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Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of healthy subjects and examine the magnification effect. Methods: A total of 33 healthy volunteers were enrolled and all subjects were eligible for analysis. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examination scanned 3 × 3 mm of the macular area. The FAZ area was measured on the superficial OCTA en face image with and without correction by axial length. The relationship between changes in the FAZ area after correction with the axial length was examined. Results: The mean age was 21.9 ± 0.6 years. The mean axial length was 24.87 ± 1.17 mm and mean spherical equivalent (SE) value was –3.64 ± 2.83 diopters (D). The FAZ area was 0.26 ± 0.10 mm2 before the axial length correction and 0.27 ± 0.10 mm2 after the correction. In the eyes that had an axial length longer than or equal to 26 mm or SE less than or equal to –6 D, the FAZ area after correction was significantly larger than that before correction (p < 0.01). The change of FAZ area after correction with axial length was significantly correlated with the axial length (R2 = 0.88, p < 0.01) or SE value (R2 = 0.55, p < 0.01). Conclusion: FAZ areas were comparable to previous reports. In high myopic cases, the magnification effect needs to be considered when evaluating the FAZ area.

Changes in retinal vasculature and ocular circulation may play an important role in the glaucoma development and progression. We evaluated the vertical asymmetry across the temporal raphe of the deep retinal layer vessel density, using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA), and its relationship with the central visual field (VF) loss. Thirty-four eyes of 27 patients with open-angle glaucoma were included. SS-OCTA macular scanning was performed within a 3 × 3 mm (300 × 300 pixels) volume, centred on the fovea. The relationships between the vertical asymmetrical deep retinal vessel density reduction (ADRVD) across the temporal raphe and various ocular parameters were analysed. Twenty-two glaucomatous eyes with ADRVDs had central VF loss. Contrarily, ADRVDs were not found in any of the 12 eyes without central VF loss. Thirteen eyes (59.1%) with central VF loss had ADRVDs topographically corresponding to the central VF loss and macular ganglion cell complex thinning. The glaucomatous eyes with ADRVDs exhibited inferior rather than superior central VF loss (P = 0.032). Thus, ADRVD specifically indicates the glaucomatous central visual loss. Further analysis of ADRVD may improve our understanding on glaucoma pathogenesis, offering new treatment insights.

Purpose In various ophthalmic surgical procedures, 0.25% povidone-iodine (PI) solution is used to prevent infections. This study examined the bacterial colonisation before and after endoscopic nasolacrimal duct intubation irrigated with PI solution and investigated the relationship between bacterial detection and surgical failure. Methods A retrospective study at Saitama Medical University Hospital. We enrolled 113 patients (33 men, 80 women) who underwent lacrimal intubation surgery between April 2016 and December 2018. Preoperatively, the lacrimal pathways were washed with normal saline solution, which was subsequently cultured. The sites of obstruction in the lacrimal pathway were endoscopically determined, perforated, and intubated. The tubes were afterward either irrigated with 0.25% PI or normal saline every 2 weeks. After 8 weeks, a piece of the removed lacrimal tube was cultured. We characterized the pre- and postoperative bacterial cultures. Results We enrolled 54 and 52 patients in PI and saline groups (mean age: 69.1±9.2 and 73.2±7.2 years), respectively. In the PI group, Staphylococcus epidermidis was less frequently detected postoperatively than preoperatively. S. oralis and Candida parapsilosis were identified more often postoperatively (P=0.02, P=0.01, respectively). The PI group had significantly lower bacterial detection rate than the saline group (P=0.01). However, the surgical failure rates did not differ between groups. In surgical failure patients, the postoperative rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was very high (75%). Conclusion PI reduces the bacterial detection rate but does not improve the surgical success rate. P. aeruginosa is associated with an increased risk of surgical failure.

Background/AimsTo evaluate quantitative changes in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area after glaucoma surgery using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).MethodsFifty-four consecutive patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) who met the inclusion criteria and underwent unilateral glaucoma surgery to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) between April 2018 and July 2019.Eyes underwent IOP-lowering glaucoma surgery and their fellow (non-surgical) eyes were included. OCTA of the macula was performed in both eyes before glaucoma surgery and 3 months postoperatively. Two blinded examiners reviewed the image quality. Within- and between-group comparisons of the FAZ area and correlation of the FAZ area with age, IOP, central sensitivity and clinical variables.ResultsThe mean (±SD) age was 66.7±11.3 years. After surgery, the IOP and FAZ area significantly decreased from 22.1±9.5 mmHg to 10.3±3.5 mmHg and from 0.485±0.193 mm2 to 0.446±0.174 mm2, respectively (both p2 and 0.396±0.110 mm2, respectively) did not significantly differ (p=0.469). Change in the FAZ area significantly correlated with the preoperative FAZ area, preoperative foveal sensitivity and change in IOP (all pConclusionsThe FAZ area is decreased with IOP-lowering surgery in patients with POAG, and change in the FAZ area was significantly correlated with both preoperative foveal sensitivity and change in IOP.

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Peripherin-2 (PRPH2) is one of the causative genes of inherited retinal dystrophy. While the gene is relatively common in Caucasians, reports from Asian ethnicities are limited. In the present study, we report 40 Japanese patients from 30 families with PRPH2-associated retinal dystrophy. We identified 17 distinct pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants using next-generation sequencing. Variants p.R142W and p.V200E were relatively common in the cohort. The age of onset was generally in the 40’s; however, some patients had earlier onset (age: 5 years). Visual acuity of the patients ranged from hand motion to 1.5 (Snellen equivalent 20/13). The patients showed variable phenotypes such as retinitis pigmentosa, cone-rod dystrophy, and macular dystrophy. Additionally, intrafamilial phenotypic variability was observed. Choroidal neovascularization was observed in three eyes of two patients with retinitis pigmentosa. The results demonstrate the genotypic and phenotypic variations of the disease in the Asian cohort., Genes, 12(11), art. no. 1817; 2021

Peripherin-2 (PRPH2) is one of the causative genes of inherited retinal dystrophy. While the gene is relatively common in Caucasians, reports from Asian ethnicities are limited. In the present study, we report 40 Japanese patients from 30 families with PRPH2-associated retinal dystrophy. We identified 17 distinct pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants using next-generation sequencing. Variants p.R142W and p.V200E were relatively common in the cohort. The age of onset was generally in the 40’s; however, some patients had earlier onset (age: 5 years). Visual acuity of the patients ranged from hand motion to 1.5 (Snellen equivalent 20/13). The patients showed variable phenotypes such as retinitis pigmentosa, cone-rod dystrophy, and macular dystrophy. Additionally, intrafamilial phenotypic variability was observed. Choroidal neovascularization was observed in three eyes of two patients with retinitis pigmentosa. The results demonstrate the genotypic and phenotypic variations of the disease in the Asian cohort.

The extraction of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images has been used in many studies in recent years due to its association with various ophthalmic diseases. In this study, we investigated the utility of a dataset for deep learning created using Kanno Saitama Macro (KSM), a program that automatically extracts the FAZ using swept-source OCTA. The test data included 40 eyes of 20 healthy volunteers. For training and validation, we used 257 eyes from 257 patients. The FAZ of the retinal surface image was extracted using KSM, and a dataset for FAZ extraction was created. Based on that dataset, we conducted a training test using a typical U-Net. Two examiners manually extracted the FAZ of the test data, and the results were used as gold standards to compare the Jaccard coefficients between examiners, and between each examiner and the U-Net. The Jaccard coefficient was 0.931 between examiner 1 and examiner 2, 0.951 between examiner 1 and the U-Net, and 0.933 between examiner 2 and the U-Net. The Jaccard coefficients were significantly better between examiner 1 and the U-Net than between examiner 1 and examiner 2 (p < 0.001). These data indicated that the dataset generated by KSM was as good as, if not better than, the agreement between examiners using the manual method. KSM may contribute to reducing the burden of annotation in deep learning.

To evaluate the correlation between macular retinal function and the changes in the macular retinal vascular structure in glaucomatous eyes.The study included patients with glaucoma who visited Saitama Medical University and underwent optical coherence tomography angiography, and multifocal electroretinographic examinations at the same time between February 2020 and April 2021. Correlations among the ocular parameters, macular vessel density, and multifocal electroretinographic parameters were evaluated using a mixed model.Forty-one eyes (mean deviation, -12.4 ± 7.8 dB) of 24 subjects (mean age, 75.2 ± 8.3 years) were included in the analysis. There were no significant correlations for macular vessel density in the superficial retinal layer. However, macular vessel density in the deep retinal layer showed a significant positive correlation with P1-N1 amplitude (coefficient = 0.724; P = 0.001). There were no significant correlations between the optical coherence tomography parameters and any of the multifocal electroretinographic parameters.A decrease in N1-P1 amplitude was observed in glaucomatous eyes in relation to a reduction in macular vessel density in the deep retinal layer, which suggests that ischemia-induced bipolar cell dysfunction may be involved in the intermediate retinal dysfunction associated with glaucoma.Intermediate retinal dysfunction in glaucoma is related to the changes in deep retinal microvasculature.

The temperature of the vitreous has been reported to vary during cataract and vitreous surgery. We measured intraocular temperature at four intraocular sites, the anterior chamber (AC), just behind the crystalline lens, mid-vitreous, and just anterior to the optic disc (OD) at the beginning of vitrectomy with a thermoprobe in 48 eyes. The temperatures were compared in three groups, eyes that underwent vitrectomy for the first time (Group V, n = 30), eyes that had previous vitrectomy and the vitreous cavity had been filled with balanced salt solution (BSS, Group A, n = 12), and eyes that had previous vitrectomy and the vitreous cavity was filled with silicone oil (Group S, n = 6). There was a gradient in the temperature in all groups, i.e., it was lowest in the AC, and it increased at points closer to the retina. The intraocular temperature was significantly correlated with the type of fluid in the vitreous cavity. The mean intraocular temperatures were not significantly different in Groups V and A, but they were significantly higher in Group S. Clinicians should be aware of the differences in the temperature at the different intraocular sites because the temperatures may affect the physiology of the retina and the recovery process.

To evaluate the association between axial length and crystalline lens biometry with and without accommodation using the CASIA2 swept-source (SS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) system on the anterior segment. Intervention study. Individuals aged 20 to 39 years were enrolled for SS-OCT imaging at 2 separate visits within 1 week. Each eye was imaged under accommodation stimuli with different amplitudes (0 D, -1 D, -3 D, -5 D, and -7 D). The anterior and posterior lens curvature radii and lens thicknesses were measured. The participants were divided into 4 groups according to axial length. Forty-eight participants (96 eyes) were initially enrolled. All 96 eyes were included in the analyses, as they met the eligibility criteria and each had proper OCT images. The mean participant age was 25.9 ± 4.3 years, and the mean spherical error was -3.5 ± 2.5 D. The mean axial length was 25.1 ± 1.2 mm. Multivariate analysis revealed that the anterior curvature radius became flatter and the lens thickness became thicker as the axial length increased (all P < .01). Furthermore, axial length independently contributed to the shape of the lens after adjusting for the effects of age and accommodation stimuli. Axial length was associated with lens shape after adjusting for age and accommodation stimuli. These measurements can provide a glimpse of dynamic lens biometry changes, which may help us better understand the role of lenses in various physiologic changes, including accommodation and myopia.

The center of the fovea, termed the foveola, is the area of highest visual acuity, has the highest density of cone photoreceptors, and is the center of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ). We investigated the distance between the automatically-determined center of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and the manually-determined highest foveal bulge (FB) point using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). This cross-sectional study included 49 eyes of 49 individuals (34 women and 15 men; median age: 68 years) with no history of ocular disorders. The FAZ in the superficial capillary plexus was automatically determined using the Kanno-Saitama Macro method, and the center of the FAZ was automatically determined using ellipse approximation. The foveal center was manually identified as the highest FB point on B-scan OCTA images. The center of the FAZ was more likely to be located inferior to the highest FB point. In participants with a combined distance of more than 50 µm between the center of the FAZ and the highest FB point, the displacement was significantly more in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction (p = 0.017). These results can be applicable to further studies regarding the spatial relationships between the center of the FAZ and the highest FB point in various macular diseases or previously-treated eyes.

Background: The acute physiological changes induced by focal retinal photocoagulation (PC) have been largely unexplored. Methods: This was a case-series study. We recorded multifocal electroretinograms (mfERGs) just before PC, and mfERGs were also recorded 5&prime, 15&prime, one hour, 24 h, and one week after the PCs. Transient changes of mfERGs were analyzed in eyes which underwent PCs to treat diabetic macular edema. The mfERGs recorded from the predominantly irradiated area and that from non-irradiated areas were analyzed separately. Results: Fifteen eyes of 15 patients were included in this study. The mfERGs elicited from non-irradiated areas did not change after PC, but the mfERGs elicited from the irradiated area changed with time, the amplitude was larger at 60&prime, than that before (p &lt, 0.05) and at 5&prime, after PC (p &lt, 0.01) and significantly smaller at 24 h and 1 week than that before and at 60&prime, after the PC (p &lt, 0.01). The implicit time was significantly prolonged after PC. mfERG on irradiated area with the severe diabetic change was less altered after PCs. Conclusions: The transient increase in the amplitude at 60&prime, likely resulted from a biological amplification of partially damaged cells adjacent to the PC spots. The mfERGs manifested the dynamic alterations of the retinal function following PCs.

To evaluate the automated determination of the center of an idiopathic macular hole (MH) by using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) images with new macro-based algorithms in ImageJ and to compare the difference between the MH center measurements obtained automatically and manually. This cross-sectional study included 39 eyes of 39 elderly individuals (22 women, 17 men) with stage 3 and 4 MH. The MH center was automatically determined using the ImageJ macro. The foveal center was also manually identified by two masked examiners using horizontal and vertical serial B-scan OCT angiography images. The mean age was 68.8 ± 8.3 years. After adjusting for the effect of magnification, the mean distance between the MH center determined manually by Examiner 1 and that determined automatically was 15.5 ± 9.9 µm. The mean distance between the two manually determined measurements of the MH center was 20.3 ± 19.7 µm. These two mean distance values did not differ significantly (Welch t-test, p = 0.27) and was non-inferior (p < 0.0001). The automated ImageJ-based method for determining the MH center was comparable to manual methods. This study showed that automated measurements were non-inferior to manual measurements, and demonstrated a substitutable usefulness, at least for use in clinical practice.

Background/aimsTo evaluate the electroretinographic (ERG) changes in the early postoperative period following glaucoma filtration surgery, and its relationship with choroidal detachment (CD).MethodsThis retrospective observational single-centre study included 57 consecutive patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who underwent unilateral glaucoma filtration surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of CD. ERG components, including the photopic negative response (PhNR), a-wave and b-wave were compared before and after surgery using skin electrodes.ResultsThere were 46 patients in the non-CD group and 11 in the CD group. ERG was recorded within 5.1 (2.1 to 8.1) (mean (95% CI)) days after surgery. In the non-CD group, the PhNR amplitude, PhNR/b-wave amplitude ratio and PhNR implicit time improved significantly after surgery (p=0.008, 0.002 and 0.039, respectively). In the CD group, the amplitude of the PhNR, a-wave and b-wave were significantly deteriorated after surgery (p=0.002, 0.001 and 0.001, respectively). Postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) (p=0.031) and postoperative CD (pConclusionEven in the early postoperative period within several days, the PhNR amplitude increased with IOP lowering following filtration surgery in the absence of CD. The presence of CD may arrest the improvement of the retinal ganglion cell function. The present results enhance understanding the structural and functional recovery after glaucoma surgery and the role of postoperative CD.

Patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) often complain of visual difficulties under low luminance conditions. In this study, we evaluated low luminance visual acuity (LLVA) after half-dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy (hdPDT) in eyes with CSC. The study included eight eyes of eight patients with chronic CSC that underwent hdPDT. The best-corrected visual acuity, LLVA and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings were evaluated at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after hdPDT. LLVA was measured at six levels of background luminance. Serous retinal detachment was completely resolved in all eyes. Although the mean LLVA at 1 month did not improve significantly compared to baseline at all luminance levels, significant improvements were observed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months (p &lt, 0.05). In OCT images, although the ellipsoid zone was not detectable in all eyes before hdPDT, it was observed in 2 eyes at 1 month, in 7 eyes at 3 months, and in all eyes from 6 months. The LLVA and the ellipsoid zone improved similarly with postoperative time courses. In conclusion, hdPDT improves LLVA in eyes with chronic CSC. The recovery of the ellipsoid zone may play a part in improving LLVA after hdPDT.

To describe the characteristics of Japanese patients with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy developing within 3 years of treatment outset.Retrospective case series METHODS: Three patients with HCQ retinopathy developing within 3 years of treatment outset have been identified in Japan since HCQ became available in 2015. Their medical charts, containing optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence imaging, and visual field tests, were reviewed.The treatment durations and cumulative doses until onset were 29-36 months and 182-326 g, respectively. The first patient had possible pre-existing maculopathy, although the abnormalities were ambiguous. The second and third patients had impaired renal function. The patients did not complain of severe visual disturbance at diagnosis, but visual field loss and disruption of the outer retinal segments consisting of a parafoveal pattern in the first case and a pericentral pattern (localized, 8 or more degrees from the center of the fovea) in the second and third cases were clearly observed on OCT. Even after HCQ discontinuation, their retinopathy showed slight progression on the visual field tests and OCT images. A blood sample was obtained from 1 patient on the day after HCQ discontinuation, and the whole blood level of HCQ was measured using validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The HCQ level 27 h after the last dose was high, at 2240 ng/mL (suggested threshold 1733 ng/mL).Ophthalmologic screening from the initiation of HCQ treatment detected 3 cases of HCQ retinopathy developing within 3 years of treatment outset, including a patient with a high blood level of HCQ.

Purpose Intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents are widely performed, and subsequent intraocular pressure increase may cause retinal nerve fiber damage. This study aimed to determine the effects of paracentesis before intravitreal injection of an antivascular endothelial growth factor on electroretinograms. Methods This was a retrospective observational study in a university hospital. Twenty-five eyes of 25 patients who underwent intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents were selected for evaluation. Intraocular pressures and electroretinograms were recorded before surgery (baseline), after anterior chamber paracentesis, and after intravitreal injection. The amplitudes and latencies of the a- and b-waves, photopic negative response, and oscillatory potential were measured. Changes in each component of the electroretinograms, intraocular pressure, and relationships between these two factors were investigated. The preoperative and postoperative ocular perfusion pressure was calculated based on blood pressure. Results The amplitudes of the b-waves were significantly smaller after intravitreal injection than at baseline (P = 0.02), while no significant change was found in the other components during surgery. There were no significant changes in the latencies of any component during surgery. The intraocular pressure was significantly lower (P < 0.001) after anterior chamber paracentesis (6.8 ± 4.3 mm Hg) compared to baseline (24.1 ± 8.1 mm Hg) or after intravitreal injection (17.1 ± 9.6 mm Hg; P < 0.001). Conclusions Performing anterior chamber paracentesis before an intravitreal injection can prevent the intraocular pressure elevation and thus minimize the electrophysiological retinal dysfunction. Translational Relevance Anterior chamber paracentesis before an intravitreal injection mitigates the adverse effects on retinal function.

Inherited retinal disorder (IRD) is a leading cause of blindness, and CRX is one of a number of genes reported to harbour autosomal dominant (AD) and recessive (AR) causative variants. Eighteen patients from 13 families with CRX-associated retinal disorder (CRX-RD) were identified from 730 Japanese families with IRD. Ophthalmological examinations and phenotype subgroup classification were performed. The median age of onset/latest examination was 45.0/62.5 years (range, 15–77/25–94). The median visual acuity in the right/left eye was 0.52/0.40 (range, −0.08–2.00/−0.18–1.70) logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) units. There was one family with macular dystrophy, nine with cone-rod dystrophy (CORD), and three with retinitis pigmentosa. In silico analysis of CRX variants was conducted for genotype subgroup classification based on inheritance and the presence of truncating variants. Eight pathogenic CRX variants were identified, including three novel heterozygous variants (p.R43H, p.P145Lfs*42, and p.P197Afs*22). A trend of a genotype-phenotype association was revealed between the phenotype and genotype subgroups. A considerably high proportion of CRX-RD in ADCORD was determined in the Japanese cohort (39.1%), often showing the mild phenotype (CORD) with late-onset disease (sixth decade). Frequently found heterozygous missense variants located within the homeodomain underlie this mild phenotype. This large cohort study delineates the disease spectrum of CRX-RD in the Japanese population.

The retinitis pigmentosa 2 (RP2) gene is one of the causative genes for X-linked inherited retinal disorder. We characterized the clinical/genetic features of four patients with RP2-associated retinal disorder (RP2-RD) from four Japanese families in a nationwide cohort. A systematic review of RP2-RD in the Japanese population was also performed. All four patients were clinically diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The mean age at examination was 36.5 (10-47) years, and the mean visual acuity in the right/left eye was 1.40 (0.52-2.0)/1.10 (0.52-1.7) in the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution unit, respectively. Three patients showed extensive retinal atrophy with macular involvement, and one had central retinal atrophy. Four RP2 variants were identified, including two novel missense (p.Ser6Phe, p.Leu189Pro) and two previously reported truncating variants (p.Arg120Ter, p.Glu269CysfsTer3). The phenotypes of two patients with truncating variants were more severe than the phenotypes of two patients with missense variants. A systematic review revealed additional 11 variants, including three missense and eight deleterious (null) variants, and a statistically significant association between phenotype severity and genotype severity was revealed. The clinical and genetic spectrum of RP2-RD was illustrated in the Japanese population, identifying the characteristic features of a severe form of RP with early macular involvement.

Purpose This study compared intraocular toxicity of intravitreally injected povidone-iodine (PI) and polyvinyl alcohol-iodine (PAI) in rabbits. Methods In each rabbit, 0.1 mL of PI or PAI solution was injected intravitreally into one eye and saline was injected into the other. PI was tested at available iodine concentrations of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5%, and PAI at 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% (n = 6 each). Electroretinograms were recorded before injection and 1, 7, and 14 days after injection. Pathological examinations of eyeballs were performed on day 15. Results Mean b-/a-wave ratios of the electroretinograms did not change in eyes injected with 0.05%, 0.1%, or 0.2% PI (PI-0.05, PI-0.1, and PI-0.2, respectively) or in eyes injected with 0.05% or 0.1% PAI (PAI-0.05 and PAI-0.1, respectively) compared to saline-injected eyes, but was transiently impaired on day 1 in PAI-0.2 eyes. Histopathologically, no retinal abnormalities were observed in PI-0.05, PAI-0.05, or PAI-0.1 eyes. One PI-0.1 eye first showed localized inflammatory cell infiltration in the inferior retinal region. Two PI-0.2 eyes and one PAI-0.2 eye had retinal degeneration and inflammatory cell infiltration. In the PI-0.5 group, extensive inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in six eyes and inferior retinal detachment in five eyes. Conclusions PI and PAI have equivalent retinal toxicity profiles, and retinal toxicity first affects the inner retinal layer in the inferior region. The highest non-retinotoxic vitreous concentration is 0.0033% available iodine from intravitreal injection of PI or PAI containing 0.05% available iodine. Translational relevance Low concentrations of PI or PAI can be used to wash the ocular surface during surgery or intravitreal injection to prevent endophthalmitis.

Background Macular hole (MH) is a retinal break in the fovea involving partial or complete dehiscence of the neural retinal layers affecting the visual quality by decreasing visual acuity (VA) and visual deformation. We describe a case of secondary MH associated with submacular hemorrhage (SMH) due to polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), which showed spontaneous closure. Case presentation A 67-year-old man developed decreased VA in his right eye due to an SMH. The VA was 20/50, and monthly intravitreal injection of aflibercept was administered three times. The SMH gradually decreased, and 10 months later the external limiting membrane was found to be perforated, resulting in MH. The old clot disappeared, and the MH remained for 10 months. Twenty-three months later, serous retinal detachment (SRD) involving the macula appeared and the MH had disappeared. SRD gradually disappeared, and macular configuration recovered. VA gradually improved and became 20/20 38 months later. Conclusion Dynamic change of the ultrastructure in an unusual case of secondary-developed and spontaneously closed MH was clearly observed. Although the mechanism was unknown, the small diameter size and exudative PCV are thought to have contributed to the closure.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216823.].

Purpose To evaluate clinical features of Japanese patients with anti-α-enolase antibody–positive autoimmune retinopathy (anti-enolase AIR). Design Multicenter retrospective observational case series. Methods Forty-nine eyes of 25 Japanese anti-enolase AIR patients (16 female and 9 male; mean age at first visit, 60.8 years) were included. Fundus characteristics, perimetry, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), electroretinography (ERG), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and complicating systemic tumors were assessed. Protein localization of α-enolase was examined by immunohistochemistry in an enucleated eye of 1 patient. Results Patients were classified into 3 groups: multiple drusen (48%), retinal degeneration (36%), and normal fundus (16%). Drusen varied in size from small deposits to vitelliform-like lesions. Images on SD-OCT revealed dome-shaped hyperreflectivity beneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), corresponding to drusen. Perimetry showed that ring scotoma was the most frequent (39%). Rod-system and/or single-flash cone responses revealed decreased responses in 81% of the eyes. Combined rod and cone system responses demonstrated significantly lower a-wave amplitudes in the degeneration group than in the drusen group (P = .005). BCVA was improved or maintained in 80% of the eyes during follow-up. Malignant or benign tumors were detected in 30% of patients. The RPE and photoreceptor layers were immunopositive for α-enolase. Conclusions The drusen subtype, scarcely described in the literature, is suggested to characterize Japanese patients with anti-enolase AIR. The different funduscopic features with different functional severities may have resulted from antibody-mediated damage to RPE as well as photoreceptor cells.

Yuji Yoshikawa, Takuhei Shoji, Junji Kanno, Hisashi Ibuki, Kimitake Ozaki, Hirokazu Ishii, Yoshikazu Ichikawa, Itaru Kimura, Kei Shinoda Department of Ophthalmology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan Purpose: To evaluate microvascular changes in the macular area of eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) without macular involvement (macula-on RRD) using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Patients and methods: Five patients with macula-on RRD were eligible for analysis. All patients underwent SS-OCTA examination (Triton) for the macular area. The healthy fellow eyes were included as controls. The vessel density (VD) was calculated using binarization, and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was measured. The VD and FAZ area were compared between the eyes with RRD and the fellow eyes using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The patients’ clinical characteristics were as follows: age, 49.0 years (21.0, 54.0) (median [25, 75th percentile]); preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, -0.08 (-0.08, 0.11) for RRD and -0.08 (-0.08, -0.03) for the fellow eye (P=0.50); and axial length, 27.0 (25.1, 28.7) mm for RRD and 27.4 (25.6, 28.5) mm for the fellow eye (P=0.31). The parafoveal VD was not significantly different between the eyes with RRD and the fellow eyes (P=1.00 for the superficial retina andP=0.44 for the whole retina). The FAZ area was also similar for the eyes with RRD and the fellow eyes (P=0.31 for the superficial retina and P=0.13 for the whole retina). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the macular microvasculature remains intact in eyes with macula-on RRD. Keywords: rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, macula, optical coherence tomography angiography, vessel density

Yuji Yoshikawa,1 Takuhei Shoji,1 Junji Kanno,1 Itaru Kimura,1 Masanori Hangai,2 Kei Shinoda1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan; 2Hangai Eye Institute, Saitama, Japan Purpose: To evaluate the ability of enhanced-depth imaging (EDI) optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to detect vascular signals inside the glaucomatous optic disc.Patients and methods: Ten glaucomatous eyes of 8 subjects and 11 nonglaucomatous eyes of 7 subjects underwent EDI and conventional OCTA for optic disc analysis. The optic disc vessel density (VD) at maximum scan depth (2 mm) was compared between the 2 methods and between glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous eyes. Regression analysis was used to determine the factors affecting disc VD.Results: The median (25th, 75th percentile) of the visual field mean deviation was –20.5 (–25.1, –13.5) dB in glaucoma. The disc VD measured with the EDI method was significantly greater than that measured with the conventional method in glaucoma and nonglaucoma. The disc VD was also significantly lower in glaucoma than in nonglaucoma. The disc VD and mean deviation were significantly and positively correlated in both methods (conventional: R2=0.27, EDI: R2=0.22).Conclusion: The correlation between disc VD and glaucoma severity was comparable between conventional and EDI measurements. Images obtained with EDI-OCTA have the additional benefit of revealing more vascular signals in deeper layers. The disc VD, as determined by both conventional and EDI-OCTA methods, may be an indicator of glaucoma severity. Keywords: optical coherence tomography angiography, enhanced-depth imaging, vessel density, glaucoma severity, mean deviation

Background Patients with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) have a progressive decrease of their visual acuity which can deteriorate to

Purpose: To describe a Japanese girl with unilateral optic neuritis who was seropositive for the anti-myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Serial recordings of the pattern visual evoked potentials (pVEPs) were made to follow the dynamic changes of the disease activity. Observations: A 5-year-old girl developed a sudden reduction of vision and deep ocular pain in her right eye. On examination at our university hospital, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was light perception, and a swelling of the optic disc and tortuous vessels at the posterior pole of the right eye were observed. MRI demonstrated that her right optic nerve was hyperintense on short TI inversion recovery (STIR) sequence. A diagnosis of right papillitis was made, and she was treated with steroid pulse therapy followed by a gradual tapering of oral prednisolone. The visual acuity decreased to no light perception and plasmapheresis combined with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was performed. The decimal visual acuity rapidly improved and recovered to 1.2, and no recurrence was observed for at least 1 year. On day 19, she was found to be anti-MOG antibody positive and anti-Aquaporin 4 antibody negative. pVEPs were recorded during the course of the disease process which showed the dynamic changes of the physiology of the visual pathways. The implicit times of the N75 and P100 components were prolonged in the right eye in the acute phase. The right visual acuity remained at 1.2 for at least 1 year, but the implicit times of the N75 and P100 components of the pVEPs of the right eye were still prolonged compared to left eye. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a positive relationship between the anti-MOG antibodies-positivity and the prolonged pVEPs. Further analyses of the pVEPs and other clinical findings of the optic neuritis are needed to establish the clinical significance of the anti-MOG antibodies positivity and optic neuritis for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for this disease.

The present report aimed to describe the macular structure’s recovery process in a case of optic disc pit maculopathy (ODP-M) with outer layer hole following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with juxtapapillary laser treatment (JPL). We performed repeated optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations to evaluate the macular structural changes. An 80-year-old man presented with distorted vision and decreased visual acuity (VA) in his left eye, experienced for 1 year, prior to presentation. Fundus examination and OCT showed intraretinal fluid (IRF) in the inner and outer retinal layers. Serous retinal detachment (SRD) with an outer layer hole in the macula was also evident. The IRF was connected to the optic disc; however, the SRD was isolated. Best-corrected VA was 20/100. PPV combined with JPL was performed. Posterior vitreous detachment creation and tamponade with sulfur hexafluoride was performed. Postoperatively, the inner retinal IRF at the fovea disappeared. The outer layer hole gradually closed and had completely disappeared 1 month postoperatively. After resolution of the outer layer hole, SRD reduced gradually and disappeared 8 months postoperatively, although the macular outer retinal IRF remained. The outer retinal IRF had partially resolved by the 18th postoperative month. Macular structure was completely recovered 31 months postoperatively, with an improved VA of 20/20. In conclusion, SRD might be associated with outer retinal IRF and outer layer holes. In cases of ODP-M, outer layer holes might induce optic disc-isolated SRD.

GUCA1A gene variants are associated with autosomal dominant (AD) cone dystrophy (COD) and cone-rod dystrophy (CORD). GUCA1A-associated AD-COD/CORD has never been reported in the Japanese population. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical and genetic features of GUCA1A-associated AD-COD/CORD from a large Japanese cohort. We identified 8 variants [c.C50_80del (p.E17VfsX22), c.T124A (p.F42I), c.C204G (p.D68E), c.C238A (p.L80I), c.T295A (p.Y99N), c.A296C (p.Y99S), c.C451T (p.L151F), and c.A551G (p.Q184R)] in 14 families from our whole exome sequencing database composed of 1385 patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) from 1192 families. Three variants (p.Y99N, p.Y99S, and p.L151F), which are located on/around EF-hand domains 3 and 4, were confirmed as “pathogenic”, whereas the other five variants, which did not co-segregate with IRDs, were considered “non-pathogenic”. Ophthalmic findings of 9 patients from 3 families with the pathogenic variants showed central visual impairment from early to middle-age onset and progressive macular atrophy. Electroretinography revealed severely decreased or non-recordable cone responses, whereas rod responses were highly variable, ranging from nearly normal to non-recordable. Our results indicate that the three pathogenic variants, two of which were novel, underlie AD-COD/CORD with progressive retinal atrophy, and the prevalence (0.25%, 3/1192 families) of GUCA1A-associated IRDs may be low among Japanese patients.

Biallelic variants in the EYS gene are a major cause of autosomal recessive inherited retinal disease (IRD), with a high prevalence in the Asian population. The purpose of this study was to identify pathogenic EYS variants, to determine the clinical/genetic spectrum of EYS-associated retinal disease (EYS-RD), and to discover disease-associated variants with relatively high allele frequency (1%-10%) in a nationwide Japanese cohort. Sixty-six affected subjects from 61 families with biallelic or multiple pathogenic/disease-associated EYS variants were ascertained by whole-exome sequencing. Three phenotype groups were identified in EYS-RD: retinitis pigmentosa (RP; 85.94%), cone-rod dystrophy (CORD; 10.94%), and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA; 3.12%). Twenty-six pathogenic/disease-associated EYS variants were identified, including seven novel variants. The two most prevalent variants, p.(Gly843Glu) and p.(Thr2465Ser) were found in 26 and twelve families (42.6%, 19.7%), respectively, for which the allele frequency (AF) in the Japanese population was 2.2% and 3.0%, respectively. These results expand the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of EYS-RD, accounting for a high proportion of EYS-RD both in autosomal recessive RP (23.4%) and autosomal recessive CORD (9.9%) in the Japanese population. The presence of EYS variants with relatively high AF highlights the importance of considering the pathogenicity of non-rare variants in relatively prevalent Mendelian disorders.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retinal function by electroretinograms (ERGs) recorded with the RETeval system using skin electrodes after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with gas tamponade in eyes with a rhegmatogeneous retinal detachment (RRD). Flicker ERGs were recorded from 17 eyes with an RRD before (baseline), within 2 weeks after the PPV when the size of the tamponade gas was approximately one-half of the vitreous cavity (P1), and when the gas had been completely absorbed (P2). The amplitudes of the flicker ERGs at each phase were compared to that at the baseline. The median (25th, 75th percentile) of the amplitude was 10.0 µV (5.5, 13.0 µV) at the baseline, 11.7 µV at P1 (7.8, 14.8 µV; P = 0.003), and 17.1 µV at P2 (11.7 23.3 μV; P (P = 0.723, P = 0.001; Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient). We conclude that recordings the flicker ERGs with skin electrodes can be used to assess the physiology of eyes even with the vitreous cavity half-filled with the gas used to tamponade the retina.

Background: To evaluate the retinal function before and after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents in the injected and non-injected eyes. Methods: Seventy-nine eyes of 79 patients that were treated by an intravitreal injection of an anti-VEGF agent for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), or retinal vein occlusion (RVO) with macular edema (ME) were studied. The RETeval® system was used to record 28 Hz flicker electroretinograms (ERGs) from both eyes before (phase 1), within 2 hours after the injection (phase 2), and 2 to 24 hours after the injection (phase 3). Patients were grouped by disease or by the injected agent and compared. The significance of the changes in the implicit times and amplitudes was determined by t tests. Results: The amplitudes were not significantly different among the groups. The implicit times were significantly longer or tended to be longer at phase 2 and 3 compared to phase 1 for each disease and for each injected agent in the injected and non-injected eyes. Conclusions: The results show that an intravitreal anti-VEGF injection will prolong the implicit times not only in the injected eye but also in the non-injected eye soon after the intravitreal injection. Trial registration: All of the patients gave a written informed consent and the study was conducted in accordance with the tenets of Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Teikyo University School of Medicine (study ID number: 14-122). Keywords: Aflibercept, age-related macular degeneration, electroretinogram, intravitreal injection, macular edema, ranibizumab, retinal vein occlusion, vascular endothelial growth factor.

X-linked congenital retinoschisis (XLRS) is an inherited retinal disorder characterized by reduced central vision and schisis of the macula and peripheral retina. XLRS is caused by mutations in the RS1 gene. We have identified 37 different mutations in the RS1 gene, including 12 novel mutations, in 67 Japanese patients from 56 XLRS families. We present clinical features of these patients in relation to the associated mutations.

Purpose To report the clinical and genetic findings of 9 Japanese patients with autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB). Design Retrospective, multicenter observational case series. Methods Nine ARB patients from 7 unrelated Japanese families that were examined in 3 institutions in Japan were studied. A series of ophthalmic examinations including fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, electrooculography (EOG), electroretinography, and the results of genetic analysis were reviewed. Results Genetic analyses identified 7 pathogenic variants in BEST1 including 2 novel variants, c.478G>C (p.A160P) and c.948+1delG. Homozygous variants were found in 4 families and compound heterozygous variants were found in 3 families. Two patients were diagnosed as ARB only after the whole exome sequencing analyses. The Arden ratio of the EOG was less than 1.5 in all 7 patients tested. Vitelliform lesions typical for Best vitelliform macular dystrophy were not seen in any of the patients. Seven patients shared some of the previously described features of ARB: subretinal deposits, extensive subretinal fluid, and cystoid macular edema (CME). However, the other 2 patients with severe retinal degeneration lacked these features. Focal choroidal excavations were present bilaterally in 2 patients. One case had a marked reduction of the CME and expansion of subretinal deposits over an 8-year of follow-up period. Conclusions Japanese ARB patients had some but not all of the previously described features. Genetic analyses are essential to diagnose ARB correctly in consequence of considerable phenotypic variations.

Background: To evaluate the retinal function before and soon after an intravitreal injection of an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents. Methods: Seventy-nine eyes of 79 patients that were treated by an intravitreal injection of an anti-VEGF agent for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), or retinal vein occlusion (RVO) with macular edema (ME) were studied. The RETeval® system was used to record 28 Hz flicker electroretinograms (ERGs) from the injected and non-injected eyes before (Phase 1, P1), within 2 hours after the injection (P2), and 2 to 24 hours after the injection (P3). Patients were grouped by disease or by the injected agent and compared. The significance of the changes in the implicit times and amplitudes was determined by t tests. Results: The amplitudes were not significantly different at the three phases. The implicit time of the injected eye was 31.2±3.2 msec at P1, and it was not significantly different at P2 (31.7±3.1 msec) but it was significantly longer at P3 (32.2±3.3 msec, P

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate automated measurement of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area using the Kanno-Saitama macro (KSM) software in Image J with swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) images. Methods In this cross-sectional study, one photographer scanned the macular area (3 × 3 mm) of healthy volunteers twice on the same day, at the same time. The FAZ area was measured from the en face image of the superficial retinal layer by two masked examiners, using the KSM and the Advanced Retina Imaging (ARI)-network method in Carl Zeiss online analysis. Intra- and interscan reproducibility and FAZ area were compared among the methods. Results Forty eyes of 22 healthy volunteers were included in the analysis. The mean ± SD age of the subjects was 34.6 ± 12.4 years. Intra- and interscan intraclass coefficients ranged from 0.997 to 1.000 and 0.989 to 0.995, respectively. The mean FAZ area was 0.264 ± 0.08 mm2 by the KSM, 0.245 ± 0.08 mm2 by the ARI, and 0.281 ± 0.09 mm2 by the manual method. The mean difference between the KSM and manual methods was 0.015 mm2, which was significantly smaller than the mean difference between the ARI and manual methods (0.034 mm2; P < 0.001). Conclusions Automated determination of the FAZ area is feasible and yields results comparable to those obtained by manual measurement. The FAZ area measured with the KSM program is less user dependent and could potentially contribute to our understanding of the pathophysiology of various retinal diseases, particularly underlying vascular diseases. Translational Relevance This study demonstrates a novel automated determination of the FAZ area using the Image J macro program in SS-OCTA images. This program was feasible and yields results comparable to those obtained by manual measurement.

Purpose To investigate the safety and effectiveness of intravitreal injection (IVI) of 1.25% povidone iodine (PI) followed by vitrectomy using 0.025% PI irrigation for treating endophthalmitis. Methods Prospective case series study. Nine eyes of 8 patients with postoperative or endogenous endophthalmitis treated at the Nihon University Hospital between April 2015 and October 2017 were studied. First, IVI of 0.1 mL/1.25%PI was conducted, followed by anterior chamber irrigation and vitrectomy using 0.025%PI irrigation solution. Corneal epithelial damage, anterior chamber inflammation, and vitreous inflammation were assessed and fundus examinations were performed, using a slit-lamp microscope and indirect ophthalmoscopy. A specular microscope, Goldmann perimetry, and electroretinography (ERG) were also used. Results In all but case 7, endophthalmitis resolved rapidly and good visual acuity was maintained. No adverse events were noted. Furthermore, the perioperative ERG showed improvements in the oscillatory potentials amplitudes on ERG and flicker ERG, as well as in the implicit time of the a-wave, suggesting functional recovery in the retinal outer and inner layers after therapy. Conclusions IVI of PI followed by vitrectomy was thought to be a safe and effective treatment for endophthalmitis. Translational relevance We succeeded in proving the clinical safety of IVI of PI followed by vitrectomy with PI irrigation as well as previous experimental reports. PI is available in world widely, therefore this method will be optimal treatment for endophthalmitis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. Five eyes of four male subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma (average age: 52.25 ± 14.68 years) were enrolled. The subjects underwent transcorneal electrical stimulation every 3 months according to the following procedure. A Dawson-Trick-Litzkow electrode was placed on the cornea, and biphasic electric current pulses (10 ms, 20 Hz) were delivered using a stimulator (BPG-1,BAK Electronics) and a stimulus isolation unit (BSI-2). A current that evoked a phosphene that the subject perceived in the whole visual area was delivered continuously for 30 min. Humphrey visual field testing was performed after every third transcorneal electrical stimulation treatment. Changes in mean deviation (MD) values were evaluated with a linear regression model. Transcorneal electrical stimulation was performed 18.2 ± 9.4 times over a period of 49.8 ± 23.0 months. The average pretranscorneal electrical stimulation intraocular pressure, best corrected visual acuity, and MD values were 11.8 ± 1.79 mmHg, 0.14 ± 0.19 (logMAR) and -17.28 ± 6.24 dB, respectively. No significant differences were observed in intraocular pressure before and after transcorneal electrical stimulation. However, there was a significant positive linear relationship between changes in MD values and the number of transcorneal electrical stimulation treatments (R2 = 0.176, P = 0.005, Spearman correlation R =0.294, P = 0.008). Transcorneal electrical stimulation treatment may improve glaucomatous visual field defects in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma. Large-scale studies are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.

Aims To evaluate the recovery of retinal function and the thicknesses of the photoreceptor inner (IS) and outer segment (OS) layers after a reattachment of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods 49 eyes of 49 patients (mean age, 57.4 ±10.3 years) with successfully reattached RRD were retrospectively studied. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to obtain images of the foveal area, and the thicknesses of the IS and OS were measured before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. The thicknesses of the corresponding structures of the healthy fellow eye served as control. Results The thickness of the IS layer was 20.4±5.0 μm and that of the OS layer was 34.4±9.7 at 1 month after surgery, which was significantly thinner than the IS (28.9±2.9) and OS (55.4±5.2) layers of the fellow eyes. The thicknesses gradually increased and were not significantly different from that in the fellow eye at 12 months (IS, 28.4±4.4 mm and OS, 50.7±6.6 mm). The IS and OS thicknesses at 1 month after surgery in eyes that had a decimal visual acuity of 1.0 at 6 months were significantly thicker than those in eyes that had a visual acuity of

Objective To evaluate the reproducibility of in vivo crystalline lens measurements obtained by novel commercially available swept-source (SS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) specifically designed for anterior segment imaging. Methods and analysis One eye from each of 30 healthy subjects was randomly selected using the CASIA2 (Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) in two separate visits within a week. Each eye was imaged twice. After image scanning, the anterior and posterior lens curvatures and lens thickness were calculated automatically by the CASIA2 built-in program at 0 dioptre (D) (static), −1 D, −3 D and −5 D accommodative stress. The intraobserver and intervisit reproducibility coefficient (RC) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated. Results The intraobserver and intervisit RCs ranged from 0.824 to 1.254 mm and 0.789 to 0.911 mm for anterior lens curvature, from 0.276 to 0.299 mm and 0.221 to 0.270 mm for posterior lens curvature and from 0.065 to 0.094 mm and 0.054 to 0.132 mm for lens thickness, respectively. The intraobserver and intervisit ICCs ranged from 0.831 to 0.865 and 0.828 to 0.914 for anterior lens curvature, from 0.832 to 0.898 and 0.840 to 0.933 for posterior lens curvature and from 0.980 to 0.992 and 0.942 to 0.995 for lens thickness. High ICC values were observed for each measurement regardless of accommodative stress. RCs in younger subjects tended to be larger than those in older subjects. Conclusions This novel anterior segment SS-OCT instrument produced reliable in vivo crystalline lens measurement with good repeatability and reproducibility regardless of accommodation stress.

To evaluate the photoreceptor inner and outer segment layer thickness in eyes with MEWDS. Prospective, non-comparative, observational case series. The follow-up duration was 4 months. Four women were diagnosed with unilateral MEWDS. The ages of the patients were 25, 24, 35, and 40 years. The retinal microstructure was assessed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The thickness of the photoreceptor inner (IS) and outer (OS) segments and sum of them (IS + OS) at the fovea were analyzed. The visual acuity was reduced in three of four eyes at the acute phase. SD-OCT showed that the border of IS and OS (IS/OS) line and the cone outer segment tips (COST) line in the macula area were not detected in all four eyes. The IS + OS thickness was 50.3 ± 5.6 μm and that of the healthy fellow eyes was 73.5 ± 7.0 μm (n = 4 eyes). The thickness of the IS was 27.8 ± 2.6 μm and that of the OS was 45.8 ± 7.3 μm. In all eyes, there was a spontaneous improvement of the visual acuity. SD-OCT showed a recovery of only the IS/OS line in the macular area, but the COST line was not visible in three cases. The mean IS + OS thickness increased to 56.0 ± 7.9 μm (n = 4), IS = 26.0 ± 2.0 μm (n = 3), and OS = 30.1 ± 8.7 μm (n = 3) in the early recovery phase, and to 64.8 ± 9.3 μm (n = 4), IS = 28.5 ± 1.7 μm (n = 4), and OS = 36.3 ± 7.9 μm (n = 4) in the late recovery phase. The mean inner and outer segment thickness remained unchanged in the fellow eyes. Eyes with MEWDS have changes in the photoreceptor microstructures. The change in the IS + OS thickness during the natural recovery course might be due to an increase in the OS length.

Purpose. To determine whether organic electroluminescence (OLED) screens can be used as visual stimulators to elicit pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (p-VEPs).Method. Checkerboard patterns were generated on a conventional cathode-ray tube (S710, Compaq Computer Co., USA) screen and on an OLED (17 inches, 320 × 230 mm, PVM-1741, Sony, Tokyo, Japan) screen. The time course of the luminance changes of each monitor was measured with a photodiode. The p-VEPs elicited by these two screens were recorded from 15 eyes of 9 healthy volunteers (22.0 ± 0.8 years).Results. The OLED screen had a constant time delay from the onset of the trigger signal to the start of the luminescence change. The delay during the reversal phase from black to white for the pattern was 1.0 msec on the cathode-ray tube (CRT) screen and 0.5 msec on the OLED screen. No significant differences in the amplitudes of P100 and the implicit times of N75 and P100 were observed in the p-VEPs elicited by the CRT and the OLED screens.Conclusion. The OLED screen can be used as a visual stimulator to elicit p-VEPs; however the time delay and the specific properties in the luminance change must be taken into account.

Purpose Strip meniscometry (SM) is a new technique for evaluating tear film volume. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of SM in detecting lacrimal obstructive diseases (LODs) in patients with epiphora retrospectively. Methods One-hundred sixty-six patients (53 men, 113 women; mean age: 72.4 ± 8.0 years) who were referred to Saitama Medical University Hospital with epiphora as their chief complaint were enrolled; finally, 72 patients with and 89 patients without LOD were examined. We assessed tear volume using SM, tear meniscus height (TMH), tear meniscus area (TMA), and Schirmer-1 test values. Patients with LOD underwent lacrimal intubation surgery to treat their epiphora; their SM scores were assessed before and 8 weeks after surgery. Results SM, TMH, TMA, and Schirmer-1 values were significantly higher in the LOD group (10.80 ± 3.63 mm, 0.49 ± 0.24 mm, 0.06 ± 0.06 mm2, 18.46 ± 8.00 mm, respectively) than in the non-LOD group (5.44 ± 3.20 mm, 0.30 ± 0.18 mm, 0.03 ± 0.04 mm2, 11.84 ± 7.16 mm). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for SM was 0.88, the sensitivity and specificity were 82% and 84%. The AUC was significantly larger for SM than for the Schirmer-1 test and TMA. The SM scores significantly improved after surgery (5.30 ± 2.20 mm) compared with those before (10.69 ± 3.20 mm). Conclusions SM was significantly better than the Schirmer-1 test, TMH, and TMA for detecting LOD and evaluating the effect of lacrimal surgery. Translational relevance SM, widely used for dry eye, is also useful for using epiphora.

Purpose: We present our findings in a case with an intraocular foreign body in which the electroretinographic (ERG) findings were useful. Observations: A 37-year-old man was injured by an iron fragment that penetrated into his left eye through the cornea. His visual acuity was counting fingers, and a traumatic cataract prevented an examination of the fundus. B-mode ultrasonography showed a stick-like foreign body of approximately 14 mm in length in the eye. Preoperative ERGs with a contact lens electrode showed reduced responses with many blinking artifacts. Lensectomy and pars plana vitrectomy were performed and a fragment of a wire brush was seen embedded in the superior nasal retina which was removed. The decimal visual acuity improved to 1.2 two weeks later. The postoperative ERG performed with a skin electrode showed reduced responses in the injured eye. Conclusions and importance: We recommend that the physiology of the retina be assessed by recording ERGs with a skin-type electrode as soon as possible after a traumatic injury to the eye. Keywords: Electroretinography, Skin electrode, Intraocular foreign body, Pars plana vitrectomy

PurposeTo assess the physiology of the retina by electroretinography (ERG) with skin electrodes in eyes that had undergone vitrectomy with silicone oil (SO) tamponade.DesignRetrospective case series.MethodERGs were recorded from eleven eyes with complex vitreoretinal disorders and from the normal fellow eyes. The affected eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with SO tamponade. ERGs were recorded before and after the SO was removed. The amplitudes and implicit times of the a- and b-waves of the affected eyes were compared to those of the normal fellow eyes. In addition, the ratios of the amplitudes of the b-waves of the affected eyes to those of the fellow eyes were compared before and after the SO was removed.ResultsERGs were recordable from 7 eyes (63.6%) before the SO was removed and 11 eyes (100%) after the SO was removed. The a- and b-wave amplitudes were significantly smaller in the affected eyes than those of the fellow eyes at the baseline. The b-wave amplitude before the removal of the SO was significantly and positively correlated with that after the SO removal. The ratios of the b-waves of the affected/normal fellow eye significantly increased after the SO was removed.ConclusionThe results indicate that ERGs picked up by skin electrode can be used to assess the physiology of the retina in eyes with a SO tamponade. The amplitude of the b-waves of the ERGs in silicone-filled eyes can be used to predict the amplitude after the silicone is removed.