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To investigate correlations between clinical and histopathologic characteristics of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM).Retrospective interventional case series.In total, 87 eyes from 87 patients with idiopathic ERM who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with peeling of the ERM from 2019 to 2020 were included.The outcomes of clinical ophthalmic examination, including measurement of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT), before and after surgery were reviewed. Surgical specimens were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin for histologic and immunohistochemical analysis.The association between morphological characteristics revealed on SD-OCT images and the cellular composition of the surgically excised ERM demonstrated with immunohistochemical staining were the main outcome measures. Changes in the BCVA and central macular thickness (CMT) were assessed through a comparison of preoperative and postoperative measurements.Based on SD-OCT morphological characteristics in the foveal area, 15 cases were classified into group 1A (mainly outer retinal thickening), 39 into group 1B (more tenting of the outer retina and distorted inner retina), and 33 into group 1C (prominent inner retina thickening). Overall, postoperative final BCVA and CMT at 1 year improved in all groups. Patients who presented with a better initial BCVA exhibited a more favorable final BCVA. Epiretinal membranes in group 1C demonstrated the greatest decrease in CMT compared with those in groups 1B and 1A, but the final CMT did not differ among the groups. A negative correlation between the density of hyalocytes (P = 0.003) and myofibroblasts (P = 0.047) was noted between the 3 groups. Total cell density and glial cell density of the ERMs were strongly associated with poor final BCVA and BCVA improvement.The present study provides new histopathologic information regarding the formation and progression of idiopathic ERM. Glial cell proliferation plays a predominant role in these processes. Epiretinal membranes with high cellularity and glial cell density may cause damage to the retina structure, resulting in poor postoperative visual outcomes. These findings provide additional evidence supporting early surgical intervention in patients with idiopathic ERM reported with visual disturbance.

Background: To determine the correlation between the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods: The retrospective 2-year cohort study included eyes with DME confirmed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, between 2010 and 2020. All the eyes were treated with an intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) during regular follow-up over 2 years. They were categorized into 3 different groups: an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 (mL/min per 1.73 m2 ) (group A), Results: In this study, 167 eyes from 120 patients were enrolled. Compared with groups B and C, the eyes in group A experienced the only significant visual improvement at month 3, month 6, and month 12 (P=.0001, .0002, .0013, respectively). The presence of subretinal fluid and intraretinal cysts was significantly decreased in groups A and B. In the treatment frequency analysis, the number of injections was the highest in group A and lowest in group C during the 2-year study period (P = .04). Conclusions: The severity of CKD had an impact on the DME treatment. The less severe CKD was, the greater the visual improvement that could be achieved. In addition, relatively poor renal function required a lower anti-VEGF injection frequency. The active prevention of the progression of CKD may play a key role in DME treatment.

Background Intraocular osseous metaplasia is a rare histological finding associated with benign cellular transformation. Its development requires inflammatory cytokines and the process takes many years. Previous case reports of intraocular ossification manifested as linear calcification or white plaques. In contrast, our case presented with a tumor-like solid mass, in which a long-standing chronic inflammatory stimulation may contribute to the stunning appearance. Case presentation This is a 48-year-old woman with past history of advanced Coat’s-like retinopathy and chronic retinal detachment in the left eye for 12 years. She underwent vitreoretinal surgery to prevent phthisis bulbi. During the operation, a 9 mm solid mass was found embedded within the proliferative tissue above the retina and was removed. Pathological findings revealed bone formation in the center of the mass surrounded by fibrous metaplasia and focal gliotic changes. Layers of cohesive cells were found lining on the external side of the mass, and further immuno-histochemical study suggested them retinal pigment epithelial cells. Postoperatively, the retina was attached with stable visual acuity and normal intraocular pressure. Conclusion To our knowledge, the appearance of a tumor-like mass representing intraocular osseous metaplasia in eyes with chronic inflammation or retinal detachment has not been reported in previous case reports. This case emphasizes the importance of considering osseous metaplasia as one of the differential diagnoses of an unknown intraocular mass, especially in eyes with great severity of chronic inflammation. Also, our immuno-histochemical study provided more evidence on the pathological role of retinal pigment epithelial cells in developing ossification.

Despite the effectiveness of intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in treating retinal diseases, there remains a paucity of evidence on potential systemic risks associated with this procedure. This study aims to investigate cardiovascular parameters and the risk of hypertensive urgency after IVIs.Patients who received IVIs for retinal/macular diseases were enrolled retrospectively. Patients who received cataract surgeries were enrolled as controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate were measured 10 minutes before, immediately after, and more than 30 minutes after IVIs and cataract surgery. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for hypertensive urgency.Seventy patients who received IVIs and 95 patients who received cataract surgeries were enrolled. A higher preoperative systolic BP was found in the IVI groups than in the control group (147.0 ± 22.9 vs 136.3 ± 21.8 mmHg, respectively). The patients who received IVIs had a higher increase in perioperative systolic BP immediately after the procedure than the controls (17.43 ± 20.53 mmHg vs 9.11 ± 18.92 mmHg, p = 0.009). The IVI procedure (odds ratio [OR] 4.84, p = 0.008), preoperative systolic BP ≥160 mmHg (OR 17.891, p = 0.001, compared to preoperative systolic BP140 mmHg), and underlying hypertension (OR 3.305, p = 0.041) were risk factors for hypertensive urgency immediately after the IVIs.We found a transient increase in BP after IVIs, which may have been associated with hypertensive urgency and related cardiovascular disorders in older patients and in those with relevant comorbidities. Clinicians should pay more attention to these patients before performing IVIs.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption to the normal operation of the healthcare system. On a worldwide scale, hospitals suspended non-urgent surgeries and outpatient visits to downsized clinical loadings to redistribute manpower to counteract the pandemic's impact. So far, there is no evidence-based guideline defining a clear line between urgent and non-urgent indications of intravitreal injections (IVI). Herein, we aimed to summarize IVI algorithm modifications and discuss the patient prioritization according to medical needs in the hostile environment in the COVID crisis. Assessing current literature, we found that neovascular age-related macular degeneration is considered the utmost priority among conditions that require IVI. Other conditions assigned with a high priority include monocular or quasi-monocular patients (only one eye > 20/40), neovascular glaucoma, and new patients with significant vision loss. Although patients with central retinal vein occlusion and proliferative diabetic retinopathy are not advised to delay treatments, we found no consistent evidence that correlated with a worse outcome. Diabetic macular edema and branched retinal vein occlusion patients undertaking treatment delay should be regularly followed up every 2-3 months. Serving as the principle of management behind the algorithm modifications, the reduction of both patient visit and IVI therapy counts should be reckoned together with the risk of permanent visual loss and COVID infection.

Purpose To identify the characteristics of asymptomatic meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), symptomatic MGD, and MGD coexisting with dry eye disease (DED). Methods This cross sectional study enrolled a total of 153 eyes of 87 MGD patients. Participants filled in ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaires. Age, gender, Schirmer’s test, meibomian gland (MG) related parameters, lipid layer thickness (LLT) and blinking were compared among patients with asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD, and MGD with DED. Multivariate regression was used to analyze the significant factor of DED in MGD. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association between the significant factors and MG function. Results There was no difference in age, Schirmer’s test, lid changes, MG secretion, and MG morphology among three groups. The OSDI of asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD and MGD coexisting with DED were 8.5 ± 2.9, 28.5 ± 12.8 and 27.9 ± 10.5, respectively. Patients with MGD coexisting with DED exhibited more frequent eye blinking than that of patients with asymptomatic MGD (8.1 ± 4.1 vs. 6.1 ± 3.5 blinks/20 sec, P = 0.022), and reduced LLT than that of patients with asymptomatic MGD (68.6 ± 17.2 vs. 77.6 ± 14.5 nm, P = 0.010) and symptomatic MGD (78.0 ± 17.1 nm, P = 0.015). Multivariate analysis identified LLT (per nm, OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.93—0.99, P = 0.002) as a significant factor associated with DED development in MGD. The number of expressible MG was positively correlated with LLT (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.299, P = 0.016) but negatively correlated with the number of blinking (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = -0.298, P = 0.016) in MGD patients with DED, and these findings were not identified in those without DED. Conclusions Asymptomatic MGD, symptomatic MGD, and MGD coexisting with DED share similar characteristics, including meibum secretion and morphology, but MGD patients coexisting with DED exhibited significantly reduced LLT.

Although teleophthalmology has gained traction in recent years, it is at the center of the coronavirus disease pandemic. However, most hospitals are not ready owing to a severe lack of real-world experience. Furthermore, a limited number of studies have evaluated telemedicine applications on remote islands. This study aimed to evaluate real-world clinical and referral accuracy, image quality, physician-perceived diagnostic certainty, and patient satisfaction with telemedicine eye screening using a novel handheld fundus camera in a rural and medically underserved population.This prospective study included 176 eyes from a remote island. All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Nonmydriatic retinal images obtained using a handheld fundus camera were reviewed by two retinal specialists to determine image quality, diagnosis, and need for referrals. The agreement of diagnosis between image-based assessments was compared with that of binocular indirect ophthalmoscopic assessments.Image quality of fundus photographs was considered acceptable or ideal in 97.7% and 95.5% of eyes assessed by two reviewers, respectively. There was considerable agreement in diagnosis between the indirect ophthalmoscopic assessment and image-based assessment by two reviewers (Cohen's kappa = 0.80 and 0.78, respectively). Likewise, substantial agreement was achieved in the referrals. The sensitivity for referable retinopathy from the two reviewers was 78% (95% confidence interval [CI], 57%-91%) and 78% (95% CI, 57%-91%), whereas specificity was 99% (95% CI, 95%-99%] and 98% (95% CI, 93%-99%), respectively. For physicians' perceived certainty of diagnosis, 93.8% and 90.3% were considered either certain or reliable. Overall, 97.4% of participants were satisfied with their experiences and greatly valued the telemedicine services.Novel fundus camera-based telemedicine screening demonstrated high accuracy in detecting clinically significant retinopathy in real-world settings. It achieved high patient satisfaction and physician-perceived certainty in diagnosis with reliable image quality, which may be scaled internationally to overcome geographical barriers under the global pandemic.

X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) is one of the common early-onset hereditary retinal degenerative diseases in men. The common symptoms of XLRS range from mild to severe central vision loss and radial stripes created by the fovea, the division of the inner layer of the retina in the peripheral retina and the significant decrease in b-wave amplitude (ERG). Retinoschisin, the 224-amino-acid protein product of the retinoschisis 1 (RS1) gene, contains a discoid domain as the primary structural unit, an N-terminal cleavable signal sequence, and an oligomerization-area component. Retinoschisin is a homo-octamer complex with disulfide links that are released by retinal cells. It helps preserve the retina's integrity by binding to the surface of photoreceptors and bipolar cells. As a recessive genetic disease, XLRS was usually treated by prescribing low vision aids in most clinical cases. A gene replacement therapy based on adeno-associated virus vectors was initiated and showed a breakthrough in treating XLRS in 2014. Understanding the revolution of gene therapy for treating XLRS may accelerate its development and make this gene therapy the template for developing therapeutics against other inherited retinal diseases.

Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is considered as a sensitive and noninvasive tool to evaluate the macular lesions. In patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), the existence of diabetic macular edema (DME) can cause significant vision impairment and further intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is needed. However, the increasing number of DM patients makes it a big burden for clinicians to manually determine whether DME exists in the OCT images. The artificial intelligence (AI) now enormously applied to many medical territories may help reduce the burden on clinicians. Methods We selected DME patients receiving IVI of anti-VEGF or corticosteroid at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in 2017. All macular cross-sectional scan OCT images were collected retrospectively from the eyes of these patients from January 2008 to July 2018. We further established AI models based on convolutional neural network architecture to determine whether the DM patients have DME by OCT images. Results Based on the convolutional neural networks, InceptionV3 and VGG16, our AI system achieved a high DME diagnostic accuracy of 93.09% and 92.82%, respectively. The sensitivity of the VGG16 and InceptionV3 models was 96.48% and 95.15%., respectively. The specificity was corresponding to 86.67% and 89.63% for VGG16 and InceptionV3, respectively. We further developed an OCT-driven platform based on these AI models. Conclusion We successfully set up AI models to provide an accurate diagnosis of DME by OCT images. These models may assist clinicians in screening DME in DM patients in the future.

The mutations in the genes encoding the subunits of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain are the most common cause of Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), a maternal hereditary disease characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration. The characteristics of incomplete penetrance indicate that nuclear genetic and environmental factors also determine phenotypic expression of LHON. Therefore, further understanding of the role of mutant mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit proteins and nuclear genetic factors/environmental effects in the etiology of LHON is needed. In this study, we generated human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from healthy control, unaffected LHON mutation carrier, and affected LHON patient. hiPSC-derived RGCs were used to study the differences between affected and unaffected carriers of mitochondrial DNA point mutation m.11778G > A in the MT-ND4 gene. We found that both mutated cell lines were characterized by increase in reactive oxygen species production, however, only affected cell line had increased levels of apoptotic cells. We found a significant increase in retrograde mitochondria and a decrease in stationary mitochondria in the affected RGC axons. In addition, the messenger RNA and protein levels of KIF5A in the LHON-affected RGCs were significantly reduced. Antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine could restore the expression of KIF5A and the normal pattern of mitochondrial movement in the affected RGCs. To conclude, we found essential differences in the mutually dependent processes of oxidative stress, mitochondrial transport and apoptosis between two LHON-specific mutation carrier RGC cell lines, asymptomatic carrier and disease-affected, and identified KIF5A as a central modulator of these differences.

To assess the long-term refractive status, visual outcome, astigmatism, and the change in biometric optic components in older adolescents up to age 17 years with threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with diode laser.A retrospective, longitudinal study in which cycloplegic refraction, keratometry, and the biometric measurement of optic components were performed on 28 consecutive preterm eyes with laser-treated threshold ROP at age 17 years. The study results were statistically analysed and compared with age-matched full-term control.All patients with ROP had myopia (average spherical equivalent of - 6.35 D, ranges from - 1.25 to - 12.38 D), and 12 eyes (43%) were highly myopic (spherical equivalent - 6.0 D). Threshold ROP eyes exhibited a significantly poorer visual acuity (P 0.001), greater cylinder refractive error (P 0.001), higher corneal astigmatism (P 0.001), and flatter horizontal corneal curvature (P = 0.01) compared with age-matched controls. Biometric optic components analysis revealed a significant shallower anterior chamber depth (P 0.001), thicker lens (P 0.001), and shorter axial length (P = 0.021) in laser-treated ROP eyes compared with age-matched controls.In this 17-year longitudinal study, a higher prevalence of myopia and astigmatism was observed in laser-treated threshold ROP eyes compared with age-matched control eyes. Myopia and astigmatism in laser-treated ROP eyes typically progress through adolescence after school age. Therefore, we recommend that preterm patients with laser-treated threshold ROP should attend regular follow-up not only for refractive status but also for structural change of anterior segment until their adolescence.

Objective To analyze the relationship between dry eye symptoms and modern dry eye tests, including the Schirmer I test, lipid layer thickness (LLT), and blinking pattern by LipiView interferometer. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants 115 dry eye outpatients. Methods Dry eye symptoms were quantified by questionnaire scores, such as Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED). LLT, complete, and incomplete blinking rate were recorded by the LipiView interferometer. Results 115 patients (229 eyes, mean age = 60.5 ± 13.6 years) were enrolled in this study. The mean value of the SPEED and OSDI scores was 9.5 and 10.2, respectively. A total of 44.3% of all subjects had severe dry eye syndrome (SPEED, OSDI ≥ 10). LLT (mean = 71.2 nm) was inversely correlated with both the SPEED and OSDI (p = 0.003 and 0.004, respectively). The incomplete-to-complete ratio of blinking rate (i/c ratio) was correlated with both the SPEED and OSDI (p = 0.0048 and 0.0234, respectively). Patients with LLT less than 69 nm were more likely to have severe dry eye syndrome. There was no significant relationship between the Schirmer I test and the SPEED or OSDI. However, LLT was inversely related to the Schirmer I test (linear regression, p = 0.0002, r = −0.1857). Conclusions LLT and the i/c ratio were significantly correlated to dry eye symptoms. Eyes with thinner LLT are more likely to have better aqueous tear production. The role of the reciprocal influence between each tear component in the maintenance of tear function warrants further investigation.

To evaluate the visual outcomes after idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery in glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous eyes and factors related to unfavorable outcomes in glaucomatous eyes.This was a retrospective cohort study including patients undergoing idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery with ≥12-month follow-up. Final visual acuity at pseudophakic status was compared among groups of glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, and nonglaucoma and correlated with optical coherence tomography and visual field characteristics in patients with glaucoma.Of the 314 patients enrolled, 31 had glaucoma and 22 were glaucoma suspect. Baseline visual acuity and central foveal thickness were similar across the groups. Most patients had improved/stable visual acuity postoperatively, with a lower proportion of 83.9% with glaucoma than 96.9% and 100% without glaucoma and glaucoma suspect, respectively (P = 0.002). The mean visual acuity did not change in the glaucoma group (from 6/29 to 6/23), but it improved from 6/25 to 6/12 (a gain of 16.7 approxETDRS letters) in nonglaucoma and 6/26 to 6/14 in glaucoma suspect (a gain of 14.0 approxETDRS letters) (both P0.001). The change of visual acuity was correlated with preoperative visual field defects (P0.001, r2 = 0.554). Patients with glaucoma with more advanced, fixation-threatening defects or temporally located inner nuclear layer microcysts were more likely to have worsened visual acuity.Visual field testing is imperative for patients with glaucoma before idiopathic epiretinal membrane surgery for outcome assessment.

(1) Background: There is no consensus regarding the optimal strategy to prevent macular edema after cataract surgery in diabetic patients. The purpose of study is to compare the efficacy of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) and intravitreal injections of anti-VEGFs for the prevention of macular edema after cataract surgery in diabetic patients without pre-existing macular edema. (2) Methods: A literature search of the MEDLINE, PUBMED, and EMBASE databases was conducted in July 2021. Studies involving either topical NSAIDs or intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF arms that reported either the occurrence of macular edema or changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were included. Weighted mean differences and risk ratios were calculated along with 95% confidence intervals. (3) Results: Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGFs provided short-term structural protection for one month in patients receiving cataract surgery, but the protective effect ceased to exist after three months. The structural protection of topical NSAIDs, however, can last for at least three months. Meanwhile, neither anti-VEGFs nor NSAIDs provided significant visual improvement. (4) Conclusions: Our study suggested that topical NSAIDs eye drops is an effective prevention strategy for macular edema after cataract surgery in diabetic patients.

Artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and telemedicine are deeply involved in our daily life and have also been extensively applied in the medical field, especially in ophthalmology. Clinical ophthalmologists are required to perform a vast array of image exams and analyze images containing complicated information, which allows them to diagnose the disease type and grade, make a decision on remedy, and predict treatment outcomes. AI has a great potential to assist ophthalmologists in their daily routine of image analysis and relieve their work burden. However, in spite of these prospects, the application of AI may also be controversial and associated with several legal, ethical, and sociological concerns. In spite of these issues, AI has indeed become an irresistible trend and is widely used by medical specialists in their daily routines in what we can call now, the era of AI. This review will encompass those issues and focus on recent research on the AI application in ophthalmology and telemedicine.

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are rare but highly heterogeneous genetic disorders that affect individuals and families worldwide. However, given its wide variability, its analysis of the driver genes for over 50% of the cases remains unexplored. The present study aims to identify novel driver genes, disease-causing variants, and retinitis pigmentosa (RP)-associated pathways. Using family-based whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify putative RP-causing rare variants, we identified a total of five potentially pathogenic variants located in genes OR56A5, OR52L1, CTSD, PRF1, KBTBD13, and ATP2B4. Of the variants present in all affected individuals, genes OR56A5, OR52L1, CTSD, KBTBD13, and ATP2B4 present as missense mutations, while PRF1 and CTSD present as frameshift variants. Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of the novel pathogenic variant PRF1 (c.124_128del) that has not been reported previously. More causal-effect or evidence-based studies will be required to elucidate the precise roles of these SNPs in the RP pathogenesis. Taken together, our findings may allow us to explore the risk variants based on the sequencing data and upgrade the existing variant annotation database in Taiwan. It may help detect specific eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa in East Asia.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was identified as the main host cell receptor for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its subsequent infection. In some coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, it has been reported that the nervous tissues and the eyes were also affected. However, evidence supporting that the retina is a target tissue for SARS-CoV-2 infection is still lacking. This present study aimed to investigate whether ACE2 expression plays a role in human retinal neurons during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived retinal organoids and monolayer cultures derived from dissociated retinal organoids were generated. To validate the potential entry of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the retina, we showed that hiPSC-derived retinal organoids and monolayer cultures endogenously express ACE2 and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) on the mRNA level. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the protein expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in retinal organoids and monolayer cultures. Furthermore, using the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus spike protein with GFP expression system, we found that retinal organoids and monolayer cultures can potentially be infected by the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Collectively, our findings highlighted the potential of iPSC-derived retinal organoids as the models for ACE2 receptor-based SARS-CoV-2 infection.

BACKGROUND While teleophthalmology is gaining traction in recent years, it is taking center stage in the COVID-19 pandemics. However, most hospitals are yet ready due to a severe lack of real-world experience. Furthermore, there are limited number of studies evaluating the telemedicine application on remote islands. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the real-world clinical and referral accuracy, image quality, physician perceived diagnostic certainty, and patient satisfaction of a telemedicine eye screening using a novel handheld fundus camera in a rural and medically underserved population. METHODS This prospective study enrolled 176 eyes from a remote island. All participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Nonmydriatic retinal images obtained using a handheld fundus camera were reviewed by two retinal specialists to determine the image quality, diagnosis, and need for referrals. The agreement of diagnosis between image-based assessments was compared to that of binocular indirect ophthalmoscopic assessment. RESULTS Image quality of fundus photograph was considered ideal or acceptable in 97.7% and 95.5% eyes. There was considerable agreement in diagnosis between the indirect ophthalmoscopic assessment and image-based assessment by two reviewers (Cohen’s kappa=0.80 and 0.78, respectively). Likewise, substantial agreement in referrals was achieved. The sensitivity for referable retinopathy from the two reviewers was 78% [95% CI, 57%-91%] and 78% [95% CI, 57%-91%], whereas specificity was 99% [95% CI, 95%-99%] and 98% [95% CI, 93%-99%], respectively. For physician perceived certainty in diagnosis, 93.8% and 90.3% were considered either certain or reliable. Overall, 97.4% of participants were satisfied with their experience and greatly valued the telemedicine service. CONCLUSIONS The novel fundus camera-based telemedicine screening demonstrated high accuracy in detecting clinically significant retinopathy in real-world settings. It achieved high patient satisfaction and physician perceived certainty in diagnosis with reliable image quality, which may be scaled internationally to overcome the geographical barriers under global pandemic. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely applied in the medical field and achieved enormous milestones in helping specialists to make diagnosis and remedy decisions, particularly in the field of eye diseases and ophthalmic screening. With the development of AI-based systems, the enormous hardware and software resources are required for optimal performance. In reality, there are many places on the planet where such resources are highly limited. Hence, the smartphone-based AI systems can be used to provide a remote control route to quickly screen eye diseases such as diabetic-related retinopathy or diabetic macular edema. However, the performance of such mobile-based AI systems is still uncharted territory. In this article, we discuss the issues of computing resource consumption and performance of the mobile device-based AI systems and highlight recent research on the feasibility and future potential of application of the mobile device-based AI systems in telemedicine.

Inner nuclear layer(INL) microcysts at central macula are a common finding in patients with epiretinal membrane (ERM) after vitrectomy and membrane peeling. Using en face mode of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography, patients with ERM after surgery were retrospectively reviewed to understand the configuration and distribution of microcysts as well as their impact on visual acuity. Forty-six eligible patients were enrolled and their baseline best-corrected visual acuities improved from 20/67 to 20/29 (P 2. The frequency of microcyst distribution was 86%, 54%, 32%, 25% and 18% at the nasal, superior, inferior, temporal quadrants and central 1 mm, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that INL microcysts at central and temporal quadrants were associated with poorer visual acuity (P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively). The presence of INL microcysts in center subfield and involved wider area is a poor prognostic factor for visual outcomes.

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are a group of rare eye diseases caused by gene mutations that result in the degradation of cone and rod photoreceptors or the retinal pigment epithelium. Retinal degradation progress is often irreversible, with clinical manifestations including color or night blindness, peripheral visual defects and subsequent vision loss. Thus, gene therapies that restore functional retinal proteins by either replenishing unmutated genes or truncating mutated genes are needed. Coincidentally, the eye’s accessibility and immune-privileged status along with major advances in gene identification and gene delivery systems heralded gene therapies for IRDs. Among these clinical trials, voretigene neparvovec-rzyl (Luxturna), an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy drug, was approved by the FDA for treating patients with confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) in 2017. This review includes current IRD gene therapy clinical trials and further summarizes preclinical studies and therapeutic strategies for LCA, including adeno-associated virus-based gene augmentation therapy, 11-cis-retinal replacement, RNA-based antisense oligonucleotide therapy and CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing therapy. Understanding the gene therapy development for LCA may accelerate and predict the potential hurdles of future therapeutics translation. It may also serve as the template for the research and development of treatment for other IRDs.

Introduction: Corticosteroid treatment for uveitis can lead to delayed-onset pressure-induced interlamellar stromal keratitis (PISK), even years after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). A 35-year-old man presented to our clinic after experiencing blurred vision in his left eye for 1 month. For the past month, he had been prescribed topical steroid and anti-glaucomatous medication. He had undergone LASIK for both eyes 5 years earlier, and had suffered uveitis attacks in his left eye over the last 2 years. Slit-lamp examination revealed stromal haziness with interface fluid accumulation in the left eye. The left eye showed an intraocular pressure (IOP) of 35 mm Hg and visual acuity of 6/20. Anterior segment ocular coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed the diagnosis of PISK. Steroid treatment was tapered, and latanoprost treatment was started. One month later, the patient's symptoms resolved, with IOP reduced to 10 mm Hg and visual acuity increased to 6/6 in the left eye. Latanoprost treatment was discontinued to avoid potential uveitis reactivation, and the patient's visual field defect progressed and IOP rebounded. Due to evident glaucomatous damage, trabeculectomy was suggested but was refused. Conclusion: Patients with PISK plus uveitis should be treated with a tailored regimen involving corticosteroid and antiglaucomatous medication or surgical intervention based on the individual condition. Early recognition and appropriate treatment may aid in preventing severe visual sequela in such patients.

To assess the efficacy of combined intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) and macular grid and scatter laser photocoagulation in the treatment of macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) over a 12-month period.A prospective, interventional case series study was conducted in 20 patients. Patients were treated with 3 monthly IVB injections, followed by macular grid laser and scatter laser photocoagulation to nonperfused ischemic retina. Repeated IVB injections were performed on an as-needed basis when patients had recurrent macular edema.The best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 17 eyes (85%) and a vision gain of 3 lines or more was noted in 12/20 eyes (60%). Mean visual acuity improved from 0.68 logMAR at baseline to 0.28 logMAR at 3 months, 0.26 logMAR at 6 months, and 0.26 logMAR at 12 months (P0.01). The mean central macular thickness (CMT) was 442 μm at baseline and decreased to 266, 264, 300, and 294 μm at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months' follow-up, respectively (P0.01). A mild rebound CMT increase was noted at 6 months, which was reduced after bevacizumab reinjection. Ten patients (50%) required repeated IVB injections. Fifteen eyes (75%) have complete edema resolution on optical coherence tomography scan at the 12-month return visit. Overall, patients received an average of 4 injections during the 12-month period. No adverse ocular or systemic events were observed following injections.Early IVB injections in combination with subsequent macular grid and scatter laser photocoagulation treatment significantly improved vision and reduced macular edema secondary to BRVO. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term outcomes and safety.

Introduction: Hand ischemia following vascular access surgery is an uncommon complication. A clinical dilemma exists between prioritizing the preservation of vascular access and the need for surgical intervention to rescue the ischemic hand. Report: An 80 year old man who had hand ischemia following creation of a polytetrafluoroethylene arteriovenous graft with clinical evidence of ischemic pain of the left hand and Doppler ultrasound evidence of diastolic flow reversal is described. Far infrared therapy (FIR) was applied over the distal part of the affected limb, and the symptoms and signs of ischemia improved remarkably. Follow up ultrasonography also revealed the disappearance of diastolic flow reversal. Discussion: FIR therapy is a promising and non-invasive therapeutic modality to treat vascular access related hand ischemia by decreasing vascular resistance and improving hand perfusion Keywords: Arteriovenous graft, Dialysis access associated steal syndrome, Far infrared therapy, Hand ischemia, Hemodialysis, Steal syndrome

Background: To investigate the clinical manifestations and imaging features of near-infrared autofluorescence (NIA), infrared reflectance (IR), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and fluorescein angiography (FAG) in the detection of patients with focal choroidal excavation (FCE) identified by cross-sectional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 12 eyes of 10 Taiwanese patients with FCE diagnosed by SD-OCT. The areas and depths of FCE in serial cross-sectional and en-face OCT were compared in different imaging modalities. NIA, IR, FAF, ICGA and FAG images were obtained. Best corrected visual acuity, subjective distortion area in the Amsler grid and history of maculopathies were also recorded. Results: In areas where the choroid started to excavate as shown in SD-OCT, hypo-autofluorescence in NIA was noted. The area of hypo-fluorescence in NIA of all the FCE lesions showed good correlation with the size. The area of FCE was associated with complications such as choroidal neovascularization and central serous chorioretinopathy (p = 0.014, d.f = 1) and the volume (NIA area × Depth measured by SD-OCT × 1/3) was associated with subjective distortion strongly (p = 0.051, Spearman's correlation = 0.600). Conclusion: Among all image modalities, NIA was the most sensitive tool in area measurement of FCE and peripheral lesion detection. Also, the volume of FCE was associated with subjective distortion and the area was related to complications. Recording the area and volume of FCE could play an important role in monitoring complications. Keywords: Choroid-retina disease, Focal choroidal excavation, Near-infrared autofluorescence, Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

We report a case of punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC) treated with oral prednisolone and intravitreous bevacizumab injection (IVB). The case was studied and followed for 5 months by serial spectrum-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). At the early active phase of PIC, SD-OCT showed dome-shaped retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) elevation with underlying intact Bruch's membrane (BM), overlying photoreceptor inner/outer segment junction (PRJ) disappearance, and homogenous hyperreflective sub-RPE signals. After oral prednisolone and IVB, SD-OCT showed resolution of RPE changes with overlying intact PRJ. Further, the localized outer retinal layers were found to gradually move outward. Our case of PIC was followed by SD-OCT and was successfully treated with oral prednisolone and IVB. SD-OCT may play an important role in early identification of PIC and evaluation of disease progression. According to the serial changes in SD-OCT, we hypothesize that the origin of PIC is most likely to be localized at the RPE level. Early detection and intervention may prevent the progression of PIC to choroidal neovascularization and may lead to good prognosis.