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PURPOSE To describe three patients with idiopathic multifocal choroiditis (MFC) who showed foci of foveal outer retinal hyperreflectivity on optical coherence tomography. METHODS Retrospective review of electronic health records and multimodal imaging from three patients with MFC. RESULTS Three consecutive white patients with MFC (two male and one female) presented with unilateral foveal outer retinal hyperreflectivity in the eye with active MFC. In all cases, the lesions persisted for at least 1 month. Optical coherence tomography demonstrated finger-like projections of hyperreflectivity extending from the retinal pigment epithelium and through disrupted interdigitation and ellipsoid zones into the outer nuclear layer, with some aspects of the lesions reaching the inner limiting membrane. Visual recovery varied in the three affected eyes. CONCLUSION Foveal outer retinal hyperreflectivity is a novel optical coherence tomography finding in eyes with active MFC. Additional studies will be required to address the prevalence and prognostic importance of foveal outer retinal hyperreflectivity.

PURPOSE: To report the optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings and visual results in a series of patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and to determine if a difference in treatment effect exists between previously treated and treatment naive patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for CNV from AMD with visual acuity greater than or equal to 20/320 between September 2005 and February 2006 was performed. OCT data recorded included central macular thickness and the presence or absence of cystic intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, or pigment epithelial detachment at the time of the initial injection, at 1-week, 1-month, and 3-month intervals, as well as at the end of follow-up. Visual acuity measurements were recorded using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts. Any ocular or systemic adverse events were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if OCT and visual acuity results were significant and to determine if a difference in outcomes existed between previously treated patients and treatment naive patients. RESULTS: Fifty-four eyes of 51 patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for CNV from AMD were identified. A total of 178 injections were performed. Mean number of days of follow-up was 138 with 91% of patients having at least 90 days of follow-up. Seventy percent of patients had undergone previous treatment for CNV. The mean number of intravitreal bevacizumab injections per eye was 3.3. Combined treatment with photodynamic therapy was provided in 20% of cases at the initial intravitreal injection. OCT data for all patients revealed an initial mean thickness of 362 mum, which was decreased at 1 week to 278 microm (P = 0.001), 235 microm at 1 month (P < 0.0001), 238 microm at 3 months (P = 0.0004), and 244 microm for the end of follow-up (P < 0.0001). Cystic retinal edema, subretinal fluid, and pigment epithelial detachment resolved in the majority of cases, but pigment epithelial detachment frequently took longer to resolve. Initial mean visual acuity was 20/125 (logMAR 0.8), and final mean visual acuity was 20/100 (logMAR 0.7) (P = 0.03). There was no difference in OCT or visual acuity outcomes (P = 0.62 and P = 0.28, respectively) between previously treated and treatment naive patients. There was no difference in OCT or visual acuity outcomes (P = 0.67 and P = 0.21, respectively) between patients who received combination therapy and those who received monotherapy with intravitreal bevacizumab. No systemic or ocular adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab for CNV from AMD results in a rapid decrease in OCT-measured retinal thickness in a majority of cases. Visual acuity also improved in this series, suggesting a potential corresponding visual benefit. This series suggests that previously treated and treatment naive patients have similar outcomes.

Purpose To describe the clinical course of patients undergoing vitreoretinal procedures while receiving systemic anticoagulation with warfarin. Methods We reviewed patient demographics, ocular findings, and clinical courses for 25 patients receiving systemic anticoagulation with warfarin who subsequently underwent vitreoretinal surgery. Results Patient ages ranged from 49 years to 81 years (median, 69 years). Indications for anticoagulation included atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular disease, deep vein thrombosis, prosthetic heart valves, and hypercoagulable state. Follow-up ranged from 4 months to 36 months (median, 19.5 months). The international normalized ratio ranged from 1.5 to 3.1 (median, 2.0). Final vision after surgery ranged from 20/20 to 20/400 (median, 20/100). One patient who underwent scleral buckling and external drainage of subretinal fluid had an intraoperative subretinal hemorrhage associated with the drainage procedure. In all other patients, no intraoperative complications occurred. Conclusion Cessation of therapy with warfarin may not be necessary in patients receiving anticoagulation who are undergoing vitreoretinal procedures. Successful visual and anatomical results may be achieved after vitreoretinal surgery for patients receiving anticoagulation with warfarin. The management of anticoagulation should occur in conjunction with the patient's internist to allow a clear understanding of the potential systemic risks of cessation of warfarin treatment preoperatively.

To describe the course, management, and prognosis of massive spontaneous choroidal hemorrhage.The presenting visual acuity, ocular findings, duration to surgical intervention, and outcomes of five patients were retrospectively reviewed.Five eyes from four patients (median age, 80 years; range, 66-85 years) were studied. The patients were observed from 4 to 72 months (median, 33 months). Three patients were on anticoagulation therapy with warfarin; one patient had bilateral involvement with no history of anticoagulation therapy. Three patients were hypertensive, and three of the four had been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. Four eyes underwent choroidal drainage procedures, and one was observed. In all patients whose choroids were drained, the final vision was no light perception.Massive spontaneous choroidal hemorrhage may be associated with hypertension, systemic anticoagulation, advanced age, and age-related macular degeneration. Final visual acuities are generally poor.

To present the visual and anatomical outcomes for patients with intraocular gas placed during vitreoretinal surgery who subsequently underwent surgery wherein general anesthesia with nitrous oxide was used.The authors reviewed the charts of patients who had undergone vitreoretinal surgery where a long-acting gas tamponade had been used. These patients underwent additional surgery for a variety of reasons at five different institutions and had nitrous oxide used during general anesthesia. The authors reviewed the preoperative and postoperative findings for patients receiving nitrous oxide following vitreoretinal surgery with gas tamponade.The authors reviewed findings for five eyes of five patients. All eyes that underwent general anesthesia using nitrous oxide had significant preexisting intraocular gas bubbles ranging from 40% to 90%, and the surgical procedures lasted from 1 to 4 hours. These eyes were followed from 2 months to 9 years (median follow-up, 4 years). Four of five eyes had a final vision of 20/200 or worse and significant optic atrophy at the time of the last follow-up examination. Three eyes had no light perception.The use of nitrous oxide during general anesthesia in gas-filled eyes may have disastrous visual results caused by gas expansion and elevated intraocular pressure. Patients must be advised of the potentially catastrophic results of undergoing general anesthesia before their intraocular gas bubble has resorbed. The use of nitrous oxide for patients with intraocular gas should be avoided. It may be prudent for patients with intraocular gas to wear notification bracelets warning anesthesiologists about the presence of intraocular gas lest emergency surgery be needed by a patient unable to advise anesthesia personnel about the potential danger.

* BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of vitreoretinal surgery in the treatment of vision-threatening posterior segment complications of X-linked retinoschisis. * PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 16 eyes from 11 patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery. All the patients had a documented positive family history of X-linked retinoschisis, and all patients had bilateral macular disease. * RESULTS: The ages of the patients ranged from 14 months to 37 years (mean age 15.1 years; median age 11.5 years), and postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 months to 10 years (mean 2.8 years; median 1 year). The indications for surgical intervention included rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (12 eyes), vitreous hemorrhage (2 eyes), progression of the schisis cavity through the fovea (2 eyes), cataract associated with a persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous-like condition (2 eyes), and exudative maculopathy (1 eye). The primary surgical intervention included pars plana vitrectomy alone (7 eyes), pars plana vitrectomy and pars plana lensectomy (4 eyes), and a scleral buckle procedure alone (5 eyes). Surgical success (defined as reattachment of the retina, removal of media opacities, or arrest of schisis progression) was achieved in 14 of 16 eyes, after an average of 1 .2 procedures per eye. The major reason for reoperations was recurrent retinal detachment due to proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Two eyes were eventually enucleated due to pain associated with neovascuiar glaucoma resulting from recurrent retinal detachment. Of the remaining 14 eyes, visual acuity improved in 8 eyes and remained unchanged in 6 eyes. * CONCLUSION: Vitreoretinal surgery is often helpful in stabilizing or improving visual function in patients with posterior segment complications from X-linked retinoschisis. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers 1998;29:190-197.]

Purpose Central serous chorioretinopathy is usually a benign disorder, in which resolution of serous subretinal fluid and return to a visual acuity of 20/40 or better is the normal outcome. In unusual cases of central serous chorioretinopathy, chronic subretinal fluid can lead to permanent retinal pigment epithelial depigmentation. In this report, we describe a ring-like (bull's eye) pattern of retinal pigment epithelial atrophy associated with central serous chorioretinopathy. Methods We examined eight patients (nine eyes) with central serous chorioretinopathy in whom retinal pigment epithelial window defects encircling the fovea developed. Results The average duration of symptoms before recognition of a circular window defect was 6 years. Visual acuity at the time of documentation of the ring-like window defect was 20/40 or worse in seven of nine (77%) eyes. Although laser photocoagulation treatment was performed in six of the nine eyes, vision improved two or more lines in only one eye (17%). Conclusion Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy can cause a ring-like (bull's eye) pattern of retinal pigment epithelial window defects encircling the fovea. This pattern of retinal pigment epithelial window defect when seen in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy may indicate that a patient has a more severe form of central serous chorioretinopathy.

We performed a retrospective study of 103 cases of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in young, nondiabetic adults that were followed for at least six months. Of these patients, 64% were men and 36% were women. While visual acuity was usually good, 33 eyes (32%) had a final visual acuity of 20/200 or worse, including 6 eyes (6%) with a final visual acuity of no light perception. Ocular complications included chronic cystoid macular edema, macular pigmentary changes (37%), sheathing of retinal vessels (22%), venous collaterals of the disc (33%), macular hole formation (1%), neovascularization of the disc (1%), retina (1%), and iris (19%), neovascular glaucoma (8%), and vitreous hemorrhage (7%).

Purpose To determine the visual outcome of retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) associated with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), to further characterize the natural history of these lesions, and to provide a review of previous reports. Participants Data for 340 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CSC from January 2001 through December 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with CSC combined with angiographic evidence of PED were included in the study. Main outcome measures Age, sex, use of corticosteroid medications, presenting visual acuity, and final visual acuity were recorded. Lesion characteristics including location, number of lesions, and laterality were recorded. Clinical outcome measures included resolution or persistence of the PED, progression to retinal pigmentary atrophy, or development of choroidal neovascularization. Fluorescein angiograms were obtained if available. Results Thirty-four (9%) of 319 patients with angiographic evidence of CSC were diagnosed with PED over a mean follow-up of 49 months (range, 12-165 months; median, 36 months). Mean age of the patients was 47 years (range, 32-69 years; median, 48 years), most of whom were males (68%). Mean initial visual acuity was 20/32 (range, 20/13 to 20/400; median, 20/30). PEDs were commonly unilateral (88%), unifocal (76%), and extrafoveal (82%). Overall mean final visual acuity was 20/25 (range, 20/13 to 20/250; median, 20/25) for all patients. Mean visual acuity for the group of patients with subfoveal PED (18%) was 20/50 (range, 20/25 to 20/250; median, 20/50). Complete resolution of the PED occurred in 65% of patients, with resultant mean visual acuity of 20/25 (range, 20/13 to 20/250; median, 20/25). In this group, localized retinal pigment epithelial atrophy developed in 86%, with mean final visual acuity of 20/25 (range, 20/13 to 20/250; median, 20/25). Persistent PED was observed in 35% of patients, resulting in mean visual acuity of 20/25. There were no cases of choroidal neovascularization. Conclusions CSC with associated retinal PED may be seen and generally has a good visual prognosis. The most frequent outcome is resolution with retinal pigment epithelial atrophy. Subfoveal PED occurs less commonly and may have a poorer visual prognosis.

Purpose and Methods. The reported occurrence of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) in families is rare. We report two families (five patients) who have been diagnosed with CSCR. The diagnosis of CSCR was made on clinical and fluorescein angiographic findings. Results Three members of the first family and two members of the second family had CSCR. Affected individuals were all males. Conclusions CSCR has been associated with psychological and emotional stress and the occurrence of CSCR in families may be due to similar inherited psychological and physiological characteristics and responses that predispose these families to the development of CSCR.

The case of a young girl with bilateral retinal flecks, normal fluorescein angiography results, and normal electrophysiologic findings is reported. The fundus appeared to consist of multiple, scattered, pale, bread crumb-like lesions that seemed to lie deep to the retinal vessels and anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. The lesions were located outside the posterior pole in the midperiphery, and spared the macula and perimacular areas. The disorder may be associated with anomalies of the central nervous system and extraocular motility. No reports of similarly described fundus lesions have been found in the literature.

Cat-scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae , a pleomorphic gram-negative rod formerly referred to as Rochalimaea henselae . Common ocular sequelae include Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome and neuroretinitis. 1 Acute multifocal retinitis with or without optic nerve edema may also occur, 2 occasionally causing a branch retinal artery occlusion 3 or serous detachment of the neurosensory retina. 4 We describe the use of a recently developed indirect fluorescent antibody test 5 to document systemic B henselae infection in 2 patients with an unusual inflammatory mass of the optic nerve head after a flulike illness and exposure to cats. Report of Cases. Case 1. A 7-year-old girl was seen with profound loss of vision in her left eye 2 months after an acute febrile illness. Her medical history was notable for multiple recent cat scratches. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 OD and no light perception OS. An afferent pupillary defect was present in

• Titanium retinal tacks were implanted through the formed vitreous into the posterior retinas of rabbits and evaluated by electroretinographic testing and by light microscopy at intervals after implantation. Tritiated thymidine autoradiography was used to evaluate the proliferation of ocular tissues in response to tack insertion. Within one month after implantation, the retinal tacks were surrounded by scar tissue produced by the proliferation of retinal glial cells and choroidal and scleral connective tissue cells. The tissue response was focal and there was no excessive fibrous tissue or vascular proliferation or any indication of iris neovascularization for six months. The observations of firm retinal adherence and low tissue reactivity suggest that titanium tacks can be used to secure the retina during retinal attachment surgery and can remain permanently in the eye.