Search

Purpose: To determine the baseline choroid-retina fluorescence signal in Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats of various ages with different degrees of retinal degeneration and assess the persistence of intravitreal nanoparticles. Methods: In RCS rats of age 6, 12, and 20 weeks and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats of age 6 and 20 weeks, baseline eye tissue fluorescence and retinal thickness were recorded noninvasively using fluorophotometry and optical coherence tomography (OCT), respectively. Further, 20-nm carboxylate-modified fluorescent particles were injected intravitreally in the above groups of rats, and the depth-wise fluorescence signal was monitored over 7 days using fluorophotometry and confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscopy (cSLO). Additionally, 200 nm particles of the same material were injected intravitreally into about 7-week-old RCS rats and the fluorescence signal was monitored up to 35 days using fluorophotometry. Results: Reduction in retinal thickness and an increase in choroid-retina and lens baseline fluorescence was observed with increasing age of RCS and SD rats. The 20 nm particles persisted in the vitreous of animals from all age groups for at least 7 days postadministration, irrespective of the differences in retinal thickness. cSLO confirmed nanoparticle persistence in the eye. The fluorescence signal from 200 nm particles persisted for 35 days in the vitreous humor. Conclusions: Choroid-retina and lens autofluorescence monitored using fluorophotometry increase with age. Intravitreally injected nanoparticles can be monitored noninvasively in rats using fluorophotometry and cSLO imaging. Both 20 and 200 nm particles persist in the back of the eye tissues, for several days following intravitreal injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study establishes normative data of tear volume (TV) and tear turnover rate (TTR) in healthy dogs and cats, 2 species commonly used for translational research in ophthalmology. Methods: Thirty-six dogs and 24 cats were enrolled, encompassing a variety of breeds with diverse skull conformations (brachycephalic, mesocephalic, and dolichocephalic). Two microliters of 10% fluorescein were instilled onto the upper bulbar conjunctiva of both eyes, followed by tear collection with 2-μL capillary tubes at 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, 15, and 20 min. Fluorescein concentrations were measured with a computerized scanning ocular fluorophotometer. The TV and TTR were estimated based upon nonlinear mixed-effects analysis of fluorescein decay curves. Results: In dogs, median (interquartile range) TV, basal TTR (bTTR), and reflex TTR (rTTR) were 65.3 μL (42.3-87.9), 12.2%/min (3.7-22.1), and 50.0%/min (25.9-172.3), respectively. In cats, median (interquartile range) TV, bTTR, and rTTR were 32.1 μL (29.5-39.9), 10.9%/min (3.0-23.7), and 50.0%/min (28.4-89.4), respectively. Body weight (r = 0.44) and age (r = 0.30) were positively correlated (P ≤ 0.019) with TV in dogs. Age was negatively correlated (P ≤ 0.018) with TTR in dogs (r = -0.33) and cats (r = -0.24). However, TV and TTR were not associated with skull conformation in either species. Conclusions: Dogs have greater TV than cats but similar basal and rTTR. Tear parameters were impacted by body weight and age, but not by skull conformation. In both clinical and research settings, successive lacrimal tests should be spaced by ≥10 min to provide sufficient time for the tear film to replenish, as bTTR is ∼11%/min-12%/min in both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a new matrix-regenerating agent (RGTA), Cacicol®, a polymer that mimics heparan sulfates bound to extracellular matrix proteins, avoiding its proteolysis, to treat neurotrophic keratopathy (NK).Methods: Uncontrolled prospective clinical study performed between January 2014 and May 2016. Twenty-five patients (25 eyes) with corneal neurotrophic ulcers, nonresponsive to at least 2 weeks of conservative therapy, were treated with Cacicol, instilled once/twice a week. During follow-up, slit-lamp examination, anterior segment photography, fluorescein-dye testing, and best-corrected visual acuity were analyzed. Ulcer evolution was evaluated using image analysis software (ImageJ®) and healing defined as decrease of the corneal ulcer area. An independent observer measured ulcer area.Results: All patients had complete corneal healing within an average of 4.13 ± 2.32 weeks. Mean ulcer area decreased significantly (P = 0.001) from 16.51% ± 18.56% (1st day) to 8.68% ± 11.25% at the 7th day and to 4.73% ± 10.75% at the 14th day. Compared with day 1, mean ulcer area decreased 60.24% after 7 days (P = 0.001), 54.92% after 14 days (P = 0.059), and 83.00% after 21 days (P = 0.003). Two cases of recurrence (8.0%) were registered. No systemic or local side effects were noticed.Conclusions: The new regenerating agent, Cacicol, represents an effective and safe therapy to treat NK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Meibomian gland disease is generally accepted as the leading cause for evaporative dry eye disease (DED). In a previous study, perfluorohexyloctane, a semifluorinated alkane, has been demonstrated to significantly increase tear film breakup time and to reduce corneal fluorescein staining in patients with evaporative DED, thereby vastly reducing dry eye-related symptoms. This study was set up to evaluate perfluorohexyloctane in a larger population of patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction.Methods: Seventy-two patients with Meibomian gland disease and associated dry eye received 1 drop of perfluorohexyloctane 4 times daily during an observational, prospective, multicenter, 6-8-week study. Clinical assessment included best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, Schirmer test I, tear film breakup time, anterior and posterior blepharitis assessment, number of expressible Meibomian glands, meibum quality and quantity, ocular surface fluorescein staining, lid margin and symptom assessment, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI©).Results: From the 72 patients recruited, 61 completed the trial per protocol. Nine patients did not apply the medication as recommended and 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Tear film breakup time, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining, number of expressible Meibomian glands, and severity of anterior and posterior blepharitis significantly improved after 6-8 weeks of perfluorohexyloctane application. In addition, symptoms improved as demonstrated by a significant decrease of OSDI-values from 37 (±13) to 26 (±16).Conclusions: In concordance with previous findings, 6-8 weeks of topical application of perfluorohexyloctane significantly improves clinical signs of Meibomian gland disease and associated mild to moderate DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Topical administration of the anti-inflammatory agent cyclosporin A (CsA) is recommended for long-term management of dry eye syndrome (DES), yet standard ophthalmic CsA preparations have been reported to be unstable. In this trial, the efficacy and safety of Clacier™ (based on a phase 3 study developed by Huons Co. Ltd.), a novel 0.05% CsA nanoemulsion formulation, are compared with those of the conventional Restasis® emulsion.Methods: Patients with moderate-to-severe DES were randomly assigned to receive topical 0.05% CsA in the form of Clacier or Restasis, to be administered twice daily for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy outcome was the change from baseline in corneal fluorescein staining scores at week 12; changes at weeks 4 and 8 were secondary endpoints. Additional endpoints included score changes from baseline in nonanesthetic Schirmer's test I, tear breakup time, ocular surface disease index, and conjunctival staining.Results: At week 12, corneal staining scores were improved in patients treated with Clacier and Restasis, with no significant difference between treatments (P = 0.41). Temporal conjunctival surface damage was significantly more ameliorated with Clacier treatment than with Restasis treatment (P = 0.034). Notably, tear film stability was improved more rapidly in Clacier patients at week 4 (P = 0.005) than in Restasis patients (P = 0.36). Improvements in tear production were comparable with both Clacier and Restasis treatments. Clacier did not increase the risk of adverse events as compared with Restasis.Conclusion: Treatment with Clacier alleviated clinical signs and symptoms of DES comparably to the commercially available Restasis, resulting in improved quality of life for patients. Clacier is an effective and safe therapeutic agent for DES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]