Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE: We reported the clinical and echographic features of colobomas, prevalence of retinal detachment, and associated visual acuity in these patients. METHODS: The study is a nonrandomized consecutive case series of 140 colobomatous eyes in 98 patients (age range, 0-83 years). Coloboma depth, width, volume, and relative coloboma excavation (coloboma depth/axial length) were measured using standardized echographic images. The presence of structural and other ocular abnormalities was noted. The clinical and echographic findings present were correlated with visual acuity of the patient. In addition, these features were correlated with the presence or absence of retinal detachment. RESULTS: Increased relative coloboma excavation was significantly associated with an increased risk of retinal detachment. A relative coloboma excavation (ratio of coloboma depth to axial length) greater than 0.15 was associated with an increased risk of retinal detachment (52%), compared to those with a relative coloboma excavation less than 0.15 (23%, P = 0.014). The presence of any structural abnormality and the presence of a retrobulbar cyst were associated with increased risk of retinal detachment and severe visual impairment (worse than 20/200). Increased coloboma depth, width, volume, and relative coloboma excavation were not associated with increased risk of severe visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and echographic features of colobomas may be used in predicting the risk of retinal detachment. Measuring relative coloboma excavation upon presentation may alter follow-up and assist in the diagnosis of retinal detachment.

A 79-year-old man presented with a symptomatic, full-thickness macular hole with concurrent vitreomacular traction (VMT), stage 2. The patient was treated with a single injection of ocriplasmin. Within 1 week, the macular hole had closed, but there was persistence of vitreomacular traction. Two months after injection, the VMT released with sustained closure of the macular hole. The temporal course of macular hole closure antecedent to VMA release runs contrary to our current understanding of macular hole closure and warrants further research to decipher the mechanism by which ocriplasmin achieves its intended effect.

PURPOSE: To determine provider compliance with hydroxychloroquine screening following the revised recommendations published in 2011 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. DESIGN: Evaluation of adherence to a screening protocol. METHODS: Subjects were identified with hydroxychloroquine as a medication by electronic query at a large multispecialty ophthalmic practice. Patients were excluded if patients: (1) were screened by an outside physician; (2) lacked recorded height, weight, start date, or dosing; or (3) took hydroxychloroquine for malaria prophylaxis. Screening tests were stratified by ophthalmic subspecialty. Guidelines define proper screening as 1 subjective test-Humphrey visual field (HVF), and 1 objective test-spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), or multifocal electroretinography (mfERG). Adherence to guidelines was determined by categorizing practices as: (1) "appropriate"-consistent with guidelines; (2) "underscreened"-insufficient testing; or (3) "inappropriate"-no testing. RESULTS: The study comprised 756 patients with a mean age of 56 years undergoing 1294 screening visits. Twenty-one patients received initial screenings outside the institution. Most common screening tests employed included SD OCT (56.6%), 10-2 HVF (55.0%), and Amsler grid (40.0%). Of the 735 initial screenings, 341 (46.4%) were appropriately screened, 204 (27.8%) underscreened, and 190 (25.9%) inappropriately screened. Of those who presented solely for screening (560), 307 (54.8%) were appropriately screened, 144 (25.7%) underscreened, and 109 (19.5%) inappropriately screened. CONCLUSIONS: Of patients presenting for hydroxychloroquine screening, 54.8% of patients received appropriate evaluation, indicating lack of adherence to guidelines. Overall, SD OCT and 10-2 HVF were the preferred screening modalities, with FAF and mfERG less frequently ordered.

PURPOSE: To report a brimonidone-induced allergic reaction that mimicked a limbal form of vernal keratoconjunctivitis in the setting of background ocular surface toxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 78-year-old male with a history of primary open angle glaucoma presented with symptoms of unilateral blurry vision, irritation, and redness shortly after starting brimonidine exclusively in the right eye. Examination revealed injected palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, diffuse punctate epithelial erosion and discrete, non-staining corneal limbal infiltrates superiorly. RESULTS: Given the unilateral presentation, the patient was diagnosed with an allergic limbal keratoconjunctivitis secondary to bromonidine. Shortly after discontinuing the brimonidine, there was full resolution of the corneal limbal infiltrates. The punctate epithelial erosions and tear film abnormalities remained. CONCLUSION: Direct medication allergy and ocular surface disease are two distinct entities that often co-exist. Distinguishing between the two entities, sometimes by trial and error, is critical in the management of these patients.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness. Over the last decade, the treatment of NVAMD has been revolutionized by the development of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies. Several anti-VEGF medications are used for the treatment of NVAMD. The safety and tolerability of these medications deserve review given the high prevalence of NVAMD and the significant utilization of these medications. Numerous large randomized clinical trials have not shown any definitive differential safety relative to ocular or systemic safety of these medications. Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy does appear to impact systemic VEGF levels, but the implications of these changes remain unclear. One unique safety concern relates drug compounding and the potential risks of contamination, specifically for bevacizumab. Continued surveillance for systemic safety concerns, particularly for rare events, is merited. Overall, these medications are well tolerated and effective in the treatment of NVAMD.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) measurements in eyes with nonexudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the presence or absence of reticular pseudodrusen (RPD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Subfoveal CT measurements obtained from patients with AMD enrolled in the COMPLETE study (30 drusen-only eyes and 30 eyes with geographic atrophy [GA]) were compared with an age-distributed normal control group. Multimodal images were evaluated to detect the presence of RPD. RESULTS: After controlling for age and axial length, the mean CT was significantly thinner in the GA group with RPD (213.7 +/- 53.1 microm) than in the GA group without RPD (335.3 +/- 123.2 microm; P = .001). The mean CT in the GA group without RPD was not statistically different from the mean CT in the normal control group (P = .076) or the drusen group without RPD (P = .45). In eyes without RPD, there was a correlation between the increasing size of GA and a decrease in CT measurements. CONCLUSION: Subfoveal choroidal thinning in eyes with nonexudative AMD was associated with the presence of RPD. In the absence of RPD, CT only decreased as the size of GA increased.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report outcomes of pneumatic retinopexy (PR) for retinal detachment (RD) occurring after prior scleral buckling surgery (SB) or pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Single-center study evaluating all patients treated between January 2000 and March 2013. RESULTS: Ten eyes underwent PR after prior SB. Nine of these 10 eyes had persistent subretinal fluid posterior to the buckle in the setting of an open break on the scleral buckle. The mean time to PR in these cases was 8.5 days after SB. PR achieved anatomic reattachment in eight of 10 eyes, but two of 10 eyes required additional PPV to achieve retinal reattachment. Seven eyes underwent PR after prior PPV. The average time to RD after PPV was 67 days (range: 15-232 days). The location of the break was superior in four eyes, horizontal in two, and inferior in one. Anatomic reattachment with PR alone occurred in four of seven eyes (57%). CONCLUSION: In the setting of recurrent RD after initial SB, pneumatic retinopexy was usually successful in the early postoperative course. In the setting of a new-onset RD after PPV, pneumatic retinopexy was a useful option, but recurrent RD was more common.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate anatomic and clinical outcomes of pneumatic retinopexy for treatment of primary retinal detachment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Noncomparative, single-center, consecutive, interventional case series evaluating all patients treated between 2000 and 2012. Patients with less than 1 month of follow-up or coexisting neovascular age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, endophthalmitis, or prior posterior segment surgery were excluded. RESULTS: Sixty-three eyes of 63 patients with primary retinal detachment treated with pneumatic retinopexy were included. Median follow-up was 10.3 months. Single-operation success (SOS), defined as anatomic reattachment with pneumatic retinopexy alone, occurred in 40 eyes (63%). The retina was successfully reattached in 21 of the other 23 eyes (91%) with one additional surgery. There was no difference in visual acuity outcomes between SOS and additional surgical intervention (P = .85). New or missed breaks were identified in 19 of 63 eyes (30%). Postoperative subretinal fluid was observed in 22 of 63 eyes (35%) and persisted at last follow-up in two of 63 eyes (3%). At final follow-up, the retina was fully attached in 97% of eyes. CONCLUSION: Pneumatic retinopexy remains a reasonably successful option in the management of primary retinal detachment. No difference in best corrected visual acuity outcomes in eyes achieving SOS versus those requiring additional surgery was demonstrated.