Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:To identify the role of gender and other factors in influencing ophthalmologists' compensation. DESIGN/METHODS:Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:U.S. practicing ophthalmologists. METHODS:Between January and March 2020, an anonymous survey was sent to U.S. residency program directors and practicing ophthalmologists who recently completed residency training. Respondents who completed residency ≤10 years ago and responded to questions about gender, fellowship training, state of practice, and salary were included. Propensity score match (PSM) analysis was performed with age, academic residency, top residency, fellowship, state median wage, practice type, ethnicity and number of work days. Multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis controlled for additional factors along with the aforementioned variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/METHODS:Base starting salary with bonus (SWB) received in the first year of clinical position was the main outcome measure. A multiplier of 1.2 (20%) was added to the base salary to account for bonus. RESULTS:Of 684 respondents, 384 (56% female, 44% male) from 68 programs were included. Female ophthalmologists received a mean initial SWB that was $33,139.80 less than their male colleagues (12.5%, p=0.00). PSM analysis showed a SWB difference of -$27,273.89 (10.3% gap, p=0.0015). Additionally, SWB differences were calculated with the number of work days substituted by OR days [-$19727.85 (8.60% gap, p=0.0092)] and clinic days [--$27793.67 (10.5% gap, p=0.0013)] in separate PSM analyses. The SWB differences between genders were significant using MLR analyses, which also controlled for work, clinic, and OR days separately (-$22261.49, $-18604.65, and $-16191.26, respectively; p=0.017, p=0.015, p=0.002). Gender independently predicted income in all 3 analyses (p<0.05). Although an association between gender and the attempt to negotiate was not detected, a greater portion of men subjectively reported success in negotiation (p=0.03). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Female ophthalmologists earn significantly less than their male colleagues in the first year of clinical practice. Salary differences persist after controlling for demographic, educational, and practice type variables with MLR and PSM analyses. These income differences may lead to a substantial loss of accumulated earnings over an individual's career.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To characterize the true position of in-the-bag intraocular lenses (IOLs) relative to the limbus using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and estimate scleral sutured IOL positioning. METHODS:This prospective single center study included 70 eyes of 41 patients with in-the-bag posterior chamber IOLs. Four vertical UBM captures were performed in each eye in the superior, inferior, nasal and temporal quadrants. Post-operative biometric data were collected. The primary outcome was the vertical distance of the in-the bag IOL from the sclero-corneal limbus. Secondary outcomes included anterior shift and refractive change of a theoretical scleral sutured IOL using sclerotomies at 2.5mm and 3mm posterior to the limbus. RESULTS:A total of 265 UBM images were analyzed, including 64 superior, 69 inferior, 66 nasal and 66 temporal. The true in-the-bag IOL position measured as distance posterior to the sclero-corneal limbus was 4.23 mm ± 0.56 mm superiorly, 4.22 ± 0.46 mm inferiorly, 3.95 ± 0.48 mm nasally and 3.86 ± 0.52 mm temporally. The anterior shift of a theoretical scleral sutured IOL was 0.60mm for a 3mm sclerotomy and 0.93mm for a 2.5mm sclerotomy, resulting in a theoretical myopic shift of 0.45 D and 0.79 D respectively, assuming a 15 D IOL. Larger biometric measurements correlated to a more posterior in-the-bag position. CONCLUSIONS:True in-the-bag IOL position was found to be more posterior than estimates of scleral sutured IOLs. Additional corrections in scleral sutured IOL calculations may improve refractive outcomes.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To determine which spectral domain optical coherence tomography biomarkers of idiopathic macular hole (MH) correlate with the postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in anatomically closed MH. METHODS:Retrospective analysis of spectral domain optical coherence tomography scans of 44 patients presenting with MH followed for a mean of 17 months. Widths of MH aperture, base, and ellipsoid zone disruption were calculated from presenting foveal spectral domain optical coherence tomography B-scans. Macular hole base area and ellipsoid zone disruption area were calculated through the custom in-house software. RESULTS:Poorer postoperative BCVA correlated with increased preoperative choroidal hypertransmission (r = 0.503, P = 0.0005), minimum diameter (r = 0.491, P = 0.0007), and base diameter (r = 0.319, P = 0.0348), but not with preoperative ellipsoid zone width (r = 0.199, P = 0.2001). Applying en-face analysis, the BCVA correlated weakly with preoperative ellipsoid zone loss area (r = 0.380, P = 0.013), but not with preoperative MH base area (r = 0.253, P = 0.1058). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Increased MH minimum diameter, base diameter, base area, and choroidal hypertransmission are correlated with a poorer postoperative BCVA. Ellipsoid zone loss measurements were not consistently correlated with a BCVA. Choroidal hypertransmission width may be an easy-to-visualize predictive imaging biomarker in MH surgery.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To describe the vascular anatomy and intraluminal flow characteristics of segmental retinal arteritis (SRA) using structural and angiographic optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS:Retrospective case series of consecutive patients presenting with SRA. All patients were evaluated at presentation with fundus photography, spectral domain OCT, and OCT angiography. One patient was imaged with dense B-scan OCT angiography. RESULTS:Three eyes of three male patients were evaluated. All examinations were consistent with reactivation of ocular toxoplasmosis with an area of active retinochoroiditis adjacent to a focal chorioretinal scar. Spectral domain OCT through areas of SRA noted on clinical examination demonstrated areas of hyperreflectivity circumscribing the affected vessel with a normoreflective lumen. Optical coherence tomography angiography and dense B-scan OCT angiography demonstrated narrowing of the intraluminal flow signal that correlated with areas of segmental hyperreflectivity on spectral domain OCT. Vascular sections proximal and distal to areas of SRA showed normal flow signal. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Vessels with SRA demonstrated hyperreflectivity highlighting the vessel wall on spectral domain OCT. Optical coherence tomography angiography showed narrowing of the flow signal within these segments suggesting reduced lumen diameter. Coupling these finding with previous indocyanine green imaging findings in SRA, the collective data suggest the plaques are localized within the vessel wall to either the endothelium or the muscular tunica media without occlusion of the vessel lumen.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To report a detachment that apparently separated photoreceptor inner segment myoids from inner segment ellipsoids as a manifestation of toxoplasmosis chorioretinitis in a patient with pachychoroid spectrum disease. METHODS:Multimodal imaging including fundus photography, spectral domain and enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT), indocyanine green angiography, and OCT angiography. RESULTS:A 33-year-old man with a history of toxoplasmosis chorioretinitis reported 1 week of decreased vision to 20/200 in his right eye. Examination of the right eye demonstrated mild vitritis with recurrent chorioretinitis inferior to the fovea and adjacent to a chorioretinal scar. A dome-shaped, foveal photoreceptor layer-splitting detachment was noted on OCT. Because degenerating cone photoreceptors are capable of shedding their inner segments, we inferred the location of the detachment at the level of the inner segment myoid and provided a histological example of such from an unrelated donor case. In addition, multimodal imaging revealed dilated choroidal veins (pachyvessels) with attenuation of the inner choroid in both eyes and asymptomatic findings of central serous chorioretinopathy in the left eye. After 1 month of antibiotic and steroid therapy, the chorioretinitis resolved, as did the detachment. Hyperreflective foci on the vitreoretinal interface were appreciated with en face OCT that appeared to aggregate throughout the course of therapy, induce inner retinal striae, and resolve without inducing epiretinal membrane formation. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Patients with preexisting pachychoroid spectrum disease may manifest a more significant retinal fluid accumulation in the setting of superimposed chorioretinal inflammation. In this case of macular toxoplasmosis chorioretinitis, inflammation manifested as a retinal detachment at the level of photoreceptor inner segment myoids that we named as a bacillary layer detachment. In this case, inflammatory sequelae of toxoplasmosis reactivation responded well to oral and intravitreal therapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To report a retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tumor with exudative maculopathy, originating from an atypical RPE lesion presumed to represent congenital hypertrophy of the RPE or RPE hyperplasia. METHODS:Multimodal imaging including fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography angiography. RESULTS:A 76-year-old West African man noted visual acuity reduction to count fingers in the right eye and 20/400 in the left eye. Features of chronic glaucoma were noted. In addition, there was a fairly well-circumscribed darkly pigmented RPE lesion in the paramacular region in the right eye, measuring 4 mm in diameter and flat and consistent with atypical congenital hypertrophy of the RPE or RPE hyperplasia. On the posterior margin of this mass was an RPE tumor, presumed to represent RPE adenoma, producing exudative maculopathy and cystoid macular edema. Multimodal imaging was used to distinguish the RPE tumor from macular neovascularization. A similar atypical congenital hypertrophy of the RPE without retinopathy measuring 3.5mm in diameter was noted in the temporal macular region in the left eye. After six monthly doses of intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) in the right eye, the maculopathy resolved and the RPE mass showed partial involution with visual acuity return to baseline 20/200. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Congenital hypertrophy of the RPE and RPE hyperplasia can produce RPE adenoma with related exudative maculopathy. In this case, the maculopathy responded to bevacizumab.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:Nonproliferative (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) without diabetic macular edema (DME) affect millions of individuals living with diabetes throughout the world. There is increasing data on various management strategies for such patients, but there is limited consensus on how the data should be adopted into clinical practice. METHODS:This literature review and editorial presents and synthesizes the current evidence for various management paradigms for NPDR and PDR without DME. RESULTS:Retina specialists are an integral member of the diabetes management team, and should encourage patients on the importance of glycemic and cardiovascular optimization for both systemic and retinopathy risk factor reduction. The diabetic retinopathy severity scale (DRSS) is now an approvable endpoint for clinical trials in the United States, therefore becoming more clinically relevant. For PDR without DME, the Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) established the standard of care with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). Laser parameters have since evolved to include less intense and earlier intervention. Studies have recently demonstrated that anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment of PDR is effective at regressing neovascularization and improving DRSS levels in many patients. Further evidence is required to determine optimal treatment frequency, duration, and retreatment criteria, in the real world. There are concerns for adverse events in patients being lost to follow up during anti-VEGF treatment. For NPDR without DME, the standard of care has been a wait-and-watch approach. Data within the DRS and the ETDRS suggest that PRP for severe NPDR can be an option for select patients as well. Multiple clinical trials have now demonstrated that anti-VEGF treatment can improve the DRSS score in NPDR. Further studies are required to assess whether this positively affects long-term visual outcomes, and whether the benefits outweigh the risks in the real world for routine use. CONCLUSIONS:There is cumulative evidence demonstrating the efficacy of various treatment options for NPDR and PDR without DME. Currently, patients would most likely benefit from thoughtful management strategies that are tailored to the individual patient.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to compare intravitreal ziv-aflibercept (IVZ) monotherapy to intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) monotherapy in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Patients with treatment-naïve eAMD treated with pro re nata (PRN) monotherapy of IVZ (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) or IVB (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) with a minimum follow-up of 12 months were retrospectively analyzed. Study outcomes included change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness, mean number of injections, and total medication cost in both the groups at 12 months. RESULTS:= 0.029). Direct medication cost of IVZ and IVB in our cohort on PRN basis was an average of US$78 (2.6 × US$30) and US$175 (3.5 × US$50), respectively, through 1 year. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:IVZ-PRN monotherapy resulted in improved visual acuity, reduced treatment burden, and reduced direct medication cost in comparison to IVB-PRN monotherapy through 1 year.