Search

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of a high-magnification module (HMM) lens to visualize retinal photoreceptors, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and superficial retinal vasculature in physiologic and pathologic retinal conditions., Design: Observational descriptive study., Participants: Thirty-two participants with normal and pathologic retina examination results., Methods: Normal and pathologic maculae were imaged in vivo using still and video HMM lens modes, with fixation and contrast adjustments to enhance visualization. The HMM images were classified qualitatively based on structures identified as either good (photoreceptors seen), average (photoreceptor mosaic cannot be visualized clearly, retinal vessels and other retinal changes can be seen), or poor (no identifiable structures). Selected eyes were imaged with fundus photography, OCT, OCT angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and fluorescein angiography for comparison with the pathologic maculae., Main Outcomes Measures: Description of HMM module-obtained macula images., Results: From 32 eyes imaged (16 normal and 16 pathologic retinas), 12 of 16 normal and 11 of 16 pathologic retinas demonstrated at least average image quality, in which retinal vasculature and landmarks could be visualized. The mosaic pattern of hexagonal shapes representing photoreceptors could not be resolved in most pathologic retinas. For the retinas in which the photoreceptor mosaics were visualized (12 of 16 normal and 2 of 16 pathologic retinas), parafoveal mosaic patterns appeared denser with better image quality for all participants compared with foveal photoreceptors. Difficulty in resolving the photoreceptors in the umbo, fovea, and perifovea was encountered, similar to what has been reported with adaptive optics devices. The RNFL was seen as arcuate hyperreflective bundles. Flow was observed in the macular microvasculature. Poorly resolved photoreceptors and scattered hyperreflective foci were correlated with changes in the retinal pigment epithelium in eyes with age-related macular degeneration or central serous chorioretinopathy. Macular striae were seen in eyes with epiretinal membrane., Conclusions: In most eyes, regardless of whether retinal pathologic features were present, it was challenging to obtain average quality (or better) images. In the few participants with good-quality imaging, the parafoveal photoreceptor mosaic, vascular flow, and various features of pathologic eyes could be visualized., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To report four cases with interesting anatomical presentations of multilayer macular hemorrhages with preretinal hemorrhage possibly preventing subretinal involvement of the macular area., Cases Presentation: Observational study of four patients presenting with macular hemorrhages., Results: Four patients with multilayer macular hemorrhage due to different causes, presented with a halo-shaped submacular hemorrhage coincident with the preretinal hemorrhage borders. After resolution, in all cases, the macular area underneath the preretinal hemorrhage was found to be spared., Conclusion: We hypothesized that an extensive preretinal hemorrhage can exert a mechanical force pushing the subretinal hemorrhage towards the periphery, consequently protecting the macular area.

Many studies over the past 20 years have pursued the goal of preventing or deferring progression from early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to advanced AMD. The onset of neovascular AMD has been used as a primary endpoint in some prophylactic clinical trials because it is easy to assess and relatively well-defined. Nevertheless, the use of this endpoint for assessing progression of AMD lacks validation. The aims of this paper are to review the current practice of clinical trials investigating the prevention of progression of early or intermediate AMD to neovascular AMD, so-called prophylactic trials, as well as identify ongoing efforts to standardize endpoints and select the ideal population for such studies., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of photoreceptor density assessment with manual cell counting in healthy participants imaged with the Heidelberg Spectralis High Magnification Module (HMM)., Design: Precision study, evaluation of diagnostic test or technology., Participants: Eleven eyes of 8 participants., Methods: Images were acquired using the Spectralis HMM by a single operator during 2 separate imaging sessions. The 3 highest-quality images of each eye from each session were selected for analysis and coregistered. For a subset of participants, a second operator acquired images in 1 session, and images with the best quality were selected for analysis. Photoreceptor densities were obtained by manual counts in squares of 0.0625 mm 2 located in the parafovea. Repeatability (intragrader and intrasession) and reproducibility (interoperator, intergrader, and intersession) were assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) from linear mixed effects models. Bland-Altman plots, coefficients of repeatability, and Pearson correlation results were reported., Main Outcome Measures: Intragrader, intrasession, intersession, interoperator, and intergrader ICC estimates and their 95% confidence intervals for photoreceptor density measurements in the parafovea., Results: Twenty-four eyes of 13 healthy participants were imaged initially. Of these, 11 eyes (45.83%) of 8 participants that had at least 3 acceptable images in each session were included in this study. Mean parafoveal photoreceptor density was 14 988 cells/mm 2 (standard deviation, 1403.15 cells/mm 2 ). Intragrader ICC was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.95), intrasession ICC was 0.69 (95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.86), intersession ICC was 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.96), interoperator ICC was 0.70 (95% confidence interval, 0-0.95), and intergrader ICC was 0.22 (95% confidence interval, 0-0.71)., Conclusions: Images obtained with the HMM allow for photoreceptor mosaic visualization in the macular area, mainly in the parafovea. Although densities obtained are in accordance with other reported methods in the literature, variability within and between images of the apparent cell mosaic were observed, and this study did not demonstrate high repeatability or reproducibility for quantitative assessments using the manual counting method., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Amid an explosion of interest in deep learning in medicine, including within ophthalmology, concerns regarding data privacy, security, and sharing are of increasing importance. A model-to-data approach, in which the model itself is transferred rather than data, can circumvent many of these challenges but has not been previously demonstrated in ophthalmology., Objective: To determine whether a model-to-data deep learning approach (ie, validation of the algorithm without any data transfer) can be applied in ophthalmology., Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-center cross-sectional study included patients with active exudative age-related macular degeneration undergoing optical coherence tomography (OCT) at the New England Eye Center from August 1, 2018, to February 28, 2019. Data were primarily analyzed from March 1 to June 20, 2019., Main Outcomes and Measures: Training of the deep learning model, using a model-to-data approach, in recognizing intraretinal fluid (IRF) on OCT B-scans., Results: The model was trained (learning curve Dice coefficient, >80%) using 400 OCT B-scans from 128 participants (69 female [54%] and 59 male [46%]; mean [SD] age, 77.5 [9.1] years). In comparing the model with manual human grading of IRF pockets, no statistically significant difference in Dice coefficients or intersection over union scores was found (P > .05)., Conclusions and Relevance: A model-to-data approach to deep learning applied in ophthalmology avoided many of the traditional hurdles in large-scale deep learning, including data sharing, security, and privacy concerns. Although the clinical relevance of these results is limited at this time, this proof-of-concept study suggests that such a paradigm should be further examined in larger-scale, multicenter deep learning studies.

Background: The short-term effects of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment on macular neovascularization (MNV) morphology is well described, but long-term studies on morphologic changes and correlation of such changes to the type of MNV have not been conducted. This study aims to determine if different types of MNVs in neovascular AMD (nAMD) behave differently with anti-VEGF treatment as visualized on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)., Methods: Treatment-naïve nAMD patients were retrospectively screened for baseline and follow-up OCTA imaging 10 or more months after initial treatment. Images were graded for MNV type, area, activity, mature versus immature vessels, vessel density, presence of atrophy, atrophy location and area. Growth rate was calculated as the percent change in lesion area from baseline over the years of follow-up. In addition, the occurrence of complete regression and the percent of lesions that grew, remained stable, and shrunk per type was also evaluated., Results: Forty-three eyes from 43 patients with a mean follow-up of 2 years were evaluated. On structural OCT, 26 lesions were classified as pure type 1 MNVs, 12 MNVs had a type 2 component, and 5 MNVs had a type 3 component. Of these cases, 2 mixed-type MNVs were considered to have completely regressed. There was no significant differences in MNV area and growth rate between type 1 and type 2 lesions, but all cases of type 3 lesions shrunk in the follow-up period. There was no correlation between the number of injections per year and growth rate, endpoint MNV area or endpoint activity status for any MNV type. There was no significant association between the development of atrophy and the number of injections, baseline MNV area, baseline vessel density, or lesion growth rate., Conclusions: In nAMD, complete regression of an MNV network exposed to anti-VEGF is rare. This work emphasizes the role of anti-VEGF as anti-leakage rather than vascular regression agents in nAMD., Competing Interests: Competing interestsAEM: Novartis, Optos, Optovue, Eschenbach (personal fees). MQEM: Novartis, Bayer, Allergan (personal fees). JGF: Topcon (grants); Optovue, Carl Zeiss Meditech (patents); Optovue (consultant, personal financial interest). CRB: Carl Zeiss Meditec, Optovue, Genentech, Allergan (speaker fees). JSD: Carl Zeiss Meditec, Optovue (funding), Aldeyra, Allergan, Aura Biosciences, Bausch Health, Beyeonics, Merck, Novartis, Roche (Consulting); Eleven Oncology, Eye-Point Pharma (Director of Entity); Hemera Biosciences (stock/options). NKW: Nidek, Topcon (Speaker fees); Topcon, Roche/Genentech, Regeneron, Apellis, Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis (Consulting); Roche Genentech, Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Carl Zeiss Meditech, Topcon, Carl Zeiss Meditec (Advisory role); Gyroscope (Officer of entity). ESL, ECG, LSMM, SG, IND, AYA, EM, NM, UC, AW, MEH: No disclosures., (© The Author(s) 2020.)