Dietary Intervention With a Targeted Micronutrient Formulation Reduces the Visual Discomfort Associated With Vitreous Degeneration

Twenty-seven-gauge vitrectomy: a consecutive, single-centre case series with exclusive use over a 4-year period

BACKGROUND

To assess the safety and effectiveness of the exclusive use of 27-gauge instruments for all vitreoretinal diseases requiring vitrectomy.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, 1020 consecutive surgeries were performed on 958 eyes of 848 patients using 27-gauge instruments from March 2017 to June 2021. Patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 months were included. Surgical case-mix, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), intra- and post-operative complications, and surgery times were recorded.

RESULTS

The study patients were followed up for averagely 11 months. Of the 1020 vitrectomies, 958 were primary procedures. Of the 148 retinal detachment (RD) cases, 138 (93%) required a single vitrectomy. Primary macular hole closure was achieved in 143 of 145 (99%) cases. The average surgical times were 55 and 38 min for RD surgeries and for all other indications, respectively. BCVA improved significantly at the final visit (20/49) compared with the pre-operative visit (20/78) (p < 0.01). IOP was similar at the pre-operative (14.8mmHg) and final (14.3mmHg) visits. Complications recorded include transient hypotony in 39 eyes, iatrogenic retinal breaks in 2 eyes, and a vitreous bleed in 1 other eye.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that 27-gauge vitrectomy instruments can be used for a wide range of indications, with exclusive use in certain settings. The outcomes were similar to other gauges, including for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, with minimal complications.

Patient-reported outcomes in patients with vitreous floaters: A systematic literature review

Seeking treatment for bothersome vitreous floaters is patient driven. To measure the impact of floaters and treatment on an individual's quality of life, patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs) are essential. We review all studies using a PROM for patients with floaters. We evaluated content coverage against quality-of-life domains previously identified in other ophthalmic disorders, and against a qualitative study investigating quality-of-life issues in patients with floaters. We assessed measurement properties of PROMs using an extensive range of psychometric quality criteria. We identified 59 studies using 28 different PROMs. Many PROMs were not specifically developed for patients with floaters. Floater-specific PROMs were mostly based on content validation from an ophthalmologist or researcher perspective; two included a patient perspective. Using the outcomes of the qualitative study, we found that the floater-specific PROMs were narrow in their content coverage, with most items relating to visual symptoms and activity limitations. Testing the psychometric quality of PROMs was rare, and when employed mostly limited to responsiveness and known group validity. The remarkable high number of floater-specific PROMs reveals a need for such measurements in ophthalmology. Unfortunately, reporting on psychometric quality is limited, and content development is most often done without patient involvement.

RECURRENT FLOATERS AFTER LIMITED VITRECTOMY FOR VISION DEGRADING MYODESOPSIA

PURPOSE

Limited vitrectomy improves vision degrading myodesopsia, but the incidence of recurrent floaters postoperatively is not known. We studied patients with recurrent central floaters using ultrasonography and contrast sensitivity (CS) testing to characterize this subgroup and identify the clinical profile of patients at risk of recurrent floaters.

METHODS

A total of 286 eyes (203 patients, 60.6 ± 12.9 years) undergoing limited vitrectomy for vision degrading myodesopsia were studied retrospectively. Sutureless 25G vitrectomy was performed without intentional surgical posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) induction. CS (Freiburg Acuity Contrast test: Weber index, %W) and vitreous echodensity (quantitative ultrasonography) were assessed prospectively.

RESULTS

No eyes (0/179) with preoperative PVD experienced new floaters. Recurrent central floaters occurred in 14/99 eyes (14.1%) without complete preoperative PVD (mean follow-up = 39 months vs. 31 months in 85 eyes without recurrent floaters). Ultrasonography identified new-onset PVD in all 14 (100%) recurrent cases. Young (younger than 52 years; 71.4%), myopic (≥-3D; 85.7%), phakic (100%) men (92.9%) predominated. Reoperation was elected by 11 patients, who had partial PVD preoperatively in 5/11 (45.5%). At study entry, CS was degraded (3.55 ± 1.79 %W) but improved postoperatively by 45.6% (1.93 ± 0.86 %W, P = 0.033), while vitreous echodensity reduced by 86.6% ( P = 0.016). New-onset PVD postoperatively degraded CS anew, by 49.4% (3.28 ± 0.96 %W; P = 0.009) in patients electing reoperation. Repeat vitrectomy normalized CS to 2.00 ± 0.74%W ( P = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

Recurrent floaters after limited vitrectomy for vision degrading myodesopsia are caused by new-onset PVD, with younger age, male sex, myopia, and phakic status as risk factors. Inducing surgical PVD at the primary operation should be considered in these select patients to mitigate recurrent floaters.