Search

Postoperative cystoid macular oedema (CMO) is a recognised complication of cataract surgery, occurring in around 1.5% of cases. It is generally managed with topical steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. We present a case of a patient who developed bilateral sequential CMO following bilateral sequential cataract surgery which was non-responsive to topical therapy and worsened following sub-Tenons administration of steroid. The patient took fingolimod for multiple sclerosis both prior to and during the period of cataract surgery which is known to result in the development of macular oedema in some patients. On fingolimod cessation, the oedema resolved over a period of 5 months with good visual recovery. We present this case to inform cataract surgeons of the risk of fingolimod-associated macular oedema in patients undergoing cataract surgery and to inform neurologists of the potential need to adjust treatment for patients undergoing cataract surgery.

BACKGROUND Macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion can be refractory to treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents in some patients. We wanted to evaluate the efficacy of single dose of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion, which is refractory to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents. METHODS 32 patients with refractory macular oedema were included in this prospective, interventional, comparative study. 20 patients were included in the study group and received 4 mg / 0.1 ml of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide. 12 patients in control group did not receive any treatment. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) were assessed in each group at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months following injection. RESULTS Mean BCVA in study group improved from 1.36 ± 0.33 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) at baseline to 0.94 ± 0.49 LogMAR at the end of 3 months. Mean CFT at baseline and 3 months was 498.65 ± 90.64 and 331 ± 100.57 microns respectively in the study group. The mean baseline BCVA and CFT in the control group was 1.19 ± 0.43 LogMAR and 428.33 ± 101.75 microns respectively. Mean BCVA and CFT at the end of 3 months was 1.16 ± 0.45 LogMAR and 424.75 ± 98.75 microns respectively. Change in mean BCVA and CFT at baseline and at the end of 3 months was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.000) between the 2 groups. There was increase in macular oedema in the study patients after the 2nd month following injection leading to slight worsening of visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide is an option in the treatment of macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion refractory to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents. However, the efficacy of a single injection is short lived. Multiple injections might be needed to maintain the visual gains. KEYWORDS Retinal Vein Occlusion, Macular Oedema, Refractory, Triamcinolone, Intravitreal

To report evolution and predictive value of intracystic hyperreflective material (ICHRM) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in centre-involving diabetic macular oedema (CI-DME). Demographic and OCT features of patients with treatment-naive CI-DME were analysed retrospectively. OCT parameters noted were macular oedema type, ICHRM presence, presence of hyperreflective spots, disorganised inner retinal layers and outer retinal layers integrity. Eyes were grouped into group 1 CI-DME without ICHRM and group 2 CI-DME with ICHRM. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were done to study the correlation between various OCT features and final vision. In this study, 62 eyes of 50 patients were included in group 1 and 61 eyes of 51 patients in group 2. Mean presenting logMAR vision in groups 1 and 2 was 0.374 ± 0.346 and 0.523 ± 0.369 respectively. Poor final visual acuity was noted in CI-DME with ICHRM group (p = 0.015). On linear regression analysis, 3 OCT features, namely, ICHRM presence (p = 0.034), inner segment–outer segment layer disruption (p = 0.001) and ellipsoid zone defects (p = 0.003), were associated with poor final vision. More intravitreal anti-VEGF (2.98 vs 0.629) and steroid (1.51 vs 0.242) injections were required for macular oedema resolution in ICHRM group. This study is the first to assess the ICHRM on OCT as predictor for treatment outcome in DME eyes. We described its evolution during the DME management and its plausible influence on intravitreal therapy. We believe that this finding has the potential to become a novel biomarker for predicting the visual outcome in DME.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A diabeteses retinopathia minden harmadik cukorbeteget érinti a világban, és a dolgozó korú lakosság körében a vakság vezető oka. Célkitűzés: Tanulmányunk célja a diabeteses retinopathia prevalenciaalapú költségterhének meghatározása 2018-ban a 18 évnél idősebb korú lakosság körében Magyarországon. Módszer: Standardizált ’rapid assessment of avoidable blindness’ (RAAB) + diabeteses retinopathia modul alapú metodikán alapuló modellel analizáltuk a diabeteses retinopathia költségterhét. A diabeteses retinopathia okozta gazdasági terhet a Nemzeti Egészségbiztosítási Alapkezelő és a páciensek oldaláról felmerülő költségeket analizálva vizsgáltuk. A prevalenciaalapú diabeteses retinopathia költségmodellt a skót diabeteses retinopathia klasszifikációnak és a diabeteses retinopathia súlyossági stádiumának megfelelően állítottuk össze. Eredmények: A diabeteses retinopathia költségterhe 43,66 milliárd Ft volt 2018-ban. A két fő költségviselő az anti-VEGF-injekciók (28,91 milliárd Ft) és a vitrectomiák (8,09 milliárd Ft) voltak. Ez a két kezelési mód volt felelős a diabeteses retinopathiával kapcsolatban felmerülő összes költség 84,7%-áért. Az egy páciensre jutó átlagos költségteher 54 691 Ft volt hazánkban. Következtetés: A cukorbetegek szemészeti járó- és fekvőbeteg-ellátása alulfinanszírozott hazánkban. A proliferatív diabeteses retinopathia és a diabeteses maculaoedema növekvő társadalmi-gazdasági terhe miatt érdemes volna javítani a megelőzés, a szűrés és a korai kezelés jelenlegi helyzetén. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(8): 298–305. Summary. Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy affects every third people with diabetes mellitus in the world and is the leading cause of blindness in adults of working age. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the economic burden associated with diabetic retinopathy in people aged 18 years and older in Hungary. Method: Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) with the diabetic retinopathy module (DRM) based diabetic retinopathy cost model study was conducted in Hungary in 2018. Economic burden of diabetic retinopathy was analysed from the perspective of the National Health Insurance Fund system and the patients. Our prevalence-based diabetic retinopathy cost model was performed according to the Scottish diabetic retinopathy grading scale and based on the diabetic retinopathy severity stadium. Results: The total diabetic retinopathy-associated economic burden was 43.66 billion HUF in 2018. The two major cost drivers were anti-VEGF injections (28.91 billion HUF) and vitrectomies (8.09 billion HUF) in Hungary; they covered to 84.7% of the total cost among people with diabetes mellitus. The diabetic retinopathy-related cost per patient was 54 691 HUF in Hungary. Conclusion: Outpatient and inpatient eye care of people with diabetes mellitus are underfinanced in Hungary. Due to the increasing socio-economic burden of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema, it would be important to invest in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema prevention, screening and early treatment. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(8): 298–305.

Introduction Treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis necessitates the use of long-term corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents, each of which poses their own significant side effect profile. Initial treatment requires intensive topical glucocorticoids, with a step-up approach employing immunosuppressive agents for those cases with poor response or high-risk complications such as macular oedema. To date, there is minimal evidence to support a specific approach to such complicated subgroups. We present the first case to successfully employ the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide implant (ILUVIEN®, Alimera Sciences, Hampshire, UK) as a novel device for prolonged intravitreal administration of disease-modifying agents for patients with JIA complicated by uveitis. Methods This retrospective case report describes a 20-year old woman diagnosed with oligoarticular JIA complicated by chronic uveitis and associated cystoid macular oedema (CMO). Considering factors including the patient’s non-compliance, age, lens status, non-steroid response, and good response to short-term intravitreal steroid therapy, the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant was deemed an appropriate step-up treatment option. Results At 12-month follow-up, the left eye (OS) showed an improvement in visual acuity to 6/15 − 1 from 6/60 + 1 (0.42 from 0.98 logMAR) (pre-insertion) and a reduction in central retinal thickness (CRT) of 199 μm from 471 μm. The right eye (OD), treated 10 months later, showed an improvement in visual acuity to 6/7.5 from 6/24 − 1 (0.10 from 0.56 LogMAR) and a reduction in CRT of 327 μm 6 months after treatment. Conclusion In this case, the 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide implant provided safe and effective long-term treatment of JIA-associated uveitis and secondary CMO. This potentially offers an alternative approach to complex cases that show good response to short-term corticosteroid use.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implants (DEX) after anti-VEGF failure in retinal vein occlusion macular oedema. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of DEX implant (0.7 mg) given after anti-VEGF ‘failure’. Switch to DEX occurred if a ⩽ +5 ETDRS letter gain and ⩽20% reduction in central subfield thickness was present following ⩾6 consecutive anti-VEGF injections. The primary endpoint was VA change 30 days after DEX. Secondary outcomes were peak VA change, VA change at monthly timepoints, percentage achieving 15-letter gain, central subfield thickness (CST) and intraocular pressure (IOP). Results: Sixty-two injections in 62 patients associated with 26% central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and 74% branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) were eligible. There was a modest, significant improvement in mean VA change at 30 days compared to baseline (+6 letters, 95% CI +2.2 to +9.1 letters, p Conclusion: DEX implant provides useful rescue therapy in cases of anti-VEGF ‘failure’ for macular oedema following retinal vein occlusion, resulting in improved functional outcomes at 30 days.

Background The current article is a short review of an Alimera Sciences-sponsored symposium held during The 15th International Ocular Inflammation Society Congress in Taiwan on the 14th November 2019 entitled, ‘Preventing relapse of non-infectious uveitis effecting the posterior segment of the eye – evaluating the 0.2 μg/day fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant.’ Main text The fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant was approved in Europe for the prevention of relapse in recurrent non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye and offers a systemic therapy-sparing treatment option by providing low daily dose of corticosteroid into the vitreous for up to 3 years. In the symposium, the presenters reported clinical outcomes from patients with non-infectious uveitis effecting the posterior segment of the eye to support the effectiveness and safety of the implant for up to 3 years in both randomised controlled trials and real-world practices. Conclusions Data showed that over a 36 month period, treatment with the fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant was associated with significantly fewer episodes of uveitic recurrence, a significantly longer time to uveitic recurrence, greater improvement in visual acuity, a lower need for adjunctive therapy, and an acceptable safety profile.

Macular oedema is a rare complication of fingolimod treatment. It usually presents within 3–4 months, but occasionally presents later. It can resolve without treatment despite continuation of fingolimod treatment. Herein we report a case of very late onset macular oedema in a 49-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis treated with fingolimod for 7 years. The patient presented with blurred vision in both eyes with visual acuities of 20/32 in her right eye and 20/25 in her left eye. She had macular oedema, that without discontinuing fingolimod treatment, resolved after 1 month.

Background and purpose Although taxanes are a frequently used group of chemotherapy agents, they can, rarely, lead to macular oedema. The purpose of this article is to review and communicate, in an integrated way, the data of the cases previously reported in the literature, as well as to present a new case. Material and methods Narrative review of reports of cases of macular oedema associated with taxanes, and communication of the clinical case of a 73-year-old woman who, after treatment with paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer, developed macular oedema that disappeared after discontinuing the drug. Results The review included 57 cases with data from 109 eyes collected in 52 articles. The large majority (76.79%) of the cases were women, and the mean age was 58.75 years. The cancer that most frequently motivated the treatment was breast cancer (60.72%), and 92.5% of cases had metastases. The most frequently associated drug was paclitaxel (52.63%). The median time to symptom development was 4.25 months. At the initial examination, 92.86% of the cases had bilateral oedema and the mean visual acuity was 0.4 (decimal scale). The mean macular thickness was 509.63 microns, and 97.83% of the eyes had no or minimal angiographic findings. In 90.57% of the cases, the treatment with taxanes was interrupted, and some other treatment was used in 43.86% of the cases, with the most widely used being acetazolamide. The outcome was favourable, to a greater or lesser extent, in 96.23% of cases. Conclusions Despite being a rare entity, macular oedema associated with the use of taxanes is a disorder that every oncologist and ophthalmologist should be aware of, taking into account the good outcome of the condition that usually occurs when treatment is suspended.

Purpose: Our aim was to analyse the clinical effect of intravitreal bevacizumab treatment for macular oedema due to central/branch retinal vein occlusion (CRVO/BRVO). The end points were final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), BCVA improvement, final central 1-mm macular subfield thickness (CST) and change in CST. Methods: Our study included 34 CRVO and 25 BRVO patients. Patients received intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) treatment at our department. Our control group consisted of 50 CRVO and 30 BRVO patients, who had not received this treatment because their disease developed before the anti-VEGF treatment became available. For statistical analysis, two-sample t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and ANOVA were used. The level of significance was defined at p Results: With the two-sample t-test we found significant improvement of BCVA in the IVB-treated group (CRVO: 0.171 ± 0.270, p1 = 3.25×10-4; BRVO: 0.215 ± 0.282, p2 = 5.52×10-4). The difference in BCVA improvement was also significant compared to the control group (CRVO: p1 = 3.46×10-4; BRVO: p2 = 0.003). Significant decrease was observed in the CST in the treated group (CRVO: -345.114 ± 280.577, p1 = 6.94×10-9; BRVO: –151.875 ± 174.341, p2 = 1.67×10-4). In case of BRVO patients the final BCVA was significantly better in the treated group (0.617 ± 0.334) compared to the control group (0.406 ± 0.357), p = 0.016. Conclusion: IVB treatment results in significantly better final visual acuity and leads to significantly increased BCVA improvement compared to patients with RVO-induced macular oedema receiving no treatment.

Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) can be complicated by macular oedema, requiring intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). CRVO can cause neovascularisation, potentially causing persistent pain if not identified early. Whilst clinical trial data describe visual and anti-neovascular benefit from anti-VEGF there are limited real-world data.A retrospective cohort study of a consecutive series of patients found from a review of the electronic medical record at a single UK centre. Visual acuity, macula status, number of IVIs and neovascular status were extracted at standardised timepoints.In total, 231 eyes from 231 patients were identified with 6-48 months of follow up. Twenty-four months after treatment initiation, 81 eyes (53.3%) had no remaining macula oedema and mean visual acuity gained was 8.9 (SD 19.0) Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters following a mean of 10.1 (3.9) IVIs. Of 222 eyes that had no initial neovascularisation, 11 went on to develop it, with iris involvement in 10 eyes. Median time from treatment initiation to neovascularisation was 17.2 (range 5.0-44.1) months, and the median time from latest IVI to neovascularisation was 9.6 (2.9-27.6) months after a median of 4 (3-10) IVIs.Visual acuity in CRVO complicated by macular oedema improves following anti-VEGF treatment but real-world gains are more modest than those from clinical trials. Neovascularisation following CRVO can be substantially delayed by anti-VEGF treatment and so if individuals who have received IVIs are to be effectively screened for neovascularisation long-term surveillance is necessary.

Background/aims Clinical trials suggest anti-vascular endothelial growth factor is more effective than intravitreal dexamethasone as treatment for macular oedema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. This study asks if ‘real world’ data from a larger and more diverse population, followed for a longer period, also support this conclusion. Methods Data collected to support routine care at 27 NHS (National Health Service) Trusts between February 2002 and September 2017 contained 5661 treatment-naive patients with a single mode of treatment for macular oedema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion and no history of cataract surgery either during or recently preceding the treatment. Number of treatment visits and change in visual acuity from baseline was plotted for three treatment groups (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), intravitreal dexamethasone, macular laser) for up to 3 years. Results Mean baseline visual acuity was 57.1/53.1/62.3 letters in the anti-VEGF/dexamethasone/macular laser groups, respectively. This changed to 66.72 (+9.6)/57.6 (+4.5)/63.2 (+0.9) at 12 months. Adequate numbers allowed analysis at 18 months for all groups (66.6 (+9.5)/56.1 (+3.0)/60.8 (-1.5)) and for anti-VEGF at 36 months (68.0, +10.9) Mean number of treatments were 5.1/1.5/1.2 at 12 months, 5.9/1.7/1.2 at 18 months for all three groups and 10.3 at 36 months for anti-VEGF. Conclusions Visual acuity improvements were higher and more sustained with anti-VEGF. Higher treatment burden occurred with anti-VEGF but this reduced over 36 months. Patients with better vision at baseline than those in the clinical trials maintained high levels of vision with both anti-VEGF and dexamethasone.

ZusammenfassungDas Makulaödem ist die häufigste Ursache einer irreversiblen Visusminderung bei Patienten mit Uveitis. Pathogenetisch führen proinflammatorische Zytokine zu einem Zusammenbruch der Blut-Retina-Schranke. Zur Diagnostik des entzündlichen Makulaödems wird heutzutage überwiegend die optische Kohärenztomografie eingesetzt, welche die Fluoreszenzangiografie jedoch nicht immer zu ersetzen vermag. Die Therapie erfolgt überwiegend mittels intravitreal applizierter Kortikosteroide sowie systemischer immunmodulierender Substanzen und sollte so früh wie möglich einsetzen, um einer Chronifizierung des Makulaödems vorzubeugen.

This review assessed the real-world evidence of the management of macular oedema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). A meta-analysis of 2530 eyes from 48 real-world studies of therapies for macular oedema secondary to BRVO was conducted. Baseline characteristics, visual, anatomical and safety outcomes were recorded. The weighted mean and weighted estimates from random-effects models were calculated for visual acuity (VA) and central subfield thickness (CST) changes at 6, 12 and 24 months. Primary outcome was change in VA (logMAR letters) at 12 months. Study quality was assessed using the quality appraisal checklist for case series developed by Institute of Health Economics. The mean baseline VA for the pooled data was 54.0 (51.5, 56.5) letters and the mean baseline CST was 501.3 (483.5, 519.1) µm. The random-effects estimate for mean (95% CI) change in VA was 14.6 (12.5, 16.7) letters at 12 months (n = 1727). The random-effects estimate for mean (95% CI) change in CST was -181.7 (-230.7, -132.7) µm at 12 months (n = 1325). The quality of studies varied considerably. Ocular and systemic adverse events were discussed in 79% and 42% of treatment arms respectively, with possible under-reporting. Visual and anatomical gains achieved in the real-world for anti-VEGF therapy were not as impressive as seminal RCTs, possibly due to reduced injection frequency in the real world and differences in baseline characteristics. There is an urgent need for consensus on the minimum efficacy, treatment burden and safety data to collect to strengthen the real-world evidence base.摘要: 本文评估了视网膜分支静脉阻塞 (branch retinal vein occlusion, BRVO) 继发黄斑水肿的真实世界治疗证据。我们对来自48项BRVO继发黄斑水肿治疗研究的2530只眼进行了荟萃分析, 记录了基线特征、视力、解剖及安全性结果。另外于6、12、24个月时分别计算随机效应模型的视觉敏锐度 (visual acuity, VA) 和黄斑中心区视网膜厚度 (central subfield thickness, CST) 加权平均值及加权估计值的变化。研究的主要疗效指标为12个月时VA(logMAR 字母数)的改变。研究质量采用卫生经济学研究所开发的病例系列质量评估表进行评估。数据集中后平均基线视力为54.0 个(51.5, 56.5)字母, CST平均基线为501.3 (483.5, 519.1) µm。随机效应估计在第12个月 (n = 1727) 时VA平均 (95% CI) 变化的字母数为14.6 (12.5, 16.7) 个字母, 在12个月 (n = 1325) 时随机效应估计CST平均 (95% CI) 变化的值为-181.7 (−230.7, −132.7) µm。这些研究的质量差异很大。分别有79%和42%的治疗组讨论了眼部和全身不良反应, 但可能存在漏报。抗VEGF疗效在真实世界中视力和解剖方面的预后不如随机对照试验, 可能是由于真实世界中注射频率降低以及在基线特征方面存在差异。如今迫切需要在收集最低疗效、治疗负担和安全性数据上达成共识, 以便加强现实世界的证据基础。.

To evaluate intravitreal conbercept injection for treatment of macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in Chinese patients during 1-year follow-up in the real-world setting. Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients with macular oedema associated with CRVO were retrospectively reviewed. The eyes received monthly intravitreal conbercept injection (0.5 mg in 50 µl) for 3 months. From then on, the patients were followed up every month and received injection pro re nata (PRN) up to 12 months. The primary outcome measurements included changes of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) from baseline to month 3 and month 12. Other outcome measurements included proportion of patients gaining ≥15 letters in BCVA at month 3 and 12, the mean number of injections and safety concerns. The mean BCVA gain from baseline was 12.7 ± 7.6 letters at month 3 and 14.8 ± 9.6 letters at month 12. The mean CRT reduction from baseline was 374.5 ± 280.7 μm at month 3 and 428.2 ± 241.3 μm at month 12. The proportion of patients who gained ≥15 letters in BCVA was 45.1% at month 3 and 52.9% at month 12. The mean number of injections was 7.6 ± 1.5. No severe local and systemic complications occurred following injection. Intravitreal conbercept injection by three monthly loading doses followed by PRN treatment regimen was safe and efficacious for patients with macular oedema secondary to CRVO through 1-year follow-up.

Locally administered steroids have a long history in ophthalmology for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. Anterior segment conditions tend to be treated with topical steroids whilst posterior segment conditions generally require periocular, intravitreal or systemic administration for penetration. Over recent decades, the clinical applications of periocular steroid delivery have expanded to a wide range of conditions including macular oedema from retino‐vascular conditions. Formulations have been developed with the aim to provide practical, targeted, longer‐term and more efficacious therapy whilst minimizing side effects. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the types of periocular steroid delivery, their clinical applications in ophthalmology and their side effects.

International audience; PURPOSE: To compare 12-month treatment outcomes of eyes receiving aflibercept or ranibizumab for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in routine clinical practice. METHODS: 296 treatment-naïve eyes receiving either aflibercept (171 eyes, 2 mg) or ranibizumab (125 eyes, 0.5 mg) for macular oedema secondary to CRVO were recruited retrospectively from centres using the prospectively designed FRB! registry. The primary outcome measure was the mean change in LogMAR letter scores of visual acuity (VA). Secondary outcomes included change in central subfield thickness (CST), injections and visits, time to first grading of inactivity, switching and non-completion from baseline to 12 months. RESULTS: Baseline VA (SD) was somewhat better in aflibercept- versus ranibizumab-treated eyes (42.5 ± 25.5 letters versus 36.9 ± 26 letters; p = 0.07) with similar CST (614 (240) μm versus 616 (234) μm: p = 0.95). The 12-month adjusted mean (95%CI) VA change was +16.6 (12.9, 20.4) letters for aflibercept versus +9.8 (5.5, 14.1) letters for ranibizumab (p = 0.001). The mean (95%CI) adjusted change in CST was significantly greater in aflibercept- versus ranibizumab-treated eyes: -304 (-276, -333) µm versus -252 (-220, -282) µm (p

ObjectiveTo describe patient characteristics and healthcare costs associated with uveitic macular oedema (UME) in US clinical practices from a commercial payer’s perspective.Methods and analysisThe IBM MarketScan Commercial Subset (1 October 2015–31 March 2020) was used to identify patients with non-infectious uveitis (NIU), with or without UME. Patients with UME at any time were further classified into subgroups of patients who received a UME diagnosis during the study period and those who received a UME diagnosis and local steroid injection (LSI) during the study period. Demographic and clinical characteristics, NIU-related treatments and healthcare costs were described for each cohort and subgroup during the most recent 12 months of continuous health plan enrolment. Healthcare costs were also described by vision status among all patients with NIU.ResultsA total of 36 322 patients with NIU were identified, of whom 3 301 (9.1%) had UME and 33 021 (90.9%) had no UME. Patients with UME more frequently received NIU-related treatment compared with those without UME (64.6% vs 45.0%), particularly LSI treatment (12.5% vs 0.7%). Mean total all-cause healthcare costs per-patient-per-year (PPPY) were higher among patients with UME ($19 851) than patients without UME ($16 188) and were especially high among those with bilateral UME ($24 162). Further, vision loss was more commonly observed in those with UME versus those without UME (5.7% vs 2.2%) and a trend of increasing healthcare costs with increasing vision loss was observed.ConclusionNIU is associated with substantial clinical and economic burden, particularly when UME is present.

Background: MIRAgel® (MIRA, Waltham, MA, USA) is a hydrogel scleral buckle introduced in 1979 to treat rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. Its use was discontinued because late complications that require surgical removal were reported. Methods: Case report. Results: We report a case of left eye MIRAgel® buckle surgery 28 years ago presenting with a tender palpable erythematous swelling at the lower lid, with marked conjunctival chemosis and progressive ophthalmoplegia. Imaging revealed a large, well-defined, horseshoe-shaped lesion in the extraconal space of the left orbit with globe distortion, with histological confirmation of an expanded hydrogel buckle. He recovered well following removal of the explant but developed chronic macular oedema a year later, which persisted despite sub-Tenon’s triamcinolone injections. Repeat imaging demonstrated remaining hydrogel explant. Macular oedema settled well upon successful surgical removal with no recurrence to date. Conclusion: Our case is the first to describe macular oedema as a late MIRAgel-related complication, with complete removal of the explant being the definitive treatment. Macular oedema indicates postoperative inflammation secondary to the remaining explant fragments. Given the friability of hydrolysed MIRAgel®, we recommend ophthalmologists to warn patients regarding the possibility of further inflammation in the globe or the orbit in case of incomplete removal.

We describe a case of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated retinal vasculitis in a 21-year-old previously healthy Malay woman, who presented to us with complaints of sudden painless loss of vision in her left eye. Her vision upon presentation was counting fingers and her fundus examination showed retinal vasculitis and ischemic changes. Fundus fluorescein angiography showed leakage from the vasculitic retinal vessels, resulting in macular oedema. All investigations were normal, except that a full blood test showed eosinophilia and an autoimmune screening revealed positive perinuclear staining-ANCA, which led us to diagnose ANCA-associated retinal vasculitis. The patient was comanaged with the rheumatology team. She was started on a high-dose intravenous steroid followed by a tapering dose of an oral steroid. Improvement was noted from the resolution of macular oedema evident on optical coherence tomography of the macula. However, vision remained poor and unchanged.

Background/objectives This post hoc analysis explores the relationship between residual oedema exposure after ranibizumab treatment initiation and long-term visual acuity outcome in eyes with centre-involved diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Subjects/methods Eyes randomised to the ranibizumab + prompt or deferred laser treatment arms in the Protocol I trial and with observed central retinal thickness (CRT) readings at baseline and ≥1 follow-up visits (n = 367) were stratified by 1) oedema duration (number of study visits with CRT ≥ 250 µm during the first 52 weeks of ranibizumab treatment); and 2) oedema extent (amount of excess CRT [≥ 250 µm] at each study visit, averaged over the first 52 weeks). Associations between measures of residual oedema and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were assessed in multiple regression analyses. Results Oedema duration and oedema extent during the first 52 weeks of ranibizumab treatment showed significant negative associations with BCVA improvement at weeks 52, 104 and 156. Eyes with the most persistent oedema gained (mean) 4.4 (95% CI 0.1─8.7) fewer Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters at week 156 than eyes with the least persistent oedema (P = 0.044). Eyes with the greatest amount of oedema gained (mean) 9.3 (95% CI 4.0─14.5) fewer ETDRS letters at week 156 than eyes with the least amount of oedema (P Conclusions Macular oedema exposure over the first 52 weeks of ranibizumab treatment is a negative prognostic factor for long-term visual acuity improvement in centre-involved DMO.

A 35 year-old-man diagnosed with polyarteritis nodosa developed papillophlebitis on his left eye. Throughout the evolution of the disease, he had a macular oedema treated with intravitreal injections of aflibercept, with adequate recovery of visual acuity. He also had episcleritis on the other eye. Papillophlebitis is a non-ischaemic central retinal vein occlusion of inflammatory cause. Polyarteritis nodosa is a systemic necrotising vasculitis characterised by lesions of small and medium sized arteries. Ocular involvement occurs in 10-20% of patients, and typically affects the choroidal arteries. Only arteries are usually affected, but in very rare cases adjacent veins may be involved due to the adjacent inflammation.

Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate microvascular changes in eyes with macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) before and after intravitreal conbercept injection and the correlation of such changes with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and retinal thickness. Methods: Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients treated with a single intravitreal injection of conbercept for macular oedema due to BRVO were included in this study. The automatically measured values of the vessel density in the superficial (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP), the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, the FAZ perimeter, the vessel density within a 300 μm wide ring surrounding the FAZ (FD-300), the acircularity index (AI), the choriocapillaris flow area and the retinal thickness were obtained via OCTA before and at 1 month after initial injection and compared with those of age- and sex- matched healthy subjects. Results: In BRVO eyes, the vascular density in the SCP and DCP, the FD-300 and the flow area of choriocapillaris were significantly lower than those in healthy eyes, while the AI and the retinal thickness were significantly increased. After treatment, the retinal thickness in eyes with BRVO was significantly decreased in all quadrants, and the mean BCVA dramatically increased from 20/162 to 20/78 (p = 0.0017). The mean flow area of choriocapillaris significantly improved after treatment. Moreover, negative correlations between the logMAR BCVA and the whole vascular density in the SCP and DCP as well as the flow area of choriocapillaris were observed. Conclusion: OCTA enables non-invasive, layer-specific and quantitative assessment of microvascular changes in eyes with BRVO before and after treatment, and it can be used as a valuable imaging tool for the evaluation of the follow-up in BRVO patients.

A 55 year-old female patient with unilateral Acute Retinal Necrosis (ARN) developed macular oedema (MO) after the resolution of her necrosis. The macular oedema (MO) was managed and controlled for four years with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Anti-VEGF therapy could be useful for the treatment of MO secondary to ARN, the same as for treating MO resulting from panuveitis, where its efficacy has been already demonstrated.

Background Licensed ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 ml Lucentis®; Novartis International AG, Basel, Switzerland) and aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 ml Eylea®; Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) and unlicensed bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml Avastin®; F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) are used to treat macula oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion, but their relative clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and impact on the UK NHS and Personal Social Services have never been directly compared over the typical disease treatment period. Objective The objective was to compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor agents for the management of macula oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion. Design This was a three-arm, double-masked, randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. Setting The trial was set in 44 UK NHS ophthalmology departments, between 2014 and 2018. Participants A total of 463 patients with visual impairment due to macula oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion were included in the trial. Interventions The participants were treated with repeated intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (n = 155), aflibercept (n = 154) or bevacizumab (n = 154). Main outcome measures The primary outcome was an increase in the best corrected visual acuity letter score from baseline to 100 weeks in the trial eye. The null hypothesis that aflibercept and bevacizumab are each inferior to ranibizumab was tested with a non-inferiority margin of –5 visual acuity letters over 100 weeks. Secondary outcomes included additional visual acuity, and imaging outcomes, Visual Function Questionnaire-25, EuroQol-5 Dimensions with and without a vision bolt-on, and drug side effects. Cost-effectiveness was estimated using treatment costs and Visual Function Questionnaire-Utility Index to measure quality-adjusted life-years. Results The adjusted mean changes at 100 weeks in the best corrected visual acuity letter scores were as follows – ranibizumab, 12.5 letters (standard deviation 21.1 letters); aflibercept, 15.1 letters (standard deviation 18.7 letters); and bevacizumab, 9.8 letters (standard deviation 21.4 letters). Aflibercept was non-inferior to ranibizumab in the intention-to-treat population (adjusted mean best corrected visual acuity difference 2.23 letters, 95% confidence interval –2.17 to 6.63 letters; p = 0.0006), but not superior. The study was unable to demonstrate that bevacizumab was non-inferior to ranibizumab in the intention-to-treat population (adjusted mean best corrected visual acuity difference –1.73 letters, 95% confidence interval –6.12 to 2.67 letters; p = 0.071). A post hoc analysis was unable to demonstrate that bevacizumab was non-inferior to aflibercept in the intention-to-treat population (adjusted mean best corrected visual acuity difference was –3.96 letters, 95% confidence interval –8.34 to 0.42 letters; p = 0.32). All per-protocol population results were the same. Fewer injections were required with aflibercept (10.0) than with ranibizumab (11.8) (difference in means –1.8, 95% confidence interval –2.9 to –0.8). A post hoc analysis showed that more bevacizumab than aflibercept injections were required (difference in means 1.6, 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 2.7). There were no new safety concerns. The model- and trial-based cost-effectiveness analyses estimated that bevacizumab was the most cost-effective treatment at a threshold of £20,000–30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year. Limitations The comparison of aflibercept and bevacizumab was a post hoc analysis. Conclusion The study showed aflibercept to be non-inferior to ranibizumab. However, the possibility that bevacizumab is worse than ranibizumab and aflibercept by 5 visual acuity letters cannot be ruled out. Bevacizumab is an economically attractive treatment alternative and would lead to substantial cost savings to the NHS and other health-care systems. However, uncertainty about its relative effectiveness should be discussed comprehensively with patients, their representatives and funders before treatment is considered. Future work To obtain extensive patient feedback and discuss with all stakeholders future bevacizumab NHS use. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN13623634. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 38. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

To investigate the association between the central retinal thickness (CRT), the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL), and the functional alterations in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients.Forty-three patients with typical RP and nineteen age-matched controls, who underwent SD-OCT (macular and optic disc OCT protocols) and electrophysiology, were included. The RP group was divided into two subgroups: with clinical appearance of macular oedema (ME-RP; 30 eyes) and without macular oedema (no-ME; 44 eyes). Central retinal thickness OCT data were averaged in three zones (zone 1 [0°-3°], zone 2 [3°-8°], and zone 3 [8°-15°]) and were evaluated in relation to the RNFL thickness and electrophysiological data.The ME-RP group showed increased CRT (zone 1) and RNFL thickness compared to the controls and no-ME-RP (p ≤ 0.002). The no-ME-RP group had reduced CRT thickness (all zones; p ≤ 0.018) compared to the controls and ME-RP, whereas the RNFL thickness in the no-ME-RP group was reduced only compared to the ME-RP group (p 0.001). The ME-RP group showed significantly more attenuated functional responses than the no-ME-RP patients. A significant positive interaction was found between the CRT (zones 1 and 2) and the RNFL thickness within ME-RP (p ≤ 0.010). Significant negative interactions were found between CRT, RNFL thickness, and functional findings within ME-RP (p ≤ 0.049).The presence of macular oedema correlated well with increased RNFL thickness and residual function in RP patients. Such association provides evidence of an underlying transneuronal mechanism of retinal degeneration. Simultaneous monitoring of CRT and RNFL thickness may help in the future to evaluate the progression of the disease and the efficacy of treatments in RP patients.ZIEL: Zusammenhang zwischen zentraler Netzhautdicke (CRT) und retinaler Nervenfaserschichtdicke (RNFL) und Funktion bei Patienten mit Retinitis pigmentosa (RP).Eingeschlossen wurden Patienten mit typischer RP und eine altersgleiche Kontrollgruppe, die sich einem SD-OCT (Makula- und Sehnervenkopf-OCT) und Elektrophysiologie unterzogen. Die RP-Gruppe wurde in 2 Untergruppen aufgeteilt: mit klinischem Erscheinungsbild eines Makulaödems (ME-RP; 30 Augen) und ohne Makulaödem (no-ME; 44 Augen). Die Daten des Makula-OCT wurden in 3 Zonen (Zone 1 [0°–3°], Zone 2 [3°–8°] und Zone 3 [8°–15°]) gemittelt und in Bezug auf die RNFL-Dicke und elektrophysiologischen Daten ausgewertet.Die ME-RP-Gruppe zeigte eine erhöhte zentrale retinale Dicke (CRT) (Zone 1) und retinale Nervenfaserschichtdicke (RNFL) im Vergleich zur Kontroll- und no-ME-RP-Gruppe (p ≤ 0,002). Bei der Gruppe no-ME-RP war die CRT-Dicke (aller Zonen; p ≤ 0,018) im Vergleich zu den Kontrollen und der ME-RP reduziert, während die RNFL-Dicke in der Gruppe no-ME-RP nur im Vergleich zur ME-RP-Gruppe reduziert war (p 0,001). Die ME-RP-Gruppe zeigte verglichen zu den no-ME-RP-Patienten eine signifikante Abschwächung der funktionellen Parameter. Es wurde eine signifikante positive Interaktion zwischen der CRT (Zone 1 und 2) und der RNFL-Dicke innerhalb der ME-RP-Gruppe gefunden (p ≤ 0,010). Signifikante negative Interaktionen wurden zwischen CRT-Dicke, RNFL-Dicke und funktionellen Veränderungen innerhalb der ME-RP-Gruppe (p ≤ 0,049) gefunden.Das Vorliegen eines Makulaödems korrelierte gut mit der Zunahme der RNFL-Dicke und residueller Funktion bei RP-Patienten. Eine solche Assoziation liefert Hinweise auf einen gemeinsam zugrunde liegenden transneuronalen Mechanismus der Netzhautdegeneration. Die gleichzeitige Überwachung der CRT- und RNFL-Dicke könnte in Zukunft helfen, das Fortschreiten der Krankheit und die Wirksamkeit von Behandlungen bei RP-Patienten zu beurteilen.

Purpose: To report subthreshold micropulse laser as novel treatment modality for exudative maculopathy associated with adult Coats’ disease. Methods: A 27-year old, young male presented with exudative maculopathy in adult onset Coat’s disease with profound diminution of vision. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomogram (SD-OCT) revealed macular oedema with significant subfoveal hard exudates with massive subretinal exudations temporal to macula. He was planned for anti-VEGF injection to treat macular oedema in order to preserve vision but developed conjunctivitis which made any interventional procedure impossible. Patient was managed with subthreshold micro pulse laser using 532 nm green laser. Results: Patient had significant improvement in vision, resolution of macular oedema as well as hard exudate without any adverse effects on fovea. Conclusion: Novel treatment approach in form of subthreshold micro pulse laser could be an alternative treatment modality for exudative maculopathy associated with adult onset Coat’s disease, especially in cases where other available interventional treatment options are not possible.

Background/aimsTo evaluate the outcomes of eyes with macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) that are lost to follow-up (LTFU) after antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections.MethodA retrospective, single-centre, consecutive case series of RVO patients receiving injections who were LTFU >6 months was conducted. Data were collected from the visit before LTFU; return visit; 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after return; and the final visit.ResultsNinety eyes of 83 patients were included. Fifty (55.5%) eyes had branch RVO and 40 (44.5%) had central RVO. Mean LTFU duration was 277.8 days with additional mean follow-up for 748.1 days after return. Mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA) (Snellen) at the visit before LTFU was 0.72 (20/105) which worsened on return [1.04 (20/219), pConclusionRVO patients receiving anti-VEGF injections who were LTFU experienced a decline in VA that did not return to the levels seen before LTFU despite improvement in CFT after restarting therapy, underscoring the importance of ongoing treatment.

PURPOSE To assess the prevalence of vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) in consecutive naive eyes diagnosed with macular oedema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and to longitudinally evaluate the incidence of vitreomacular interface changes over time and the influence on response to treatment. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional analysis and longitudinal cohort study conducted at two Italian tertiary referral centres. METHODS A total of 295 eyes, treated with intravitreal ranibizumab and/or dexamethasone for ME secondary to RVO between June 2008 and May 2018, were enrolled in the study. 280 fellow eyes met the inclusion criteria and were included as control group. The vitreomacular interface status was evaluated by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and graded according to the OCT-based International Classification System developed by the International Vitreomacular Traction Study (IVTS) group. RESULTS At baseline, VMA was present in 130 (44.07%) RVO eyes and 142 (50.7%) control eyes (no statistically significant difference was found; p = 0.455). Mean follow-up (FU) was 35.98 months (min 6 - max 112). Throughout the FU, the incidence of spontaneous release of VMA (RVMA) in RVO eyes was significantly higher in comparison with that of the control group [59 (41.84%) RVO eyes versus 18 (12.33%) control eyes; p

This study aims to describe vessel density differences in tractional versus exudative macular oedema with the aid of novel custom imaging analysis techniques. In this retrospective study, patients with exudative and tractional macular oedema were imaged with optical coherence tomography (OCT), en-face OCT, OCT-angiography and fluorescein angiography. A novel image processing algorithm was developed to extrapolate data from the vessel density maps. Forty-one eyes of 36 patients were included. A total of 30 control eyes comprised the control group. At the deep capillary plexus (DCP), exudative eyes presented with a vessel density of 62.12 ± 5.7, significantly higher if compared to both tractional lamellar macular hole (57.6 ± 4.6, p = 0.004) and controls (52.07 ± 2.3, p

Background/AimsTo compare the efficacy of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) with aflibercept (2 mg) in the treatment of cystoid macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) over 12 months.MethodsA multicentre, international, database observational study recruited 322 eyes initiating therapy in real-world practice over 5 years. The main outcome measure was mean change in EDTRS letter scores of visual acuity (VA). Secondary outcomes included anatomic outcomes, percentage of eyes with VA >6/12 (70 letters), number of injections and visits, time to first inactivity, switching or non-completion.ResultsGeneralised mixed effect models demonstrated that mean (95% CI) adjusted 12-month VA changes for ranibizumab and aflibercept were similar (+10.8 (8.2 to 13.4) vs +10.9 (8.3 to 13.5) letters, respectively, p=0.59). The mean adjusted change in central subfield thickness (CST) was greater for aflibercept than ranibizumab (−170 (−153 to –187) µm vs −147 (−130 to –164) µm, respectively, p=0.001). The overall median (Q1, Q3) of 7 (4, 8) injections and 9 (7, 11) visits was similar between treatment groups. First grading of inactivity occurred sooner with aflibercept (p=0.01). Switching was more common from ranibizumab (37 eyes, 23%) than from aflibercept (17 eyes, 11%; p=0.002).ConclusionVisual outcomes at 12 months in this direct comparison of ranibizumab and aflibercept for BRVO in real-world practice were generally good and similar for the 2 drugs, despite a greater effect of aflibercept on CST and time to first grading of inactivity.

Purpose In the absence of pre-admission testing for colour blindness, many of the currently practicing ophthalmologists are colour blind, accordingly their accuracy of distinguishing fine diabetic retinopathy (DR) changes is still unknown. This study aims to assess the accuracy of diagnosing and staging diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema among protonopic, deutronopic and tritanopic ophthalmologists. Methods Cross-sectional assessment of fundus images that were prepared to simulate the appearance in cases of colour blindness. We assessed the accuracy of staging diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema by a retina specialist on colour-blind simulated images. We used randomiser.org to randomly select images to be simulated by the previously validated Vischeck colour blindness simulator. Results A total of 150 simulated images were reviewed, 50 images for each of simulated protanopia, deuteranopia and tritanopia. We found that the accuracy for staging DR and macular oedema for protanope grader were 50% and 60%, respectively. Accuracy within one stage difference for DR and macular oedema were 88% and 90%, respectively. For deuteranopes, 56% and 64% accuracy for DR and macular oedema, respectively. Accuracy within one stage difference for DR and macular oedema were 86% and 90%, respectively. For Tritanope, 62% and 84% accuracy for DR and macular oedema, respectively. Conclusion Colour vision is important for distinguishing fine details during retina assessment in diabetic retinopathy patients. Colour blindness is associated with low accuracy in staging diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema, particularly among protonopic graders, and to a lesser extent in tritanopic graders.

AimsTo analyse the prevalence and postoperative outcomes of a particular form of epiretinal membrane (ERM) with foveoschisis-like stretched hyporeflective spaces in emmetropic eyes.MethodsA retrospective study of all consecutive eyes operated for primary ERM over a 46-month period was conducted. The presence of foveoschisis-like stretched hyporeflective spaces was assessed on the preoperative optical coherence tomography B-scan in all eyes. Highly myopic eyes were excluded. Preoperative and postoperative characteristics of eyes with foveoschisis were compared with those of a control group of 100 consecutive eyes with primary ERM without cystoid spaces.ResultsOf 544 eyes with primary ERM, 17 had foveoschisis, corresponding to a prevalence of 3.1%. After a mean postoperative follow-up of 17.9±10.9 months, the foveoschisis had completely resolved in 76.5% of eyes (n=13/17). In the four eyes (23.5%) with persistent foveoschisis, the remaining hyporeflective cystoid spaces were located exclusively in the inner nuclear layer. The postoperative visual acuity and central macular thickness did not differ between both groups at the final visit. However, an acute postoperative macular oedema occurred in 24% (n=4/17) of cases (vs 3% in the control group; p=0.0084).ConclusionFoveoschisis was found in about 3% of eyes with idiopathic ERM. After peeling, the foveoschisis usually resolves completely with functional outcomes similar to those achieved with other primary ERM. However, this feature was associated with a higher risk of postoperative macular oedema (in 1/4 of cases).

Background/AimsTo assess the effectiveness, burden and safety of two categories of treatment for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO): intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) and dexamethasone (Ozurdex).MethodsA retrospective analysis of Medisoft electronic medical record (EMR) data from 27 National Health Service sites in the UK identified 4626 treatment-naive patients with a single mode of treatment for macular oedema secondary to CRVO. Statistics describing the overall CRVO patient cohort and individual patient subpopulations stratified by treatment type were generated. Mean age at baseline, gender, ethnicity, social deprivation and visual acuity (VA) follow-up was reported. Absolute and change in VA using ETDRS are used to describe treatment effectiveness, the number of injections and visits used to describe treatment burden and endophthalmitis rates as a marker of treatment safety.ResultsMean VA was 47.9 and 45.3 EDTRS letters in the anti-VEGF and Ozurdex groups, respectively. This changed to 57.9/53.7 at 12 months, 58.3/46.9 at 18 months and 59.4/51.0 at 36 months. Mean number of injections were 5.6/1.6 at 12 months, 6.0/1.7 at 18 months and 7.0/1.8 at 36 months. Endophthalmitis rates were 0.003% (n=4) for the anti-VEGF group and 0.09% (n=1) for the Ozurdex group.ConclusionsVA improvements were greater and more sustained with anti-VEGF treatment. Lower starting acuity resulted in bigger gains in both groups, while higher starting acuity resulted in higher VA at 36 months. Although treatment burden was greater with anti-VEGF, Ozurdex was associated with higher rates of endophthalmitis.

In this study, we investigated the longitudinal correlation between macular sensitivity and perfusion density (PD) in retinas affected by branch retinal vein occlusion. Retinal sensitivity was measured using microperimetry and PD was measured by optical coherence tomography angiography. We also investigated the possibility that the PD, 1 month after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment, is a predictor of retinal sensitivity after 1 year of successful macular oedema management with anti-VEGF. The correlation between measurements of retinal sensitivity and PD at baseline (1 M) and at 6 and 12 months were investigated. There was a significant positive correlation between retinal sensitivity and PD at all time points (baseline (1 M), r = 0.67, P P P P

Macular oedema is a known side effect to fingolimod, but changes in specific areas of the retina are only sparsely described. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of macular oedema and characterize macular changes after initiation of fingolimod based on routine ophthalmological examinations in all consecutive patients treated at our hospital. We evaluated macular thickness change from baseline to 3-4 months after initiation of treatment. Central retinal thickness, total macular volume, total macular thickness, average thickness and inner-/outer macular thickness were automatically measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). A total of 190 eyes completed the study, and none of those developed visible macular oedema. All macular areas showed a small, but statistically significant increase in thickness. Total macular volume increased by a mean of 0.05 mm 3 (P =

Introduction: Collection of fluid in the macula is called macular oedema. It is a manifestation of various pathologies, main being diabetic retinopathy. Since the burden of the disease is immense and can cause blindness, its early detection and treatment are of utmost necessity. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a fast, efficacious and easy diagnostic tool for detecting macular oedema at the earliest and hence is used widely now. Intravitreal Injection Bevacizumab (IVB) is an anti Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) agent effective in the treatment of macular oedema and is cost effective compared to its contemporaries. Aim: To study the clinical effectiveness of IVB as measured by Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) changes in macular thickness in patients with macular oedema. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 32 eyes of 30 patients with macular oedema due to various retinal pathologies that underwent IVB and followed-up for a period of minimum 6 months. The outcomes were measured on SD-OCT at baseline then at one month, three months and six months. Morphological changes were also analysed through the OCT pictures. Paired t-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The Central Foveal Thickness (CFT) reduced from 445.28±155.87 μm at baseline to 334.44±100.42 μm at one month which was statistically significant (p

This study was performed to evaluate clinical characteristics of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) patients with increased retinal haemorrhage during macular oedema (MO) treatment. Patients were divided into increased and non-increased retinal haemorrhage groups. The former group was sub-divided based on the degree of increase

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular oedema (DME) and their associated risk factors in patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.Methods and analysisWe carried out a cross-sectional study from April 2014 to August 2017. We included patients aged ≥18 years. Diabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose of >7.8 mmol/L or 2-hour postload plasma glucose of >11.1 mmol/L. Non-mydriatic fundus examination with a digital-fundus camera was performed. Three images centred in the macula, optic disc and temporal to the macula were obtained and graded according to the Scottish Scale Classification of Diabetic Retinopathy.Results1232 patients (mean age 51.5 years) with a diabetes duration of 0–5 years were examined. Age-adjusted and sex-adjusted prevalence of DR and DME was 17.4% (95% CI 15.3% to 19.6%) and 6.6% (95% CI 5.4% to 8.2%), respectively. DR was associated with diabetes duration (OR per year=1.20, pConclusionOur study contributes to the evidence of progressive increase in DR and DME risk in early stages of diabetes, supporting the urgent need for early screening.

We aimed to evaluate whether macular laser still has a role in the treatment of macular oedema (MO) caused by branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and provide an overview of recent studies on commonly available treatment options. A literature search was last conducted in PubMed on 26 February 2019, limited to human randomized controlled trials published in English since 2008. Seventeen articles addressing 13 trials were included in this assessment. In trials evaluating intravitreal corticosteroid and macular laser, triamcinolone was non-inferior to laser in regard to visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) outcomes. Combination treatment of dexamethasone and laser resulted in better VA and lower CRT after 6 months. In trials evaluating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors versus macular laser treatment, or sham and rescue laser, better VA and CRT of VEGF inhibition treatment was consistently reported. Results of combination treatment versus VEGF inhibition monotherapy were inconsistent, with four of six studies reporting comparable outcomes and injection burden. Study comparison was affected by considerable differences in study design and inadequate reporting of laser protocol and rescue laser. Studies evaluating angiostatic treatment as monotherapy largely report the use of rescue laser, indicating that some patients would benefit from supplemental laser treatment even in the era of intravitreal therapy. Thus, we suggest further studies on optimal design of combination therapy prioritizing longer follow-up time to sufficiently evaluate the delayed effect of laser.

Background Whether they are injected peri- or intraocularly, corticosteroids are still essential tools in the therapeutic arsenal for treating inflammatory macular oedema. A few years ago, however, only triamcinolone acetonide was available to ophthalmologists. While this compound was initially developed for rheumatological or dermatological use, it has been increasingly deployed in ophthalmology, despite still being off-label. In 2011, the system for delivery of dexamethasone from a biodegradable, injectable implant into the vitreous cavity obtained approval for use in inflammatory macular oedema. While the efficacy and safety of triamcinolone in macular oedema, including inflammatory oedema, have already been studied, there are currently no publications on subconjunctival triamcinolone injections, which are simple, effective and well tolerated. To date, the dexamethasone 700 μg implant has been authorized for the treatment of noninfectious intermediate and posterior uveitis, but there have been no studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the different peri- and intraocular strategies, including the treatment of inflammatory macular oedema. Methods This protocol is therefore designed to compare the efficacy and safety of peri- and intraocular corticosteroid injections in the treatment of inflammatory macular oedema. In this ongoing study, 142 patients will be included, and the oedematous eye will be randomised to treatment with either subconjunctival triamcinolone injection or an intravitreal implant containing 700 μg dexamethasone. Follow-up is planned for 6 months with monthly visits. Each visit will include visual acuity measurement, a slit lamp examination, fundoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, laser flare measurement (if available) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Discussion The results of this trial will have a real impact on public health if it is shown that a Kenacort retard® (i.e. triamcinolone) injection costing just €2.84 and performed in the physician’s office (with no additional overhead costs) is at least as effective as the dexamethasone 700 μg implant (Ozurdex®; costing approximately €960 with the injection performed in a dedicated room), with no increased side effects. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02556424. Registered on 22 September 2015.

Introduction To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI) in patients with macular oedema associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) using enhanced-depth image optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and to estimate the effect of dexamethasone on the choroid and the retinal vascular network using OCT angiography (OCTA). Methods Fifteen eyes in 15 patients with macular oedema secondary to diabetes (DR, n = 8) or retinal vein occlusion (RVO, n = 7) were treated with intravitreal injection of sustained-release IDI. Primary efficacy end points were changes in best corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT). Secondary end points were changes in choroidal thickness and choroidal and retinal vascular networks as determined by OCTA. Results CMT was significantly reduced from baseline by 3 h after injection (p

Aflibercept is a hybrid protein-imitation of VEGF receptor with a prolonged activity. The review describes the structural properties of the Aflibercept molecule, the impact of the medication on the pathogenesis of retinal diseases, and the results of clinical studies into the safety and effectiveness of Aflibercept in the therapy of age related macular degeneration (VIEW1, VIEW2), diabetic macular oedema (VISTA, VIVID), macular oedema caused by the occlusion of the central retinal vein (GALILEO, COPERNICUS) or its branches (VIBRANT), and myopic choroidal neovascularization (MYRROR) Russian ophthalmological journal. 2017; 10 (2): 103-11. (in Russian). doi: 10.21516/2072-0076-2017-10-2-103-111.

Introduction To investigate treatment outcomes after switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept intravitreal injections in patients with macular oedema (MO) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods Eligible patients with refractory MO secondary to BRVO, post treatment with a minimum of three intravitreal injections of ranibizumab at 4-weekly intervals were recruited. Suboptimal or non-responders were defined as patients who had persistent intraretinal fluid (

To systematically review anatomical and functional outcomes of switching therapy from bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab to aflibercept in patients with persistent macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusions (RVO). A systematic search of aflibercept for the treatment of persistent macular oedema secondary to branch and central RVO was performed in EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases prior to June 2017. The main outcome variables described were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT). All results were analysed and pooled using random-effects models with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Eight studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 137 eyes, incorporating both branch and central RVO. Meta-analysis demonstrated a nonsignificant change in BCVA at 6 and 12 months following switch to aflibercept (4.40 letters, 95% CI: -3.10 to 11.90, p = 0.25 and 3.10 letters, 95% CI: -1.74 to 7.94, p = 0.21, respectively). Significant improvement in mean CMT was observed after switch to aflibercept at 6 (-256.00 μm, 95% CI: -318.00 to -194.00, p < 0.001) but not 12 months (-118.00 μm, 95% CI: -261.00 to 25.00, p = 0.11). Switching from bevacizumab/ranibizumab to aflibercept may improve persistent macular oedema secondary to RVO. However, there may be a limitation in the potential of visual recovery.

IMPORTANCE Cataract is one of the most common complications associated with uveitis, and is the leading cause of vision loss in these patients. BACKGROUND The study aimed to evaluate the effect of phacoemulsification on the long-term clinical outcome and inflammation control in uveitis patients. DESIGN Longitudinal study. PARTICIPANTS Of 1907 eyes with uveitis, 309 eyes underwent phacoemulsification were compared to a control group of 300 phakic eyes with uveitis. METHOD The risk of vision loss and macular oedema in pseudophakic eyes were compared to the phakic group. The rates of corticosteroids administration and uveitis relapse were also measured in pseudophakic eyes and compared to preoperative period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in uveitis activity post phacoemulsification by measuring rate of uveitis relapse and use of topical and systemic steroids. Also, to measure the risk of vision loss and macular oedema post surgery. RESULTS Over a median follow-up time of 6.7 years or 2249 eye-years (EY), pseudophakic eyes had a greater risk of vision loss (hazard ratio [HR] 2.4, CI 1.4 to 4.0; P 7.5 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There was no significant increase in uveitis relapse rate post-phacoemulsification with the use of current prophylactic inflammation control measures.

Background: Optical Coherence Tomography is a very sensitive modality for detection of even subclinical macular edema and provides both qualitative and quantitative results used in monitoring and follow up of patients before and after treatment of ME. However, B-Scan Ultrasonography is a non-Invasive diagnostic tool that has the advantage of reliably imaging the posterior segment regardless of the ocular media status and it is less dependent on patient cooperation. Aim of the Work: To report sensitivity and specificity of B-scan Ultrasonography in detection of macular edema. Patients and methods: This observational case series was conducted on Forty eyes of 20 patients examined at the ophthalmology clinic of Cairo Fatimic Hospital. They were asked to participate and were enrolled in this study in the period from December 2017 to March 2018. Results: There was high degree of agreement between clinical diagnosis and echographic findings of macular thickening. The sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of B-scan ultrasonography to detect ME were 91.7% (22/24) and 84.6% (22/26) respectively. The specificity and negative predictive value (NPV) of B-scan ultrasonography to detect ME were 75% (12/16) and 85.7% (12/14), respectively. And consequently, the diagnostic accuracy of B-scan ultrasonography to diagnose ME was found to be 85% (34/40). Conclusion: Optical Coherence Tomography is the most sensitive method to diagnose macular edema both qualitatively and quantitatively, but in certain circumstances when performing OCT would be difficult or even impossible, B-Scan Ultrasonography provides an acceptable method to qualitatively detect macular edema.