Simulation of complex strabismus surgical procedures on goat eyes.

PURPOSE: To describe the possibility of complex strabismus surgical simulation on goat eyes. METHODS: The goat eyes were procured from local slaughterhouse with retained extra ocular muscle tissues. The obtained eyes were inspected for globe integrity, muscle quality, muscle length, and the surrounding teno-conjunctival layers. The included eyes were then segregated for surgical simulation based on their insertion and orientation (as oblique or recti), and they were mounted on a mannequin head, with a fixation suture at free end to simulate the resting tension. Additionally, as per necessary, extra muscles were also transplanted along desired sites to simulate human extra ocular muscle anatomy. RESULTS: The inferior oblique, superior oblique, and all other four recti were successfully simulated in varying proportions in more than 50 eyes. Primarily, by simulating the lateral rectus, inferior rectus, and the inferior oblique muscle, staged weakening procedures of inferior oblique were successfully practiced (Fink's recession, Park's recession, Elliot and Nankin procedure, total anterior positioning, and antero-nasal trans-position or Stager's procedure). Similarly, by simulating superior rectus, inferior rectus, lateral rectus, and the medial rectus muscles, half width transposition, full width transposition, and other complex procedures were practiced (Knapp's procedure, augmented Knapp's, Nishida's procedure, Faden operation, and Y splitting procedure). Furthermore, by simulating superior oblique and the superior rectus muscles, superior oblique tuck, posterior tenectomy, loop tenotomy, and Harada Ito procedures were successfully practiced. CONCLUSIONS: On goat eyes, the complex strabismus surgical procedures can be successfully simulated and practiced after re-organizing the existing muscles in different patterns.

Complications following implantation of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens (pIOL).

A male patient in his 20s presented with right eye aphakic corneal decompensation and left eye intumescent cataract with phakic intraocular lens (pIOL) lenticular touch. He had a history of pIOL implantation in both eyes 6 months ago. On first postoperative day, uncorrected distance visual acuity was 20/400 and 20/20 in right and left eye, respectively. Postoperatively, a diagnosis of right eye toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) was made and pIOL was explanted. Subsequently, the patient developed intumescent cataract for which lens aspiration with posterior chamber intraocular lens (PCIOL) implantation was performed in the right eye. Ongoing uveitis with membrane formation warranted PCIOL explantation. The patient developed aphakic corneal decompensation in the right eye and underwent penetrating keratoplasty with intrascleral haptic fixation of an intraocular lens. Central pIOL-lenticular touch with intumescent cataract was diagnosed in the left eye for which pIOL explant with lens aspiration and PCIOL was done. TASS and post-pIOL cataract are rare but vision-threatening complications require judicious management for visual rehabilitation.

Management of small perforated corneal ulcers: Training model in mammalian eye to enhance surgical skills of residents.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate a training technique on the mammalian eye for optimum Cyanoacrylate Tissue adhesive application in cases of perforated corneal ulcers. METHODS: A full-thickness defect simulating a perforation was created on the goat's eye cornea to teach the technique of cyanoacrylate glue application in cases of corneal perforations to novice surgeons. RESULTS: This training model on the mammalian eye was tested by 10 residents at our centre. All the 10 candidates involved in our series were newly joined Cornea fellows with proficient skill in cataract surgeries and minor ophthalmic procedures such as suture removal, chalazion excision, pterygium removal and administration of an intravitreal injection. None of the candidates had prior experience of corneal surgeries. Each resident made an average of 4.4 attempts to seal the corneal defect, obtain a regular corneal surface and form the anterior chamber. CONCLUSION: This training model helps in mastering one of the skills of corneal surgeries.

The enigma of subnormal vision in persistent pupillary membrane.

Persistent pupillary membrane (PPM) is a common congenital anomaly of the eye, representing the remnants of tunica vasculosa lentis. It is often detected as an incidental finding upon examination. The presentation may vary from being an insignificant strand of iris to a hyperplastic dense membrane, with or without adhesions to the surrounding structures, which notably obscures the visual axis. When present as an isolated pathology, these patients are often asymptomatic. However, some patients with isolated PPM do present with poor visual acuity or subnormal quality of vision. The severity of their disability does not always correlate to the extent of the anomaly present in the eye. The rationale as to why only some patients with significant PPM experience this visual handicap while others don't is one of the baffling conundrums in ophthalmology at present. Hence, we attempt to elaborate on the possible mechanisms that explain the unpredictable and variable clinical manifestation of persistent pupillary membranes.

Recalcitrant infective scleritis masquerading an autoimmune necrotising scleritis: a primary presentation of biopsy-proven granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Infectious scleritis is a rare but important cause of scleral inflammation. It is usually associated with an underlying ocular (prior ocular surgery or trauma) or systemic risk factor. A 53-year-old apparently systemically healthy woman presenting with spontaneous-onset pain, redness and watering in the left eye for 10 days was diagnosed with culture-proven Pseudomonas aeruginosa anterior scleritis. However, she was non-responsive to organism-sensitive antibiotics and scleral graft was performed twice, which showed graft re-infection. On repeated extensive systemic evaluations, the patient was diagnosed with biopsy-proven granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The patient was started on mycophenolate mofetil for both induction and maintenance phases and showed dramatic improvement with no recurrence till 1 year follow-up. High index of suspicion for autoimmune disorders, especially GPA, must be maintained for unilateral relentless infective scleritis masquerading as autoimmune necrotising scleritis. Mycophenolate mofetil holds a promising role for inducing as well as maintaining disease remission in ocular GPA.

Characteristics and outcomes of 231 COVID-19 cases admitted at a tertiary facility in India: An observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Ongoing pandemic because of COVID-19 has spread across countries, with varied clinical features and severity. Awareness of clinical course among asymptomatic and symptomatology in symptomatic cases is essential for patients' management as well as optimal utilization of health services (in resource limited settings) based on clinical status and risk factors. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted with COVID-19 illness in the initial phase of the pandemic in India. METHODS: It was an observational study. Patients aged 18 years or more, with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, asymptomatic or mildly ill, were included. Patients with moderate-severe disease at admission or incomplete clinical symptomatology records were excluded. Data regarding demography, comorbidities, clinical features and course, treatment, results of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR, chest radiographs, and laboratory parameters were obtained retrospectively from hospital records. The outcome was noted in terms of course, patients discharged, still admitted (at the time of the study), or death. RESULTS: Out of 231 cases, most were males (78.3%) with a mean age of 39.8 years. Comorbidities were present in 21.2% of patients, diabetes mellitus and hypertension being the most common. The most common symptoms were dry cough (81, 35%), fever (64, 27.7%), sore throat (36, 15.6%); asymptomatic infection noted in 108 (46.8%) patients. The presence of comorbidities was an independent predictor of symptomatic disease (OR-2.66; 95%CI 1.08-6.53, P = 0·03). None of the patients progressed to moderate-severe COVID-19, and there were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of patients remained asymptomatic whereas those with comorbidities were more likely to be symptomatic. Most with mild disease had a stable disease course, barring few complication in those with comorbidities. The pandemic continues to grow as large number of asymptomatic cases may go undiagnosed.

Rare atypical presentation of phacolytic glaucoma as non-resolving microbial keratitis with endophthalmitis.

Phacolytic glaucoma (PLG) is a rare complication of hypermature senile cataract. Delayed presentation of PLG may make its diagnosis and management difficult and worsen its prognosis. A woman aged 75 years complaining of sleep disturbing pain and inaccurate projection of rays oculus dextrus (OD) was referred to our centre for management of non-resolving microbial keratitis with endophthalmitis. Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed 360° peripheral anterior synechiae, swollen crystalline lens and hyperechoic granules filling anterior chamber. A diagnosis of PLG and lens-induced uveitis was made and cataract was extracted after control of intraocular pressure (IOP). The patient was left aphakic. There was complete resolution of pain after surgery and at 3 months follow-up the IOP was controlled without any antiglaucoma medications. Rarely, secondary corneal opacification from long-standing pathological changes in PLG may mimic non-resolving microbial keratitis with endophthalmitis and requires a high index of suspicion for appropriate diagnosis and management.

Photoreceptor evaluation after successful macular hole closure: an adaptive optics study.

OBJECTIVE: To study photoreceptor changes after a successful macular hole surgery using adaptive optics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three patients who underwent a successful macular hole surgery were studied. Cone density, spacing, and number of nearest neighbors were analyzed at 2° and 4° of eccentricity in all four quadrants using adaptive optics. RESULTS: All three patients gained a visual acuity better than logMAR 0.477 (Snellen equivalent 6/18) at 6 months following successful macular hole surgery. Following successful closure of the macular hole, photoreceptors were appreciated at 2° and 4° of eccentricity from the center. However, as compared with the fellow normal eye, cell density was reduced significantly in the inferior (12,929.33 ± 2047.50 versus 23,839.67 ± 3711.16 cells/mm2 at 2°) and temporal quadrant (13,890 ± 3424.26 versus 22,578.67 ± 5651.34 cells/mm2 at 2°), and intercell spacing was increased significantly in inferior (9.6 ± 0.92 versus 7.14 ± 0.545 µm) and nasal quadrant (8.83 ± 0.39 versus 7.49 ± 0.42 µm). Number of nearest neighbors was unaffected after the hole closure. CONCLUSION: Postoperative recovery of vision after successful closure of the hole occurs because of the migration or shifting of cells from parafoveal retina toward the center. Cells nearest to the hole margin (at 2° eccentricity) appear to shift more as compared with cells which are further away.