Author: Am J Ophthalmol

Comparison and Repeatability of Keratometric and Corneal Power Measurements Obtained by Orbscan II, Pentacam, and Galilei Corneal Tomography Systems – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To assess the repeatability and comparability of corneal power and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements obtained using Orbscan II (Bausch & Lomb), Pentacam (Oculus), and Galilei (Ziemer) tomographers.Design: Prospective, comparative study.Methods: setting: Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland and Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand. study population: Thirty eyes of 30 healthy participants. observations. CCT and corneal power measured using Orbscan II, Pentacam, and Galilei tomography. main outcome measures: Degree of agreement in and repeatability of CCT and corneal power measures.Results: Orbscan II measured significantly lower CCT compared with Pentacam (20 μm; P < .0005) and Galilei (18 μm; P < .0005). The Orbscan II had wide limits of agreement when compared with both the Galilei (−11 to 47 μm) and Pentacam (−88 to 47 μm). For each device, the intraclass correlation coefficient for CCT was higher than 0.9. The coefficient of variation ranged from 0.33% to 0.93%. There was no significant difference in mean steep keratometry or mean flat keratometry between instrument pairs. However, there was poor agreement in flat keratometry and steep keratometry obtained by Orbscan II compared with those obtained by the Galilei and Pentacam.Conclusions: The keratometry and pachymetry measurements obtained by Orbscan II, Pentcam, and Galilei tomographers were sufficiently disparate that the 3 devices could not be considered equivalent. All 3 devices demonstrated a high level of repeatability, although the Galilei exhibited the best repeatability.

Foveal Thickness in Healthy Fellow Eyes of Patients With Unilateral Macular Holes – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To compare the morphologic parameters of ophthalmoscopically and tomographically normal foveae of the fellow eyes of patients with a unilateral macular hole (MH), other unilateral retinal diseases, and healthy eyes.Design: Observational, cross-sectional study.Methods: Of the 849 subjects studied, 183 eyes were excluded because they had an abnormal vitreofoveal interface that might have affected the foveal thickness. The average regional retinal thicknesses of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study sectors determined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were compared among 160 patients with MH, 175 patients with epiretinal membrane, 145 patients with retinal vein occlusion, and 186 healthy subjects. The foveal depression was quantified as the foveal pit depth divided by the foveal pit diameter.Results: The fovea (1 mm) and central fovea were significantly thinner in the MH group (243 and 192 μm) than in the other groups (P < .0001). There were no significant differences in the thickness of the fovea and central fovea among the eyes with epiretinal membrane (254 and 203 μm) or retinal vein occlusion (251 and 202 μm) or in the healthy group (254 and 201 μm). The foveal depression was significantly greater in the MH group (0.063) than in the retinal vein occlusion group (0.059) or in the healthy group (0.058; P = .014 and P = .0014, respectively). Multiple regression analyses showed that a thinner fovea and a deeper foveal depression were associated significantly with the presence of MH (P = .0054 to P < .0001).Conclusions: These results suggest that patients with MH have unique foveal morphologic features that predispose them to MH development.

Morphologic Characteristics of Optic Nerve Head Drusen on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To evaluate the morphologic characteristics of optic nerve head drusen.Design: Retrospective case series.Methods: Setting: Institutional (Seoul National University Bundang Hospital). Patients: Sixty-one patients with optic nerve head drusen. Observation procedure: Visible and buried optic nerve head drusen were identified using funduscopy, whereas homogenous and nonhomogenous optic nerve head drusen were identified using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images. Buried optic nerve head drusen were classified according to the size. Main Outcome Measures: Classification of optic nerve head drusen.Results: Of 99 eyes in 61 patients, optic nerve head drusen were buried in 95 eyes and visible in 4 eyes. The patients with visible optic nerve head drusen were older on average than those with buried optic nerve head drusen (53.3 ± 8.6 years vs 13.5 ± 7.1 years; P < .001) and exhibited larger disc diameters (1643 ± 265 μm vs 1287 ± 185 μm; P = .016). All 4 eyes with visible optic nerve head drusen exhibited hyperreflective borders, which were not found in patients with buried optic nerve head drusen. Of 95 eyes with buried optic nerve head drusen, 64 eyes (67%) showed homogenous internal reflectivity, whereas 31 eyes (33%) showed nonhomogenous reflectivity with lobulations. Large optic nerve head drusen were associated with a small optic disc diameter, nonhomogenous internal reflectivity, a partial highly reflective border, intraretinal cysts, and increased temporal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.Conclusions: Optic nerve head drusen have a diverse spectrum of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography findings associated with patient age and disc size.

Endothelial Keratoplasty: Prospective, Randomized, Masked Clinical Trial Comparing an Injector With Forceps for Tissue Insertion – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To compare the complications and outcomes of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) when the tissue is either folded and inserted with a forceps or inserted using a platform injector device without folding.Design: Prospective, randomized, masked clinical trial.Methods: DSAEK was performed in 100 eyes of 79 patients undergoing DSAEK surgery for Fuchs corneal dystrophy. Fifty eyes were randomized to have the donor tissue inserted with Charlie II insertion forceps (Bausch & Lomb Surgical) and 50 eyes were randomized to have the donor tissue inserted with the Neusidl Corneal Inserter (Fischer Surgical Inc). All other steps of the surgical procedure were exactly the same. Surgical problems, postoperative complications, and central endothelial cell density at 6 months were recorded and then measured by a masked observer. The study’s main outcome measures were total central endothelial cell density and percentage of donor endothelial cell loss from before surgery to 6 months after surgery and rate of complications (graft dislocation and primary graft failure).Results: No primary graft failures occurred in either group and only 1 dislocation occurred in the series (Neusidl group). One late failure occurred at 6 months (Neusidl group). There was no difference in the preoperative endothelial cell density between the Neusidl and forceps groups, but there was a higher percentage of cell loss with the Neusidl group (33%) than with the forceps group (25%) at 6 months (P = .017).Conclusions: The Neusidl Corneal Inserter yielded a low immediate complication rate for DSAEK surgery for novice and experienced surgeons. Although still at an acceptable level, short-term endothelial survival was significantly worse after Neusidl tissue insertion than that after forceps tissue insertion.

Myopia-Related Fundus Changes in Singapore Adults With High Myopia – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To examine the pattern of myopia-related macular and optic disc changes in Singapore adults with high myopia (spherical equivalent ≤−6.00 diopters).Design: Asian adults with high myopia from 3 population-based surveys.Methods: Adults 40 years and older (n = 359) with high myopia were pooled from 3 population-based surveys in Singapore Asians: (1) the Singapore Prospective Study Program (SP2, n = 184); (2) the Singapore Malay Eye Study (SiMES, n = 98); and (3) the Singapore Indian Eye Study (SINDI, n = 77). All study participants underwent standardized refraction and fundus photography, and SiMES and SINDI subjects also completed ocular biometry measurements. Myopia-related macular (posterior staphyloma, lacquer cracks, Fuchs spot, myopic chorioretinal atrophy, and myopic choroidal neovascularization) and optic disc (optic nerve head tilt, optic disc dimensions, and peripapillary atrophy) changes were evaluated.Results: The most common myopia-related macular finding in adults with high myopia was staphyloma (23%), followed by chorioretinal atrophy (19.3%). There were few cases of lacquer crack (n = 6, 1.8%), T-sign (n = 6, 1.8%), retinal hemorrhage (n = 3, 0.9%), active myopic choroidal neovascularization (n = 3, 0.9%), and no case of Fuchs spot. The most common disc finding associated with high myopia was peripapillary atrophy (81.2%), followed by disc tilt (57.4%). Staphyloma and chorioretinal atrophy increased in prevalence with increasing age, increasing myopic refractive error, and increasing axial length (all P < .001). Ethnicity comparisons demonstrated the highest proportion of staphyloma (P = .04) among Malays, the highest proportion of peripapillary atrophy (P = .01) and disc tilt (P < .001) among Chinese, and the largest cup-to-disc ratio (P < .001) among Indians.Conclusions: Staphyloma and chorioretinal atrophy lesions were the most common fundus findings among Asian adults with high myopia. In this population, tilted discs and peripapillary atrophy were also common, while choroidal neovascularization and Fuchs spot were rare. In contrast with Singapore teenagers, in whom tilted disc and peripapillary atrophy were common while staphyloma and chorioretinal atrophy were rare, pathologic myopia appears to be dependent on the duration of disease and, thus, age of the individual.

A Longitudinal Study of Stargardt Disease: Clinical and Electrophysiologic Assessment, Progression, and Genotype Correlations – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To investigate the clinical and electrophysiologic natural history of Stargardt disease and correlate with the genotype.Design: Cohort study of 59 patients.Methods: Clinical history, examination, and electrophysiologic assessment were undertaken in a longitudinal survey. Patients were classified into 3 groups based on electrophysiologic findings, as previously published: Group 1 had dysfunction confined to the macula; Group 2 had macular and generalized cone system dysfunction; and Group 3 had macular and both generalized cone and rod system dysfunction. At baseline, there were 27 patients in Group 1, 17 in Group 2, and 15 in Group 3. Amplitude reduction of >50% in the relevant electroretinogram (ERG) component or a peak time shift of >3 ms for the 30 Hz flicker ERG or bright flash a-wave was considered clinically significant ERG deterioration. Molecular screening of ABCA4 was undertaken.Results: The mean age at baseline was 31.7 years, with the mean follow-up interval being 10.5 years. A total of 22% of patients from Group 1 showed ERG group transition during follow-up, with 11% progressing to Group 2 and 11% to Group 3. Forty-seven percent of patients in Group 2 progressed to Group 3. There was clinically significant ERG deterioration in 54% of all subjects: 22% of Group 1, 65% of Group 2, and 100% of Group 3. At least 1 disease-causing ABCA4 variant was identified in 47 patients.Conclusions: All patients with initial rod ERG involvement demonstrated clinically significant electrophysiologic deterioration; only 20% of patients with normal full-field ERGs at baseline showed clinically significant progression. Such data assist counseling by providing more accurate prognostic information and are also highly relevant in the design, patient selection, and monitoring of potential therapeutic interventions.

Displacement of the Retina and Its Recovery After Vitrectomy in Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane – Corrected Proof

Objective: To study the displacement of the retina and its change after vitrectomy in idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM).Design: Prospective, interventional case series.Methods: Fifty-six eyes of 53 consecutive patients with ERM underwent vitrectomy with ERM removal and internal limiting membrane peeling. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging was examined before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after vitrectomy. Main outcome measures were the proportion of eyes with retinal displacement for ERM detected by FAF imaging and the recovery rate of retinal displacement after vitrectomy.Results: Before surgery, FAF photography demonstrated hyperautofluorescent lines within the vascular arcade in 37 (66.1%) of the 56 eyes. The lines seemed to be consistent with the location of the retinal vessels before their displacement. These hyperautofluorescent lines appeared significantly more frequently among patients in whom the disease duration was 3 years or less. In 23 (62.2%) of these 37 eyes, within the first postoperative month, the hyperautofluorescent lines disappeared. The disappearance of the hyperautofluorescent line was thought to be the result of the return of the retinal vessel to its original position. Greater visual improvements (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution, ≥0.3) were statistically significantly obtained in patients in whom the hyperautofluorescent lines had become indistinct at 1 month after surgery (P < .05).Conclusions: Hyperautofluorescent lines indicating retinal displacement were found by FAF in 66.1% of patients before surgery for ERM. In addition, retinal displacement was significantly more common among patients who had experienced subjective symptoms for 3 years or less. Fundus autofluorescence is useful for predicting postoperative visual acuity improvement.

The Rate of Structural Change: The Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To compare rates of topographic change in ocular hypertensive eyes in which primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) does or does not develop, and to identify factors that influence the rate of change.Design: Longitudinal, randomized clinical trial.Methods: Four hundred forty-one participants (832 eyes) in the Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study were included. POAG was defined as repeatable visual field, photography-based optic disc changes, or both. The rate of topographic change in the 52 participants (66 eyes) who developed POAG was compared with that of participants who did not develop POAG using multivariable mixed effects models.Results: In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the rate of rim area loss was significantly faster in eyes in which POAG developed than in eyes in which it did not (univariate mean, −0.0131 mm2/year and −0.0026 mm2/year, respectively). The significantly faster rate of rim area loss in black persons found in the univariate analysis did not remain significant when baseline disc area was included in the model. In multivariate analyses, the rate of rim area loss and other topographic parameters also was significantly faster in eyes with worse baseline visual field pattern standard deviation and higher intraocular pressure during follow-up. Moreover, a significant rate of rim area loss was detected in eyes in which POAG did not develop (P < .0001). The rate of rim area loss in eyes with an optic disc POAG endpoint was significantly faster than in those with a visual field POAG endpoint.Conclusions: The rate of rim area loss is approximately 5 times faster in eyes in which POAG developed compared with eyes in which it did not. These results suggest that measuring the rate of structural change can provide important information for the clinical management of ocular hypertensive patients. Additional follow-up is needed to determine whether the statistically significant change in the eyes in which POAG did not develop represents normal aging or glaucomatous change not detected by conventional methods.

Meibomian Gland Morphology in Japanese Infants, Children, and Adults Observed Using a Mobile Pen-shaped Infrared Meibography Device – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To compare meibomian gland morphology between children and adults.Design: Cross-sectional, observational case series.Methods: In an institutional setting, healthy pediatric (n = 78, 30 boys, 48 girls; mean age ± standard deviation, 4.1 ± 3.4 years; range 1 month – 12 years) and adult (n = 25, 11 men, 14 women; 31.3 ± 4.8 years; range 24-39 years) volunteers participated in the study. A noninvasive mobile pen-shaped infrared meibography device was used to observe the meibomian glands. Lost meibomian gland area (meiboscore) was scored from grade 0 (no meibomian gland loss) through grade 3 (>two-thirds of the total area lost). The number of meibomian glands in each eyelid was counted by reviewing the video. Eyelid width was measured using a ruler. Meibomian gland density was calculated as the number of meibomian glands divided by the eyelid width.Results: The numbers of meibomian glands in the upper/lower eyelids were 26.9 ± 3.9 / 22.0 ± 2.2 in the pediatric group and 28.1 ± 2.7 / 24.4 ± 2.6 in the adult group (P = .22, P < .0001). Eyelid width was 24.4 ± 2.4 mm in the pediatric group and 27.9 ± 1.57 mm in the adult group (P < .0001). Meibomian gland densities in the upper/lower eyelids were 1.09 ± 0.17 / 0.91 ± 0.11 in the pediatric group and 1.01 ± 0.12 / 0.88 ± 0.10 in the adult group (P = .03, P = .45).Conclusions: The mobile pen-shaped infrared meibography device is useful for obtaining information on the meibomian gland structure, not only in adults but also in children, including infants. The morphology of the meibomian glands in children was the same as that in adults, distributing across the whole tarsal plates in both the upper and lower eyelids.

16 and 24 Gy Low-voltage X-ray Irradiation With Ranibizumab Therapy for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 12-Month Outcomes – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To describe the 12-month safety and efficacy outcomes of 16 or 24 Gy radiation using low-voltage x-ray irradiation in conjunction with intravitreal ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Design: Prospective, phase I, open-label, nonrandomized uncontrolled safety study.Methods: setting: Institutional. study population: Neovascular AMD patients. intervention: One x-ray irradiation treatment at 16 or 24 Gy was administered externally through 3 locations in the inferior pars plana. After 2 initial monthly loading doses of ranibizumab, subsequent ranibizumab was administered according to predetermined criteria. main outcome measures: Visual acuity, number of ranibizumab injections, safety and efficacy metrics at 12 months.Results: Forty-seven eyes of 47 patients were enrolled and completed 12 months of follow-up: 16 Gy (n = 28) and 24 Gy (n = 19). There was no evidence of radiation retinopathy, optic neuropathy, or cataract. The mean visual acuity improved in both groups: +8.4 ± 11.9 letters and +7.8 ± 12 letters for 16 and 24 Gy, respectively. In both groups, 100% of subjects lost <15 letters, with 76% and 79% gaining ≥0 letters in the 16 Gy and 24 Gy groups, respectively. Patients received a mean of 1.0 additional injection over 12 months. The mean change in optical coherence tomography central subfield thickness from baseline to month 12 was −107 and −87 μm for the 16 Gy and 24 Gy groups, respectively.Conclusion: One treatment of 16 or 24 Gy low-voltage x-ray therapy with as-needed ranibizumab appears safe in subjects with neovascular AMD at 12 months. An overall improvement in visual acuity was observed. No radiation-related adverse effects were reported.