Search

Objective: This study aims to conduct an analysis glaucoma surgeries performed over a 13-year period at a tertiary hospital affiliated with the Spanish National Health System, with the goal of assessing temporal trends., Methods: This retrospective observational study scrutinized surgeries undertaken in the glaucoma unit of a tertiary center in Spain between 2010 and 2022. Data collected included surgical dates, procedure performed, whether it was standalone or combined, as well as patient demographics including age, sex, and type of underlying glaucoma. Surgeries on individuals under 18 years of age were excluded. An annual comparative analysis was performed to ascertain the evolving trends in glaucoma surgical interventions., Results: A total of 12,944 surgeries were included in the analysis, comprising 9428 isolated cataract surgeries and 2975 glaucoma procedures. Trabeculectomy, glaucoma drainage devices (GDD), and cyclodestruction, collectively referred to as traditional surgery, demonstrated a decline from 93.2% to 23.6% over the study duration. Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) and minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS) demonstrated a significant increase from 3.8% in 2010 to 74.7% in 2022, relative to the total glaucoma surgeries. Furthermore, combined surgeries manifested a noteworthy increase from 39.0% in 2010 to 44.2% in 2022, with 86.4% of combined procedures in 2022 being MIGS or MIBS., Conclusion: In recent years, there has been a noticeable change in the trend of glaucoma surgeries, with MIGS and MIBS procedures experiencing a significant increase and becoming the most commonly performed glaucoma procedures. Consequently, traditional glaucoma surgeries have decreased in frequency., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements between Easyton transpalpebral tonometry and Perkins, iCare iC100 and Corvis ST. Also, to assess the influence of corneal characteristics and anterior scleral thickness (AST) on the IOP measurements., Methods: Sixty-nine eyes from 69 healthy subjects were included. IOP was measured by Easyton, Perkins, iC100 and Corvis ST (corrected IOP, bIOP; and non-corrected IOP, IOPnct). Other variables studied were AST, axial length (AL), and Corvis parameters: Length 1, velocity 1, length 2, velocity 2, peak distance, radius, deformation amplitude, and central corneal thickness (CCT). Pearson correlation, limits of agreement (LoA), and multiple regression analysis were calculated., Results: No significant differences in IOP between Easyton and Perkins, iC100, and bIOP were observed (all p > 0.05), being significant only between Perkins and IOPnct ( - 1.49 mmHg, p < 0.001). Bland-Altman graphs showed that the mean difference between Perkins and Easyton was 0.07 mmHg (p < 0.001), and LoA  - 7.49 to + 7.39 mmHg. Significant correlations were found between the measurements of Perkins and iC100, IOPnct, bIOP (r = 0.710, 0.628, 0.539; p < 0.001 respectively), iC100 and IOPnct, bIOP (r = 0.627, 0.513; p < 0.001, respectively). The multivariate regression analysis revealed that differences between Perkins and Easyton (adjusted R 2  = 0.25) were influenced by AL (B = 1.28, p < 0.008), length 1 (B = 3.13, p < 0.018), and the radius (B = 1.26, p < 0.010). Differences between Perkins and bIOP (adjusted R 2  = 0.21) were affected by the CCT (B = 0.029, p < 0.003)., Conclusions: There are no significant differences in the IOP measurements between Perkins and Easyton, iC100 or bIOP. Length 1, radius, and CCT have limited influence on these differences, while AST did not show any effect., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the PreserFlo MicroShunt (Santen, Osaka, Japan) in lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in childhood glaucoma patients with previous failed glaucoma surgeries., Methods: This is a prospective case review of consecutive PreserFlo procedures performed in childhood glaucoma patients after failed surgeries. Age, sex, diagnosis, and previous glaucoma surgeries, as well as visual acuity, IOP, and treatment in the preoperative visit and all follow-up visits were collected. Outcome measures included IOP reduction from baseline, mean IOP change from baseline at month 6, medication use at 6 months, complications, adverse events, and need for further procedures., Results: Fourteen patients were included, 8 (57%) males and 6 (43%) females; the mean age was 27.5 ± 13.5 years. Nine patients (64%) had at least two trabeculectomies, and 6 patients (43%) had at least one trabeculectomy and a glaucoma drainage implant. The mean IOP change from baseline was 11.3 ± 4.9 mmHg at 12 months. At 12 months, 12 patients (86%) presented ≥ 20% IOP lowering from baseline, and 11 patients (79%) presented ≥ 30%. The mean medication count decreased from 3.9 ± 0.7 (baseline) to 0.7 ± 1.3 (12 months). No intraoperative complications were reported. No adverse events were noted. No secondary filtration surgery was required, although bleb needling was required in one case, 1 month after the surgery., Conclusions: PreserFlo with MMC can be used successfully to treat uncontrolled IOP in childhood glaucoma cases with previous failed surgeries. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to further explore the role of the device in resistant childhood glaucoma cases., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To evaluate the differences in peripapillary and macular vascular parameters by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) between patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) and healthy controls; and to determine their diagnostic accuracy., Material and Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study including 39 eyes with PCG and 78 healthy eyes. Only one eye per patient was included. All included patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination and peripapillary and macular analysis were performed by Angioplex TM OCTA (Cirrus HD-OCT 5000) with a 4.5 × 4.5 mm optic nerve head scan and 6 × 6 mm macular scan. Global data and quadrant data from peripapillary vascular parameters and global data and circular sectors data from macular superficial plexus parameters were compared between groups. The glaucoma discrimination capability of these parameters was calculated as areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC ROC)., Results: Mean age was 14.1 ± 8.7 years for the PCG patients and 11.7 ± 6.2 years for controls (p = 0.093). All vascular peripapillary measurements (global and quadrants; all p < 0.001) and all macular measurements (p < 0.042) excepting perfusion density in the inner circle (p = 0.087), were reduced in the PCG group compared to controls. According to AUC ROC, peripapillary (all ≥ 0.706) and macular parameters (all ≥ 0.699) showed good diagnostic capacity. AUC ROC for the most discriminatory measurements corresponding to blood flux index (0.887) and whole macula vascular density (0.855) were similar (p = 0.085)., Conclusion: Peripapillary and macular vascular parameters by OCTA are decreased in patients with PCG, showing a good capacity to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.)

The surgical management of glaucoma has been revolutionized by the introduction of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). The various MIGS options aim to meaningfully lower intraocular pressure with a better safety profile than traditional glaucoma surgery. The key clinical attributes and the emerging potential of an ab externo MicroShunt (PreserFlo™) are reviewed in the context of published evidence and clinical experience. This novel MicroShunt consists of an 8.5-mm-long tube that is implanted in the eye via an ab externo approach enabling aqueous humor drainage into the sub-Tenon's space through the formation of a bleb, similar in appearance to that created by trabeculectomy. The efficacy and safety of this procedure, the concomitant use of antimetabolites, the impact of tube positioning, and its future value in clinical practice are critically reviewed. Recent evidence has demonstrated the MicroShunt to be less effective than traditional filtration surgery, but with a significant improvement in safety. Cumulative data suggest that the new implant provides tangible clinical benefits to selected patients with glaucoma in need of further intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering. Future research should delineate the precise role of this and other MIGS options in the rapidly evolving glaucoma treatment algorithm., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Ocular surface disease in glaucoma patients is a significant ocular co-morbidity that can affect 40% to 59% of these patients worldwide. The current study was aimed at evaluating the potential clinical benefit of an intense pulsed light (IPL)-based treatment in glaucomatous patients with ocular surface disease due to prolonged hypotensive eyedrop treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first series analyzing the therapeutic effect of this treatment option in this type of patients., Methods: This non-comparative prospective case series study enrolled a total of 30 glaucoma patients ranging in age from 57 to 94 years old and treated with hypotensive eyedrops for years with dry eye symptomatology. All patients received four sessions of IPL treatment using the Optima IPL system (Lumenis, Yokneam, Israel) adjusted to the official optimized Lumenis setting. Changes in symptomatology, corneal staining, conjunctival hyperemia, non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT), tear osmolarity, tear meniscus height (TMH), meiboscore and meibomian gland expressibility was analyzed after treatment., Results: Statistically significant reductions were observed after IPL treatment in the symptomatology scores measured with different questionnaires [ocular surface disease index (OSDI), standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) and symptom assessment questionnaire in dry eye (SANDE)] as well as with the visual analogue scale (P < 0.001). Mean change in OSDI was - 15.0 ± 11.3. A significant reduction was found after treatment in the corneal staining score (P < 0.001). A significant reduction was found in tear film meniscus height (P = 0.012), as well as in tear film osmolarity (P = 0.001). A significant reduction was also found in meibomian gland expressibility (P = 0.003), changing the percentage of grade 3 eyes from 44.4% before IPL to 17.2% after treatment., Conclusions: IPL therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) seems to be an effective option to improve symptomatology in glaucomatous patients with ocular surface disease due to prolonged hypotensive eyedrop treatments, with an additional improvement in clinical signs, such as tear osmolarity and corneal staining., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim was to assess the influence of corneal biomechanics on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements made with the Icare200 (IC200) rebound tonometer and the Perkins handheld applanation tonometer in patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG)., Materials and Methods: A total of 40 PCG patients and 40 healthy controls, age, and sex-matched, were recruited. IOP was measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer (IOPc, IOPg), IC200 and Perkins. The variables age, IOP, corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), central corneal thickness (CCT), best-corrected visual acuity, spherical equivalent, medications, and glaucoma surgeries were recorded for each subject. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to detect effects of variables on IOP measurements., Results: Mean CCT was 545.65±71.88 μm in PCG versus 558.78±27.58 μm in controls (P=0.284). CH and CRF were significantly lower in PCG group than in control group: mean CH 8.11±1.69 versus 11.15±1.63 mm Hg (P<0.001), and mean CRF 9.27±2.35 versus 10.71±1.75 mm Hg (P=0.002). Mean differences between IOP IC200-Perkins were 0.79±0.53 mm Hg in PCG versus 0.80±0.23 mm Hg in controls (P<0.001) and mean differences IC200-IOPc were -0.89±5.15 mm Hg in PCG (P<0.001) versus 1.60±3.03 mm Hg in controls (all P<0.009). Through multivariate analysis, CRF showed positive association and CH negative association with IOP measured with Perkins or IC200 in both subject groups. No association was detected for CCT, age, or sex., Conclusion: CH and CRF were identified as the main factors interfering with IOP measurements made with both tonometers in patients with PCG and healthy controls., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Objective: To investigate the optic nerve and macular parameters of children who recovered from COVID-19 compared with healthy children using optical coherence tomography (OCT)., Design: Cohort study., Setting: Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid., Patients: Children between 6 and 18 years old who recovered from COVID-19 with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and historical controls were included., Interventions: All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including macular and optic nerve OCT. Demographic data, medical history and COVID-19 symptoms were noted., Main Outcome Measures: Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, macular ganglion cell layer thickness and retinal thickness., Results: 90 patients were included: 29 children who recovered from COVID-19 and 61 controls. Patients with COVID-19 presented an increase in global peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (mean difference 7.7; 95% CI 3.4 to 12.1), temporal superior (mean difference 11.0; 95% CI 3.3 to 18.6), temporal inferior (mean difference 15.6; 95% CI 6.5 to 24.7) and nasal (mean difference 9.8; 95% CI 2.9 to 16.7) sectors. Macular retinal nerve fibre layer analysis showed decreased thickness in the nasal outer (p=0.011) and temporal inner (p=0.036) sectors in patients with COVID-19, while macular ganglion cell layer thickness increased in these sectors (p=0.001 and p=0.015, respectively). No differences in retinal thickness were noted., Conclusions: Children with recent history of COVID-19 present significant changes in peripapillary and macular OCT analyses., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To evaluate retinal vascular changes in children who have recovered from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to compare the results with age-matched healthy children., Methods: In this cross-sectional case-control study, children 6-18 years of age with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with historic healthy controls. All participants underwent ophthalmological examination, including fundus photography and OCTA of the macular region and optic disk. COVID-19 children were examined 4-8 weeks after COVID-19 diagnoses. Demographic data, medical history, and COVID-19 symptoms were noted. OCTA parameters in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) were analyzed according to ETDRS sectors and peripapillary quadrants., Results: A total of 72 patients were included: 27 recovered COVID-19 children and 45 controls. Mean age for cases was 11.96 ± 3.8 years (18 females [66%]); for controls, 11.02 ± 2.0 years (29 females [64%]). Macular OCTA of the SCP showed a significant increase in retinal vessel density (VD) in recovered COVID-19 children compared with healthy controls in the inner ring (P = 0.001). Macular perfusion density (mPD) was also increased in the inner ring (P = 0.001). Peripapillary OCTA evidenced a significant higher flux index (FI) in all four quadrants (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Recovered COVID-19 children present increased retinal VD, mPD, and peripapillary FI shortly after recovery. Since the retinal vasculature is considered a unique window to assess microvascular changes, these findings may represent a potential in vivo biomarker of vascular abnormalities in COVID-19 children in other organs., (Copyright © 2021 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Precis: Glaucoma surgery with PRESERFLO Microshunt shows mild and transient changes in the corneal astigmatism, corneal elevation and biometrics in the early postoperative period. Posterior corneal elevation (PCE) tends to be higher in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG)., Purpose: The aim was to determine the changes in the corneal keratometry, astigmatism and elevation, refraction, axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth and volume after the implantation of the PRESERFLO Microshunt in patients with POAG in the early postoperative period., Patients and Methods: Patients diagnosed with POAG who underwent an ab externo (polystyrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene) microshunt implantation were recruited. The central corneal thickness, the intraocular pressure (IOP), best-corrected visual acuity, refraction, biometrics, and corneal topography with a Scheimpflug topographer were analyzed preoperatively and 24 hours, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery., Results: A total of 30 eyes of 29 patients were included. In 24 eyes the device was implanted as a stand-alone procedure and in 6 eyes it was combined with cataract surgery. The results were analyzed separately. The IOP decreased from 21.8±5.2 and 16.5±1.5 mm Hg at baseline to 10.9±1.8 and 10.1±1.1 mm Hg at 3 months in the noncombined and combined groups (P<0.01). The anterior surface astigmatism, posterior surface astigmatism, and total corneal astigmatism increased in each group 0.4±0.3/0.2±1.0 D, 0.08±0.1/0.03±0.1 D and 0.4±0.3/0.2±0.9 D, respectively, at 3 months. The anterior corneal elevation and PCE (ACE max, ACE min, PCE max) increased in the first week (P=0.01) with no significant changes at 3 months in the noncombined group. The changes observed in the combined group were not significant. The AL decreased to 0.13±0.23 and 0.2±0.07 mm in each group (P=0.01). There was a significant correlation between the IOP and the maximum elevation of the posterior surface of the cornea at the preoperative examination (r=0.93, P=0.02)., Conclusions: The PRESERFLO Microshunt implant for glaucoma surgery induces mild and transient changes in corneal astigmatism, AL and anterior chamber depth in the early postoperative period., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To examine agreement between intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements made using the rebound tonometer Icare ic200 (RT200) and the Perkins handheld applanation tonometer (PAT) in patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). The impacts of several covariables on measurements using the two devices were also assessed., Materials and Methods: Intraocular pressure measurements were made in a single session in 86 eyes of 86 patients with PCG (46 under anaesthesia, 40 in the office). The order was RT200 then PAT. The variables age, central corneal thickness (CCT), corneal state and anaesthesia were recorded in each patient. Data were compared by determining interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each tonometer and representing the differences detected as Bland-Altman plots. Effects of covariables were assessed through univariate and multivariate regression., Results: Mean IOP difference between tonometers (RT200 minus PAT) was 1.26 mmHg (95%: 0.22-2.31). Absolute agreement (ICC) was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62-0.82). Lower and upper limits of agreement (95%) were -8.06 mmHg (95% CI: -9.87 to -6.25) and 10.59 mmHg (95% CI: 8.77-12.40), respectively. The tonometers showed systematic differences (a = -4.63 mmHg; 95% CI: -9.11 to -1.44) and proportional differences; for each mmHg increase in PAT-IOP, the RT200 reading increased by 1.28 mmHg (b = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.12-1.53). None of the variables tested as predictors were able to explain differences between the tonometers., Conclusions: Despite the good overall agreement between both tonometers, caution should be taken in high values of IOP, considering the interchangeability of its readings as systematic and proportional differences appear to exist between both methods., (© 2020 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

To assess the effectiveness and safety of the Preserflo Microshunt (PMS) implantation combined with cataract surgery in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients. Retrospective, open-label study conducted on insufficiently controlled OAG patients, who underwent a PMS implant procedure with mitomycin-C 0.2%, either alone or in combination with cataract surgery, and were followed for at least 12 months. Success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤ 18 mmHg and a reduction of at least 20% without (complete) or with (qualified) hypotensive medication. Fifty-eight eyes were included in the study, 35 eyes underwent PMS alone and 23 underwent PMS + Phaco. In the overall study sample, mean IOP was significantly lowered from 21.5 ± 3.3 mmHg at baseline to 14.6 ± 3.5 mmHg at month 12 (p < 0.0001). The IOP was significantly reduced in both groups; p < 0.0001 each, respectively. Ocular hypotensive medication was significantly reduced (p < 0.0001) in both groups. No significant differences were observed in IOP lowering or medication reduction between groups. At month 12, 62.1% eyes were considered as complete success and 82.8% eyes as qualified success. The most common adverse events were device close-to-endothelium, conjunctival fibrosis, and wound leakage. PMS, either alone or in combination with phacoemulsification, may be considered as a valuable option for treating OAG patients., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare corneal topography and densitometry measurements in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and healthy subjects., Patients and Methods: A total of 200 eyes of 75 patients with POAG and 125 healthy controls underwent corneal topography and densitometry (Oculus Pentacam HR). The data compared in the 2 groups were: anterior chamber angle, anterior chamber depth, and anterior chamber volume, keratometry (Kminimum, Kmaximum, and Kmean), central corneal thickness, central anterior elevation, anterior elevation apex, maximum anterior elevation, and posterior elevation apex. Densitometry measurements were made at 3 depths on a 12-mm-diameter circle divided into 4 concentric rings (0 to 2, 2 to 6, 6 to 10, and 10 to 12 mm). The diagnostic capacity of the corneal variables was assessed through the areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve., Results: The corneal density of practically all depth layers and total corneal density were significantly higher in the POAG than the control group (P<0.05). Total corneal density was positively correlated with age (r=0.623; P<0.001) and also showed a good diagnostic capacity for glaucoma [area under the curve=0.617; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.541-0.697; P<0.001]. In a multiple linear regression designed to assess its relationship with age, sex, central corneal thickness, and Kmean, age emerged as a significant confounder both in controls (coefficient=0.315; P<0.001; 95% CI: 0.246-0.384) and patients (coefficient=0.370; P<0.001; 95% CI: 0.255-0.486)., Conclusion: Corneal densitometry measurements showed a good diagnostic capacity for POAG suggesting this type of examination could have clinical applications in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in tear and aqueous humour of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), relative to healthy controls., Method: Tear and aqueous humour samples were collected from 29 healthy controls and 27 POAG patients. Twenty-seven inflammatory cytokines were analysed: interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, eotaxin, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) basic, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor, interferon (IFN)-γ, interferon gamma-induced protein, monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β, platelet-derived growth factor, regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)., Results: In tear samples of glaucoma patients, an increase in IL-4, IL-12, IL-15, FGF-basic and VEGF was observed, as well as a decrease in MIP-1a relative to the control group (p < 0.05). IL-5, IL-12, IL-15, IFN-γ and MIP-1a were significantly higher in aqueous humour of glaucoma eyes (p < 0.05). A poor correlation between cytokine levels in tear and aqueous humour was observed., Conclusion: The different profiles of inflammatory marker expression of patients with POAG and healthy controls confirm the inflammatory activity of the pathology, indicating that some of them could be used as potential biomarkers of this disease., (© 2020 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in a population of children diagnosed with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG)., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 59 eyes of 59 children diagnosed with PCG and 87 eyes of 87 healthy children were evaluated by SD-OCT to measure the RNFL. The global average peripapillary RNFL thickness and sectional RNFL thickness were evaluated in both groups. Differences in global average and sectional thickness were analyzed., Results: Mean age in the PCG group was 9.61 ± 3.23 years; in the control group, 8.47 ± 2.99 years (P = 0.0516). There were statistically significant differences (P < 0.007) in all sectors between both groups., Conclusions: SD-OCT is a promising tool for evaluating the eyes of children diagnosed with PCG. Future research should examine the test-retest variability of SD-OCT parameters and their ability to diagnose progression in these children., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)