LASEK using 15% alcohol with a 20-second application. RESULTS: An intact epithelial flap was obtained in 66 (94%) eyes. In 70 eyes at 12 months, the mean spherical equivalent refraction was +0.09 D (range: -0.75 to +1.00 D) with all (100%) eyes within +/- 1.00 D of the intended correction and 60 (86%) eyes within +/- 0.50 D. In 40 eyes with 24-month follow-up, the refractive correction remained stable after 6 months. Hyperopic cylindrical corrections were attempted in 49 eyes (range: +0.25 to +5.00 D) with vector analysis demonstrating a mean 102% correction at 12 to 24 months. In 60 non-amblyopic eyes, uncorrected visual acuity was > or = 20/20 in 47 (78%) eyes. Thirty-three (47%) eyes gained 1 to 2 lines of Snellen decimal equivalent best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, 30 (43%) eyes showed no change, and 7 (10%) eyes lost 1 line. Eight (11%) eyes at 12 to 24 months had grade +/- 1 of paracentral corneal haze and 57 (81%) had no haze. At 12 months (n = 70), the safety index was 1.06 with an efficacy index of 0.95. Analysis of higher order wavefront aberrations showed no significant changes in root-mean-square values post-operatively, except for a significant reduction of fourth order spherical aberration (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Laser epithelial keratomileusis for hyperopia up to +5.00 D using a 7.0-mm optical zone with the Schwind ESIRIS laser provides excellent refractive and visual outcomes with minimal complications. In eyes followed for 24 months, the refractive correction remained stable after 6 months.

Schwartz-Jampel syndrome: surgical management of the myotonia-induced blepharospasm and acquired ptosis after failure with botulinum toxin A injections.

A 6-year-old boy with Schwartz-Jampel syndrome and severe myotonia-induced blepharospasm and ptosis did not respond to botulinum toxin A injections in the orbicularis muscle. The clinical diagnosis was further supported by electromyography. Surgical management using a combination of techniques in one operation produced a satisfactory result for both function and appearance. Muscle biopsy was also done during surgery.