Comparison of intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy and combined laser photocoagulation and intravitreal bevacizumab therapy in the same session in the treatment of aggressive retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE: To compare the results of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) monotherapy and combined intravitreal bevacizumab and laser photocoagulation (LPC) therapies applied in the same session to patients with aggressive retinopathy of prematurity (A-ROP) in our clinic. METHODS: The study included 67 eyes of 37 patients diagnosed with A-ROP and treated. Forty-nine eyes treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent injection monotherapy for A-ROP treatment were included in the first group. The second group consisted of 18 eyes that received injection therapy and LPC treatment. The clinical findings of the two groups were investigated, and their treatment results were compared. RESULTS: Recurrence was observed in 19 of the 49 (38%) eyes in the first group, but there was no recurrence in any of the cases in the second group. While only IVB was applied to eight cases with recurrence, the combination of LPC and IVB treatment was applied to 11 cases. A second recurrence was detected in two of the eight cases that had received IVB monotherapy as a treatment for recurrence and in three of the 11 cases that had received LPC and IVB. The treatment outcomes of the two groups did not statistically significantly differ (P = 0.181). CONCLUSION: We consider that the combined simultaneous LPC and IVB treatment we applied in A-ROP cases is an effective approach, particularly for cases where there are concerns about the patient's ability to attend follow-up appointments.

Can Serum Biomarker Values from Second-Trimester Aneuploidy Screening Predict the development of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Premature Infants?

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate serum biomarker values measured during second-trimester aneuploidy screening in terms of their predictive ability for the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the data of 1985 idiopathic premature infants who underwent ROP screening from 2016 to 2022. The infants were divided into two groups according to the presence of ROP, and those with ROP were further evaluated in two subgroups based on the presence of proliferation. Comparisons were made concerning the serum multiple of the median values of unconjugated estriol (uE3), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) among aneuploidy screening biomarkers. Results: While 1628 premature infants were in the non-ROP group, 357 were in the ROP group. Of the infants with ROP, 72 were in the proliferative ROP group and 285 in the non-proliferative ROP group. There was no significant difference in the multiple of the median values of the evaluated serum biomarkers (uE3, hCG, and AFP) between the ROP and non-ROP groups or between the proliferative ROP, non-proliferative ROP, and non-ROP groups. Conclusion: The multiple of the median values of second-trimester aneuploidy screening serum biomarkers were not able to predict the development of ROP in premature infants. This result may have been caused by the fact that the blood tests were taken only once and in the same weeks.

Do intravitreal anti-VEGF injections have an effect on corneal endothelial remodeling in children with premature retinopathy?

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to investigate the effects of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections on the corneal endothelium in the childhood period of patients who have had ROP. METHODS: The material of comparative case-control clinical study consisted of patients followed up with ROP between February 2013 and February 2023. The eyes in the study group were divided into two subgroups consisting of those who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (subgroup 1) and those who were followed up only (subgroup 2). Central corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), central corneal thickness (CCT), and pleomorphism parameters in the childhood period were evaluated by corneal specular microscopy and compared with age-matched healthy control subjects. RESULTS: There were 84 eyes of 42 patients with ROP in the study group and 80 eyes of 40 healthy children in the control group. Mean CCT was significantly higher in subgroup 1 and the control group than in subgroup 2 (p = 0.037), and mean ECD was significantly higher in subgroup 2 than in subgroup 1 and the control group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between subgroup 1 and the control group in mean ECD and CCT values (p = 1.000 for both cases). CONCLUSIONS: Considering that ROP patients who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injections had more advanced-stage ROP than ROP patients who were followed up only, these findings suggest that intravitreal anti-VEGF applications in ROP cases may lead to corneal endothelial parameters similar to those of healthy eyes.

Is There a Relationship Between First-Trimester Aneuploidy Screening Serum Biomarker Values and Nuchal Translucency Measurements and the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in Premature Infants?

Purpose The purpose of this study is the evaluation of serum biomarker and nuchal translucency (NT) values measured during first-trimester aneuploidy screening in terms of the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants and investigation of whether the development of ROP is associated with these parameters. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 3,750 premature infants who underwent ROP screening from 2016 to 2021 were identified from the hospital medical record system. Among 2,130 premature babies screened for first-trimester aneuploidy, 166 babies whose mothers had single pregnancies were screened by the same method and showed the same clinical course in both eyes were included in the study. The infants were divided into two groups according to the presence of ROP, and those with ROP were further evaluated in two groups according to the presence of proliferation. The groups were compared in terms of the serum values of human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, among aneuploidy screening biomarkers, and NT measurements. Results There was no significant difference in the evaluated serum biomarker values and NT measurements between the ROP and non-ROP groups or between the proliferative ROP, non-proliferative ROP, and non-ROP groups. Conclusion Our results showed that first-trimester aneuploidy screening serum biomarker values and NT measurements were not associated with the development of ROP in premature infants.

OCT-A evaluation of the retinal and choroidal structures of patients with a history of radiotherapy due to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To perform the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) evaluation of the microvascular structures of the retina and choroidal tissue in asymptomatic patients who received radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and to compare the results to those of healthy individuals. METHODS: Ophthalmological examinations were performed in all asymptomatic patients without vascular or systemic diseases, or fundus findings who had received radiotherapy at least two years earlier. Then, OCT-A scans were obtained. Foveal, parafoveal, and whole retinal thicknesses, vessel densities in the superficial and deep capillary plexuses, subfoveal choroidal thickness, the non-flow area in the superficial capillary plexus, and the choriocapillaris flow area were measured and compared to the values of the healthy control group. RESULTS: The radiotherapy group had significantly lower deep capillary plexus vascular density and subfoveal choroidal thickness values and significantly higher choriocapillaris flow area values compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: We consider that OCT-A is useful in the early diagnosis of radiation retinopathy that may develop during follow-up in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who have received radiotherapy.

Are YouTube Videos on the Treatment of Macular Holes Useful for Patients?

Objective In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness and quality of the YouTube videos for patients regarding the treatment of macular holes. Materials and methods The quality and effectiveness of the videos on macular hole treatment on YouTube were evaluated using the DISCERN, global quality score (GQS), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and usefulness index scoring systems. Results The median DISCERN score of 100 videos included in the study was 18 (range: 15-73), the median JAMA score was 3 (range: 0-4), the median global quality score was 1 (range: 1-5), and the median usefulness index score was 1 (range: 0-5). The JAMA scores of the videos uploaded by non-clinicians were found to be significantly lower than those of the videos uploaded by clinicians (p<0.001). However, the daily viewing rate and the number of comments and likes for the videos uploaded by non-clinicians were found to be significantly higher than those for the videos uploaded by clinicians (p<0.003). Conclusion Based on our findings, while all of the beneficial macular hole videos on YouTube were published by clinicians, the majority of them are not really helpful to patients.

Relationship between pinguecula formation and exposure to tandoor ovens in a hospital-based study.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between pinguecula and the use of tandoor ovens. METHODS: A total of 539 women, ranging in age from 20 to 86y who attended an outpatient clinic were enrolled. All the patients were asked whether they used tandoor ovens. Women exposed to tandoor ovens (n=286) were accepted as participants in the study group and they were compared with participants in the control group (n=253). The age, presence of pinguecula, duration of exposure to tandoor ovens as years and occupations were recorded for all the subjects. RESULTS: Mean duration for exposure to tandoor was 20.26y (range 1-62y) in the study group. The rate of pinguecula in the study group was 82.2% (235/286), and the rate in the control group was 37.5% (95/253); this difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Pinguecula was seen in 61.2% (330/539) of all the participants. CONCLUSION: Pinguecula is strongly associated with exposure to tandoor ovens.

Is y-split recession of the medial rectus muscle as effective as scleral retroequatorial myopexy of the medial rectus muscle for partially accommodative esotropia with convertgence? A report of results in 61 cases.

PURPOSE: To compare the results of a medial rectus (MR) Y-split recession with those of a MR retroequatorial myopexy for the treatment of partially accommodative esotropia with convergence excess. METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients who underwent bilateral MR Y-split recession or bilateral MR retroequatorial myopexy for partially accommodative esotropia with convergence excess (accommodative convergence: accommodation ratios greater than 5 prism diopters:diopters) between March 2006 and January 2011 were included. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients underwent bilateral MR Y-split recession, and 60 patients underwent retroequatorial myopexy of the bilateral MR muscles. Satisfactory binocular alignment was achieved in 77 percent of the patients who underwent MR Y-split recession by the final examination and 78 percent of patients who underwent a MR retroequatorial myopexy. There was no statistically significant difference in near or distance deviation or the near-distance disparity at the postoperative 1 month or final examination. The proportions of patients who had a successful alignment at the final examination did not differ between the two groups. No patients had any complications. CONCLUSION: We determined that both the MR Y-split recession and MR retroequatorial myopexy achieved satisfactory results for the treatment of partially accommodative esotropia with convergence excess though both techniques had some disadvantages.

Rick factors for secondary exotropia following a retroequatorial myopexy of the medial rectus muscle with recession for esotropia. A retrospective study of 448 cases.

PURPOSE: To determine which factors are important in the development of secondary exotropia and the incidence of secondary exotropia occurring after a retroequatorial myopexy of the medial rectus muscle with recession in the treatment for partially accommodative esotropia associated with convergence excess. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the patients that underwent retroequatorial myopexy on both medial rectus muscles with recessions for partially accommodative esotropia associated with convergence excess were included. The incidences and angles of secondary exotropia at near and distance fixation were evaluated and the risk factors for secondary exotropia were analyzed. RESULTS: Four hundred forty-eight patients had retroequatorial myopexy on both medial rectus muscles with recessions. Three hundred forty-nine of 448 patients maintained satisfactory near and distance binocular alignment at the final follow-up. Secondary exotropia occurred in 37 of these patients and residual esotropia occurred in 62 patients. There were no significant differences between the incidences and angles of secondary exotropia at near and distance fixation. The preoperative absence of binocularity was the only independent risk factor for developing secondary exotropia after a retroequatorial myopexy of medial rectus muscle with recession. CONCLUSION: We determined that secondary exotropia was not a common result of retroequatorial myopexy of the medial rectus muscles with recession. We determined that the preoperative absence of binocularity was the only independent risk factor identified in this study.

Comparison of dorzolamide/timolol and latanoprost/timolol fixed combinations on diurnal intraocular pressure control in primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of dorzolamide hydrochloride 2%/timolol maleate 0.5% fixed combination (DTFC) with latanoprost 0.005%/timolol maleate 0.5% fixed combination (LTFC) on diurnal intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: Thirty-three primary open-angle glaucoma patients with IOP of 22-32 mmHg measured at any time were included. Patients were randomized to either DTFC twice daily or latanoprost 0.005%/timolol maleate 0.5% fixed combination (LTFC) once a day in the evening. After a 6-week treatment period with each combination, IOP were measured every 4 h during 24 h (first diurnal curve) and after 6 weeks of washout period, the patients were switched to the other treatment for 6 weeks of the second diurnal curve. RESULTS: The mean baseline IOP was 25.09±2.8 mmHg. After the treatment period, mean diurnal IOP was statistically lower with LTFC (16.3 mmHg) than with DTFC (17.3 mmHg), and the peak IOP value was 18.5 mmHg with LTFC and 19.9±2.6 mmHg with DTFC (P<0.05). No significant side effects were reported except stinging and bitter taste with the DTFC group. CONCLUSION: Mean diurnal IOP and peak IOP were lower with LTFC than with DTFC in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.