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Purpose: To assess the refractive outcomes of patients who had sulcus implantation of the Camellens FIL622-1 intraocular lens (IOL) (Soleko) after posterior capsular rupture, and to optimize the A-constant suggested by the manufacturer. Methods: This study included patients who underwent secondary Camellens FIL622-1 IOL implantation in the ciliary sulcus after complicated cataract surgery with posterior capsular rupture. IOL power was calculated by the SRK/T formula, using the recommended A-constant (118.8) for ciliary sulcus implantation. A new optimized A-constant was obtained and used to evaluate the refractive outcomes. The main outcome measures were mean prediction error (PE), median absolute error (MedAE), mean absolute error (MAE), and percentage of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±1.00, and ±2.00 diopters (D). Results: Forty patients (40 eyes) were included in the study. The new optimized A-constant was 117.5, and the mean PE, MedAE, and MAE was −0.02 ± 0.73, 0.34, and 0.54, respectively. The percentage of eyes with a PE within ±0.50, ±1.00, and ±2.00 D was 65%, 87.5%, and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: The Camellens FIL622-1 IOL represents a valid option as sulcus implantation after posterior capsular rupture and it would guarantee the surgeon an on-label option with a more accurate biometric calculation, at the time of surgical implantation, with the new optimized A-constant. [ J Refract Surg . 2022;38(12):806–811.]

PurposeEvaluating the optical transmission and geometrical aberrations of an intraocular device, namely, the Small-Incision New Generation Implantable Miniature Telescope (SING IMT™, Samsara Vision), designed to correct age-related macular degeneration.MethodsOptical transmission in the spectral range 350-750 nm of the implantable optics was recorded with a fiber-optic spectrometer. Geometrical aberrations were studied by measuring the wavefront of a laser beam after passing through the implantable optics and performing an expansion of the measured wavefront into a Zernike polynomial basis. The study was conducted underin-vitroexperimental conditions. A second monofocal intraocular lens (SY60WF, Alcon) was tested and used as reference for assessing the optical quality of the SING IMT™ device.ResultsSpectroscopy measurements revealed that the SING IMT™ and monofocal IOL element feature UV-rejection and blue-rejection capabilities, respectively. Wavefront concavity indicated that the SING IMT™ behaves as a diverging lens with a focal length of approximately -100 mm; Zernike analysis showed that SING IMT™ has negligible coma, trefoil, astigmatism, and spherical aberrations of any order and along any direction.ConclusionsThe SING IMT™ exhibited even optical transmission in the whole visible spectrum and curvature capable of magnifying the retinal images without introducing geometrical aberrations, which proves the feasibility of this device as high-quality optical element for imaging. The rigidity of the compound lens of the SING IMT™ prevents mechanically-induced distortions, an issue encountered with polymeric lenses.Translational RelevanceSpectrometry andin vitrowavefront analysis provide evidence supporting the new generation miniaturized telescopic intraocular lens as a favorable option to intraocular implant in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose To investigate if symptomatic conjunctivitis during the recovery phase of the disease could be associated to a persistent presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract. Secondary end points were to analyze the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva of ocular symptomatic patients and to record the presence of ocular disturbances at this point of the disease. Methods An observational study including consecutive COVID19 patients treated at Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital who were attending for nasopharyngeal swab to confirm the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection and end of isolation. We examined 129 consecutive patients from May to June 2020. The primary end point was to determine if symptomatic conjunctivitis at this point of the disease could be associated to a persistent presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the upper respiratory tract. Secondary end points were to analyze the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the conjunctiva of ocular symptomatic patients and to record the presence of ocular disturbances at this point of the disease. Results One hundred twenty eight patients were included, 9.38% had conjunctivitis, none resulted positive to conjunctival PCR swab test, while two of them had positive nasopharyngeal result. Mean time elapsed since the first COVID-19 positive swab to the time of examination was 6 weeks ( ± 3). The only significant association was the presence of conjunctivitis with older age (65.3 ± 12.7 vs 56.7 + 13.5. p = 0.046). Nasopharyngeal swab resulted positive in 22 patients (17.19%). While 88 patients (68.2%) did not have any ocular complain during their COVID19 disease. The 40 patients (31.8%) reporting ocular disturbances complained about: redness (25.43%), tearing (19.53%), burning (18.35%), foreign body sensation (17.18%), itching (15.62%), and discharge (12.5%). Conclusion This study showed that late conjunctivitis cannot be considered as a marker of persistent infection when patients are sent to confirm the resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Purpose. To revise the current literature on FIL SSF (Carlevale) intraocular lens, previously known as Carlevale lens, and to compare their outcomes with those from other secondary IOL implants. Methods. We performed a peer review of the literature regarding FIL SSF IOLs until April 2021 and analyzed the results only of articles with a minimum of 25 cases and a follow-up of at least 6 months. The searches yielded 36 citations, 11 of which were abstracts of meeting presentations that were not included in the analysis because of their limited data. The authors reviewed 25 abstracts and selected six articles of possible clinical relevance to review in full text. Of these, four were considered to be sufficiently clinically relevant. Particularly, we extrapolated data regarding the pre- and postoperative best corrected visual acuities (BCVA) and the complications related to the procedure. The complication rates were then compared with those from a recently published Ophthalmic Technology Assessment by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) on secondary IOL implants. Results. Four studies with a total of 333 cases were included for results analysis. The BCVA improved in all cases after surgery, as expected. Cystoid macular edema (CME) and increased intraocular pressure were the most common complications, with an incidence of up to 7.4% and 16.5%, respectively. Other IOL types from the AAO report included anterior chamber IOLs, iris fixation IOLs, sutured iris fixation IOLs, sutured scleral fixation IOLs, and sutureless scleral fixation IOLs. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of postoperative CME (p = 0.20), and vitreous hemorrhage (p = 0.89) between other secondary implants and the FIL SSF IOL, whereas the rate of retinal detachment was significantly less with FIL SSF IOLs (p = 0.04). Conclusion. The results of our study suggest the implantation of FIL SSF IOLs is an effective and safe surgical strategy in cases where there is a lack of capsular support. In fact, their outcomes seem to be comparable to those obtained with the other available secondary IOL implants. According to published literature, the FIL SSF (Carlevale) IOL provides favorable functional results with a low rate of postoperative complications.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of monolateral decreased visual acuity due to corneal epithelial hyperplasia that occurred after a thermal burn. A surgical approach can restore visual acuity and the corneal surface regularity. METHODS: The patient was concerned about a decrease in visual acuity. The slit-lamp examination and general medical history were not significant. The diagnosis was achieved by performing an anterior segment tomography, which showed an increased epithelial thickness with a reduced stromal thickness. No pathological anterior or posterior elevation areas were detected. Corneal biomechanics evaluation confirmed the absence of keratoconus. After further interrogation, the patient recalled she had a domestic mild thermal burn with boiling oil. RESULTS: The patient underwent a corneal epithelial debridement and achieved an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20. CONCLUSIONS: The authors highlight the importance of performing anterior segment tomography and of studying the epithelial thickness after corneal burns, even in clear corneas. [ Journal of Refractive Surgery Case Reports. 2022;2(3):e55–e59.]

Purpose of review The use of nonpharmaceutical interventions can prevent viral spread in COVID-19 pandemic and PPE forms a crucial part of this strategy. However, there are discrepancies in existing guidelines and a lack of consensus among ophthalmic communities. This review aims to identify general consensus and provides recommendation of PPE for most common ophthalmological scenarios. With a global shortage of PPE, extended use and reuse strategies are also discussed. Recent findings In this review, guidelines and resources were selected, based on a three-tier process. The first-tier resources were from international infection control organizations. The second-tier resources were from ophthalmological professional associations and colleges. The third-tier resources involved a PubMed search using the keywords 'COVID-19; coronavirus; personal protective equipment' performed on 1 May 2020. Non-English guidelines and literatures were excluded. Summary On the basis of our methodology, we included a total of 30 documents, including 5 resources from tier 1, 14 resources from tier 2 and 15 from tier 3. Different levels of protection are necessary. Whenever performing an aerosol generating procedure, maximum protection should be ensured, this includes FFP3 respirator, fluid resistant gown, goggles or face-shield and disposable gloves. Similar protection should be used for handling COVID-19-positive/suspected case but the use of FFP2 respirator is acceptable. During routine outpatient clinic in cases of negative triage, it is recommended to use ASTM III surgical mask, plastic apron, disposable gloves and eye protection with goggles or face-shield. Lastly, patients should be encouraged to wear surgical masks whenever possible.

Purpose: To provide useful guidelines, targeted at ophthalmology professionals, to minimize COVID-19 infection of both health-care workers and patients.Methods: In this review we present updated literature merged with our experience from hospitals in Bergamo, the epicenter of the COVID-19 European outbreak.Results: Non-pharmaceutical interventions, hygienic recommendations and personal protective equipment to contain viral spread as well as a suggested risk assessment for postponement of non-urgent cases should be applied in ophthalmologist activity. A triage for ophthalmic outpatient clinic is mandatory.Conclusion: Ophthalmology practice should be reorganized in order to face COVID-19.

Background and objective To compare pneumatic retinopexy (PnR) and scleral buckling (SB) for repair of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Materials and Methods Single-centre retrospective analysis of patients undergoing PnR and SB. Inclusion criteria comprehend phakic patients with a single retinal break or a group of breaks in detached retina in the same quadrant above the 8- and 4-o’clock meridians. A total of 184 patients were included, respectively 106 underwent PnR and 78 SB. Follow-up time was 6 months. Results Final visual outcome did not differ significantly between the two procedures (P = 0.12). Single-procedure reattachment rate was significantly higher in SB (94%) than in PnR (68%) (P Conclusion SB has a higher single reattachment rate than PnR. However, final visual outcomes of both procedures are comparable. In selected cases, PnR can be repeated with a high successful rate.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of autologous platelet-rich plasma (a-PRP) as an adjuvant to revisional vitrectomy for refractory full-thickness macular holes (rFTMHs). We conducted a prospective, non-randomized interventional study including patients with rFTMH after a pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane peeling and gas tamponade. We included 28 eyes from 27 patients with rFTMHs: 12 rFTMHs in highly myopic eyes (axial length greater than 26.5 mm or a refractive error greater than -6D or both); 12 large rFTMHs (minimum hole width > 400 μm); and 4 rFTMHs secondary to the optic disc pit. All patients underwent 25-G PPV with a-PRP, a median time of 3.5 ± 1.8 months after the primary repair. At the six-month follow-up, the overall rFTMH closure rate was 92.9%, distributed as follows: 11 out of 12 eyes (91.7%) in the highly myopic group, 11 out of 12 eyes (91.7%) in the large rFTMH group, and 4 out of 4 eyes (100%) in the optic disc pit group. Median best-corrected visual acuity significantly improved in all groups, in particular from 1.00 (interquartile range: 0.85 to 1.30) to 0.70 (0.40 to 0.85) LogMAR in the highly myopic group (p = 0.016), from 0.90 (0.70 to 1.49) to 0.40 (0.35 to 0.70) LogMAR in the large rFTMH group (p = 0.005), and from 0.90 (0.75 to 1.00) to 0.50 (0.28 to 0.65) LogMAR in the optic disc pit group. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. In conclusion, a-PRP can be an effective adjuvant to PPV in the management of rFTMHs.

The retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) plays a pivotal role in retinal homeostasis. It is therefore an interesting target to fill the unmet medical need of different retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt disease. RPE replacement therapy may use different cellular sources: induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic stem cells. Cells can be transferred as suspension on a patch with different surgical approaches. Results are promising although based on very limited samples. In this review, we summarize the current progress of RPE replacement and provide a comparative assessment of different published approaches which may become standard of care in the future.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex and multifactorial disease, resulting from the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. The continuous discovery of associations between genetic polymorphisms and AMD gives reason for the pivotal role attributed to the genetic component to its development. In that light, genetic tests and polygenic scores have been created to predict the risk of development and response to therapy. Still, none of them have yet been validated. Furthermore, there is no evidence from a clinical trial that the determination of the individual genetic structure can improve treatment outcomes. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the polymorphisms of the main pathogenetic ways involved in AMD development to identify which of them constitutes a potential therapeutic target. As complement overactivation plays a major role, the modulation of targeted complement proteins seems to be a promising therapeutic approach. Herein, we summarize the complement-modulating molecules now undergoing clinical trials, enlightening those in an advanced phase of trial. Gene therapy is a potential innovative one-time treatment, and its relevance is quickly evolving in the field of retinal diseases. We describe the state of the art of gene therapies now undergoing clinical trials both in the field of complement-suppressors and that of anti-VEGF.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the status of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by means of the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) overlying the myopic neovascular lesions in the involutive phase, looking for any correlations between the status of the RPE and the size of the lesions and the type and duration of the treatment. Methods: SD-OCT examinations of 83 consecutive patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were reviewed and divided into two groups: group A, patients with CNV characterized by uniformity of the overlying RPE, and group B, patients with CNV characterized by non-uniformity of the overlying RPE. Results: The median lesion area, major diameter, and minimum diameter were, respectively, 0.42 mm2 (0.30–1.01 mm2), 0.76 mm2 (0.54–1.28 mm2), and 0.47 mm2 (0.63–0.77 mm2) in group A, and 1.60 mm2 (0.72–2.67 mm2), 1.76 mm2 (1.13–2.23 mm2), and 0.98 mm2 (0.65–1.33 mm2) in group B. These values were lower in group A than in group B (p < 0.001). The number of treatments with a period free of disease recurrence for at least 6 months was greater (p < 0.010) in group B (6.54 ± 2.82) than in group A (3.67 ± 2.08), and treatments include intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection, photodynamic therapy, or both. Conclusions: Our results showed that the size of myopic neovascular lesion influences the development of a uniform RPE above the lesion and therefore the disease prognosis. The presence of uniform RPE was found to be extremely important in the follow-up of patients with myopic CNV, as it influences the duration of the disease and the number of treatments required.

Summary statement: Surgical technique: an innovative way of using cohesive viscoelastic to stabilize the ILM flap during the cover inverted-flap and free-flap procedures. Summary statement: Surgical technique: an innovative way of using cohesive viscoelastic to stabilize the ILM flap during the covering step in the inverted-flap and free-flap procedures.

To investigate effectiveness and safety of a curcumin-based nutritional supplement in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We conducted a controlled retrospective study, reviewing the medical records of patients referred to the Eye Center, Humanitas Hospital, Bergamo due to neovascular AMD and treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections (IVIs) and oral administration of a curcumin-based nutritional supplement vehiculated by enterosoma-I

Introduction: The COVID-19 contagion curve is steeply increasing again worldwide; however, this time we face the emergency with different knowledge.Areas covered: In this review article, we present...

Mitochondria are critical for cellular energy production and homeostasis. Oxidative stress and associated mitochondrial dysfunction are integral components of the pathophysiology of retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Within mitochondria, flavoproteins are oxidized and reduced and emit a green autofluorescence when oxidized following blue light excitation. Recently, a noninvasive imaging device was developed to measure retinal flavoprotein fluorescence (FPF). Thus, oxidized FPF can act as a biomarker of mitochondrial dysfunction. This review article describes the literature surrounding mitochondrial FPF imaging in retinal disease. The authors describe the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal diseases, experiments using FPF as a marker of mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro, the three generations of retinal FPF imaging devices, and the peer-reviewed publications that have examined FPF imaging in patients. Finally, the authors report their own study findings. Goals were to establish normative reference levels for FPF intensity and heterogeneity in healthy eyes, to compare between healthy eyes and eyes with diabetes and DR, and to compare across stages of DR. The authors present methods to calculate a patient's expected FPF values using baseline characteristics. FPF intensity and heterogeneity were elevated in diabetic eyes compared to age-matched control eyes, and in proliferative DR compared to diabetic eyes without retinopathy. In diabetic eyes, higher FPF heterogeneity was associated with poorer visual acuity. In conclusion, while current retinal imaging modalities frequently focus on structural features, functional mitochondrial imaging shows promise as a metabolically targeted tool to evaluate retinal disease.摘要: 线粒体对细胞能量的产生和内环境稳态至关重要。视网膜疾病如糖尿病视网膜病变 (diabetic retinopathy, DR) 、年龄相关性黄斑变性和青光眼的病理生理改变均涉及氧化应激和相关线粒体功能障碍。在线粒体内, 由于黄素蛋白被氧化和还原, 在蓝光激发下被氧化的黄素蛋白可产生自发绿色荧光。近年来, 一种非侵入性的可检测视网膜黄素蛋白荧光 (flavoprotein fluorescence, FPF) 的成像装置被开发。因此, 氧化的FPF可作为线粒体功能障碍的生物学标志物。本综述围绕视网膜疾病中线粒体FPF成像的相关文献展开描述。作者阐述了线粒体功能障碍在视网膜疾病中的作用, 使用FPF作为线粒体功能障碍的标记物的体外实验, 三代视网膜FPF成像设备, 以及经同行评议的对患者行FPF成像的出版物。最后, 作者报告了他们自己的研究结果。旨在建立健康眼中FPF强度和异质性的标准参考水平, 比较健康眼与糖尿病和DR患者的眼, 以及DR的不同阶段核黄素的不同改变。作者提出使用基线特征计算患者预期FPF值的方法。糖尿病患者眼中的FPF强度和异质性高于与年龄相匹配的对照眼, 增殖性DR患者眼中的FPF强度和异质性高于无视网膜病变的糖尿病眼。在糖尿病患者的眼中, FPF异质性越高, 视力越差。综上, 虽然目前视网膜成像模式通常侧重于结构特征, 然而针对线粒体功能的成像技术显示出FPF可作为一种代谢靶向工具以评估视网膜疾病的前景。.

Recent evidence in basic science is leading to a growing interest in the possible role of curcumin in treating retinal diseases. Curcumin has been demonstrated to be able to modulate gene transcription and reduce ganglion cell apoptosis, downgrade VEGF, modulate glucose levels and decrease vascular dysfunction. So far, the use of curcumin has been limited by poor bioavailability; to overcome this issue, different types of carriers have been used. Multiple recent studies disclosed the efficacy of using curcumin in treating different retinal conditions. The aim of this review is to comprehensively review and discuss the role of curcumin in retinal diseases from bench to bedside.

Health care workers are exposed to potentially infectious airborne particles while providing routine care to coughing patients. However, much is not understood about the behavior of these aerosols and the risks they pose. We used a coughing patient simulator and a breathing worker simulator to investigate the exposure of health care workers to cough aerosol droplets, and to examine the efficacy of face shields in reducing this exposure. Our results showed that 0.9% of the initial burst of aerosol from a cough can be inhaled by a worker 46 cm (18 inches) from the patient. During testing of an influenza-laden cough aerosol with a volume median diameter (VMD) of 8.5 μm, wearing a face shield reduced the inhalational exposure of the worker by 96% in the period immediately after a cough. The face shield also reduced the surface contamination of a respirator by 97%. When a smaller cough aerosol was used (VMD = 3.4 μm), the face shield was less effective, blocking only 68% of the cough and 76% of the surface contamination. In the period from 1 to 30 minutes after a cough, during which the aerosol had dispersed throughout the room and larger particles had settled, the face shield reduced aerosol inhalation by only 23%. Increasing the distance between the patient and worker to 183 cm (72 inches) reduced the exposure to influenza that occurred immediately after a cough by 92%. Our results show that health care workers can inhale infectious airborne particles while treating a coughing patient. Face shields can substantially reduce the short-term exposure of health care workers to large infectious aerosol particles, but smaller particles can remain airborne longer and flow around the face shield more easily to be inhaled. Thus, face shields provide a useful adjunct to respiratory protection for workers caring for patients with respiratory infections. However, they cannot be used as a substitute for respiratory protection when it is needed. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene for the following free supplemental resource: tables of the experiments performed, more detailed information about the aerosol measurement methods, photographs of the experimental setup, and summaries of the experimental data from the aerosol measurement devices, the qPCR analysis, and the VPA.].

Recent studies demonstrate the crucial role of mitochondria in retinal disease pathogenesis. Recently, a device was developed to non-invasively study retinal metabolic stress and measure retinal mitochondrial activity. Previous studies indicate that oxidized flavoproteins increase during metabolic stress and are a marker of mitochondrial dysfunction. This device measures oxidized flavoprotein fluorescence, which absorbs blue light and emits green autofluorescence. This review summarizes the biological rationale, technology advances, research findings, and future perspectives of mitochondrial retinal imaging.