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Purpose To evaluate the real-world utility of the ForeseeHome monitoring device (Notal Vision, Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel) for the detection of conversion from intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) to neovascular AMD (nAMD) and to compare with results published by the Home Monitoring of the Eye (HOME) study. Design Retrospective analysis of electronic health records. Participants Eyes prescribed use of the ForeseeHome device across 4 retinal practices in the United States. Methods Usage information was collected from the online ForeseeHome portal for all eyes prescribed the device. For a predetermined subset of eyes, additional clinical information was collected through chart review and analyzed for clinical utility. Main Outcome Measures Frequency and length of use, number of eyes that used the device, number of eyes that established a baseline measurement, number of eyes that converted to nAMD, and number of alerts. Results Seven hundred seventy-five eyes of 448 patients were prescribed use of the ForeseeHome device. Six hundred forty-nine eyes (83.7%) used the device at least once; among this population, 478 (73.7%) established a baseline measurement. Patients who established a baseline measurement were significantly younger than those who did not (P Conclusions Compared with the prospective HOME study, the utility of the ForeseeHome device in the current analysis of clinical practice application was limited. A meaningful proportion of eyes never used the device or could not establish a baseline measurement. Overall frequency of use was low, and continuous use of the device decreased over time. A need exists for improvement in home monitoring technology for eyes with iAMD at risk of conversion to nAMD.

Purpose: We demonstrate that Crumbs homologue 1 ( CRB1) maculopathy should be considered in the differential of petaloid pigmentary changes in the macula of young children with good vision who may be asymptomatic. Methods: We report on 2 unrelated male patients presenting at a young age with decreased vision from a macular dystrophy due to biallelic CRB1 mutations. Results: In addition to a previously described pathogenic variant, Ile167Gly169del, 2 new pathogenic missense variants in CRB1, Thr745Met and Cys948Tyr, are reported here. Conclusions: Although CRB1 mutations have been more commonly described in retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis, we demonstrate that mutations in CRB1 can cause a maculopathy in which initial features can resemble juvenile X-linked retinoschisis. We show that the accompanying macular edema is responsive to carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. With long-term follow-up for each case, we illustrate the natural history of CRB1 maculopathy based on clinical examination and diagnostic imaging.

Purpose: This work aimed to assess postoperative outcomes associated with relaxing parafoveal nasal retinotomy for refractory macular hole repair. Methods: This was a retrospective interventional study of patients with persistent or recurrent macular holes following 1 or more standard repair procedures with pars plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling. Patients received an additional pars plana vitrectomy and relaxing parafoveal nasal retinotomy, followed by fluid-air and air-gas exchange. Key postoperative outcomes included the achievement of macular hole closure and changes in visual acuity from baseline. Results: Thirteen patients with refractory macular holes were included, with a median age of 65 years (range, 49-90 years). The aperture diameter of the 13 macular holes ranged from 180 to 799 µm (median, 538 µm). Vitrectomy and relaxing parafoveal nasal retinotomy were performed in all 13 eyes, and after a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-34 months), anatomical closure was achieved in 12 of 13 eyes (92.3%). Overall, visual acuity (mean ± SE) improved significantly from 1.20 ± 0.15 logMAR (approximate Snellen equivalent, 20/320) at baseline to 0.84 ± 0.11 logMAR (Snellen, ∼ 20/125) during postoperative follow-up ( P < .05). Central and paracentral scotomas were observed in 8 of 11 eyes with postoperative Humphrey visual field 10-2 and/or 24-2 data available. Conclusions: Relaxing parafoveal nasal retinotomy may be an effective method to promote anatomical closure and improve vision outcomes in patients with recalcitrant macular holes.

Davis Bhagat,1 Breanne Kirby,1 Harit Bhatt,1,2 Rama Jager,1,2 Meena George,1,2 Veeral Sheth1,2 1University Retina and Macula Associates, Oak Forest, IL, USA; 2University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USACorrespondence: Veeral ShethUniversity Retina and Macula Associates, 15947 W 127th St Suite E, Lemont, IL 60439, USATel/Fax +1 630 410 8357Email vsheth@gmail.comPurpose: To evaluate treatment-related preferences among patients receiving intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) or diabetic macular edema (DME).Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective survey of patients with nAMD or DME treated at one of three US-based retina clinics. Prior to survey development, small focus groups with anti-VEGF-treated patients identified five treatment-related “attributes” considered important to those with nAMD or DME: vision outcomes, cost to the insurance provider, cost to the patient, frequency of treatment, and drug label status. Attributes were described using two to three “levels”, and hypothetical treatment profiles were generated by assigning one level to each attribute. Surveyed patients were asked to indicate their preference between two given treatment profiles for a total of eight pairwise comparisons. Discrete choice conjoint analysis was performed to estimate the relative importance of each attribute for the overall patient cohort, and for subgroups stratified by age and highest education level.Results: Among 300 respondents, 54% were female, 78% were aged ≥ 65 years, and 67% indicated that high school was their highest level of education. Achieving good vision was the most important factor associated with anti-VEGF therapy for nAMD or DME (relative importance, 40.4%), followed by low cost to the patient, on-label drug status, less frequent treatment intervals, and low cost to the insurance provider (23.1%, 21.3%, 12.2%, and 3.0%, respectively). When patients were stratified by age group or highest education level, preference trends across subgroups were generally comparable with the overall cohort.Conclusion: Our data suggest that treatment decisions regarding anti-VEGF therapies for nAMD or DME are most likely driven by their efficacy, and that patients may be willing to accept less desirable treatment attributes, such as increased cost and/or injection frequency, in order to achieve superior vision outcomes.Keywords: anti-VEGF therapy, conjoint analysis, diabetic macular edema, neovascular age-related macular degeneration, patient preferences

PE firms supposedly create efficiencies through economies of scale, negotiate better contracts with payers, and standardize our practices with the end goal of helping us to provide more efficient patient care High-net-worth investors that think the stock market is overvalued or that are looking for alternative investments are investing their capital with PE firms 3 With interest rates being at all-time lows, these firms are also able to tap into the debt markets The PE firm's goal is to increase value by adding revenue, cutting costs, adding debt, and doing so in the shortest timeline possible 3 The average PE holding period for an investment like this is 5 6 years before they sell the practice and exit their investment 11 Although the younger physician may have had input on the initial sale and the PE firm that they would be working with, there is very little likelihood that they will have any input on who their next owner will be, which can have a negative impact on the practice culture and day-to-day experience for the physicians and their patients In the mid-1990s we saw physician practice management companies raise billions of dollars, purchase numerous physician practices, then go bankrupt 12 We could see a repeat scenario like this if PE shareholders see lower-than-expected returns (ie, from lower reimbursements) or a lack of secondary buyers for the groups the firms have collected (especially in context of the amount of debt taken on during these transactions)

In the United States, diabetic macular edema (DME) is the leading cause of vision loss among people with diabetic retinopathy. Despite the availability of different therapies for DME, up to half of patients with DME show some persistent edema after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment alone, leaving these patients at high risk for vision loss. However, dosing in a similar fashion to that of pivotal anti-VEGF trials is difficult because of real-life challenges faced in clinical practice. This is particularly true for DME, in that the frequency and burden of anti-VEGF injections are a major challenge to patient care. Research evaluating anti-VEGF therapies has shaped the treatment paradigms for patients with DME, and similar benefits have also been noted in clinical trials evaluating the use of intravitreal steroids. Treatment with a long-term intravitreal corticosteroid, which requires fewer injections than treatment with most short-acting therapies, has been found to reduce inflammation and improve vision in a percentage of patients. This roundtable discussion, which took place during the 2018 annual meeting of the Vit-Buckle Society, reviews the current treatment paradigms for DME and evaluates how to customize and optimize treatment strategies geared toward individualized patient care. [ Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina . 2018;49:S5–S15.]

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Purpose To describe a case of acute endophthalmitis caused by Actinomyces neuii after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. Methods Observational case report, review of published literature. Results A 67-year-old white man with wet age-related macular degeneration developed endophthalmitis secondary to A. neuii on the 10th day after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. Both anterior chamber and vitreous cultures were positive for A. neuii. He was treated successfully with intravitreal injection of vancomycin and ceftazidime. Conclusion This is the first published report of culture-positive endophthalmitis caused by A. neuii after intravitreal injection.

To report a case of severe, bilateral, rapidly progressing peripheral retinal nonperfusion associated with underlying aplastic anemia.An interventional case report.A 4-year-old girl presented with decreased visual acuity. On clinical examination, she was found to have a RAPD, elevated intraocular pressure, 360° rubeosis, vitreous hemorrhage, severe exudative retinal detachment, and telangiectasia with severe peripheral retinal nonperfusion. Laboratory workup was significant for pancytopenia, and a bone marrow biopsy showed extreme hypocellularity with no malignant cells. The patient was diagnosed with primary aplastic anemia. She developed dramatic progression of retinal nonperfusion in the left eye, as well as in the fellow right eye. This bilateral retinopathy was poorly responsive to aggressive management, which included laser photocoagulation and intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medications.Asymmetric, bilateral quickly progressing peripheral retinal ischemia, in conjunction with pancytopenia and otherwise negative workup may be related to underlying bone marrow failure and aplastic anemia.