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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) enables rapid, non-invasive in vivo measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, reflecting axonal density within the optic nerve. There is still lack of concordance about the use of OCT in clinical routine as a surrogate measure of brain atrophy. Objective: To investigate the role of OCT as possible predictor of disability, cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS We recruited patients affected by MS according to validated criteria at the Neurological Department of the University of Palermo. Patients performed Stratus OCT- 3 Zeiss to assess RNFL and GCS measurements. Nearly 18 months later, the same patients were re-evaluated. Clinical and cognitive status was assessed also using an extensive neuropsychological battery exploring attention, executive functions and working memory, verbal and visuo-spatial memory, visuospatial functions and language and BICAMS (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis). Patients performed all subtests of the Italian standardized version. Subjects underwent a single-time-point brain scan using a 1.5T MRI unit; an isotropic 3D-FSPGR T1w sequence was used for brain tissue volume estimation (normalized for subject head size) with tissue-type segmentation by the use of FSL’s package SIENAX. We collected information about disease status, EDSS, relapse rate and current and former therapies. RESULTS Thirty patients (20 women; 27 RR, 2 SP) were recruited for the study. Patients were divided into two groups considering if they were affected by a previous optic neuritis (ON yes) or not (ON no). Ten patients performed the MRI scan. Twenty-two patients were on therapy (5 Interferon beta 1 a, 8 Natalizumab, 8 Fingolimod and 1 azathioprine) and 8 patients don’t take any specific therapy.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION.The present study confirms previous data indicating an association between a previous optic neuritis and RFNL thickening. We didn’t observe a significant association with cognitive performances. We observed a significant association also between RFNL thickness and grey matter atrophy independent by neuropsychological performances .There is a need to increase the sample of the study and for longitudinal studies to further clarify the role of OCT as a surrogate marker of degeneration.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of Ranibizumab in the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) caused by pathologic myopia (PM). Design: Prospective, multicenter, interventional case series. Methods: 40 of 39 consecutive patients with PM and CNV were treated with “on-demand” intravitreal injection of ranibizumab 0.5 mg. Final best-corrected VA (BCVA) and its change from baseline were the main outcome measures. Changes in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) central retinal thickness (CRT) were a secondary outcome. Results: Mean age was 53 ± 13 years, mean refractive error -13.5 ± 6.5 diopters. Median follow-up was 13.3 ± 2 months (range 12 – 18). Fifteen eyes (37.5%) had previously been treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT). The mean baseline logMAR BCVA (ETDRS vision chart) was 0.68 ± 0.34 (Snellen equivalent 20/131) and 21 ± 16 letters. The final mean logMAR BCVA was 0.27 ± 0.2 (p 0.008) (20/42) and 40.5 ± 14 letters (p 0.01). Mean final VA improved in 82.5% of patients, in 60% by 3 or more lines,(median number of lines gained 2.9). Even six out of seven cases of low vision (≤ 1.1 LogMAR) at the final examination improved vision. Mean OCT CRT reduced from 218±70 μm to 175±46 μm (p 0.02). Age and previous PDT did not influence results (p›0,05). The mean number of injection was 2.8 ± 1.2 (range 1-6). No ocular or systemic side effects were observed. Conclusion: Ranibizumab was an effective treatment for stabilizing and improving vision in 92.5 % of myopic CNV in a long term follow-up with a low number of injections.

Purpose: The aim of this research was to study the relevance of long-term follow-up of electroretinographic oscillatory potentials (OPs) in predicting the onset of minimal non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetes patients. Methods: A total of 80 insulin-dependent diabetics, with normal fundi and normal OPs at first examination, were followed prospectively for 10 years. Oscillatory potentials were measured and fundus examinations performed once or twice per year. Results: During follow-up, 35% of patients developed diabetic retinopathy after a mean disease duration of 12 ± 2 years. A decrease in OP amplitudes was seen in 46% of this group, but reductions were also seen in the 25% of patients whose fundi remained normal. Statistical analysis of best-fit survival curves shows a significant difference (p

In order to investigate the combined influence of age and light, the b-wave and oscillatory potentials (OPs) of the electroretinogram (ERG) were recorded in 1.5-, 7- and 12-month-old WAG/Rij rats, reared under homogenous low-intensity cyclic light exposure. Wistar albino rats of the same ages, reared under the same conditions, served as controls. The b-wave amplitude decreased, and its implicit time increased in the older age groups significantly more in WAG/Rij than in Wistar rats. Statistical analysis indicated that the b-wave amplitude is a more suitable parameter than implicit time in differentiating the ERG variations of one rat strain from the other. The added amplitude of the OPs also decreased in older age groups, but differently from the b wave. This occurred in WAG/Rij rats already at 1.5 months of age.

Background: Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed worldwide. A fixed topical corticosteroid-antibiotic combination is usually prescribed in clinical practice for 2 or more weeks to treat post surgical inflammation and prevent infection. However, this protracted schedule may increase the incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events and notably promote antibiotic resistance. Methods: This International, multicentre, randomized, blinded-assessor, parallel-group clinical study evaluated the non-inferiority of 1-week levofloxacin/dexamethasone eye drops, followed by 1-week dexamethasone alone, vs. 2-week gold-standard tobramycin/dexamethasone (one drop QID for all schedules) to prevent and treat ocular inflammation and prevent infection after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Non-inferiority was defined as the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) around a treatment difference >–10%. The study randomized 808 patients enrolled in 53 centres (Italy, Germany, Spain and Russia). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without anterior chamber inflammation on day 15 defined as the end of treatment. Endophthalmitis was the key secondary endpoint. This study is registered with EudraCT code: 2018-000286-36. Results: After the end of treatment, 95.2% of the patients in the test arm vs. 94.9% of the control arm had no signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber (difference between proportions of patients = 0.028; 95% CI: −0.0275/0.0331). No case of endophthalmitis was reported. No statistically significant difference was evident in any of the other secondary endpoints. Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusions: Non-inferiority of the new short pharmacological strategy was proven. One week of levofloxacin/dexamethasone prevents infection, ensures complete control of inflammation in almost all patients and may contain antibiotic resistance.

Purpose: To report clinical outcomes of two different timings of intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implant administration for prevention of diabetic macular oedema (DME) worsening following cataract surgery. Methods: This multicentre, retrospective study included patients with DME who received an intravitreal DEX implant 1month before cataract surgery, ‘precataract DEX’ group, or at the time of cataract surgery, ‘concomitant treatments’ group. Inclusion criteria were a follow-up ≥3months and ophthalmological examination with optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging at baseline (cataract surgery) and throughout follow-up. Anatomical improvement was considered to be a decrease in OCT central subfield (CSF) thickness ≥20% compared to baseline. The primary outcomes were anatomical and functional results at 3months. Results: Two hundred twenty-one patients were included: 136 in the ‘precataract DEX’ group and 85 in the ‘concomitant treatments’ group. At 3months, a reduction of CSF thickness≥20% was found in 7.3% of eyes in the ‘precataract DEX group’ and in 83.7% of eyes in the ‘concomitant treatments’ group (p&nbsp

The treatment for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is surgery, including pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and scleral buckling (SB). Despite surgical advances, degeneration of the photoreceptors and post-operative complications, such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), often occurs as the result of inflammation, preventing complete visual recovery or causing RRD recurrence. There is increasing evidence that in the presence of RRD, the activation of inflammatory processes occurs and the surgery itself induces an inflammatory response. This comprehensive review focuses on the use of different formulations of corticosteroids (CCS), as an adjunctive treatment to surgery, either PPV or SB, for RRD repair. The purpose was to review the efficacy and safety of CCS in improving functional and anatomical outcomes and in preventing postoperative complications. This review is organized according to the timing of CCS administration: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. The evidence reviewed supported the role of the pre-operative use of CCS in the treatment of combined RRD and choroidal detachment (CD), reducing CD height. No solid consensus exists on intraoperative and postoperative use of CCS to treat and prevent postoperative complications. However, a large randomized clinical trial including more than 200 eyes suggested that oral prednisone after surgery decreases the rate of postoperative grade B PVR.

Introduction To evaluate the effects of combined therapy using intravitreal Aflibercept (IVA) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy related to pachychoroid disease (PPCV).Methods Patients with PPCV were treated with PDT combined with 3 IVA injections on a monthly basis, followed by pro re nata criteria. The 12-month follow-up consisted of multiple revaluations of visual acuity and SSOCT parameters of clinical activity.Results Nineteen eyes were included in the study; mean age was 65.5 years. Visual acuity improved after 12 months (0.35 ± 0.25 to 0.2 ± 0.20 logMAR, p = 0.005). Percentage of eyes with intraretinal and subretinal fluid reduced from baseline to the 12-month follow-up (from 52.6–10.5%, p = 0.12, and from 89.5–5.3% p = 0.0009, respectively). Central retinal and mean macular thicknesses reduced (258 ± 39.6 to 204.8 ± 38.8 µm p = 0.04 and 293.8 ± 32.1 to 248.1 ± 29.6 µm p = 0.017 respectively). Central choroidal and mean choroidal thicknesses also displayed a reduction (328.6 ± 54.9 to 289.8 ± 44.6 µm p = 0.001 and 314.5 ± 55.3 to 287.9 ± 47.6 µm p = 0.015 respectively). The mean number of injections was 4.6/year.Conclusion The results support the use of a combined therapy with Aflibercept and PDT in PPCV. This treatment would act in synergy, with anti-VEGF controlling exudation and PDT closing the aneurysmal vessel and reducing choroidal congestion.

Background/objectives: To compare the number of eye surgical procedures performed in Italy in the 2 months following the beginning of lockdown (study period) because of COVID-19 epidemic with those performed in the two earlier months of the same year (intra-year control) and in the period of 2019 corresponding to the lockdown (inter-year control). Methods: Retrospective analysis of surgical procedures carried out at 39 Academic hospitals. A distinction was made between elective and urgent procedures. Intravitreal injections were also considered. Percentages for all surgical procedures and incidence rate ratios (IRR) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) events were calculated. A p value Results: A total of 20,886 versus 55,259 and 56,640 patients underwent surgery during the lockdown versus intra-and inter-year control periods, respectively. During the lockdown, only 70% of patients for whom an operation/intravitreal injection was recommended, finally underwent surgery; the remaining patients did not attend because afraid of getting infected at the hospital (23%), taking public transportation (6.5%), or unavailable swabs (0.5%). Elective surgeries were reduced by 96.2% and 96.4%, urgent surgeries by 49.7% and 50.2%, and intravitreal injections by 48.5% and 48.6% in the lockdown period in comparison to intra-year and inter-year control periods, respectively. IRRs for RRDs during lockdown dropped significantly in comparison with intra- and inter-year control periods (CI: 0.65–0.80 and 0.61–0.75, respectively, p Conclusion: This study provides a quantitative analysis of the reduction of eye surgical procedures performed in Italy because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Purpose To assess the impact of preoperative intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DexI) on functional and anatomic outcomes in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who underwent phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Methods Prospective and non-comparative study conducted on consecutive DME patients undergoing cataract surgery. DexI was administered 15 days before surgery and in a pro re nata regime after surgery. Main outcome measures were mean change in central retinal thickness (CRT), central subfield thickness (CST), total macular volume (TMV), and central subfield volume (CSV) from baseline to month-12. Secondary outcome was mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results Forty eyes were included in the study. CRT significantly decreased from 410.4 ± 64.8 µm at baseline to 303.2 ± 24.3 µm at month-12, p 3 at baseline to 8.49 ± 0.83 mm3 and 0.31 ± 0.05 mm3 at month-12, respectively ( p Conclusions DexI was and effective and safe strategy for managing DME in diabetic patients undergoing uneventful cataract surgery.

The choroid is the most vascularized structure of the eye and plays a central role in the development of the retinal vascular changes that occur in arterial hypertension. Changes of choroidal thickness (ChT) assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology could reflect the vascular complications of hypertension. Also, intrarenal hemodynamic damage, associated with endothelial dysfunction, demonstrated to be a good indicator of systemic morphofunctional arterial impairment. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between ChT and renal hemodynamics in subjects with essential hypertension. Routine laboratory tests, clinical history, and physical examination, including blood pressure assessment, were performed in 90 subjects with essential hypertension. All patients underwent Doppler ultrasonographic evaluation of intra-renal hemodynamics and OCT imaging to assess ChT. When subjects were divided in two groups based on renal resistive index (RRI), group I (RRI≥75% percentile) showed significantly lower values of ChT than group II (RRI&nbsp

Ex vivo limbal stem cell transplantation is the main therapeutic approach to address a complete and functional re‐epithelialization in corneal blindness, the second most common eye disorder. Although important key points were defined, the molecular mechanisms involved in the epithelial phenotype determination are unclear. Our previous studies have demonstrated the pluripotency and immune‐modulatory of fibroblast limbal stem cells (f‐LSCs), isolated from the corneal limbus. We defined a proteomic profile especially enriched in wound healing and cytoskeleton‐remodelling proteins, including Profilin‐1 (PFN1). In this study we postulate that pfn‐1 knock down promotes epithelial lineage by inhibiting the integrin‐β1(CD29)/mTOR pathway and subsequent NANOG down‐expression. We showed that it is possible modulate pfn1 expression levels by treating f‐LSCs with Resveratrol (RSV), a natural compound: pfn1 decline is accompanied with up‐regulation of the specific differentiation epithelial genes pax6 (paired‐box 6), sox17 (sex determining region Y‐box 17) and ΔNp63‐α (p63 splice variant), consistent with drop‐down of the principle stem gene levels. These results contribute to understand the molecular biology of corneal epithelium development and suggest that pfn1 is a potential molecular target for the treatment of corneal blindness based on epithelial cell dysfunction.

Purpose There has been an increasing clinical interest in specific retinal parameters as non-invasive biomarkers of retinal inflammation in diabetic macular edema (DME) that have been shown to have prognostic value, such as hyperreflective retinal fields (HRFs) and subfoveal neuroretinal detachment (SND). Methods We conducted a prospective, non-comparative study of treatment-naive patients with DME to evaluate the efficacy of a Pro Re Nata (PRN) regimen of intravitreal dexamethasone implant 0.7 mg (DexI, Ozurdex™). After administration, patients underwent subsequent injections according to PRN criteria in case of edema relapse, but not earlier than 4 months after the previous treatment. Patients were evaluated at baseline, within 15 days of injection, and every month thereafter. During all visits, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded; central retinal thickness (CRT), type of edema, presence of SND, and presence and number of HRFs were evaluated using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) 3D. Treatment outcome was defined as changes in BCVA, CRT, SND and HRFs at 12 (T12) and 24 (T24) months compared with baseline (T0). Results The study enrolled 24 eyes of 18 patients. The mean duration of follow-up was 18±6.6 months; for all eyes, T12 data were available, while follow-up reached T24 for 12 eyes. BCVA improved significantly and CRT decreased significantly during treatment; the edema was no longer detectable in 13/24 eyes at T12 and 8/12 eyes at T24. No patient presented SND at T12 and T24, and the mean number of HRFs decreased significantly during treatment. Results with CRT and HRFs correlated with BCVA at 12 and 24 months. No significant adverse events were observed. Conclusion In patients with DME, the intravitreal dexamethasone implant was effective and safe in improving both functional and tomographic parameters. This result is consistent with improvement in biomarkers of inflammation.

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of a dedicated questionnaire for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) treated with biological drugs for the detection of ocular extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs). IBD can cause extraintestinal symptoms including ocular complaints which are frequently ignored and may be associated with significant morbidity, including blindness. Methods: We developed a questionnaire, named Ocular Manifestations in IBD Screening (OMIS) questionnaire, after agreement between gastroenterologists and ophthalmologists. The questionnaire was administered by a non-ophthalmologist physician to 96 IBD patients treated with biological drugs. Results: 35 patients (36.5%) were selected for the ophthalmologic examination on the basis of a positive screening test. Ocular EIMs were detected in 29 of 35 patients (83%). Conclusion: A specific questionnaire can be useful for non-ophthalmologist physicians in a real world setting in order to select patients to be addressed to an ophthalmological visit, creating an integrated multidisciplinary clinical team, to improve management of IBD in order to prevent disability and guarantee quality of life.

Background Due to their “natural immune privilege” and immunoregulatory properties human fibroblast-like limbal stem cells (f-LSCs) have acquired great interest as a potential tool for achieving immunotolerance. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is the most common thyroid autoimmune disease and cause of hypothyroidism. To date, conventional hormone replacement therapy and unspecific immunosuppressive regimens cannot provide a definitive cure for HT subjects. We explored the immunosuppressant potential of human f-LSCs on circulating lymphomonocytes (PBMCs) collected from healthy donors and female HT patients. Methods We assessed the immunophenotyping of f-LSCs, both untreated and after 48 h of proinflammatory cytokine exposure, by means of quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and flow cytometry. The immunosuppressant effects of f-LSCs on healthy activated PBMCs were investigated in cell-cell contact and transwell settings through cell cycle assay, acridine orange staining, and caspase-3 detection. We also studied T-cell responses and possible Treg conversion by means of flow cytometry. Functional assays were conducted in activated HT lymphocytes cocultured with f-LSCs after carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester labeling and intracellular detection of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Results The hypo-immunogenicity of the f-LSC population depended on both cell contact and soluble factors produced, as well as the undetectable expression of all those molecules required to fully activate T lymphocytes. Following exposure to Th1 cytokines, f-LSCs augmented expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and 2 (PDL-1 and -2), indoleamine-pyrrole-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), interleukin (IL)-6, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) while maintaining their negative phenotype for major histocompatibility (MHC) class II and costimulatory molecules. During coculture, f-LSCs suppressed up to 40% of proliferation in healthy activated PBMCs, arrested them in the G0/G1 cell cycle phase without inducing apoptosis cascade, inverted the CD4/CD8 ratio, and promoted sustained expression of the immunomodulator marker CD69. Under coculture conditions the Th imbalance of autoreactive T cells from female HT patients was fully restored. Conclusions Our study describes an in vitro coculture system able to prevent inappropriate activation of autoreactive T lymphocytes of female HT patients and to generate a tolerogenic environment even in an inflammatory background. Further investigations are necessary to establish whether this stem cell-based therapy approach in HT could avoid lifetime hormone replacement therapy by inducing T-cell education. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0611-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose To investigate the effect of cyclosporine on corneal ultrastructure and on major signs and symptoms of patients with dry eye disease.Patients and methods In this prospective cohort study, patients with dry eye disease were treated with a drop of cyclosporine 0.05% twice daily. Clinical evaluation was carried out at baseline and at months 1, 3, and 6. All patients completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, and tear film break-up time (BUT), fluorescein and lissamine green staining, and Schirmer test were carried out. In vivo confocal microscopy was also performed and epithelial cellular density, keratocyte activation, and subbasal plexus morphology were assessed.Results A total of 40 patients completed the study. After 6 months, OSDI, BUT, and fluorescein and lissamine green staining showed a clinically significant improvement. During the 6-month follow-up, density of intermediate epithelial cells increased from 1969.5 +/- 85.4 cell/mm(2) to 4881.2 +/- 75.7 cell/mm(2) (P

Background and Objectives: To compare the long-term toxicity of infracyanine green (IFCG) to brilliant blue G (BBG) in inverted internal limiting membrane flap surgery (I-ILMFS) for large, full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs). Materials and Methods: Prospective randomized study including 39 eyes with &ge, 400 &micro, m idiopathic FTMH who underwent I-ILMFS with either IFCG or BBG. Postoperative 6- and 12-month corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), closure rate, and swept-source optical coherence tomography parameters, including ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) mean defect length, central foveal thicknesses (CFT), parafoveal macular thickness (MT), ganglion cells and inner plexiform layer (GCL++) thickness, and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, were compared. Results: Nineteen eyes were included in the IFCG group and 20 eyes in the BBG group. In all cases a FTMH closure was found. CDVA improved at 6 and 12 months in both groups (p &lt, 0.0005), the increase at 12 months was greater in the BBG group (p = 0.036). EZ and ELM defects did not differ between groups at either follow-up time. CFT at 12 months was greater in the BBG group (p = 0.041). A 12-months compared to 6-months MT decrease was present in both groups (p &lt, 0.01). The GCL++ superior inner sector was thicker in the BBG group at 12 months (p = 0.036), as were the superior outer sector (p = 0.039 and p = 0.027 at 6 and 12 months, respectively) and inferior outer sector (p = 0.011 and p = 0.009 at 6 and 12 months, respectively). Conclusion: In our study BBG in I-ILMFS exhibits better long-term CDVA and retinal thickness than does IFCG, suggesting a lesser toxicity from BBG. These findings support the use of BBG over IFCG in I-ILMFS.

The purpose of this study was to investigate refraction at birth and during the first year of life in a large cohort of babies born in a single center in Northern Italy. We also aimed to analyze refractive errors in relation to the gestational age at birth. An observational ophthalmological assessment was performed within 24 h of birth on 12,427 newborns. Refraction was examined using streak retinoscopy after the administration of tropicamide (1%). Values in the range of between +0.50 ≤ D ≤ +4.00 were defined as physiological refraction at birth. Newborns with refraction values outside of the physiological range were followed up during the first year of life. Comparative analyses were conducted in a subgroup of babies with known gestational ages. The following distribution of refraction at birth was recorded: 88.03% of the babies had physiological refraction, 5.03% had moderate hyperopia, 2.14% had severe hyperopia, 3.4%, had emmetropia, 0.45%, had myopia, 0.94% had astigmatism, and 0.01% had anisometropia. By the end of the first year of life, we observed reductions in hyperopia and astigmatism, and stabilization of myopia. Preterm babies had a four-fold higher risk of congenital myopia and a three-fold higher risk of congenital emmetropia as compared to term babies. Refraction profiles obtained at birth changed during the first year of life, leading to a normalization of the refraction values. Gestational age at birth affected the incidence of refractive errors and amblyopia.

The study purpose was to assess the efficacy of a preservative-free 0.6% povidone iodine eye drops as perioperative prophylactic treatment for reducing conjunctival bacterial load and the rate of needle contamination in patients undergoing intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. Enrolled patients were randomized to either the study group (0.6% povidone iodine, three day-prophylactic treatment before the injection) or to the control group (placebo, three day-prophylactic treatment). Conjunctival swabs were obtained before and after the prophylactic treatment in both groups. Intravitreal injections were performed in a sterile fashion. The injection needle and a control needle were collected for microbiological culture. Data from 254 and 253 eyes in the study group and control group, respectively, were analyzed. Bacterial growth from conjunctival swab cultures was significantly lower after 0.6% povidone iodine prophylaxis compared to baseline and to placebo prophylaxis (p &lt, 0.001), showing an 82% eradication rate in the study group. No injection needle showed bacterial contamination in the study group, whereas six needles were culture-positive in the control group (p = 0.015). No serious ocular and non-ocular adverse events were recorded. The 0.6% povidone iodine solution proved an effective treatment in reducing conjunctival bacterial load and risk of needle contamination.

In order to investigate the influence of season and month of birth on the risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (n-AMD) in Italy, we evaluated the month birth and sex of all patients, recorded in the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monitoring registry of the Italian Medicines Agency, born between 1925-1944, who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for n-AMD between January 1, 2013 and July 29, 2015. The numbers of all births in Italy in the same years, extracted from the Italian National Institute of Statistics, were used to calculate the expected number of n-AMD cases. Overall, 45,845 patients (19,207 men, 26,638 women) received intravitreal anti-VEGF for n-AMD; in the same years, 20,140,426 people (10,334,262 male, 9,806,164 female) were born in Italy. Comparing the observed number of n-AMD cases with the expected number of n-AMD cases in each season, we found that the season-specific risk for n-AMD was 2.5% higher for those born in summer (OR= 1.03, Bonferroni-corrected P= 0.008) and 3% lower for those born in winter (OR= 0.96, Bonferroni-corrected P= 0.0004). When considering the month of birth, the risk of n-AMD was 5.9% lower for people born in January (OR= 0.93, Bonferroni-corrected P= 0.0012). The factors causing such differences should be determined.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of a mixture of silicone oil and perfluorohexyloctane (Densiron 68) with C2F6 gas endotamponade in the retreatment of persistently open full-thickness macular holes. METHODS: In this prospective randomized study, 21 consecutive patients who were unsuccessfully operated on for large idiopathic full-thickness macular hole were randomly assigned to undergo a second vitrectomy with 20% perfluoroethane gas (C2F6, Group A) or with Densiron 68 tamponade (Group B). PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Endpoint (12 months) full-thickness macular hole closure rate by spectral domain optical coherence tomography and logMAR corrected distance visual acuity. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: postoperative adverse events. RESULTS: The mean diameter of macular holes before the second pars plana vitrectomy was 680.3 ± 120.8 μm and 740.5 ± 105.3 μm in Groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.237); mean preoperative corrected distance visual acuity was 0.96 ± 0.36 logMAR and 1.12 ± 0.35 logMAR, respectively (P = 0.315). Endpoint full-thickness macular hole closure was obtained in 30% of patients (3/10) in Group A and in 82% (9/11) in Group B (P = 0.030). Corrected distance visual acuities were, respectively, 0.80 ± 0.25 logMAR and 0.55 ± 0.20 logMAR, with significant intergroup difference (P = 0.019); corrected distance visual acuity increased in Group B only (P = 0.003). No differences in complications were found. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that Densiron 68 tamponade could be a useful, safe, and more efficacious method than gas tamponade to retreat persisting macular holes.

Purpose: To analyse the postoperative foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, superficial vessel density (SVD) and deep vessel density (DVD) and their correlation with functional (best-corrected visual acuity, BCVA) and anatomical outcomes (foveal macular thickness, FMT) after surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair. Method: Patients with RRD eyes, successfully treated with a single pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with gas tamponade and a minimum 12months follow-up, were re-examined. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, SVD, DVD and FMT were evaluated by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and compared to fellow eye. Results: Fifty-six patients with macula-on and 37 with macula-off RRD were included in the study. In both groups, no difference in FMT and FAZ area was found compared to fellow eyes. In macula-on RRD eyes, a lower parafoveal DVD (p=0.001) was detected; FAZ area was related to FMT (p=0.025), and the postoperative BCVA was correlated with parafoveal DVD (p=0.010) and FAZ area (p=0.003). In macula-off RRD eyes, lower parafoveal SDV (p=0.012), and foveal and parafoveal DVD (p=0.012 and p&nbsp

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The study&rsquo, s purpose was to determine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of tractional macular detachment after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pretreatment before vitrectomy for complicated proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Patients who underwent primary vitrectomy for complicated proliferative diabetic retinopathy, from January 2012 to 31 December 2018, were enrolled. Ophthalmic and pre-operative data were extracted from electronic record systems. All eyes with a valuable Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)performed within 5 days before injection of anti-VEGF and on the day of vitrectomy were included. Multivariable logistic regression showed that significant risk factors for developing tractional macular detachment included days between anti-VEGF and vitrectomy (OR, 0.71 [95% CI 0.65&ndash, 0.76], p &lt, 0.001), vitreous hemorrhage (OR, 0.23 [95% CI 0.11&ndash, 0.49], 0.001), and age (OR, 1.05 [95% CI 1.02&ndash, 1.08], 0.001). Decision-tree analysis showed that the stronger predictors of tractional macular detachment were the time between anti-VEGF injection and vitrectomy (p &lt, 0.001). Secondary predictors were the presence of vitreous hemorrhage (p = 0.012) in eyes that underwent vitrectomy between 6 and 10 days after anti-VEGF injection and younger age (p = 0.031) in eyes that underwent vitrectomy 10 days after anti-VEGF injection. Tractional macular detachment occurs in 10% of eyes after anti-VEGF injection, the main risk factors being days between anti-VEGF injection and vitrectomy, vitreous hemorrhage, and age.

To evaluate the LG involvement, through the measurement of the LG herniation by of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in patients with different GO activity