Search

Sean D Adrean,1 Siyang Chaili,2 Ash Pirouz,1 Scott Grant1 1Retina Consultants of Orange County, Fullerton, CA 92835, USA; 2Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USACorrespondence: Sean D AdreanRetina Consultants of Orange County, 301 W. Bastanchury Ave #285, Fullerton, CA 92835, USATel +1-714-738-4620Email seadrean@yahoo.comPurpose: To describe elderly patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) mimicking occult neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).Materials and Methods: The records of 522 patients with initial diagnoses of nAMD over one year were reviewed to determine characteristics meeting diagnostic criteria for CSCR with three or more months of follow-up. Patients were evaluated by clinical examination, fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). At the time of initial evaluation, patients were either monitored, treated with anti-VEGF therapy or with combination anti-VEGF and photodynamic therapy (PDT). When no response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment was observed, the diagnosis of CSCR was favored and patients were observed with close follow-up. The Student’s t-test was used for statistical analysis; a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Eleven elderly patients met diagnostic criteria for CSCR among 522 patients initially diagnosed with nAMD. Average age was 75.9 years, and average follow-up was 16.9 months. Average presenting visual acuity was 20/50+2 (67.9 ± 5.9 ETDRS letters), and choroidal thickness was 232.0 ± 69.4 μm. After observation or treatment, the average vision improved to 20/40+ (70.5 ± 7.8 ETDRS letters, p=0.289). When intravitreal bevacizumab was given, no changes were observed for patients’ neurosensory retinal detachments (NSRD). When NSRD changes were observed, they likewise did not correlate to the timing of anti-VEGF treatment. For patients who were monitored alone, one patient lost one line of vision, one gained one line, one gained two lines, and one gained three lines. One patient subsequently developed a choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) during initial follow-up with visual improvement after anti-VEGF treatment. Four patients developed CNVM overall with long term follow-up.Conclusion: CSCR in elderly patients can mimic occult CNVM, especially on FA. In this group, many patients were monitored without treatment, which typically resulted in stable or improved vision. Careful monitoring is required because of possible development of CNVM.Keywords: central serous chorioretinopathy, elderly, choroidal neovascular membranes, choroid

Purpose: To describe a potential new phenotypic presentation of pentosan polysulfate sodium maculopathy. Methods: An observational case was analyzed. Results: A 55-year-old woman with interstitial cystitis who was treated with oral pentosan polysulfate sodium for 10 years presented with reports of decreased vision and metamorphopsia that had worsened over the past 3 months. On funduscopic examination, there were bilateral areas of retinal pigment epithelial hyperplasia inferior to the fovea with a surrounding halo of drusenoid material. Neurosensory retinal detachments with drusenoid deposition at the edges of the detachment were seen on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Conclusions: These findings could be mistaken for age-related macular degeneration, central serous retinopathy, Best disease, or adult vitelliform dystrophy. In this case, a review of pertinent medications assisted in making the diagnosis of toxic maculopathy. Proper diagnosis and prompt discontinuation of the inciting medication are necessary to avoid the risk for potentially irreversible retinal damage and vision loss., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of the article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Purpose: To examine the visual outcomes in patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachments with intentional submacular fluid retention after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) or PPV/scleral buckle surgery (PPV/SB)., Methods: Patients with macula-off retinal detachments were included if they had a PPV or PPV/SB without drainage retinotomy or perfluorocarbon liquid to flatten the retina., Results: The mean age of the patients was 65.0 years. The mean presenting vision was 20.0 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters. Six months after repair, the vision improved to 62.9; 75.4% of patients had 20/40 or better at best achieved visual acuity. Pseudophakic eyes had better vision compared with phakic eyes ( P = 0.049). Patients younger than 80 years had better best achieved vision ( P = 0.0118) compared with patients 80 years or older. Patients with initial vision better than or equal to 20/100 had better best achieved vision ( P = 0.016) compared with those with initial vision worse than 20/100., Conclusion: Leaving submacular fluid after macula-off retinal detachments surgery was not detrimental for visual outcomes or anatomic success for retinal detachments repair and may lead to better visual outcomes for patients, specifically for those patients younger than 80 years, who are pseudophakic, and have presenting vision 20/100 or better.

Purpose: To report on macular hole repair in macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2)., Design: Global, multicenter, retrospective case series., Participants: Patients undergoing surgery for MacTel2-associated full-thickness macular hole (MTMH)., Methods: Standardized data collection sheet distributed to all surgeons., Main Outcome Measures: Anatomic closure and visual outcomes of MTMH., Results: Sixty-three surgeries in 47 patients with MTMH were included from 30 surgeons. Mean age was 68.1 years, with 62% female, 72% White, 21% East or South Asian, 2% African American, and 2% Hispanic or Latino. Procedures included 34 internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling alone, 22 ILM flaps, 5 autologous retinal transplantations (ARTs), 1 retinotomy, and 1 subretinal bleb. For ILM peeling, preoperative visual acuity (VA) was 0.667 ± 0.423 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). Minimum hole diameter (MHD) was 305.5 ± 159.4 μm (range, 34-573 μm). Sixteen of 34 ILM peels (47%) resulted in MTMH closure. At postoperative month 6, VA was stable at 0.602 ± 0.516 logMAR (P = 0.65). VA improved by at least 2 lines in 43% and at least 4 lines in 24%. For ILM flaps, preoperative VA was 0.878 ± 0.552 logMAR. MHD was 440.8 ± 175.5 μm (range, 97-697 μm), which was significantly larger than for ILM peels (P < 0.01). Twenty of 22 ILM flaps (90%) resulted in MTMH closure, which was significantly higher than for ILM peels (P < 0.01). At postoperative month 6, VA improved to 0.555 ± 0.405 logMAR (P < 0.05). VA improved by at least 2 lines in 56% and at least 4 lines in 28%. For ARTs, preoperative VA was 1.460 ± 0.391 logMAR. MHD was 390.2 ± 203.7 μm (range, 132-687 μm). All 5 ARTs (100%) resulted in MTMH closure. At postoperative month 6, VA was stable at 1.000 ± 0.246 logMAR (P = 0.08). Visual acuity improved at least 2 lines in 25%., Conclusions: Surgical closure of macular holes improved VA in 57% of MTMHs. Internal limiting membrane flaps achieved better anatomic and functional outcomes than ILM peeling alone. Autologous retinal transplantation may be an option for refractory MTMHs., Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2023 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe cases of visually significant vitreous hemorrhage (VH) following dexamethasone intravitreal implant in our practice and present two cases that required surgical intervention and a case of VH and hypotony following dexamethasone implant. An injection technique that may minimize the incidence of these complications is described and illustrated., Methods: Retrospective case series., Results: The overall incidence of VH was 1.7% (8 of 467 injections) and those that required surgical intervention was 0.4% (2/467) over a 10-year period, from June 2010 to June 2020 ( Table 1 ). Overall, 75% (6 of 8) VH resolved spontaneously over time, without surgical intervention., Conclusion: Nonclearing VH and hypotony are rare but serious complications of dexamethasone implant., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Opthalmic Communications Society, Inc.)

Background: To describe the occurrence, rate of geographic atrophy (GA) expansion, and changes in visual acuity (VA) after reabsorption of subfoveal pigment epithelial detachments (PED)., Methods: Included patients had reabsorption of a PED followed by GA. Patients underwent clinical examination with SD-OCT. Images were classified by size with grading occurring post reabsorption. VA was recorded pre-reabsorption, post-reabsorption, and over time., Results: The average age of the cohort, consisting of 22 eyes from 19 participants, was 86.9 years at reabsorption. Prior to reabsorption, the VA was 20/80 and then declined to 20/200 (p = 0.001) with an average follow-up time of 30.2 months. There was no significant VA change after the initial loss with reabsorption. The average initial lesion size of GA was 0.987 mm 2 with an average growth rate of 0.274 mm/year., Conclusions: This study longitudinally examined GA growth rate in patients with reabsorbed PEDs. These patients started with a drusenoid or serous PED, had a dramatic reduction in vision and GA that occurred in place of the PED. These GA lesions have a slower growth rate and a smaller area of onset compared to rates previously reported in the literature. They do not show significant VA change after reabsorption. As we have entered the era of GA therapy, these patients may not benefit from current treatments., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To evaluate subretinal fluid (SRF) and/or intraretinal fluid recurrence in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who received as-needed (PRN) ranibizumab in a HARBOR (NCT00891735) post hoc analysis., Methods: Analyses included patients with SRF and/or intraretinal fluid at baseline and fluid recurrence after a ≥3-month absence (N = 222). Baseline fluid location(s) were compared with location of recurrence after a ≥3-month absence., Results: At baseline, fluid was equally distributed across all locations. On recurrence, the location was most frequently central (69%). Eyes with central fluid at baseline typically had recurrence in the same location (72% vs. 47%-53% with fluid in other locations). The type of recurrent fluid was typically the same as at baseline (SRF, 64%; intraretinal fluid, 75%). Overall, 37% (39/105) of eyes exhibited fluid recurrence in a new location, most frequently central (53%). There was a significant gain in best-corrected visual acuity (mean [95% confidence interval], +2.2 [0.4-4.0] letters) between the months of SRF resolution and recurrence., Conclusion: Although the location of SRF and/or intraretinal fluid was equally distributed at baseline, recurrent fluid was typically centrally located. The authors identified a subgroup of eyes exhibiting fluid recurrence in a different location than at baseline, potentially indicating new choroidal neovascularization., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Opthalmic Communications Society, Inc.)

Objective In this study, we aimed to investigate whether zinc provided in Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) vitamins is associated with a decreased risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study involving patients at a retina-only practice who were provided a questionnaire at each visit to assess whether they were symptomatic of or had contracted COVID-19. Those who answered yes to testing positive for COVID-19 were retrospectively analyzed and categorized based on their AREDS2 vitamin use, and a Pearson's chi-squared test was performed. Demographic data and past ocular history were also analyzed. Results A total of 8,426 unique patients, including 2,111 with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), were seen from April 1, 2020, to April 9, 2021. A total of 110 patients (1.3%) reported contracting COVID-19 and had positive COVID-19 tests. The average age of those who had contracted COVID-19 in this study was 68.3 years; 51.8% were male, 30.1% had AMD, 28.2% had diabetic retinopathy, 24.5% had surgical retinal disease, 11.8% had retinal vascular disease, and 4.5% had other disease states. Of the COVID-19-positive patients, 27.3% (30/110) took AREDS2 vitamins, while 72.7% (80/110) patients did not. A chi-squared analysis was performed, which was not statistically significant (p=0.667). Conclusions Oral zinc supplementation, in the form of AREDS2 vitamins, is not associated with a protective effect against contracting COVID-19., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Adrean et al.)

Background: This study explores the long term anatomic and functional results of patients who were switched to intravitreal aflibercept injections (IAI) after being initially managed with other anti-VEGF agents for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)., Methods: Patients with nAMD were included if they started with another anti-VEGF agent and were switched to IAI. Subjects had at least 3 years of consistent therapy with IAI and at least 1 injection quarterly., Results: Eighty-eight patients had at least 3 years of treatment while 58 of those patients, had at least 4 years of IAI. Average treatment time with other anti-VEGF agents was 32 months prior to switching. Baseline best corrected vision (VA) was 59.4 letters (20/70 + 2). At time of switch, VA increased significantly to 66.7 letters (20/50 + 2). At 3 months after switch, VA increased significantly to 69.0 (20/40-) letters. After 3 years of consistent IAI, vision was 67.5 letters (20/40-2), and for those patients that completed 4 years of therapy, the average VA was 66.0 letters (20/50 + 2), with a gain of 6.6 letters over baseline vision. 32.1% of patients gained 3 or more lines of vision. Initial central macular thickness (CMT) was 369 µm, which improved to 347 µm at time of switch, and further improved at 3 months to 301 µm and was maintained over time., Conclusion: Patients switched to IAI can maintain vision over the long term. Patients treated on average for 5.7 years, had a visual gain of 8.1 letters after 3 years and 6.6 letters after 4 years of IAI therapy. CMT significantly improved following the switch and was maintained., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To assess vision, injection quantity, initial lesion size, and final anatomic status in patients with nAMD completing the treat-extend-stop (TES) protocol., Methods: Patients with nAMD received ≥ 3 monthly anti-VEGF injections followed by 1-2 week injection interval extensions, with intra/subretinal fluid resolution on SD-OCT, to 12 weeks. With quiescent disease, and 2 quarterly injections, patients were monitored alone beginning at 4 weeks extending by 1-2 week intervals until quarterly monitoring., Results: Eighty-eight of 143 eyes with nAMD completed the TES protocol without disease recurrence. Sixteen (18.2%) developed sub-foveal geographic atrophy (GA), 25 (28.4%) developed fibrovascular scarring (FV) and 47 (53.4%) developed regressed choroidal neovascularization (rCNV) with 16.9 ± 13.3 average injections between the 3 groups which was not statistically significant. Average treatment time was 30.3 ± 26.1 months and subsequent follow-up was 23.2 ± 19.8 months. Average lesion size for FV was 18.77 ± 10.8mm 2 vs. GA at 12.00 ± 9.99mm 2 vs. regressed CNV at 7.12 ± 6.5mm 2 (p < 0.05). Pre, post, and final vision for GA was 39.6 letters (20/160) vs. 32.7 letters (20/200 + 2, p = 0.4725) vs. 25.0 letters (20/320, p = 0.0865); FV was 22.4 letters (20/400 + 2) vs. 11.6 letters (20/640, p = 0.0351) vs. 11.0 letters (20/640 + 1, p = 0.0226), and rCNV was 56.4 letters (20/80 + 1) vs. 69.5 letters (20/40, p < 0.001) vs. 67.3 letters (20/40-2, p = 0.0016). In the rCNV group, 17/46 eyes gained ≥ 3 lines and 30/46 eyes achieved ≥ 20/40 vision. Non-central GA expanded 0.226 ± 0.126 mm vs. 0.225 ± 0.098 mm during and after treatment completion over 24 months (p = 0.99)., Conclusions: Central GA or FV portends worse visual outcomes vs. rCNV after cessation of therapy. Anti-VEGF therapy may not affect the rate of GA expansion. Final anatomic character and location are key determinants of final vision., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: This work aims to evaluate the outcomes of a series of macular hole (MH) surgical procedures in patients who had pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peel and without gas tamponade., Methods: Patients from a retina specialty clinic who had MHs were identified for this interventional case series. Patients with small MHs were offered inclusion into the trial. Patients with larger MHs were excluded. They underwent standard 3-port PPV and ILM peel without gas or air to treat small MHs. The main outcomes that we measured were closure of MH and visual results., Results: Small MHs in 5 patients were managed with PPV and ILM peel alone. The average preoperative hole size at its narrowest width was 227 µm (range, 173-294 µm). Four of 5 patients (80%) had successful hole closure without a gas tamponade and improved vision; 1 patient did not have hole closure and was treated with an in-office gas bubble to close the hole. The average preoperative vision at 3 months was 20/80- (54 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] letters) and improved to 20/30-2 (73 ETDRS letters) in the 4 patients whose MHs were closed with surgery without a gas bubble. This was statistically significant ( P = .003). The hole that did not close initially without gas tamponade was the largest in the series., Conclusions: Patients with small MHs can be successfully treated with a vitrectomy and ILM peel alone without a gas tamponade., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Purpose: To report the anatomic and functional outcomes of autologous retinal transplantation (ART)., Design: Multicenter, retrospective, interventional, consecutive case series., Participants: One hundred thirty eyes of 130 patients undergoing ART for the repair of primary and refractory macular holes (MHs), as well as combined MH-rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (MH-RRD), between January 2017 and December 2019., Methods: All patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy and ART, with surgeon modification of intraoperative variables. A large array of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data was collected. Two masked reviewers graded OCT images. Multivariate statistical analysis and subgroup analysis were performed., Main Outcome Measures: Macular hole closure rate, visual acuity (VA), external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone (EZ) band integrity, and alignment of neurosensory layers (ANL) on OCT., Results: One hundred thirty ART surgeries were performed by 33 vitreoretinal surgeons worldwide. Patient demographics were: mean age of 63 ± 6.3 years, 58% female, 41% White, 23% Black, 19% Asian, and 17% Latino. Preoperative VA was 1.37 ± 0.12 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR; Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/500), which improved significantly to 1.05 ± 0.09 logMAR (Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/225; P < 0.001) after surgery (mean follow-up, 8.6 ± 0.8 months). Autologous retinal transplantation was performed for primary MH repair in 27% of patients (n = 35), for refractory MH in 58% of patients (n = 76; mean number of previous surgeries, 1.6 ± 0.2), and for MH-RRD in 15% of patients (n = 19). Mean maximum MH diameter was 1470 ± 160 μm, mean minimum diameter was 840 ± 94 μm, and mean axial length was 24.6 ± 3.2 mm. Overall, 89% of MHs closed (78.5% complete; 10% small eccentric defect), with a 95% closure rate in MH-RRD (68.4% complete; 26.3% small eccentric defect). Visual acuity improved by at least 3 lines in 43% of eyes and by at least 5 lines in 29% of eyes. Reconstitution of the EZ (P = 0.02) and ANL (P = 0.01) on OCT were associated with better final VA. Five cases of ART graft dislocation (3.8%), 5 cases of postoperative retinal detachment (3.8%), and 1 case of endophthalmitis (0.77%) occurred., Conclusions: In this global experience, patients undergoing ART for large primary and refractory MHs and MH-RRDs achieved good anatomic and functional outcomes, with low complication rates despite complex surgical pathologic features., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To examine the clinical results for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) who were managed with a treat-extend-stop (TES) protocol and received 50 or more injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents., Design: Retrospective case study., Participants: Data for patients from a private retina practice meeting the following criteria were included: diagnosis of nAMD and having received 50 or more intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents., Methods: The patients' baseline visual acuity (VA; obtained using Snellen charts and converted to Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] letters), age, length of follow-up, anti-VEGF agents used, and interval between treatments were obtained. These data were examined through the 51st injection and at the last follow-up examination. Patients were excluded if they lost significant vision because of a diagnosis unrelated to AMD during therapy., Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity and complications., Results: Seventy-one eyes of 67 patients were identified who met inclusion criteria. The mean age of patients was 83.0 years. Women made up 58.2% of the study population, whereas men constituted 41.8%. The mean initial VA was 55.6 ETDRS letters. The mean duration of follow-up at the 51st visit for an injection was 6.5 years, and the mean duration of follow-up at the last visit was 8 years. The mean number of injections at final follow-up was 63.7. The mean interval between treatments at the 51st follow-up was 5.4 weeks, and the mean follow-up at the last examination was 6.4 weeks. Mean VA at the 51st injection was 65.3 letters, and the mean change from baseline was 9.7 letters (P < 0.001, Student paired t test). The mean vision gained at last follow-up was 8.7 letters from baseline (P < 0.001), or 64.3 letters., Conclusions: In this study, patients gained a mean of 2 ETDRS lines after 50 injections. This study had a mean follow-up of 8 years, and 35.2% of eyes had a 3-line or more gain in VA at the last follow-up examination. Patients who require consistent long-term anti-VEGF therapy, managed with a TES protocol, are likely able to maintain or improve their vision., (Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To examine visual outcomes and recurrence rates in patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) resulting from neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) with successful cessation of therapy using a treat-extend-stop (TES) protocol., Design: Cohort study., Participants: Three hundred eighty-five eyes of 321 patients with nAMD identified in clinical practice and treated with a TES protocol between 2008 and 2016., Methods: Retrospective review of patients initially managed with 3 anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections at 4-week intervals; treatment was extended if the macula remained "dry" based on spectral-domain OCT, using a TES protocol. Treatment was stopped if warranted and was reinitiated if there was a new or recurrent CNV., Main Outcome Measures: Percentage of eyes meeting criteria for treatment cessation and percentage experiencing recurrence after treatment cessation, average time to recurrence, and visual function at each of these time points, including recovery of vision after reinstitution of therapy., Results: A total of 37.3% of eyes met criteria for treatment cessation, with an average follow-up of 27 months. Overall recurrence rate was 29.4% at a mean time interval of 14 months for patients who stopped anti-VEGF therapy. In those patients whose CNV recurred, 54.8% recurred in the first year and 26.2% recurred in the second year after treatment was stopped. Average initial vision was 20/70 and improved to 20/50 (P < 0.001) after patients met criteria for cessation of therapy. A mean loss of vision occurred with recurrence (20/60; P < 0.003). However, once therapy was reinitiated, visual acuity recovered to the level at TES completion and wasn't statistically different than at final treatment (20/50; P < 0.34). Overall, 54.8% of eyes that demonstrated a recurrence of CNV had final vision of 20/40 or better compared with 45% of patients at the time of recurrence and 60% before recurrence., Conclusions: After completing the TES protocol, 29.4% of patients showed recurrence of CNV. Patients who lost vision with recurrence recovered to the level of vision at treatment cessation with reinstitution of therapy. Patients managed with a TES protocol may stop therapy successfully and maintain improved vision even if the CNV recurs., (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 78-year-old immunocompetent man presented with a 3-month history of painless decreased vision and panuveitis with a macular lesion presumed to be due to endogenous endophthalmitis. He had been treated with systemic, intravenous, and intravitreal antibiotics and antifungal agents as well as intravitreal steroids. A culture from a prior vitrectomy had grown a single colony of Aspergillus thought to be a contaminant. The macular lesion enlarged and caused a tractional retinal detachment. The patient underwent surgery including resection of what appeared to be an invasive retinal aspergilloma, from which polymerase chain reaction and histopathology confirmed Aspergillus fumigatus. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:680-683.]., (Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.)

Objective . This is a retrospective interventional case series describing the results of 5 eyes from 5 patients with symptomatic peripapillary choroidal neovascularization (CNVM) receiving initial bevacizumab treatment followed by thermal laser and bevacizumab combination therapy. Methods . Patients received intravitreal bevacizumab injections until the lesions were well-defined. Thermal laser ablation was then administered and followed by an additional bevacizumab injection after one week. Visual outcomes, OCT changes, and rates of recurrence were recorded and analyzed. Results . Median visual outcomes improved from 20/50 to 20/30 ( p = 0.0232). Median central macular thickness decreased from 347  μ m to 152  μ m ( p = 0.0253). The mean visual improvement was 3 lines. An average of 3.8 bevacizumab injections per patient were given overall. Patients were followed for an average of 24 months, during which all eyes were absent for recurrence. Conclusion . Symptomatic peripapillary CNVM may be successfully managed with bevacizumab followed by a combination of thermal laser and bevacizumab without the need for frequent retreatment. The area requiring treatment may be better defined using bevacizumab, limiting the ablation of the healthy retina and improving treatment margins. With this treatment regimen, the patients experience improved visual outcomes and have a low rate of recurrence.

Choroidal masses are rarely the first presentation without the primary tumor being discovered. We described fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of a choroidal mass for diagnosis and determining the primary site. The patient, a 50-year-old Caucasian male without significant past medical history, presented with visual disturbances and headaches. Intraoperative ocular FNA was performed which was sparsely cellular showing a few loosely cohesive sheets and singly arranged epithelial cells with moderate amount cytoplasm, round large nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Immunohistochemical stainings on the cell block material showed positive staining of cytokeratin and negative staining of melanoma markers. The diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma was rendered. During clinical follow up studies, the patient was found to have a PET positive lung nodule and multiple visceral metastasis., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Purpose: To describe a case of a perforated corneal ulcer leading to a bacterial endophthalmitis in a patient with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)., Methods: Clinical history and examination; slit-lamp photography; surgical intervention; laboratory evaluation including microbiology, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), flow cytometry, and cytopathology., Results: A diagnostic and therapeutic pars plana vitrectomy was performed. The vitreous aspirate was evaluated with microbiology; PCR for herpes simplex, herpes zoster, and cytomegalovirus; flow cytometry; and cytopathology. The patient received intravitreal antibiotics and antifungal and antiviral medication. The vitreous culture grew Staphylococcus epidermidis., Conclusion: Patients with GVHD are at risk for corneal ulcers with subsequent perforation. Commensal ocular flora may seed the vitreous and cause an endophthalmitis. Patients with GVHD may develop a vitritis from many causes including viral, fungal, and bacterial etiologies or a relapse of their original disease. When patients with GVHD present with vitritis, consideration should be given to obtaining a large vitreous aspirate to establish the etiology.

Purpose: To examine the changing trends in penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) performed in the United States., Design: Retrospective review., Methods: Review of Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) data on corneal tissue distribution in the United States from 1980 to 2004. Data analysis was retrospective. United States population census data were obtained and used for population-adjusted calculations. A series of Poisson regression models were calculated looking at the temporal trends over time., Main Outcome Measures: The estimated yearly percent change and P values were calculated using Poisson regression models., Results: The total number of corneas distributed for PKs from EBAA member eye banks have steadily increased since 1980. In 1990, the international and domestic distribution data were separated. The total number of PKs performed from EBAA-supplied tissue has continued to rise since 1990; however, the total number of PKs performed in the United States has steadily declined and when population-adjusted rates are examined, the rate of decline is more dramatic., Conclusion: Although both absolute numbers and age-adjusted numbers of PKs have declined recently, the population-adjusted rates have dropped more significantly.

Purpose: To report a case of a patient who underwent cataract extraction with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation after previous penetrating keratoplasty (PK) followed by laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)., Methods: Case report and literature review of cataract surgery after PK and LASIK. Cataract surgery was successfully performed in a patient with previous PK and LASIK. This paper outlines our method of calculating the correct power IOL for implant., Results: The patient's 1-month postoperative uncorrected visual acuity was 20/70 and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 20/30+ with -0.75 +0.50 x 180., Conclusions: We report the case of a patient with cataract extraction with IOL implantation after PK and LASIK as well as a description of the method used to calculate IOL power after PK and LASIK. While the IOL selection can be difficult, using the appropriate nomogram can result in good visual outcomes.

Purpose: To present 3 cases in 2 patients of infectious keratitis of the astigmatic keratotomy (AK) site in patients who had previous penetrating keratoplasty., Methods: History, clinical examination, chart review, cultures, and laboratory results were obtained from 2 patients with infectious keratitis within the donor stroma of their graft after an AK was performed., Results: One patient had an early infiltrate of the AK site that was culture negative. This cleared with fortified antibiotics, and the patient had a final visual acuity of 20/30-2. The second patient developed 2 late infections, the first with coagulase negative Staphylococcus and the second infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both of these infections cleared with fortified antibiotics, and the final visual acuity was 20/25. Neither patient developed a rejection episode from the infections, and both grafts survived., Conclusions: We report a series of 3 cases of infectious keratitis in 2 patients after AKs in corneal grafts. This, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously reported. Patients who suffer infectious keratitis after AK in corneal grafts may have good visual outcomes if managed with appropriate antibiotic regimens and closely followed.

Purpose: To document a case of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) associated with renal cell carcinoma and elevated levels of anticardiolipin and antiphospholipid antibodies., Design: Observational case report., Methods: History, clinical examination, chart review, and laboratory serologies were performed on a 63-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma with a 6-week history of decreased vision in his left eye., Results: Vision was 20/40 in the left eye. Dilated fundus examination revealed a CRVO. Laboratory serologies revealed markedly elevated levels of anticardiolipin and antiphospholipid antibodies., Conclusion: This case illustrates an association between CRVO and renal cell carcinoma. A paraneoplastic process, consisting of both antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies, may be a mechanism for CRVO.