Cyclodialysis cleft formation following Yamane secondary intraocular lens implantation.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of hypotony with maculopathy related to cyclodialysis cleft after Yamane intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, and the use of localized transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) to successfully treat this condition. OBSERVATION: 1. 37 year-old man with childhood BB-gun related injury in the left eye (OS) and traumatic iridodialysis and angle recession underwent pars plana vitrectomy and Yamane IOL placement for subluxed traumatic cataract OS. Postoperative hypotony [intraocular pressure (IOP) 5-6 mmHg] and maculopathy with best corrected vision acuity (BCVA) of 20/200 at 1 month postoperative prompted referral, and localized TSCPC was performed. Nine days later sudden elevation of IOP occurred, responsive to treatment, and the hypotony and maculopathy resolved. 2. 87 year-old man with prior OS retinal detachments treated with scleral buckling, pars plana vitrectomy x 2, and cataract extraction with sulcus IOL ranging from 8 to 37 years prior presented with temporal sulcus IOL haptic penetration through the iris and dense vitreous hemorrhage. He underwent pars plana vitrectomy, IOL explantation and Yamane IOL placement OS. Postoperative hypotony (IOP 1-4 mmHg) and maculopathy with evidence of cyclodialysis cleft on ultrasonography at 1 month postoperative prompted referral. The patient underwent 2 rounds of localized TSCPC; after his second treatment, IOP ranged from 9 to 14 mmHg over the next 8 months and maculopathy resolved. CONCLUSION AND IMPORTANCE: We highlight the risk of development of cyclodialysis cleft after Yamane IOL placement in highly traumatized eyes, and the benefit of localized TSCPC in such cases for cleft closure.

Association of the Effectiveness of Eye Drop Self-instillation and Glaucoma Progression.

PRCIS: Among patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, ineffective self-instillation of eye drops was associated with an increased long-term risk of progression or advancement of treatment to incisional surgery. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the efficacy of self-instillation of eye drops and long-term glaucoma outcomes. METHODS: In a previous study, video recordings of eye drop self-instillation by patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension were graded as effective or ineffective depending on whether the patient successfully instilled at least 1 drop on the right ocular surface. Glaucomatous progression was then retrospectively defined as retinal nerve fiber layer thinning as measured by either optical coherence tomography, visual field progression, or need for incisional glaucoma surgery as determined by a glaucoma specialist unaware of patient performance in the eye drop instillation study. Subjects with at least 2 follow-up optical coherence tomography or visual field studies were included in the current study. RESULTS: The original study enrolled 119 patients. Sufficient follow-up data were available for 101 patients. Eighty-eight patients (87.1%) were effective in eye drop instillation at baseline. Mean follow-up was 5.1 years, during which time 73 patients (72.3%) had progression or underwent incisional surgery in either eye. A significantly higher proportion of patients in the ineffective group met the criteria for progression or underwent incisional surgery (effective: 68.2%; ineffective: 100%; N=101; P=0.017, Fisher exact test). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed a significantly faster time to reaching an endpoint in the ineffective group (N=101; P=0.012, log-rank test). There was no difference in age, baseline intraocular pressure, or baseline retinal nerve fiber layer thickness between the groups. CONCLUSION: Ineffective self-installation of eye drops was associated with an increased risk of glaucoma progression or treatment advancement to incisional surgery.

REVIEW OF OPHTHALMIC AND BREASTFEEDING MEDICINE EVIDENCE: Real and Theoretical Risks of Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Administration in Lactating Women.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: There is limited research regarding the consequences of treating lactating mothers with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. Balancing the need for vision-saving treatment, the benefits of breastfeeding, and the concern for affecting the newborn can present a conflict for both mothers and ophthalmologists. This review summarizes the state of the literature regarding the use of intravitreal anti-VEGF agents during breastfeeding along with details about their pharmacology. RESULTS: Bevacizumab and aflibercept have Fc domains subjecting them to FcRn recycling and extending their half-life compared with ranibizumab which is an antibody fragment and lacks the Fc domain. Case reports and small studies have shown that ranibizumab has the lowest serum concentration after intravitreal injection and the least effect on plasma-free VEGF concentrations and breastmilk VEGF levels. CONCLUSION: Clinical and pharmacologic data suggest that ranibizumab has less systemic circulation and effect on maternal serum and breastmilk VEGF levels when compared to bevacizumab and aflibercept. However, there is significant need for further research on the degree and duration to which intravitreal agents circulate systemically, what fraction is transferred into breastmilk and is absorbed, and whether this results in any functional adverse effects to the infant. Other factors to consider in the medical decision-making of lactating mothers necessitating intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment include the gestational and post-natal age of the child and whether it is feasible to avoid breastfeeding for the half-life duration of the intravitreal agent rather than ceasing breastfeeding altogether.

Central retinal artery occlusion as initial presentation of Moyamoya disease in a middle-aged woman.

PURPOSE: To present a case of central retinal artery occlusion as the first symptomatic manifestation of Moyamoya disease in a middle-aged patient. OBSERVATIONS: Case report of a 48-year-old female Chinese-American patient who presented with sudden onset painless unilateral vision loss. Fundus photos, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, computed tomography angiography, and catheter cerebral angiogram were performed. The patient's dilated fundus examination showed classic findings of a central retinal artery occlusion. Diagnostic brain imaging demonstrated extensive stenosis of the cerebrovascular network, with almost complete unilateral occlusion of the internal carotid artery along with compensatory collateral vessels. This led to a new diagnosis of Moyamoya disease. The patient was treated with extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Arterial abnormalities in patients with Moyamoya disease are uncommon and have previously only been reported in younger patients in their teens and 20s. Young and middle-aged patients presenting with central retinal artery occlusions should undergo complete neurologic workup including stroke evaluation; in this case, revealing Moyamoya disease, a rare yet life-threatening condition, as the underlying etiology.

Conflicts Experienced by Caregivers of Older Adults With the Health-Care System.

BACKGROUND: Family caregivers of older adults frequently navigate the health system for their loved ones. As older adults experience more medical issues, the interactions between caregivers and the health system can be fraught with conflicts. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the conflicts that caregivers of older adults experience with the health-care system. METHODS: A cross-sectional national online survey with open-ended questions was conducted among family caregivers ascertaining experiences with the health-care system. Qualitative thematic analysis was completed using constant comparative analysis and review by a third author. RESULTS: Over a 2-month period, 97 caregivers completed the survey. Common themes where caregivers experienced conflicts were Difficulty With Accessing/Communicating With Providers, Delivery of Emergency Care, Disjointed Transitional Care, Unaddressed Clinical Concerns, and Financial. Caregivers reported needing to act as patient advocates in the conflicts with the health-care system. CONCLUSION: Understanding the conflicts that family caregivers encounter with the health system provides potential targets for future interventions to combat the challenges faced by caregivers of older adults and ultimately improve delivery of geriatric care.