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Background and purpose: The occurrence of intermediate uveitis, which is characterized by the presence of vitreous haze (VH), in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a sign of coexistent inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) disease activity. Using an automated algorithm to quantify VH on optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, the aim was to investigate whether VH in MS patients is associated with signs of inflammatory CNS disease activity. Methods: Vitreous haze was quantified on OCT macular volume scans of 290 MS patients and 85 healthy controls (HCs). The relationship between VH and clinical, retinal OCT and magnetic resonance imaging parameters of inflammatory disease activity was investigated using generalized estimating equations. Results: Mean VH scores did not differ between patients and HCs (P = 0.629). Six patients (2.1%) showed values higher than the highest of the controls by HCs. VH scores did not differ between the different disease types or between eyes with and without a history of optic neuritis (P = 0.132). VH was not associated with inner nuclear layer volume on OCT (P = 0.233), cerebral T2 lesion load on magnetic resonance imaging (P = 0.416) or the development of new relapses (P = 0.205). Conclusion: In this study, OCT‐based automated VH estimation did not detect increased vitreous inflammation in MS patients compared to HCs and did not find an association with CNS inflammatory burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Reduction of workload in the detection of microaneurysms (MA) from retinal photographs is crucial for the diagnosis and screening of diabetic retinopathy. Automatic algorithms for the detection of retinal lesions can help reduce human intervention especially when the lesions are present in large numbers. Methods Two methods for lesion detection were combined in a single algorithm, one based on the analyses of the contrast between dark peak-points and surrounding circular regions, and a second one based on the correlation between the intensity values in the photographs and a MA-template. The two individual methods and the two methods combined were tested separately to compare their performance on retinal images from 26 high-risk patients. Results Both individual lesion-detection methods missed clustered MAs. With the exclusion of grouped lesions, the two methods combined showed higher sensitivity and precision than the contrast and template methods alone, identifying 22% and 13% more lesions respectively. Conclusions The combination of the two methods can provide repeatable detection of unclustered MAs in photographs from high-risk patients. Manual intervention is only required to select grouped MAs and to adjust the automatic results, considerably reducing human workload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Evidence to support the hypothesis that visual field (VF) status can improve after initiation of intraocular pressure (IOP) reducing treatment is controversial. We take advantage of participant eligibility data from the United Kingdom Glaucoma Treatment Study (UKGTS) to test this hypothesis in newly diagnosed glaucomatous patients randomized to IOP-lowering therapy or placebo., Design: Multicentre, randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled trial., Methods: Participants were newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma patients in the UKGTS with eligibility and baseline data (n = 202 and n = 205 participants from the treatment and placebo groups, respectively). UKGTS eligibility data, including two reliable VFs (Humphrey 24-2 SITA Standard) and IOP measurements were compared to UKGTS trial baseline data acquired after allocation to treatment (topical prostaglandin analog) or placebo eye drops. Mean change in VF mean deviation (MD) and proportion of eyes that improved MD by more than different thresholds were compared across this interval in the treatment and placebo groups. Secondary analyses included stratifying the groups by level of IOP, level of VF loss, and age, along with pointwise analyses including change in subsets of VF locations. The main outcome measure was the mean change in VF MD., Results: Mean (standard deviation [SD]) time between eligibility/baseline visits and reduction in IOP was 12 (3) weeks and 4.8 (4.2) and 1.0 (3.6) mmHg for the treated and placebo eyes, respectively. Mean (SD) change in MD was almost the same for the treated (-0.03 [1.45] dB) and placebo groups (+0.08 [1.72] dB; P = .47). The proportions of participants with an MD improvement of 1 dB or more were similar for both groups (P = .25). No association was found between MD improvement and magnitude of IOP lowering. Stratifying data by IOP, level of VF loss and age did not reveal any differences between the treated and placebo groups, nor did any of the pointwise VF analyses., Conclusions: Initial short-term VF changes in the treatment and placebo arms of UKGTS were the same. In these newly diagnosed patients with non-advanced glaucoma, we found no evidence to support the hypothesis that VF status improves after initial lowering of IOP by medical therapy., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: We sought to develop and evaluate a practical framework that supports structurally enhanced perimetric examinations., Methods: Two perimetric strategies were compared: standard Zippy Estimation through Sequential Testing (ZEST) procedure, a traditional visual field test with population-based prior distributions, and structural-ZEST (S-ZEST), enhanced with individual optical coherence tomography data to determine the starting parameters. The integration and collection of data was facilitated by a bespoke application developed in Shiny R (R Studio). The test was implemented using the Open Perimetry Interface on the Compass perimeter (CentreVue-iCare, Italy). The strategies were evaluated via simulations and on 10 visually healthy participants. The usability of the application was assessed in a simulated environment with 10 test users., Results: In simulations, the S-ZEST improved test speed in patients with glaucoma. In the practical implementation, there was a statistically significant decrease in the testing time (approximately 26%) and in the number of presentations per test with S-ZEST (P < 0.001). The structure-function relationship was similar between the two strategies. The time taken for users to complete the sequence of actions on the application was 52.9 ± 11.5 seconds (mean ± standard deviation)., Conclusions: Structurally enhanced perimetric examination can significantly improve test time in healthy subjects and can be delivered through a user-friendly interface. Further testing will need to assess feasibility and performance of S-ZEST in patients with glaucoma., Translational Relevance: We have developed a user-friendly web application based within the Shiny environment for R, which implements an automated extraction of optical coherence tomography data from raw files and performs real-time calculations of structural features to inform the perimetric strategy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the distribution of the true rates of progression (RoP) of visual field (VF) loss., Methods: We analyzed the progression of mean deviation over time in series of ≥ 10 tests from 3352 eyes (one per patient) from 5 glaucoma clinics, using a novel Bayesian hierarchical Linear Mixed Model (LMM); this modeled the random-effect distribution of RoPs as the sum of 2 independent processes following, respectively, a negative exponential distribution (the "true" distribution of RoPs) and a Gaussian distribution (the "noise"), resulting in a skewed exGaussian distribution. The exGaussian-LMM was compared to a standard Gaussian-LMM using the Watanabe-Akaike Information Criterion (WAIC). The random-effect distributions were compared to the empirical cumulative distribution function (eCDF) of linear regression RoPs using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test., Results: The WAIC indicated a better fit with the exGaussian-LMM (estimate [standard error]: 192174.4 [721.2]) than with the Gaussian-LMM (192595 [697.4], with a difference of 157.2 [22.6]). There was a significant difference between the eCDF and the Gaussian-LMM distribution (P < 0.0001), but not with the exGaussian-LMM distribution (P = 0.108). The estimated mean (95% credible intervals, CIs) "true" RoP (-0.377, 95% CI = -0.396 to -0.359 dB/year) was more negative than the observed mean RoP (-0.283, 95% CI = -0.299 to -0.268 dB/year), indicating a bias likely due to learning in standard LMMs., Conclusions: The distribution of "true" RoPs can be estimated with an exGaussian-LMM, improving model accuracy., Translational Relevance: We used these results to develop a fast and accurate analytical approximation for sample-size calculations in clinical trials using standard LMMs, which was integrated in a freely available web application.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate structure-function correlations in multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) using microperimetry (MP) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)., Methods: Single-center prospective observational study including 14 eyes from 13 patients with MEWDS monitored over a median of 49.5 days (interquartile range = 29-92 days). Investigations focused on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal granularity, and the Photoreceptor Reflectivity Ratio (PRR) as a measure of photoreceptor integrity. MP assessed average retinal threshold sensitivity (RTS) and bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA) for fixation stability. A linear mixed model was used to test associations and interactions among RTS, time, and clinical variables. A hierarchical linear mixed model was used to analyze structure-function relationships, addressing both individual and location-specific variations., Results: Overall, 2340 MP locations were tested. PRR revealed a transient decrease within 30 days post-presentation, indicative of early photoreceptor disruption, followed by a progressive increase, signaling recovery. Significantly lower foveal sensitivity (RTS = 14.8 ± 7.4 vs. 22.5 ± 4.4 decibel [dB], P = 0.04) and increased fixation spread (63% BCEA = 1.26 ± 0.97 vs. 0.48 ± 0.35 deg2, P = 0.06) were noted in eyes with foveal granularity compared to those without. A significant increase in RTS was demonstrated over time (0.066 dB/day, P < 0.001), with a central-to-peripheral gradient of improvement. The interaction between follow-up time and baseline BCVA (P < 0.001) indicated more rapid improvement in eyes with worse initial vision. There was a robust, nonlinear association between PRR and RTS across all tested locations (P < 0.001), becoming asymptotic for sensitivity losses exceeding 20 dB., Conclusions: Photoreceptor reflectivity accurately aligned with visual function in MEWDS on longitudinal examinations. The central-to-peripheral gradient of improvement may suggest specific vulnerabilities underlying the area around the disc.

Background: The glymphatic system removes neurodegenerative debris. The ocular glymphatic outflow is from the eye to the proximal optic nerve. In multiple sclerosis (MS), atrophy of the optic nerve increases the glymphatic outflow space. Here, we tested whether vitreous haze (VH) can provide novel insights into the relationship between neurodegeneration and the ocular glymphatic system in MS., Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 315 persons with MS and 87 healthy controls (HCs). VH was quantified from optical coherence tomography (OCT) volume scans. Neurodegeneration was determined on three-dimensional T1 (3DT1) MRI, lesion detection on fluid-attenuated inversion (FLAIR), and layer thickness on OCT. Generalized estimating equations, corrected for age, were used to analyze associations between VH and metrics for neurodegeneration, demographics, and clinical scales. Group differences were determined between mild, moderate, and severe disability., Results: On the group level, VH scores were comparable between MS and control ( p = 0.629). In MS, VH scores declined with disease duration (β = -0.009, p = 0.004) and age (β = -0.007, p = 0.001). There was no relation between VH scores and higher age in HCs. In MS patients, VH was related to normalized gray (NGMV, β = 0.001, p = 0.011) and white matter volume (NWMV, β = 0.001, p = 0.003), macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (mGCIPL, β = 0.006, p < 0.001), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFL, β = 0.004, p = 0.008). VH was significantly lower in severe compared to mild disability (mean difference -28.86%, p = 0.058)., Conclusions: There is a correlation between VH on OCT and disease duration, more severe disability and lower brain volumes in MS. Biologically, these relationships suggest accelerated glymphatic clearance with disease-related atrophy.

(1) Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global health concern, particularly among the elderly population. This study aimed to assess the impact of laparoscopic surgery on CRC patients aged ≥80 years. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from consecutive CRC patients who underwent surgery at our institution between July 2018 and July 2023. The patients were categorized into three groups: those aged over 80 who underwent laparoscopic surgery (Group A), those aged over 80 who underwent open surgery (Group B), and those under 80 who underwent laparoscopic surgery (Group C). We examined various clinical and surgical parameters, including demographic data, medical history, surgical outcomes, and survival. (3) Results: Group A (N = 113) had shorter hospital stays than Group B (N = 23; p = 0.042), with no significant differences in complications or 30-day outcomes. Compared to Group C (N = 269), Group A had higher comorbidity indices ( p < 0.001), more emergency admissions, anemia, low hemoglobin levels, colonic obstruction ( p < 0.001), longer hospital stays ( p < 0.001), and more medical complications ( p = 0.003). Laparotomic conversion was associated with obstructive neoplasms ( p < 0.001), and medical complications with ASA scores ( p < 0.001). Both the medical and surgical complications predicted adverse 30-day outcomes ( p = 0.007 and p < 0.001). Survival analysis revealed superior overall survival (OS) in Group A vs. Group B ( p < 0.0001) and inferior OS vs. Group C ( p < 0.0001). After a landmark analysis, the OS for patients aged 80 or older and those under 80 appeared to be similar (HR 2.55 [0.75-8.72], p = 0.136). (4) Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery in very elderly CRC patients shows comparable oncological outcomes and surgical complications to younger populations. Survival benefits are influenced by age, comorbidities, and medical complications. Further prospective multicenter studies are needed in order to validate these findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether functional loss in the glaucomatous macula is characterized by an enlargement of Ricco's area (RA) through the application of a computational model linking retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage to perimetric sensitivity., Methods: One eye from each of 29 visually healthy subjects <40 years old, 30 patients with glaucoma, and 20 age-similar controls was tested with a 10-2 grid with stimuli of 5 different area sizes. Structural estimates of point-wise RGC density were obtained from optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Structural and functional data from the young healthy cohort were used to estimate the parameters of a computational spatial summation model to generate a template. The template was fitted with a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the latent RGC density in patients with glaucoma and age-matched controls. We tested two alternative hypotheses: fitting the data by translating the template horizontally (H1: change in RA) or vertically (H2: loss of sensitivity without a change in RA). Root mean squared error (RMSE) of the model fits to perimetric sensitivity were compared. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals were bootstrapped. The dynamic range of the functional and structural RGC density estimates was denoted by their 1st and 99th percentiles., Results: The RMSE was 2.09 (95% CI = 1.92-2.26) under H1 and 2.49 (95% CI = 2.24-2.72) under H2 (P < 0.001). The average dynamic range for the structural RGC density estimates was only 11% that of the functional estimates., Conclusions: Macular sensitivity loss in glaucoma is better described by a model in which RA changes with RGC loss. Structural measurements have limited dynamic range.

Background: Evaluation of ocular inflammation via common imaging modalities like optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emphasised cell visualisation, but automated detection of uveitic keratic precipitates (KPs) remains unexplored., Methods: Anterior segment (AS)-OCT dense volumes of the corneas of patients with uveitic KPs were collected at three timepoints: with active (T0), clinically improving (T1), and resolved (T2) inflammation. At each visit, visual acuity and clinical grading of the anterior chamber cells were assessed. A bespoke algorithm was used to create an en face rendering of the KPs and to calculate their volume and a ratio of the volume of precipitates over the analysed area. The variation of AS-OCT-derived measurements over time was assessed, and compared with clinical grading., Results: Twenty eyes from 20 patients (13 females, mean age 39 years) were studied. At T0, the mean volume of the corneal KPs was 0.1727 mm 3 , and it significantly reduced to 0.1111 mm 3 (p = 0.03) only at T2. The ratio between the volume of the KPs and the corneal area decreased from T0 (0.007) to T1 (0.006; p = 0.2) and T2 (0.004; p = 0.009). There was a statistically significant correlation between the AC cell count and the AS-OCT volume measurements of the KPs at the three time points., Conclusions: AS-OCT can image uveitic KPs and through a bespoke algorithm we were able to create an en face rendering allowing us to extrapolate their volume. We found that objective quantification of KPs correlated with inflammatory cell counts in the anterior chamber., (© 2023 The Authors. Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the power of trend-based visual field (VF) progression end points against long-term development of event-based end points accepted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)., Methods: One eye from 3352 patients with ≥10 24-2 VFs (median = 11 years) follow-up were analyzed. Two FDA-compatible criteria were applied to these series to label "true-progressed" eyes: ≥5 locations changing from baseline by more than 7 dB (FDA-7) or by more than the expected test-retest variability (GPA-like) in 2 consecutive tests. Observed rates of progression (RoP) were used to simulate trial-like series (2 years) randomly assigned (1000 times) to a "placebo" or a "treatment" arm. We simulated neuroprotective "treatment" effects by changing the proportion of "true progressed" eyes in the two arms. Two trend-based methods for mean deviation (MD) were assessed: (1) linear mixed model (LMM), testing average difference in RoP between the two arms, and (2) time-to-progression (TTP), calculated by linear regression as time needed for MD to decline by predefined cutoffs from baseline. Power curves with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for trend and event-based methods on the simulated series., Results: The FDA-7 and GPA-like progression was achieved by 45% and 55% of the eyes in the clinical database. LMM and TTP had similar power, significantly superior to the event-based methods, none of which reached 80% power. All methods had a 5% false-positive rate., Conclusions: The trend-based methods can efficiently detect treatment effects defined by long-term FDA-compatible progression., Translational Relevance: The assessment of the power of trend-based methods to detect clinically relevant progression end points.

Purpose: To assess the performance of a perimetric strategy using structure-function predictions from a deep learning (DL) model., Methods: Visual field test-retest data from 146 eyes (75 patients) with glaucoma with (median [5th-95th percentile]) 10 [7, 10] tests per eye were used. Structure-function predictions were generated with a previously described DL model using cicumpapillary optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Structurally informed prior distributions were built grouping the observed measured sensitivities for each predicted value and recalculated for each subject with a leave-one-out approach. A zippy estimation by sequential testing (ZEST) strategy was used for the simulations (1000 per eye). Ground-truth sensitivities for each eye were the medians of the test-retest values. Two variations of ZEST were compared in terms of speed (average total number of presentations [NP] per eye) and accuracy (average mean absolute error [MAE] per eye), using either a combination of normal and abnormal thresholds (ZEST) or the calculated structural distributions (S-ZEST) as prior information. Two additional versions of these strategies employing spatial correlations were tested., Results: S-ZEST was significantly faster, with a mean average NP of 213.87 (SD = 28.18), than ZEST, with a mean average NP of 255.65 (SD = 50.27) (P < 0.001). The average MAE was smaller for S-ZEST (1.98; SD = 2.37) than ZEST (2.43; SD = 2.69) (P < 0.001). Spatial correlations further improved both strategies (P < 0.001), but the differences between ZEST and S-ZEST remained significant (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: DL structure-function predictions can significantly improve perimetric tests., Translational Relevance: DL structure-function predictions from clinically available OCT scans can improve perimetry in glaucoma patients.

Purpose: To compare visual field (VF) progression between glaucoma patients receiving cataract surgery alone (CS) or with a Hydrus microstent (CS-HMS)., Design: Post hoc analysis of VF data from the HORIZON multicenter randomized controlled trial., Methods: A total of 556 patients with glaucoma and cataract were randomized 2:1 to either CS-HMS (369) or CS (187) and followed up for 5 years. VF was performed at 6 months and then every year after surgery. We analyzed data for all participants with at least 3 reliable VFs (false positives < 15%). Average between-group difference in rate of progression (RoP) was tested using a Bayesian mixed model and a 2-sided Bayesian P value <.05 (main outcome). A multivariable model measured the effect of intraocular pressure (IOP). A survival analysis compared the probability of global VF sensitivity dropping by predefined cutoffs (2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 dB) from baseline., Results: Data from 352 eyes in the CS-HMS arm and 165 in the CS arm were analyzed (2966 VFs). The mean RoP was -0.26 dB/y (95% credible interval -0.36, -0.16) for CS-HMS and -0.49 dB/y (95% credible interval -0.63, -0.34) for CS. This difference was significant (P = .0138). The difference in IOP only explained 17% of the effect (P < .0001). Five-year survival analysis showed an increased probability of VF worsening by 5.5 dB (P = .0170), indicating a greater proportion of fast progressors in the CS arm., Conclusions: CS-HMS has a significant effect on VF preservation in glaucoma patients compared with CS alone, reducing the proportion of fast progressors., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Spatial summation of perimetric stimuli has been used to derive conclusions about the spatial extent of retinal-cortical convergence, mostly from the size of the critical area of summation (Ricco's area, RA) and critical number of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). However, spatial summation is known to change dynamically with stimulus duration. Conversely, temporal summation and critical duration also vary with stimulus size. Such an important and often neglected spatiotemporal interaction has important implications for modeling perimetric sensitivity in healthy observers and for formulating hypotheses for changes measured in disease. In this work, we performed experiments on visually heathy observers confirming the interaction of stimulus size and duration in determining summation responses in photopic conditions. We then propose a simplified computational model that captures these aspects of perimetric sensitivity by modelling the total retinal input, the combined effect of stimulus size, duration, and retinal cones-to-RGC ratio. We additionally show that, in the macula, the enlargement of RA with eccentricity might not correspond to a constant critical number of RGCs, as often reported, but to a constant critical total retinal input. We finally compare our results with previous literature and show possible implications for modeling disease, especially glaucoma.

Purpose: to compare visual field (VF) progression between the 2 arms of the Treatment of Advanced Glaucoma Study (TAGS)., Design: Post hoc analysis of VF data from a 2-arm, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial., Methods: A total of 453 patients with newly diagnosed advanced open-angle glaucoma in at least 1 eye from 27 centers in the United Kingdom were randomized to either trabeculectomy (n = 227) or medication in their index eye (n = 226) and followed-up for 2 years with 2 24-2 VF tests at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 months. Data were analyzed for participants with a reliable VF (false positive rate < 15%) at baseline and at least 2 other time points. Average difference in rate of progression (RoP) was analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model. Time for each eye to progress from baseline beyond specific cut-offs (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 dB) was compared using survival analysis., Results: This study analyzed 211 eyes in the trabeculectomy first arm and 203 eyes in the medication first arm. The average RoP (estimate [95% credible intervals]) was -0.59 [-0.88, -0.31] dB/year in the medication first arm and -0.40 [-0.67, -0.13] dB/year in the trabeculectomy first arm. The difference was not significant (Bayesian P-value = .353). More eyes progressed in the medication first arm, but this difference was not significant., Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the average RoP at 2 years., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To objectively grade posterior segment inflammation by measuring vitreous cells and haze on optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans and to compare OCT-based results with clinical grading., Design: Evaluation of a diagnostic test., Methods: OCT scans of patients with uveitis were collected at 3 timepoints: with active (T0), clinically improving (T1), and resolved (T2) inflammation. At each visit, visual acuity and clinical grading of the vitreous haze (National Eye Institute [NEI] scale) were assessed. The density of vitreous cells was calculated on each OCT scan manually and automatically through a bespoke algorithm. Vitreous haze was indirectly measured on OCT scans by calculating the vitreous/retinal pigmented epithelium (VIT/RPE)-relative intensity manually and automatically. The variation of OCT-derived measurements over time was assessed. OCT-derived measurements were compared with clinical grading., Results: A total of 222 scans from 74 eyes were analyzed. Both vitreous cell density and VIT/RPE-relative intensity significantly decreased over time. Cell density correlated with the clinical grading with a significant increase at each grade of the NEI scale. By contrast, the VIT/RPE-relative intensity was positively correlated with the clinical grade overall but there was no significant difference when comparing contiguous grades of the NEI scale. Infectious uveitis had a higher cell density. The intraclass correlation coefficient between manual and automatic assessment was 0.83 for cell density and 0.423 for the VIT/RPE-relative intensity., Conclusions: Posterior segment inflammation could be objectively graded through OCT scans. Vitreous cell density was assessed manually and automatically with good agreement and correlated better with NEI clinical grading compared with VIT/RPE-relative intensity., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Vitreous haze (VH) is a key marker of inflammation in uveitis but limited by its subjectivity. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has potential as an objective, noninvasive method for quantifying VH. We test the hypotheses that OCT can reliably quantify VH and the measurement is associated with slit-lamp based grading of VH., Methods: In this prospective study, participants underwent three repeated OCT macular scans to evaluate the within-eye reliability of the OCT vitreous intensity (VI). Association between OCT VI and clinical findings (including VH grade, phakic status, visual acuity [VA], anterior chamber cells, and macular thickness) were assessed., Results: One hundred nineteen participants were included (41 healthy participants, 32 patients with uveitis without VH, and 46 patients with uveitis with VH). Within-eye test reliability of OCT VI was high in healthy eyes and in all grades of VH (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.79). Average OCT VI was significantly different between healthy eyes and uveitic eyes without and uveitic eyes with VH, and was associated with increasing clinical VH grade (P < 0.05). OCT VI was significantly associated with VA, whereas clinical VH grading was not. Cataract was also associated with higher OCT VI (P = 0.03)., Conclusions: OCT VI is a fast, noninvasive, objective, and automated method for measuring vitreous inflammation. It is associated with clinician grading of vitreous inflammation and VA, however, it can be affected by media opacities., Translational Relevance: OCT imaging for quantifying vitreous inflammation shows high within-eye repeatability and is associated with clinical grading of vitreous haze. OCT measurements are also associated with visual acuity but may be affected by structures anterior to the acquisition window, such as lens opacity and other anterior segment changes.

Purpose: To develop a Bayesian model (BM) for visual field (VF) progression accounting for the hierarchical, censored and heteroskedastic nature of the data., Methods: Three versions of a hierarchical BM were developed: a simple linear (Hi-linear); censored at 0 dB (Hi-censored); heteroskedastic censored (Hi-HSK). For the latter, we modeled the test variability according to VF sensitivity using a large test-retest cohort (1396 VFs, 146 eyes with glaucoma). We analyzed a large cohort of 44,371 VF tests from 3352 eyes from five glaucoma clinics. We quantified the bias in the estimated rate-of-progression, the detection of progression (Hit-rate [HR]), the median time-to-progression and the prediction error of future observations (mean absolute error [MAE]). HR and time-to-progression were compared at matched false-positive-rate (FPR), quantified using permutations of a separate test-retest cohort (360 tests, 30 eyes with glaucoma). BMs were compared to simple linear regression and Permutation-Analyses-of Pointwise-Linear-Regression. Differences in time-to-progression were tested using survival analysis., Results: Censored models showed the smallest bias in the rate-of-progression. The three BMs performed very similarly in terms of HR and time-to-progression and always better than the other methods. The average reduction in time-to-progression was 37% with the BMs (P < 0.001) at 5% FPR. MAE for prediction was very similar among methods., Conclusions: Bayesian hierarchical models improved the detection of VF progression. Accounting for censoring improves the precision of the estimates, but minimal effect is provided by accounting for heteroskedasticity., Translational Relevance: These results are relevant for quantification of VF progression in practice and for clinical trials.

Purpose: To introduce a novel method to quantitively analyse in three dimensions traction forces in a vast area of the ocular posterior pole., Methods: Retrospective analysis of 14 eyes who underwent peeling surgery for idiopathic, symptomatic and progressive epiretinal membrane. The technique measures the shift in position of vascular crossings after surgery from a fixed point, which is the retinal pigmented epithelium. This shift is defined as the relaxation index (RI) and represents a measure of the postoperative movement of the retina due to released traction after surgery., Results: Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly better than baseline at all follow ups while the RI had its maximum value at baseline. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between best-corrected visual acuity at 6 months and RI at baseline., Conclusion: While all previous published methods focused on bi-dimensional changes observed in a small region, this study introduces a three-dimensional assessment of tractional forces. Future integration of RI into built-in processing software will allow systematic three-dimensional measurement of intraretinal traction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: To provide structural and functional evidence of inner retinal loss in diabetes prior to vascular changes and interpret the structure-function relationship in the context of an established neural model., Methods: Data from one eye of 505 participants (134 with diabetes and no clinically evident vascular alterations of the retina) were included in this analysis. The data were collected as part of a large population-based study. Functional tests included best-corrected visual acuity, Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity, mesopic microperimetry, and frequency doubling technology perimetry (FDT). Macular optical coherence tomography volume scans were collected for all participants. To interpret the structure-function relationship in the context of a neural model, ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness was converted to local ganglion cell (GC) counts., Results: The GCL and inner plexiform layer were significantly thinner in participants with diabetes (P < 0.05), with no significant differences in the macular retinal nerve fiber layer or the outer retina. All functional tests except microperimetry showed a significant loss in diabetic patients (P < 0.05). Both FDT and microperimetry showed a significant relationship with the GC count (P < 0.05), consistent with predictions from a neural model for partial summation conditions. However, the FDT captured additional significant damage (P = 0.03) unexplained by the structural loss., Conclusions: Functional and structural measurements support early neuronal loss in diabetes. The structure-function relationship follows the predictions from an established neural model. Functional tests could be improved to operate in total summation conditions in the macula, becoming more sensitive to early loss.

Quantifying intraocular inflammation is crucial in managing uveitis patients. We assessed the minimum B-scan density for reliable automated vitreous intensity (VI) assessment, using a novel approach based on optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT volume scans centered on the macula were retrospectively collected in patients with uveitis. Nine B-scans per volume scan at fixed locations were automatically analyzed. The following B-scan selections were compared against the average score of 9 B-scans per volume scan as a reference standard: 1/3/5/7 central scans (1c/3c/5c/7c), 3 widely distributed scans (3w). Image data of 49 patients (31 females) were included. The median VI was 0.029 (IQR: 0.032). The intra-class-correlation coefficient of the VI across the 9 B-scans was 0.923. The median difference from the reference standard ranged between 0.001 (7c) and 0.006 (1c). It was significantly lower for scan selection 3w than 5c, p(adjusted) = 0.022, and lower for selection 7c than 3w, p(adjusted) = 0.003. The scan selections 7c and 3w showed the two highest areas under the receiver operating curve (0.985 and 0.965, respectively). Three widely distributed B-scans are sufficient to quantify VI reliably. Highest reliability was achieved using 7 central B-scans. Automated quantification of VI in uveitis is reliable and requires only few OCT B-scans.

Most uveitis entities are rare diseases but, taken together, are responsible for 5-10% of worldwide visual impairment which largely affects persons of working age. As with many rare diseases, there is a lack of high-level evidence regarding its clinical management, partly due to a dearth of reliable and objective quantitative endpoints for clinical trials. This review provides an overview of available structural outcome measures for uveitis disease activity and damage in an anatomical order from the anterior to the posterior segment of the eye. While there is a multitude of available structural outcome measures, not all might qualify as endpoints for clinical uveitis trials, and thorough testing of applicability is warranted. Furthermore, a consensus on endpoint definition, standardization, and "core outcomes" is required. As stipulated by regulatory agencies, endpoints should be precisely defined, clinically important, internally consistent, reliable, responsive to treatment, and relevant for the respective subtype of uveitis. Out of all modalities used for assessment of the reviewed structural outcome measures, optical coherence tomography, color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, and fluorescein/indocyanine green angiography represent current "core modalities" for reliable and objective quantification of uveitis outcome measures, based on their practical availability and the evidence provided so far., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To investigate the structure-function relationship in eyes with drusen with mesopic and scotopic microperimetry., Methods: We analyzed structural and functional data from 43 eyes with drusen. Functional data were acquired with mesopic and scotopic two-color (red and cyan) microperimetry. Normative values were calculated using data from 56 healthy eyes. Structural measurements were green autofluorescence and dense macular optical coherence tomography scans. The latter were used to calculate the retinal pigment epithelium elevation (RPE-E) and the photoreceptor reflectivity ratio (PRR). The pointwise structure-function relationship was measured with linear mixed models having the log-transformed structural parameters as predictors and the sensitivity loss (SL, deviation from normal) as the response variable., Results: In the univariable analysis, the structural predictors were all significantly correlated ( P < 0.05) with the SL in the mesopic and scotopic tests. In a multivariable model, mesopic microperimetry yielded the best structure-function relationship. All predictors were significant ( P < 0.05), but the predictive power was weak (best R 2 = 0.09). The relationship was improved when analyzing locations with abnormal RPE-E (best R 2 = 0.18)., Conclusions: Mesopic microperimetry shows better structure-function relationship compared to scotopic microperimetry; the relationship is weak, likely due to the early functional damage and the small number of tested locations affected by drusen. The relationship is stronger when locations with drusen are isolated for the mesopic and scotopic cyan test., Translational Relevance: These results could be useful to devise integrated structure-function methods to detect disease progression in intermediate age-related macular degeneration., Competing Interests: Disclosure: G. Montesano, CenterVue, SpA (C); G. Ometto, (N); B.E. Higgins, (N); C. Iester, (N); K. Balaskas, (N); A. Tufail, (N); U. Chakravarthy, (N); R.E. Hogg, (N); D.P. Crabb, CenterVue, SpA (C), (Copyright 2020 The Authors.)

Purpose: To compare visual field outcomes of ocular hypertensive and glaucoma patients treated first with medical therapy with those treated first with selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)., Design: Secondary analysis of patients from the Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension study, a multicenter randomized controlled trial., Participants: Three hundred forty-four patients (588 eyes) treated first with medical therapy and 344 patients (590 eyes) treated first with SLT., Methods: Visual fields (VFs) were measured using standard automated perimetry and arranged in series (median length and duration, 9 VFs over 48 months). Hierarchical linear models were used to estimate pointwise VF progression rates, which were then averaged to produce a global progression estimate for each eye. Proportions of points and patients in each treatment group with fast (<-1 dB/year) or moderate (<-0.5 dB/year) progression were compared using log-binomial regression., Main Outcome Measures: Pointwise and global progression rates of total deviation (TD) and pattern deviation (PD)., Results: A greater proportion of eyes underwent moderate or fast TD progression in the medical therapy group compared with the SLT group (26.2% vs. 16.9%; risk ratio [RR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.93; P < 0.001). A similar pattern was observed for pointwise rates (medical therapy, 26.1% vs. SLT, 19.0%; RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.33-1.42; P < 0.001). A greater proportion of pointwise PD rates were categorized as moderate or fast in the medical therapy group (medical therapy, 11.5% vs. SLT, 8.3%; RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.32-1.46; P < 0.001). No statistical difference was found in the proportion of eyes that underwent moderate or fast PD progression (medical therapy, 9.9% vs. SLT, 7.1%; RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.95, 2.03; P = 0.0928)., Conclusions: A slightly larger proportion of ocular hypertensive and glaucoma patients treated first with medical therapy underwent rapid VF progression compared with those treated first with SLT., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To provide a consistent implementation of a retinal ganglion cell (RGC) displacement model proposed by Drasdo et al. for macular structure-function analysis, customizable by axial length (AL)., Methods: The effect of axial length on the shape of the inner retina was measured on 235 optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans from healthy eyes, to provide evidence for geometric scaling of structures with eye size. Following this assumption, we applied the Drasdo model to map perimetric stimuli on the radially displaced RGCs using two different methods: Method 1 only displaced the center of the stimuli; Method 2 applied the displacement to every point on the edge of the stimuli. We compared the accuracy of the two methods by calculating, for each stimulus, the number of expected RGC receptive fields and the number RGCs calculated from the histology map, expected to be equivalent. The same calculation was repeated on RGC density maps derived from 28 OCT scans from 28 young healthy subjects (age < 40 years) to confirm our results on clinically available measurements., Results: The size of the retinal structures significantly increased with AL ( P < 0.001) and was well predicted by geometric scaling. Method 1 systematically underestimated the RGC counts by as much as 60%. No bias was observed with Method 2., Conclusions: The Drasdo model can effectively account for AL assuming geometric scaling. Method 2 should be used for structure-function analyses., Translational Relevance: We developed a free web App in Shiny R to make our results available for researchers., Competing Interests: Disclosure: G. Montesano, CenterVue (C); G. Ometto, None; R.E. Hogg, none; L.M. Rossetti, CenterVue(C); D.F. Garway-Heath, Carl Zeiss Meditec (C), CenterVue (C), Heidelberg Engineering (F), Moorfields MDT (P), ANSWERS (P), T4 (P); D.P. Crabb, CenterVue (C), ANSWERS (P), T4 (P), (Copyright 2020 The Authors.)

Purpose: To develop a method for automated detection and progression analysis of chorioretinal atrophic lesions using the combined information of standard infrared (IR) and autofluorescence (AF) fundus images., Methods: Eighteen eyes (from 16 subjects) with punctate inner choroidopathy were analyzed. Macular IR and blue AF images were acquired in all eyes with a Spectralis HRA+OCT device (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Two clinical experts manually segmented chorioretinal lesions on the AF image. AF images were aligned to the corresponding IR. Two random forest models were trained to classify pixels of lesions, one based on the AF image only, the other based on the aligned IR-AF. The models were validated using a leave-one-out cross-validation and were tested against the manual segmentation to compare their performance. A time series from one eye was identified and used to evaluate the method based on the IR-AF in a case study., Results: The method based on the AF images correctly classified 95% of the pixels (i.e., in vs. out of the lesion) with a Dice's coefficient of 0.80. The method based on the combined IR-AF correctly classified 96% of the pixels with a Dice's coefficient of 0.84., Conclusions: The automated segmentation of chorioretinal lesions using IR and AF shows closer alignment to manual segmentation than the same method based on AF only. Merging information from multimodal images improves the automatic and objective segmentation of chorioretinal lesions even when based on a small dataset., Translational Relevance: Merged information from multimodal images improves segmentation performance of chorioretinal lesions., Competing Interests: Disclosure: G. Ometto, None; G. Montesano, None; S.S. Afgeh, None; G. Lazaridis, None; X. Liu, None; P.A. Keane, None; D.P. Crabb, None; A.K. Denniston, None, (Copyright 2020 The Authors.)

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of repeat selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in medication-naive open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and ocular hypertensive (OHT) patients requiring repeat treatment for early to medium-term failure during the Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension (LiGHT) trial., Design: Post hoc analysis of SLT treatment arm of a multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial., Participants: Treatment-naive OAG or OHT requiring repeat 360-degree SLT within 18 months. Retreatment was triggered by predefined IOP and disease-progression criteria (using objective individualized target IOPs)., Methods: After SLT at baseline, patients were followed for a minimum of 18 months after second (repeat) SLT. A mixed-model analysis was performed with the eye as the unit of analysis, with crossed random effects to adjust for correlation between fellow eyes and repeated measures within eyes. Kaplan-Meier curves plot the duration of effect., Main Outcome Measures: Initial (early) IOP lowering at 2 months and duration of effect after initial and repeat SLT., Results: A total of 115 eyes of 90 patients received repeat SLT during the first 18 months of the trial. Pretreatment IOP before initial SLT was significantly higher than before retreatment IOP of repeat SLT (mean difference, 3.4 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-4.3 mmHg; P < 0.001). Absolute IOP reduction at 2 months was greater after initial SLT compared with repeat SLT (mean difference, 1.0 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.2-1.8 mmHg; P = 0.02). Adjusted absolute IOP reduction at 2 months (adjusting for IOP before initial or repeat laser) was greater after repeat SLT (adjusted mean difference, -1.1 mmHg, 95% CI, -1.7 to -0.5 mmHg; P = 0.001). A total of 34 eyes were early failures (retreatment 2 months after initial SLT) versus 81 later failures (retreatment >2 months after initial SLT). No significant difference in early absolute IOP reduction at 2 months after repeat SLT was noted between early and later failures (mean difference, 0.3 mmHg; 95% CI, -1.1 to 1.8 mmHg; P = 0.655). Repeat SLT maintained drop-free IOP control in 67% of 115 eyes at 18 months, with no clinically relevant adverse events., Conclusions: These exploratory analyses demonstrate that repeat SLT can maintain IOP at or below target IOP in medication-naive OAG and OHT eyes requiring retreatment with at least an equivalent duration of effect to initial laser., (Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We compared eleven OCT devices in their ability to quantify retinal layer thicknesses under different signal-strength conditions, using a commercially available phantom eye. We analyzed a medium-intensity 50 µm layer in an identical manner for all devices, using the provided log-scale images and a reconstructed linear-scale tissue reflectivity metric. Thickness measurements were highly comparable when the data were analyzed in an identical manner. With optimal signal strength, the thickness of the 50 µm layer was overestimated by a mean of 4.3 µm in the log-scale images and of 2.7 µm in the linear-scale images., Competing Interests: SR is the owner of Rowe Technical Inc., where the model eye was bought. Other authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2020 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement.)

Purpose: To describe and evaluate a free, online tool for automatically segmenting optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from different devices and computing summary measures such as retinal thickness., Methods: ReLayer (https://relayer.online) is an online platform to which OCT scan images can be uploaded and analyzed. Results can be downloaded as plaintext (.csv) files. The segmentation method includes a novel, one-dimensional active contour model, designed to locate the inner limiting membrane, inner/outer segment, and retinal pigment epithelium. The method, designed for B-scans from Heidelberg Engineering Spectralis, was adapted for Topcon 3D OCT-2000 and OptoVue AngioVue. The method was applied to scans from healthy and pathological eyes, and was validated against segmentation by the manufacturers, the IOWA Reference Algorithms, and manual segmentation., Results: Segmentation of a B-scan took ≤1 second. In healthy eyes, mean difference in retinal thickness from ReLayer and the reference standard was below the resolution of the Spectralis and 3D OCT-2000, and slightly above the resolution of the AngioVue. In pathological eyes, ReLayer performed similarly to IOWA ( P = 0.97) and better than Spectralis ( P < 0.001)., Conclusions: A free online platform (ReLayer) is capable of segmenting OCT scans with similar speed, accuracy, and reliability as the other tested algorithms, but offers greater accessibility. ReLayer could represent a valuable tool for researchers requiring the full segmentation, often not made available by commercial software., Translational Relevance: A free online platform (ReLayer) provides free, accessible segmentation of OCT images: data often not available via existing commercial software.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an asymptotic complication of diabetes and the leading cause of preventable blindness in the working-age population. Early detection and treatment of DR is critical to avoid vision loss. Exudates are one of the earliest and most prevalent signs of DR. In this work, we propose a novel two-stage method for the detection and segmentation of exudates in fundus photographs. In the first stage, a fully convolutional neural network architecture is trained to segment exudates using small image patches. Next, an auxilary codebook is built from network's intermediate layer output using incremental principal component analysis. Finally, outputs of both systems are combined to produce final result. Compared to other methods, the proposed algorithm does not require computation of candidate regions or removal of other anatomical structures. Furthermore, a transfer learning approach was applied to improve the performance of the system. The proposed method was evaluated using publicly available E-Ophtha datasets. It achieved better results than the state-of-the-art methods in terms of sensitivity and specificity metrics. The proposed method accomplished better results using a diseased//not diseased evaluation scenario which indicates its applicability for screening purposes. Simplicity, performance, efficiency and robustness of the proposed method demonstrate its suitability for diabetic retinopathy screening applications.

Detection and evaluation of inflammatory activity in uveitis is essential to the management of the condition, and yet continues to be largely dependent on subjective clinical measures. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurement of vitreous activity is an alternative to clinical vitreous haze scoring and has passed a number of early validation studies. In this study we aimed to evaluate the impact of 'operator factors' on the variability of the technique as part of the validation process, and to help evaluate its suitability for 'real world' use. Vitreous haze index was calculated as a ratio between the reflectivity of the vitreous and of the outer retina in each scan. Different scanning conditions were tested and their effect on the measurement is reported. Our results show that the 'quantitative imaging' technique of OCT-measured vitreous activity had good reliability in normal subjects under a range of 'real world' conditions, such as when the operator changes the averaging value. The technique was however vulnerable to highly inaccurate focussing or abnormal downward displacement of the image. OCT-based quantification of vitreous activity is a promising alternative to current subjective clinical estimates, with sufficient 'tolerance' to be used in routine clinical practice as well as clinical trials.

Aims/hypothesis: Diabetic retinopathy is characterised by morphological lesions related to disturbances in retinal blood flow. It has previously been shown that the early development of retinal lesions temporal to the fovea may predict the development of treatment-requiring diabetic maculopathy. The aim of this study was to map accurately the area where lesions could predict progression to vision-threatening retinopathy., Methods: The predictive value of the location of the earliest red lesions representing haemorrhages and/or microaneurysms was studied by comparing their occurrence in a group of individuals later developing vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy with that in a group matched with respect to diabetes type, age, sex and age of onset of diabetes mellitus who did not develop vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy during a similar observation period., Results: The probability of progression to vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy was higher in a circular area temporal to the fovea, and the occurrence of the first lesions in this area was predictive of the development of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy. The calculated peak value showed that the risk of progression was 39.5% higher than the average. There was no significant difference in the early distribution of lesions in participants later developing diabetic maculopathy or proliferative diabetic retinopathy., Conclusions/interpretation: The location of early red lesions in diabetic retinopathy is predictive of whether or not individuals will later develop vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy. This evidence should be incorporated into risk models used to recommend control intervals in screening programmes for diabetic retinopathy.

This paper introduces the use of fluid-dynamic modeling to determine the connectivity of overlapping venous and arterial vessels in fundus images. Analysis of the retinal vascular network may provide information related to systemic and local disorders. However, the automated identification of the vascular trees in retinal images is a challenging task due to the low signal-to-noise ratio, nonuniform illumination and the fact that fundus photography is a projection on to the imaging plane of three-dimensional retinal tissue. A zero-dimensional model was created to estimate the hemodynamic status of candidate tree configurations. Simulated annealing was used to search for an optimal configuration. Experimental results indicate that simulated annealing was very efficient on test cases that range from small to medium size networks, while ineffective on large networks. Although for large networks the nonconvexity of the cost function and the large solution space made searching for the optimal solution difficult, the accuracy (average success rate = 98.35%), and simplicity of our novel approach demonstrate its potential effectiveness in segmenting retinal vascular trees.

Purpose: It has previously been shown that the intervals between screening examinations for diabetic retinopathy can be optimized by including individual risk factors for the development of the disease in the risk assessment. However, in some cases, the risk model calculating the screening interval may recommend a different interval than an experienced clinician. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of factors unrelated to diabetic retinopathy and the distribution of lesions for discrepancies between decisions made by the clinician and the risk model., Methods: Therefore, fundus photographs from 90 screening examinations where the recommendations of the clinician and a risk model had been discrepant were evaluated. Forty features were defined to describe the type and location of the lesions, and classification and ranking techniques were used to assess whether the features could predict the discrepancy between the grader and the risk model., Results: Suspicion of tumours, retinal degeneration and vascular diseases other than diabetic retinopathy could explain why the clinician recommended shorter examination intervals than the model. Additionally, the regional distribution of microaneurysms/dot haemorrhages was important for defining a photograph as belonging to the group where both the clinician and the risk model had recommended a short screening interval as opposed to the other decision alternatives., Conclusions: Features unrelated to diabetic retinopathy and the regional distribution of retinal lesions may affect the recommendation of the examination interval during screening for diabetic retinopathy. The development of automated computerized algorithms for extracting information about the type and location of retinal lesions could be expected to further optimize examination intervals during screening for diabetic retinopathy., (© 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)