Rapid recovery of sympathetic ophthalmia with treatment augmented by intravitreal steroids

Sympathetic ophthalmia: A comprehensive update

Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare, bilateral, granulomatous, panuveitis following penetrating trauma or surgery to one eye. Clinical presentation commonly occurs within the first year of trauma occurrence but can be delayed by several years. It manifests as acute/chronic granulomatous uveitis with yellowish-white choroidal lesions or Dalen-Fuchs nodules. Initially, patients respond rapidly to corticosteroid therapy, but a majority require long-term use of corticosteroid-sparing agents to prevent recurrences. The purpose of this review is to elaborate on the current understanding of the pathophysiology, the importance of multimodal imaging in early diagnosis, and the role of newer immunomodulatory and biological agents in recalcitrant cases.

Sympathetic Ophthalmia: Where Do We Currently Stand on Treatment Strategies?

Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare bilateral diffuse granulomatous panuveitis that usually results from surgical or penetrating trauma to one eye. The symptoms range from impaired near vision to pain, photophobia, and loss of visual acuity. Anterior segment manifestations include bilateral acute uveitis with mutton-fat keratic precipitates and posterior segment findings include vitritis, multifocal neurosensory retinal detachment, choroiditis, optic nerve edema, and Dalen-Fuchs nodules. The diagnosis is clinical. Ancillary investigations include fundus fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), ultrasound B scan, and autofluorescence imaging. The management options include corticosteroids (topical and systemic) as the first line along with immunomodulatory therapy started at the presentation of the disease. Recent advances include imaging with OCT-angiography, enhanced depth imaging-OCT (EDI-OCT, choroidal vascular index/CVI), targeting IL-23/IL-17 pathway, and use of biologics for the management of this rare entity. Recent advances in early diagnosis and prompt treatment has led to improved final visual outcomes in both the sympathizing and exciting eye. This review is aimed at giving a comprehensive overview of sympathetic ophthalmia along with a special emphasis on current treatment strategies and recent advances.

Uveitis Therapy: The Corticosteroid Options

Uveitis is characterized by intraocular inflammation involving the uveal tract; its etiologies generally fall into two broad categories: autoimmune/inflammatory or infectious. Corticosteroids  are a powerful and important class of medications ubiquitous in the treatment of uveitis. They may be given systemically or locally, in the form of topical drops, periocular injection, intravitreal suspension, or intravitreal implant. This review describes each of the currently available corticosteroid treatment options for uveitis, including favorable and unfavorable characteristics of each as well as applicable clinical trials. The main advantage of corticosteroids as a whole is their ability to quickly and effectively control inflammation early on in the course of uveitis. However, they can have serious side effects, whether localized to the eye (such as cataract and elevated intraocular pressure) or systemic (such as osteonecrosis and adrenal insufficiency) and in the majority of cases of uveitis are not an appropriate option for long-term therapy.

Sympathetic Ophthalmia - a Contribution to Immunology, Clinic and Current Imaging

BACKGROUND

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is a rare inflammation of an operated or injured eye that spreads to the fellow eye. It is typically a bilateral granulomatous panuveitis. The traumatized eye is referred to as inciting eye and the fellow eye as sympathizing eye. The pathophysiology of the disease is not entirely understood, but there is strong evidence of an autoimmune genesis.

PATIENTS/MATERIAL AND METHODS

A selective literature search on epidemiology, immunology, clinical features and risk factors of SO was carried out. In addition, our own experience using multimodal imaging for this clinical entity was introduced.

RESULTS

In the literature, the incidence after traumatic eye injuries is 0.1 - 3% and approximately 0.01% after intraocular surgery. Among the iatrogenic causes, vitreoretinal surgery has the highest rate of SO, presumably due to disruption of the blood-retinal barrier and involvement of retinal and choroidal tissue, which are susceptible to anterior traction, phthisis and chronic inflammation. In 90% of patients, the disease develops within a year following the eliciting event and is associated with a potentially bilateral risk of blindness. Typical symptoms include bilateral visual impairment with photophobia, dull pain and photopsia. The spectrum of clinical manifestations ranges from granulomatous anterior uveitis and vitritis, to choroiditis, serous retinal detachment and Dalen-Fuchs nodules in the context of posterior involvement. The diagnosis of SO is generally based on clinical presentation and is supported by imaging methods. These primarily comprise fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, which are increasingly being supplemented by non-invasive methods such as optical coherence tomography. They can provide important information for assessment of severity, differential diagnosis as well as for disease monitoring. The differential diagnosis includes i. a. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, ocular sarcoidosis and the rare phacoanaphylactic endophthalmitis. Immediate systemic high-dose steroid therapy is used as initial treatment. The course of the disease is often relapsing to chronic progressive. Immunomodulators such as ciclosporine A, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and biologics are increasingly being used and contribute to the significantly better prognosis of the disease. Generally, SO can be triggered by any kind of intraocular intervention.

CONCLUSION

SO remains a threatening clinical diagnosis that poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. It can be triggered post-traumatic, but also any intraocular surgery. This should be taken into account when assessing the indication for intraocular eye surgery, especially in eyes with reduced visual outcome.

Early presentation of sympathetic ophthalmia in optical coherence tomography studies: A case report

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is often diagnosed when an inflammatory process appears to be advanced. Herein, the authors present the prospective optical coherence tomography (OCT) study of the onset of SO in the sympathizing eye. Prior to any signs of uveitis, we noted the mild disintegration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, the interdigitation zone (IZ), and the ellipsoid zone (EZ). The complete disruption of IZ and EZ was seen 12 weeks later. After 14 weeks, the uveal inflammation was present, and OCT imaging disclosed the formation of nodule-like lesions between the Bruch's membrane and the RPE layer. The histopathological evaluation of the enucleated exciting eye confirmed the diagnosis of SO.

Intravitreal Steroid Slow-Release Device Replacing Repeated Intravitreal Triamcinolone Injections for Sympathetic Ophthalmia

Purpose

To report on the intraocular use of a steroid slow-release device in an attempt to avoid multiple intraocular triamcinolone injections in chronic sympathetic ophthalmia.

Methods

A 47-year-old patient with sympathetic ophthalmia had received 17 intravitreal triamcinolone injections to suppress the uveitis, to increase intraocular pressure, and to reduce systemic anti-inflammatory medication. To avoid the frequent reinjections combined with the temporary reduction in vision and potential risk of infection and a recurrence of sympathetic ophthalmia, a slow-release device of 2.1-mg fluocinolone acetonide was intravitreally implanted.

Results

During the follow-up of 11 months after the procedure, intraocular pressure stabilized at 12 to 18 mmHg and visual acuity at 0.40 to 0.50. The systemic immunosuppressive therapy was stopped, and consequently, the insulin treatment could be halted.

Conclusions

Despite the limitations of a single case report, the results suggest that an intravitreal slow-release device of fluocinolone may be an alternative to repeatedly administered intravitreal triamcinolone injection for the long-term treatment of sympathetic ophthalmia. The intraocular slow-release application of steroids has enabled patients to live free from diabetic treatment and immunosuppressive medication after 21 years of systemic immunosuppressive therapy with secondary Cushing disease including diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension.

AN ATYPICAL CASE OF SYMPATHETIC OPHTHALMIA AFTER LIMBAL CORNEAL LACERATION

In this study, we report a case of bilateral exudative retinal detachment due to sympathetic ophthalmia after successful limbal corneal laceration repair. Steroids remain mainstay management in controlling this disorder; however, there is no role of prophylactic steroid to prevent it. On the contrary, steroid use may alter the course of the disease.

Background/Purpose:

To report a case of atypical sympathetic ophthalmia after limbal corneal laceration.

Methods and Results:

An 11-year-old child had a successful left eye corneal laceration repair at the temporal limbus with excision of exposed nonnecrotic iris tissue, resulting in good visual acuity of 20/80 and 20/25 on postoperative Days 1 and 7, respectively. The patient was prescribed 1 mg/kg oral prednisolone in a tapering dose as prophylaxis. On postoperative Day 21, the patient presented with acute onset decreased vision in both eyes. Visual acuity was counting fingers 3 feet in both eyes. On examination, anterior segment examination was quiet without any inflammation, anterior vitreous face showed 1+ cells, and dilated funduscopy revealed bilateral symmetrical serous retinal detachments along the posterior pole. Optical coherence tomography demonstrated separation and elevation of inner neurosensory layers from the outer segment marking presence of hyperreflective material along with subretinal fluid between detached surfaces. There was stippled hyperfluorescence along the posterior pole as seen in fluorescein angiography. With a diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmia confirmed, oral prednisolone (2 mg/kg body weight) was instituted after which, there was gradual decrease in macular elevation with corresponding improvement in visual acuity with no recurrence for the last 6 months.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of an atypical presentation of sympathetic ophthalmia, and antecedent corticosteroid therapy would have mitigated robust anterior segment findings usually associated with the condition.

Uveitis and gender: the course of uveitis in pregnancy

The hormonal and immunological changes in pregnancy have a key role in maintaining maternal tolerance of the semiallogeneic foetus. These pregnancy-associated changes may also influence the course of maternal autoimmune diseases. Noninfectious uveitis tends to improve during pregnancy. Specifically, uveitis activity tends to ameliorate from the second trimester onwards, with the third trimester being associated with the lowest disease activity. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is likely to be multifactorial and complex. Possible mechanisms include Th1/Th2 immunomodulation, regulatory T-cell phenotype plasticity, and immunosuppressive cytokines. This clearly has management implications for patients with chronic sight threatening disease requiring systemic treatment, as most medications are not recommended during pregnancy due to lack of safety data or proven teratogenicity. Given that uveitis activity is expected to decrease in pregnancy, systemic immunosuppressants could be tapered during pregnancy in these patients, with flare-ups being managed with local corticosteroids till delivery. In the postpartum period, as uveitis activity is expected to rebound, patients should be reviewed closely and systemic medications recommenced, depending on uveitis activity and the patient's breastfeeding status. This review highlights the current understanding of the course of uveitis in pregnancy and its management to help guide clinicians in managing their uveitis patients during this special time in life.

Sympathetic ophthalmia: to the twenty-first century and beyond

Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare bilateral granulomatous inflammation that follows accidental or surgical insult to the uvea of one eye. Onset of sympathetic ophthalmia can be insidious or acute, with recurrent periods of exacerbation. Clinical presentation shows mutton-fat keratic precipitates, choroidal infiltrations, and Dalen-Fuchs nodules. Histopathology reveals diffuse or nodular granulomatous inflammation of the uvea. Prevention and treatment strategies for sympathetic ophthalmia are currently limited to two modalities, enucleation of the injured eye and immunosuppressive therapy, aimed at controlling inflammation. The etiology and pathophysiology of the disease is still unclear but is largely thought to be autoimmune in nature. Recent insight on the molecular pathology of the disease as well as developments in imaging technology have furthered both the understanding on the autoimmune process in sympathetic ophthalmia and the targeting of prevention and treatment strategies for the future.

Pharmacotherapeutic efficacy of preservative-free intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide

Preservative-free formulations of triamcinolone acetonide have recently been introduced to the market over concerns of local toxicity of the vehicle and preservatives, including benzyl alcohol in the original formulation, which was not designed for intraocular use. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) are discussed. The therapeutic effects of IVTA include improvement of visual acuity and reduction of macular edema. However, ongoing treatment is usually required to maintain its effects. The efficacy of IVTA for both FDA-approved and 'off-labeled' indications is reviewed. Elevation of intraocular pressure and cataract formation are the two major side effects of IVTA; these are manageable but require close long-term follow-up. More studies are required to determine the optimal dosage and treatment frequency in different posterior segment disease.

Imaging of Dalen-Fuchs Nodules in a Likely Case of Sympathetic Ophthalmia by Fluorescein Angiography and OCT

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is a well-known but rare autoimmune disease in which the sympathizing eye suffers granulomatous panuveitis after trauma to the fellow eye. An unusual case of SO occurring 32 years after trauma to the fellow eye, and 1 year after unsuccessful vitrectomy/scleral buckle repair of an acute retinal detachment in the inciting eye was presented. An optical coherence tomography imagery of Dalen-Fuchs nodules, not previously reported, and rare angiographic imaging of SO in its acute phase was demonstrated.

Intravitreal triamcinolone for intraocular inflammation and associated macular edema

Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is a corticosteroid that has many uses in the treatment of ocular diseases because of its potent anti-inflammatory and anti-permeability actions. Intraocular inflammation broadly referred to as uveitis can result from several causes, including the immune system and after ophthalmic surgery. One of the most common reasons for vision loss with uveitis is macular edema. TA has been used for many years as an intravitreal injection for the treatment of ocular diseases. Several case control studies have been reported showing the efficacy of TA in the treatment of intraocular inflammation and associated macular edema caused by Behcet's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, sympathetic ophthalmia and white dot syndromes. It has also been shown efficacious in cases of pars planitis and idiopathic posterior uveitis. Some authors have reported its use in postoperative cystoid macular edema. Many of the studies on the use of TA in controlling intraocular inflammation and concomitant macular edema showed its effect to be transient in many patients requiring reinjection. Complications can arise from intravitreal injection of TA including elevated intraocular pressure and cataract. Rarely, it can be associated with infectious and non-infectious endophthalmitis. TA may be useful as an adjuvant in the treatment of uveitis and its associated macular edema, especially in patients resistant or intolerant to standard treatment.

Sympathetic ophthalmia

BACKGROUND

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is a rare, bilateral, non-necrotizing, granulomatous uveitis that occurs after ocular trauma or surgical procedures to one eye threatening sight in the fellow eye. The pathophysiology is not clearly understood, but it appears that the disrupted integrity of the inciting eye leads to an autoimmune hypersensitivity reaction against the exposed ocular antigens in the injured eye as well as in the sympathizing eye. More recently, vitreoretinal surgery has been noted to be a risk factor for the development of SO.

METHODS

Medline search for case reports of sympathetic ophthalmia with links to full text in English yielded articles for review of patient demographics, clinical presentation and examination, therapies and final visual acuity.

RESULTS

Eighty-six patients with SO were included in this review. Sixty-two patients were male and 24 were female with an average age of 46 years. Injuries accounted for 47% of patients while ocular surgery was reported in 44% of patients with pars plana vitrectomy occurring in 21%. Most patients reported reduced vision and presented with uveitis. Ninety-five percent of them received systemic corticosteroid therapy and 75% of patients also received immunomodulators. About 70% of patients had improved visual acuity in their sympathizing eye at their last reported evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

Sympathetic ophthalmia warrants prompt evaluation and treatment to maintain a favorable visual outcome. Ocular surgeries including vitreoretinal surgery and cyclodestructive procedures have been noted to be risk factors for the development of sympathetic ophthalmia. With current medical management including corticosteroids and immunomodulators visual prognosis is relatively good.