In this initial study of corneal ET remodeling after myopic SMILE, significant epithelial thickening was detected as a function of the extent of surgical refractive correction. Moreover, the epithelial remodeling response to the corneal refractive change appeared to decrease with higher age. In our hands, the observed epithelial changes did not appear to affect the refractive outcome of SMILE. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02614625).

Significant anatomic changes in the corneal stroma were detected during the first year after small-incision lenticule extraction. The achieved lenticule thickness was systematically lower than planned, and the mismatch was more pronounced with higher lenticule thickness. Refractive outcomes did not appear to be influenced by lenticule thickness accuracy.

The purpose of this prospective, case control study was to investigate the differences in optic nerve head blood flow measured with Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG) between Caucasian patients with normal tension glaucoma and healthy subjects. It included 20 eyes from 20 Caucasian patients with diagnosis of normal tension glaucoma and 20 eyes from age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. In the glaucoma group the antiglaucomatous therapy was paused 3 weeks prior to the investigations. Measurement of optic nerve head blood flow was performed with LSFG. The mean blur rate was obtained for different vascular compartments of the optic nerve head. Parameters for the characterization of pulse-waveform of the mean blur rate were calculated. It was shown that the mean blur rate was significantly lower in the glaucoma group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The significant differences in the pulse-waveform parameters blow out time (P = 0.028) and flow acceleration time index (P < 0.001) indicate a flatter curve in NTG patients. In conclusion, LSFG can detect differences in optic nerve head blood flow between eyes with normal tension glaucoma and healthy eyes.

Femtosecond laser-assisted and conventional cataract surgery using the mentioned system were equally safe and effective.

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Purpose: To determine the effect of intravitreal ranibizumab and a dexamethasone implant on aqueous humour cytokine, protein and enzyme levels and to correlate findings to morphologic and functional changes. Methods: In a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study, patients with clinically significant diabetic macular oedema (CSME) were randomly allocated to receive either monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis Pharma) or a single dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex, Pharm-Allergan) at baseline (BL). Aqueous humour samples were collected at BL and weeks 2, 8 and 20. Results: The study included 18 eyes of 18 patients. In the dexamethasone implant group, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) (weeks 2 and 8), CXCL9/monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG) (weeks 2 and 8), soluble vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (sVCAM-1) (weeks 2 and 8) and monocyte chemo-attractant protein 1 (MCP-1) (week 2) levels were significantly decreased compared with baseline. In the ranibizumab group, placental growth factor (PIGF) (week 2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (week 2 and 8) levels were significantly decreased compared with baseline. No significant changes in central retinal thickness (CRT) or Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were observed in the Ozurdex group at any time-points. ETDRS scores significantly increased at week 20 (84.88 AE 8.88 letters) compared with baseline (74.78 AE 14.85 letters), and the CRT decreased significantly at week 4 (381.00 AE 114.64 lm) compared with baseline (440 AE 144 lm) in the Lucentis group. Conclusion: The dexamethasone implant affected the aqueous cytokines and proteins MCP-1, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and MIG, whereas ranibizumab treatments reduced VEGF and PIGF levels. Morphological changes may diverge from cytokine changes. Results may indicate a rationale for a combination therapy for CSME using both agents, the dexamethasone implant and repeatedly administered ranibizumab injections.

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Purpose Intravitreal injection of anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) is the standard treatment for neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). As VEGF is a physiological key player for regulating retinal vascular tone, questions have been raised whether the application of anti‐VEGF could induce alterations in ocular perfusion. Methods The study included 20 eyes from 20 Caucasian patients with unilateral neovascular AMD and 20 fellow eyes. All eyes were treated with standard intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA). Measurements of blood flow at the optic nerve head (ONH) and the choroid were performed with laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG). The intraocular pressure (IOP), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) were analysed. Measurements were performed at baseline and repeated immediately after the injection and 30 and 45 min later. Results Mean time between injection of aflibercept and first follow‐up was 8:56 ± 4:25 min. The injection led to significant rise in IOP. In the injected eyes, mean blur rate (MBR, i.e. a relative measure of perfusion and the main outcome parameter of LSFG) within the major vessels of the ONH as well as at the entire ONH region decreased significantly (p < 0.001). No change in MBR was observed in the fellow eye. Choroidal blood flow was maintained stable in both eyes. Conclusion Intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA) led to a short‐term reduction in perfusion only in the treated eye. This was independent from IOP, indicating a direct pharmacological effect. No changes in choroidal perfusion were observed during the first 45 min after the injection.