Epidemiological features of ophthalmic emergencies during the COVID-19 lockdown: Impact of the health crisis in a tertiary care center.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study is to examine changing patterns of ophthalmic visits in an emergency eye care unit of a tertiary referral center in Paris, France, during the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to a control period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective, observational, epidemiological study. We included all visits in the emergency eye care unit of the Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Center, Paris, France, from March 17, 2020 to April 30, 2020, and a corresponding time period in 2016. We analyzed patients' demographic factors, chief complaints, referral patterns, examination findings, treatment provided, hospitalizations and surgical interventions. RESULTS: During the 6weeks of lockdown, 3547 emergency visits were recorded. The control group contained 2108 patients from June 6-19, 2016. There was a decrease of approximately 50% in the number of average daily visitations. The frequency of serious diagnoses (including severe eye inflammation, serious infections, retinal vascular pathologies, surgical emergencies, and neuro-ophthalmology), increased overall during the period (P=0.03). The proportion of low severity pathologies decreased (P<0.001) between the two periods. In addition, an increased amount of ancillary testing was performed (P<0.001). Finally, the rate of hospitalizations was significantly lower during the lockdown period (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in total ophthalmic presentations in the emergency eye care unit was observed during the lockdown period. However, the proportion of emergencies requiring specialized treatments (surgical, infectious, inflammatory and neuro-ophthalmological pathologies) increased.

An algorithm in ophthalmic emergencies to evaluate the necessity of physical consultation during COVID-19 lockdown in Paris: Experience of the first 100 patients.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the ability of a freely accessible internet algorithm to correctly identify the need for emergency ophthalmologic consultation for correct diagnosis and management. METHOD: This retrospective observational cohort study was based on the first 100 patients who requested recommendations on the necessity of breaking the lockdown for emergency ophthalmology consultation during the period from March to May 2020. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients completed questionnaires. Forty-nine were directed to emergency consultation and 42 to differed scheduled visits or telemedicine visits. One patient sent for emergency consultation had an overestimated severity and could have been seen later, while two patients initially recommended for a scheduled visit were considered appropriate for emergency consultation. However, these patients' management did not suffer as a consequence of the delay. The sensitivity of the algorithm, defined as the number of emergency consultations suggested by the algorithm divided by the total number of emergency consultations deemed appropriate by the practitioner's final evaluation, was 96.0%. The specificity of the algorithm, defined as the number of patients recommended for delayed consultation by the algorithm divided by the number of patients deemed clinically appropriate for this approach, was 97.5%. The positive predictive value, defined as the number of appropriate emergency consultations divided by the total number of emergency consultations suggested by the algorithm, was 97.9%. Finally, the negative predictive value, defined as the number of appropriately deferred patients divided by the number of deferred patients recommended by the algorithm, was 95.2%. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the reliability of an algorithm based on patients' past medical history and symptoms to classify patients and direct them to either emergency consultation or to a more appropriate deferred, scheduled appointment. This algorithm might allow reduction of walk-in visits by half and thus help control patient flow into ophthalmologic emergency departments.

[Aspect of necrosis preceding macular hole from laser accident]. / Aspect de nécrose maculaire précédant un trou maculaire à la suite d'un accident de laser.

We report the clinical case of a 26-year-old victim of a macular injury by high energy laser. The patient was examined in the emergency unit the first day with a retinophotography. He was followed up at 1 week, 3 weeks, and 3 months with an ophthalmologic exam, a retinophotography, and an OCT. The lesions progressed from edema with macular hemorrhage to macular necrosis and then to a macular hole. The macular injury by high energy laser was responsible for a necrotic modification of the macula preceding the formation of the macular hole.

[Heavy silicone oil as internal tamponade for retinal detachment: efficacy and tolerance]. / Efficacité et tolérance de l'huile de silicone lourde dans la chirurgie du décollement de rétine.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the tolerance and efficacy of heavy silicone oil as internal tamponade for retinal detachment surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-six eyes requiring heavy silicone oil for retinal detachment, with at least 1 month follow-up, were retrospectively studied. Preoperative status, surgical technique, tolerance, and anatomical and functional results were analyzed from the patient's file. Indications for heavy silicone injection were inferior retinotomy or inferior retraction in 65% of cases. PVR grade C was present in at least 63% of cases. Retinotomy was performed in 45% of cases. An exchange procedure was performed versus DKline in 65% of cases. Mean follow-up was 7 +/- 4 months. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, 59% of eyes had a completely reattached retina, 32% without internal tamponade. Another surgery was necessary in 54% of cases. During follow-up, mean intraocular pressure was normal, and there was a significant intraocular inflammation in three cases (4.5%). In seven cases of the 44 ablations of heavy silicone oil, an adherence of residual bubbles was present. Redetachment occurred after ablation for anatomical success in 41% of cases. BCVA was better than 0.05 (20/400) in 54% of cases at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Heavy silicone was well tolerated and seems not to be pro-inflammatory in our study. It is a good alternative to standard silicone for inferior retinotomy and inferior breaks without PVR. It is not a treatment of inferior retraction, and is not a long-term internal tamponade. During the ablation of heavy silicone oil, adherence of residual bubbles is possible, in which case a coaxial light or an endoillumination could be needed during ablation.

The cost-effectiveness of bimatoprost 0.03% in the treatment of glaucoma in adult patients--a European perspective.

Glaucoma is a condition affecting one or both eyes with raised intraocular pressure (IOP). IOP should be reduced to prevent progression of visual field loss. This study investigates the cost-effectiveness of bimatoprost compared with latanoprost as first-line monotherapies in the treatment of glaucoma in Austria, Finland and France. On the basis of a single multicentre, randomised, investigator-masked controlled trial, a 6- and 12-month cost-effectiveness model was designed following the treatment recommendations from the European Glaucoma Society. Treatment changes due to insufficient IOP reduction and adverse events were included. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the need for adjunctive therapy was the major cost driver. On the basis of evidence from the randomised, investigator-masked clinical trial (RCT), the cost-effectiveness analysis found that bimatoprost was a cheaper and a more effective treatment strategy compared with latanoprost. This was true for all three countries and all IOP targets between 13 and 20 mmHg. The cost-effectiveness result may be generalised to a European setting and perspective.

[Postoperative endophthalmitis: 2000-2002 results in the XV-XX National Ophthalmologic Hospital]. / Infections nosocomiales endoculaires au CHNO des XV-XX de 2000 à 2002.

PURPOSE: Prevention of nosocomial infection is a priority for the Infection Control Committee (ICC). Following their recommendations, the XV-XX National Ophthalmologic Hospital's ICC conducted a survey on cases of infection and we report these results for the 2000-2002 period. METHODS: During the 2000-2002 period, 21,384 programmed intraocular surgeries were done. Every day, a hygiene coordinator was informed of each bacterial or fungal laboratory test on intraocular samples and for all patients who were hospitalized for endophthalmitis. After data analysis with a referent ICC physician, resulting infection was declared postoperative nosocomial endophthalmitis. For these patients, prophylactic antibiotic use, the surgery report, and bacterial laboratory test results were reviewed. RESULTS: The overall 3-year incidence of suspected postoperative endophthalmitis after intraocular surgery was 2.0 per 1000 (42 cases). Confirmed microbiological growth was demonstrated in 19 cases (45%). For cataract surgery, the incidence was 1.0 per 1000 for acute-onset culture-proven postoperative endophthalmitis, 0.1 per 1000 for delayed culture-proven postoperative endophthalmitis, 2.1 per 1000 for acute-onset suspected postoperative endophthalmitis and 0.5 per 1000 for delayed suspected postoperative endophthalmitis. Gram-positive cocci were isolated in 77%. Twenty-one patients received systemic prophylactic antibiotics. Bacterial growth was positive in five of these 21 cases. For two cases, organisms were resistant to the prophylactic antibiotics used. CONCLUSION: Monitoring postoperative nosocomial infection is mandatory to detect incidence variation and evaluate infection control management. Prophylactic antibiotic efficacy remains to be evaluated.

[Tubulo-interstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU syndrome): a new pediatric case]. / Néphropathie tubulo-interstitielle et uvéite (syndrome TINU): une nouvelle observation pédiatrique.

TINU is a rare disease of unknown etiology that associates acute tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis in a context of systemic symptoms (asthenia, weight loss, fever) and inflammatory biological signs. We report a new case in a 10-year-old girl with unilateral uveopapillitis and renal insufficiency caused by interstitial nephritis (creatininemia: 225 micro mol/l). Complete recovery was obtained with high-dose systemic corticotherapy, with the patient remaining free of disease 2.5 years after the end of treatment. The disappearance of renal lesions was histologically verified.

[Clinical evaluation of the ocular safety of Amukine 0.06% solution for local application versus povidone iodine (Bétadine) 5% solution for ocular irrigation) in preoperative antisepsis]. / Evaluation clinique de la tolérance oculaire d'Amukine 0,06% solution pour application locale versus povidone iodée (Bétadine 5% solution pour irrigation oculaire) en antisepsie pré-opératoire.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this monocentric, randomized, comparative, open study was to evaluate the safety of Amukine 0.06% solution (an isotonic hypochloride sodium solution) versus a 5% povidone iodine solution (Bétadine 5% solution for ocular irrigation) in antisepsis before cataract surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and thirteen patients, aged between 49 and 90 years, were included and split, after randomization, into two groups: one testing Amukine 0.06%, the other testing a 5% povidone iodine solution. For each group, after local anesthesia, the antiseptic procedure consisted of an antisepsis of periocular teguments followed by an eye antisepsis through the instillation of two drops of the tested product in the conjunctival fornices. The safety evaluation was performed by grading superficial punctate keratitis 24 hours after surgery (slit lamp examination after fluorescein instillation). Conjunctival hyperemia scores by examination of the bulbar conjunctiva before the first instillation, immediately before surgery, and 24 hours after surgery were also compared. RESULTS: One hundred and seven reports were analyzed. Concerning the presence of corneal superficial punctate keratitis 24 hours after surgery, mean scores were not different (0.27 for the Amukine 0.06% group and 0.38 for the povidone iodine group; p=0.27 Mann Whitney test). The observations did not show a different progression of conjunctival hyperemia depending on the treatment group (p=0.65 (immediately after application) and p=0.52 (after 24 hours); Mann Whitney test). CONCLUSION: In this study, the ocular safety of Amukine 0.06% solution was not different from a 5% povidone iodine solution. Therefore, Amukine 0.06% is a new interesting approach to surgical antisepsis in ophthalmology and an alternative in case of iodine allergy.