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Mariaelena Malvasi,1 Sabrina Compagno,1 Alessandro Segnalini,1 Vito Maurizio Malvasi,2 Fernanda Pacella,3 Paolo Turchetti,4 Elena Pacella1 1Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Carlo Poma Hospital, Mantua, Italy; 4National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP/NIHMP), Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: Elena Pacella, Department of Sense Organs, University Sapienza, Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale, del Policlinico 155, Rome, 00161, Italy, Email elena.pacella@uniroma1.itBackground: The success of fixation training using microperimetric biofeedback (MP-3 MBFT) in the realm of visual rehabilitation for patients with central vision loss caused by macular pathologies is well established. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of visual rehabilitation with microperimetric biofeedback in consolidating the benefits obtained, with the goal of reducing the need for repeated intravitreal injections (IVT). Specifically, the focus is on the eyes of patients with central vision loss treated with slow-release corticosteroid IVT following retinal venous thrombosis (RVO), aiming to enhance and maintain postoperative efficacy.Methods: This retrospective review involved the examination of 44 eyes affected by macular edema due to RVO associated with central vision loss. Patients were divided into two groups, with only one undergoing ten sessions of 10-minute visual rehabilitation with a microperimeter (MP-3 MBFT) after IVT over a period of 20 weeks.Results: All the treated patients demonstrated good tolerance to the procedure, with no reported complications. A comparison of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal sensitivity recorded with a microperimeter, and pre-IVT fixation stability revealed statistically significant improvements at the end of the first

Anna Maria Comberiati,1 Chiara Lomartire,1 Mariaelena Malvasi,1 Raffaele Migliorini,1 Fernanda Pacella,2 Vito Maurizio Malvasi,3 Paolo Turchetti,4 Elena Pacella1 1Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Carlo Poma Hospital, Mantua, Italy; 3Department of Odontostomatological and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 4National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP/NIHMP), Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: Mariaelena Malvasi, Department of Sense Organs, University of Rome, “Sapienza” via Del Policlinico 155, Rome, 00161, Italy, Tel +393402114859, Email mariaelena.malvasi@uniroma1.itPurpose: To evaluate ocular motility (OM) disorders and strabismus in a sample of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and a control sample.Methods: In this cross-sectional retrospective analysis, we studied a sample of RP patients with a mean age of 48.74 years and an average visual acuity of 7/10 based on Snellen optotype and a sample of control patients with similar mean age (49 years [men], 47 years [women]) and sex and an average visual acuity of 9.9/10, with the aim of assessing correlations between alteration of OM and strabismus in RP patients based on age, high refractive defect, or severely impaired binocular vision. The examination followed a protocol of testing for anamnesis and best-corrected visual acuity, as well as a complete eye examination, corneal reflex, cover test, OM, Hess screen, and Lang test.Results: At the first orthoptic evaluation, 45.16% of patients showed strabismus, 41.93% exotropia (25% of cases intermittent), 3.22% esotropia, and 6.45% vertical deviation. Later evaluation showed strabismus in 25.80% of patients, exotropia in 19.35% (9.67% intermittent), esotropia in 3.22%, and vertical deviation in 3.22%. Assessment of eye motility study showed 51.6% overaction of the inferior oblique and hypofunction of the superior rectus, and 18% overaction of the lateral r

Raffaele Migliorini,1 Anna Maria Comberiati,1 Fernanda Pacella,1 Anna Rosy Longo,1 Daniela Messineo,2 Edoardo Trovato Battagliola,1 Mariaelena Malvasi,1 Elena Pacella,1 Loredana Arrico1 1Department of Sense Organs, University Sapienza, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Radiology, Oncology, and Anatomopathological, University Sapienza, Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: Elena PacellaDepartment of Sense Organs, University Sapienza, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, Rome, 00161, ItalyTel +39 336783409Email elena.pacella@uniroma1.itPurpose: Determine the usefulness of ocular motility testing to detect the presence of muscle entrapment.Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study of patients with symptoms of diplopia secondary to facial trauma. Inclusion criteria: age between 20 and 80 years; symptoms of diplopia following facial trauma; presence of orbital floor fracture confirmed radiologically; presence of muscle entrapment confirmed at the time of surgery; best-corrected visual acuity of 0.6 or more. Exclusion criteria: muscle entrapment visible on computed tomography; candidate for immediate surgical correction; prior history of strabismus surgery. Outcome measures: Abnormal Head Position (AHP), Hirschberg Corneal Reflexes (CR), Cover/Uncover and Alternating Cover Test, Hertel exophthalmometry, Near Point of Convergence (NPC), Kestenbaum Limbus test, Red Filter test, and Hess screen test.Results: Forty-six subjects (38 males, 8 females, mean age 27 ± 3.3 SD years). Pre-operative assessment: forty-six (100%) reported diplopia on the Red Filter test and showed some degree of abnormality on the Hess Screen test. Forty-two (91%) showed AHP. Forty-one (89%) had exophthalmometry values that differed 2 mm or more between the two eyes and insufficient NPC. Thirty-two (69.6%) showed deficits of 3 mm or more on the Kestenbaum Limbus test. Sixteen (35%) had abnormal Hirschberg corneal reflexes. Eleven (24%) demonstrated constant or intermittent strabismus.Conclusi

Elena Pacella,1 Lorenzo Loffredo,2 Mariaelena Malvasi,1 Edoardo Trovato Battagliola,1 Daniela Messineo,3 Fernanda Pacella,1 Loredana Arrico1 1Department of Sense Organs, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Clinical, Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy; 3Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Anatomy Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyCorrespondence: Fernanda PacellaDepartment of Sense Organs, University of Rome La Sapienza, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155 – 00161, Rome, ItalyTel +39 3333534396Email fernanda.pacella@gmail.comPurpose: Dexamethasone and other corticosteroids are administered intravitreally to treat a variety of retinal diseases. As a side effect, they can alter intraocular pressure (IOP). The purpose of this study is to describe the incidence, severity, and management of ocular hypertension following the administration of multiple intravitreal injections of dexamethasone implants.Materials and Methods: A total of 78 eyes of 78 subjects (males 62%; females 38%; mean age 67 ± 13 years SD) received a total of 152 intravitreal injections of 0.7 mg dexamethasone implants over 4 years. Indications included retinal vein occlusion (87%), diabetic macular edema (9%), wet-type age-related macular degeneration (4%). Ocular hypertension was defined as intraocular pressure above 23 mmHg or any pressure increase of 10 mmHg or more from baseline values. IOP was measured by applanation tonometry before the injection (T0), as well as one week (T1), one month (T2), and three months (T3) afterwards.Results: Five percent (4/78) of subjects developed ocular hypertension after the 1st injection. On the second and third rounds, additional 7.2% (3/42) and 4.2% (1/24) of subjects developed the same side effect. Among the 8 subjects who received a fourth injection, none was found with OHT. Pressure elevations were

Elena Pacella,1 Giuseppe La Torre,2 Maria De Giusti,2 Chiara Brillante,1 Anna Maria Lombardi,2 Gianpaolo Smaldone,1 Tommaso Lenzi,1 Fernanda Pacella11Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; 2Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, ItalyBackground: Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is ever more frequently reported in industrialized countries. The loss of the corneal surface integrity consequent to secondary microtrauma produced by the use of contact lens (CL) favors the penetration of the parasite into the corneal tissue.Objectives: A scientific review was performed to investigate the association of CL wear as an Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) risk factor.Methods: A computerized screening of 7834 Medline articles (4623 from PubMed; 3211 from Scopus) used a strict selection criteria of case-control studies involving CL wear and/or trauma.Results: The search yielded five case-control studies published from 1995 to 2012. All studies included showed a statistically significant positive association between AK and CL use, with a combined odds ratio (OR) of 10.21 (95%, confidence intervals [CI]; 3.57–27.64).Statistical analysis: All studies included showed a statistically significant positive association between AK and CL use, though with differing OR values.Conclusion: Though rare, AK should be held in higher consideration when ophthalmologists are faced with CL users exhibiting simplex-like lesions associated with circular stromal infiltrates and disproportionate ocular pain in respect to the objective clinical picture.Keywords: keratitis, contact lens, Acanthamoeba

Elena Pacella,1 Anna Rita Vestri,2 Roberto Muscella,1 Maria Rosaria Carbotti,1 Massimo Castellucci,1 Luigi Coi,1 Paolo Turchetti,3 Fernanda Pacella1 1Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 2Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 3National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty (INMP/NIHMP), Rome, ItalyBackground: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®; Allergan Inc, Irvine, CA, USA) in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) over a 6-month follow-up period.Methods: Seventeen patients (20 eyes) affected by DME were selected. The mean age was 67 ± 8 years, and the mean duration of DME was 46.3 ± 18.6 months. The eligibility criteria were: age ≥18, a best-corrected visual acuity between 5 and 40 letters, and macular edema with a thickness of ≥275 μm. Thirteen patients had also previously been treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medication.Results: The mean ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) value went from 18.80 ± 11.06 (T0) to 26.15 ± 11.03 (P = 0.04), 28.15 ± 10.29 (P = 0.0087), 25.95 ± 10.74 (P = 0.045), 21.25 ± 11.46 (P = 0.5) in month 1, 3, 4, and 6, respectively. The mean logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) value went from 0.67 ± 0.23 (at T0) to 0.525 ± 0.190 (P = 0.03), 0.53 ± 0.20 (P = 0.034), and 0.56 ± 0.22 (P = 0.12) in month 1, 3, and 4, respectively, to finally reach 0.67 ± 0.23 in month 6. The mean central macular thickness value improved from 518.80 ± 224.75 μm (at T0) to 412.75 ± 176.23 μm, 292.0 ± 140.8 μm (P < 0.0001), and 346.95 ± 135.

Elena Pacella,1 Fernanda Pacella,1 Fabiana Troisi,2 Domenico Dell'Edera,3 Paolo Tuchetti,4 Tommaso Lenzi,1 Saul Collini21Department of Sense Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Rome, 2Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine Sapienza, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Roma, University of Rome, Rome, 3Unit of Cytogenetic and Molecular Genetics, Madonna delle Grazie Hospital, Matera, 4National Institute for Health, Migration and Poverty, Rome, ItalyBackground: This randomized double-blind study examined the use of a new anesthetic agent, levobupivacaine 0.5%, which is the S(−)-enantiomer of a racemic mixture of bupivacaine, for peribulbar anesthesia and compared it with racemic bupivacaine 0.5% alone or in combination with hyaluronidase 10 IU/mL.Methods: A total of 160 patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery were randomized into four groups (n = 40 each) to receive inferotemporal peribulbar injection of levobupivacaine 0.5% (group L), racemic bupivacaine 0.5% (group B), levobupivacaine + hyaluronidase 10 IU/mL (group LH), or racemic bupivacaine + hyaluronidase 10 IU/mL (group BH) by two anesthetists and two ophthalmologists in a ratio of 25% each. Ocular akinesia and orbicularis oculi function were evaluated using a three-point scale; a value < 5 points was considered as requiring surgery, and movements were re-evaluated the day following surgery to confirm regression of the block.Results: The time to onset (12 ± 2.6 minutes versus 13 ± 2.8 minutes) and duration of anesthesia (185 ± 33.2 minutes versus 188 ± 35.7 minutes) were similar between groups L and B. Complete akinesia (score 0) was obtained more frequently when hyaluronidase was used in addition to the anesthetic, with occurrences of 72.5% versus 57.5% in group LH versus L, respectively, and 67.5% versus 45% in group BH versus B. Moderate hypotension (<30% of baseline) was observed in four patients (10

Fernanda Pacella, Paolo Turchetti, Valentina Santamaria, David Impallara, Gianpaolo Smaldone, Chiara Brillante, Aloisa Librando, Angela Damiano, Jose Pecori-Giraldi, Elena PacellaDepartment of Sense Organs, University of Rome "Sapienza", Roma, ItalyBackground: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the hypotensive efficacy and tolerability of latanoprost when used as monotherapy and as polytherapy associated with antiglaucomatous medication proven to be ineffective in keeping intraocular pressure under control.Methods: Three hundred and thirty-seven patients (672 eyes) affected by primary open-angle glaucoma and intraocular hypertension were recruited over a period of 10 years from the Glaucoma Centre, Department of Ophthalmological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", and treated, subject to informed consent, with latanoprost 0.005% alone or in combination with other ocular hypotensive drugs. The patients were followed during this period at regular intervals, with determination of visual field, fundus oculi, visual acuity, and eventual onset of local and systemic side effects.Results: Latanoprost used as monotherapy and as polytherapy renders possible optimal and durable control of intraocular pressure in the form of one antiglaucomatous drug because it can substitute for one or more drugs and obtain the same hypotensive effect.Conclusion: Latanoprost can be described as the ideal hypotensive drug, not only because of its ideal compliance profile (only one daily dose in the evening), excellent hypotensive effect, and, above all, few systemic side effects.Keywords: latanoprost, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, intraocular pressure

Fernanda Pacella,1 Francesco Mazzeo,1 Dario Giorgi,1 Francesco Cerutti,1 David Impallara,1 Giovanni Cuozzo,1 Maurizio Soldini,2 Elena Pacella11Department of Ophthalmology, 2Service Detachment of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University, Rome, ItalyAbstract: This article describes the case of a 68-year-old patient suffering from giant cell arteritis (also known as Horton’s arteritis or temporal arteritis). The patient came to our attention due to a large and sudden visual loss caused by the occlusion of major retinal arteries. The patient had neuralgic pain in the face. The next day, for a thorough examination, the patient went to the day hospital with a further worsening of the visual loss which required immediate admission to the ophthalmological ward for hospitalization lasting 10 days. During the observation period it was difficult to make an instant diagnosis due to the absence of clinical signs or diagnostic tests for Horton’s arteritis. Only after the third day of hospitalization, when corticosteroid therapy was undertaken following the appearance of significant systemic symptoms, did the patient begin to show a gradual improvement in overall clinical status. The case highlights the difficulty in making a rapid diagnosis of giant cell arteritis and the efficacy of early steroid therapy in this vascular autoimmune disease that otherwise may result in irreversible functional and debilitating systemic damage.Keywords: temporal arteritis, Horton’s arteritis, corticosteroid&nbsp