Uncontrolled overuse of TAD can lead to serious ocular morbidities. Similarity of the clinical signs of this abuse to those of infectious keratitis together with the fact practitioners and managers to take measures to prevent the ready supply of these drugs from pharmacies and to raise public awareness with education programs.
Intravitreal dexamethasone implant-associated endophthalmitis is an uncommon and a challenging situation. Intravitreal antibiotics may lead to favorable visual outcomes without the need for a pars plana vitrectomy and implant removal in selected cases.
Objective: To evaluate the choroidal thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Methods: In this observational comparative study, 68 eyes of 34 MS patients and 60 eyes of 30 healthy subjects were evaluated. All participants underwent complete ophthalmologic examination and OCT scanning. Choroidal thickness measurements were performed at seven points. Results: The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was reduced significantly in MS patients (310.71 ± 61.85 μm) versus healthy controls (364.85 ± 41.81 μm) (p < 0.001). The difference was also significant at all six measurement points (p < 0.001 for all). Choroidal thickness measurements revealed no significant difference between MS eyes with a prior optic neuritis (ON) history (MS ON) and those without ON history (MS non-ON). Subfoveal choroidal thickness did not correlate with retinal nerve fiber layer and Expanded Disability Status Scale score, but reduced choroidal thickness was associated with longer disease duration (r = -0.28, p = 0.019) in MS patients. Conclusion: In MS patients, choroidal structural changes occur both in MS ON and MS non-ON eyes. The decreased choroidal thickness might provide evidence to support a potential role of vascular dysregulation in the pathophysiology of MS.
In this study, we reported the clinical results of switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept for the treatment of an insufficient responder with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to angioid streaks (AS). A 39-year-old female patient with CNV secondary to AS had bilateral persistent intraretinal and subretinal fluid on the optical coherence tomography despite prior intravitreal 0.5 mg ranibizumab injections. The therapy was switched to intravitreal injection of aflibercept. The patient received a loading dose of three intravitreal 2 mg aflibercept injections at 4-week intervals for both eyes. Morphological and functional effects were observed as early as 1-week after the first injection. After the third aflibercept injection, her visual acuity improved, intraretinal and subretinal fluid resolved, and central macular thickness reduced in both eyes. This is an early, but encouraging and promising result indicating that aflibercept might be a good alternative management for CNV secondary to AS that is insufficiently responding to prior ranibizumab injections.
Background. With the advances in surgical tools, simultaneous removal of cataract associated with vitreoretinal disorders is gaining popularity. This combined surgery offers several advantages besides limitations. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome and complications of phacoemulsification combined with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Patients and Methods. In this retrospective review, medical charts of patients undergoing phacovitrectomy for coexisting cataract and various vitreoretinal disorders were analyzed. Patient demographics, retinal diagnosis, visual acuities (VA) in logMAR, intraocular pressure (IOP), intraoperative and postoperative complications were assessed. Clear corneal phacoemulsification and 23-gauge transconjunctival PPV were administered in all cases. Results. Eighty-four eyes of 64 (76.2%) males and 20 (23.8%) females were enrolled. The average age of patients was 59.5 ± 13.8 (18–81). The average period of follow-up was 7.2 ± 7.5 months (1–36). The vitreoretinal diagnoses were as follows: 28 (33.3%) rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, 23 (27.4%) vitreous hemorrhage, 12 (14.3%) intraocular foreign body, 12 (14.3%) epiretinal membrane, 4 (4.8%) macular hole, 4 (4.8%) tractional retinal detachment, and 1 (1.2%) vitreomacular traction. The most common intraoperative complications were miosis and rupture of the posterior capsule (92.9% and 8.3%, respectively). In 8 (9.5%) cases, there was fibrin in the anterior chamber. Posterior synechia developed in 7 (8.3%) of cases. No severe increase in intraocular pressure was evident. Conclusion. Phacoemulsification combined with PPV is a safe and efficient way of management in cases where cataract coexists with vitreoretinal pathologies.
Subfoveal choroidal thickness in eyes with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion was higher than that of the contralateral eyes. Intravitreal injection of a dexamethasone implant was associated with a reduction in the choroidal thickness of the treated eye.
Innermost layers of the retina are highly affected by the pathophysiologic process in MS disease, manifesting as a reduction in RNFL and GCIPL thickness. The structural retinal changes show correlation with alterations in potentials showing the optic pathway function.
To investigate the efficiency and safety of a single injection of intravitreal dexamethasone implant in eyes with persistent diffuse diabetic macular edema (DME). In this retrospective study, 25 eyes of 20 patients, who underwent a single injection of intravitreal dexamethasone implant for the treatment of persistent diffuse DME, were reviewed. Main outcome measures included the changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) from baseline at scheduled visits following injection. The mean BCVA showed improvement from baseline (0.97 ± 0.26 logMAR) at every visit; the difference was significant at day 7 (0.85 ± 0.3 logMAR, p = 0.003), month 1 (0.77 ± 0.32 logMAR, p < 0.001), month 3 (0.77 ± 0.34 logMAR, p = 0.001), and month 4 (0.85 ± 0.31 logMAR, p = 0.014). The mean CMT was significantly lower than baseline (616 ± 132 μm) at day 1 (518 ± 144 μm), day 7 (414 ± 134 μm), month 1 (306 ± 95 μm), month 3 (339 ± 88 μm), month 4 (420 ± 116 μm), and month 6 (494 ± 128 μm) following the injection (p < 0.001, for all). Thirteen eyes on the 4-month follow-up and ten eyes on the 6-month follow-up experienced recurrence of macular edema requiring retreatment. No serious ocular and systemic adverse events were observed. In patients with persistent DME, switching to intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection provides functional and anatomical improvement, and might be an effective therapeutic option for long-standing diffuse DME.
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