Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness after laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis and femtosecond LASIK: a prospective observational cohort study

Retinal and Choroidal Changes Following Implantable Collamer Lens V4c Implantation in High Myopia Patients-A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

This prospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) V4c implantation on retinal and choroidal morphology in patients with high myopia. A total of 97 eyes from 52 high myopic patients who underwent ICL V4c implantation were followed up for 12 months. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations included comprehensive ophthalmic assessments and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) to analyze changes in central retinal thickness (CRT), retinal volume (CRV), choroidal thickness (ChT), total choroidal area (TCA), luminal area (LA), and choroidal vascular index (CVI). Repeated measures mixed-effects models were used for comparing pre- and postoperative measurement variables and exploring relationships among age, axial length (AL), spherical equivalent refraction (SER), and postoperative retinal and choroidal changes, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Follow-up assessments were conducted at various time points, with participation rates ranging from 21% to 98%. Baseline characteristics showed a median age of 26.7 years, -10.14 diopters of SER, and an AL of 27.44 mm. Throughout the 12-month follow-up, CRT and 3.0 mm CRV consistently increased compared to the baseline, with statistically significant rises observed at postoperative day 1, week 1, and month 12. Most ChT measurements, including subfoveal ChT, declined over the 12 months, except at postoperative 6 months. Horizontal and vertical TCA and LA values significantly increased throughout the follow-up, except for month 6. After surgery, both horizontal and vertical CVI parameters exhibited an increase compared to the baseline, with some changes reaching statistical significance. Correlation analysis performed by repeated measures mixed-effects models showed that no relationship was found between age, AL, and SER and changes in postoperative retinal parameters and CVI parameters. However, postoperative changes in ChT and choroidal area parameters showed a negative correlation with AL and a positive correlation with SER. Our research demonstrated that ICL V4c implantation resulted in noteworthy alterations in retinal and choroidal morphology over a 1-year follow-up period. Moreover, in patients with high myopia, individuals with longer AL and higher degrees of myopia exhibited more pronounced postoperative changes in the choroid and retina. Further studies with extended follow-up durations are necessary to comprehensively understand the long-term effects of ICL implantation on retinal and choroidal morphology and function.

Effect of phakic collamer intraocular lens with a central hole on structural tests measurements of retinal nerve fiber layer and macula

AIM

To evaluate whether the Visian Implantable Collamer Lens with a central port (V4c ICL®; STAAR Surgical, Switzerland) affects the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), macula and optic nerve head (ONH) measurements obtained by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT).

METHODS

This prospective study included myopic patients undergoing V4c ICL® implantation. RNFL thickness, macular thickness, ganglion cell analysis (GCA) and ONH main parameters were evaluated with RTVue OCT (Optovue Inc., USA) and Cirrus-HD OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, USA). ONH variables were also analysed with HRT-3 (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany). All measurements were performed before and 1 week and 12 months after the surgery.

RESULTS

31 eyes of 31 patients (mean age 30.1 ± 5.5 years) were included. Comparing with preoperative values, no significant differences in average RNFL thickness were found with RTVue, while a slight increase (4.3 µm) was detected with Cirrus-HD (85.2 ± 10.3 µm, preoperatively) at 1-week postoperatively (89.5 ± 8.3 µm; p < 0.05). Those changes were not observed at the last follow-up visit (86.6 ± 8.6 µm; p = 0.41). Cirrus-HD detected that macular thickness was slightly higher 1 week after surgery, compared with the preoperative examination (3.4% increase; p = 0.04). That difference remained stable at the 12-month postoperative visit (p = 0.01). GCA showed no changes. The ONH analysis with Cirrus-HD determined that rim area (p = 0.03) as well as disc area (p = 0.04) significantly increased. HRT-3 found no significant changes affecting those variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The implantation of V4c ICL® did not induce a clinically significant impact on the results of the RNFL/ONH analysis with OCT and HRT.

Five-Year Safety and Efficacy of Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate 5-year safety and efficacy outcomes of femtosecond-enabled Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (F-DMEK) in patients with Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (FED).

METHODS

This was a retrospective study, including patients with FED and cataract who underwent either F-DMEK (16 eyes of 15 patients) or manual DMEK (M-DMEK) (42 eyes of 37 patients) combined with cataract extraction. Outcome measures included visual acuity, graft detachment, graft survival, and endothelial cell loss.

RESULTS

The average follow-up in F-DMEK and M-DMEK was 57.1 ± 12.4 months and 58.5 ± 17.3 months, respectively ( P = 0.757). The rates of primary failure (0% vs. 9.5%, P = 0.567), secondary failure (0% for both), and graft rejection (0% vs. 7.1%, P = 0.533) did not differ significantly between the groups. Improvement in best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was similar in F-DMEK and M-DMEK (0.32 ± 0.27 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution and 0.35 ± 0.44 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, respectively, P = 0.165) and persisted at 2, 3, 4, and 5 years and at the last follow-up. The rates of graft detachment and rebubbling were significantly lower with 6.25% in F-DMEK and 33.3% in M-DMEK ( P = 0.035). Cell-loss rates were lower in F-DMEK compared with M-DMEK throughout the follow-up, significantly so up to 2 years with a difference of 8.6% at 1 year ( P = 0.023), 11.8% at 2 years ( P = 0.021), 7.6% at 3 years ( P = 0.088), 5.8% at 4 years ( P = 0.256), 13.6% at 5 years ( P = 0.169), and 7.1% at the final follow-up ( P = 0.341).

CONCLUSIONS

F-DMEK had an excellent safety and efficacy profile which was maintained over 5 years of follow-up. Lower endothelial cell-loss rates in F-DMEK compared with M-DMEK may help extend the duration of graft survival.

OCT Results in Myopia: Diagnostic Difficulties in Clinical Practice?

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a modern, non-invasive technique for examining the posterior segment of the eye in vivo. The quality of images is crucial for the diagnostic process. Despite good image quality and high signal strength, we still obtain images with less relevant diagnostic data, especially in relation to RNFL and GCL thickness in myopic and hyperopic eyes. Aim: To evaluate the change of RNFL, GCL thickness and rim and disk areas in myopic eyes that underwent OCT examination before and after refractive correction with contact lenses or glasses. Method: A prospective cross-sectional pilot study included 43 eyes in 22 patients with myopia and hyperopia, with or without astigmatism. Patients were examined using OCT with and without contact lenses or glasses. Results: RNFL thickness, GCL thickness, rim area and disk area average and minimum values were significantly changed after correction with glasses or contact lenses. Conclusion: Myopic patients with greater than −2.50 D have to be examined using OCT with their contact lens or glasses corrections in the case of borderline data. Uncorrected myopic eyes show a thinner RNFL and GCL and smaller disk areas, which may mislead ophthalmologists.

Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer Thickness Change Following Femtosecond Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) on retinal fovea thickness, volume, and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness. Methods: Thirty-seven eyes (37 patients) undergoing FS-LASIK were included in this prospective study. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed 1 day before, 1 h and 1 day after FS-LASIK surgery. Result: Eighteen male and nineteen females were enrolled. Mean patient age was 22.94 ± 4.22 years. One hour postoperatively, macula fovea thicknesses, macula fovea volume, macula parafovea thickness, macula parafovea volume, macula perifovea thickness, macula perifove volume, temporal RNFL thickness, and superior RNFL thickness measures showed significant decrease (t = 6.171, 6.032, and 9.837, 9.700, 2.532, 4.393, 4.926, 2.265; p = 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.016, 0.000, 0.000, and 0.011). Day 1 post-operation, macula fovea thicknesses, macula fovea volume, macula parafovea thickness, macula parafovea volume, and inferior RNFL thickness measures showed significant change compared to preoperative measures (t = 3.620, 3.220, 2.901, 2.910, 3.632; p = 0.001, 0.003, 0.006, 0.006, and 0.001). Conclusion: Our data suggest there are alterations in retinal foveal and RNFL measurements by OCT 1 h and 1 day after FS-LASIK surgery.

Impact of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis on retinal ganglion cell function

PURPOSE

To analyse the effect of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) on the electrical response of retinal ganglion cells using pattern electroretinography (pERG).

METHODS

This was a longitudinal, prospective, observational pilot study. We included consecutive myopic patients who underwent FS-LASIK to correct up to 6 dioptres of myopia and up to 2 dioptres of astigmatism. Patients with excessive blinking or tearing and those with Snellen uncorrected visual acuity less than 0.9 dec on postop day 1 were excluded. Diopsys NOVA^® (Diopsys Inc., NJ) pERG records, using high- and low-contrast patterns, were obtained 16 h and 1 month after FS-LASIK was performed. Magnitude (μV), Magnitude D (μV), Magnitude D/Magnitude ratio and signal-to-noise ratio (dB) were analysed. Wilcoxon test for nonparametric paired data was employed.

RESULTS

pERG data from 24 eyes were analysed from 24 patients who underwent FS-LASIK. Mean age was 35.79 ± 9.86 years. Mean preoperative refraction was -2.69 ± 7.6 D (spherical) and -0.38 ± 0.40 D (cylinder). Mean surgical time was 56.88 ± 7.6 s. No statistically significant differences were obtained for any of the studied parameters when comparing 16 h with 1 month after FS-LASIK, with the exception of Magnitude with low contrast, which increased from 1.21 ± 0.2 to 1.39 ± 0.29 µV at 16 h and 1 month postoperatively, respectively (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

FS-LASIK seems to induce a mild and transitory defect in retinal ganglion cell function. Only a mild decrease was detected in the magnitude value for low-contrast stimuli when pERG was performed 16 h postoperatively, and it returned to normal 1 month after surgery.

Measurement of the Intraocular Pressure Elevation During Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis Flap Creation Using a Femtosecond Laser Platform

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation during laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap creation using the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond (FS) laser platform.

Methods

We conducted an ex vivo experimental study in an animal model. The WaveLight FS200 FS laser platform was used to perform the corneal LASIK flap in freshly enucleated porcine eyes. We measured the changes in IOP from the application of the suction ring (suctioning phase) through the creation of the lamellar corneal flap (cutting phase). The IOP was recorded using a manometric technique with direct cannulation to the anterior chamber.

Results

Nine freshly enucleated porcine eyes were included in the study. The mean baseline IOP before the procedure was 20.33 ± 5.9 mm Hg. The mean IOP increase over baseline IOP was 32.33 ± 11.3 mm Hg at the suctioning phase, and 38.22 ± 11.3 mm Hg at the cutting phase. The total surgical time needed to complete the procedure was 29.5 ± 4.4 seconds.

Conclusions

The WaveLight FS200 FS laser platform produces a low to moderate increase in IOP during LASIK flap creation.

Translational Relevance

The WaveLight FS200 is a safe FS laser platform because it induces a low to moderate IOP increase during LASIK flap creation.

Association between corneal refractive surgery and the prevalence of glaucoma: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012

AIM

To determine the relationship between corneal refractive surgery and the prevalence of glaucoma in the Korean population.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), a population-based cross-sectional study using a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey. This study included 604 eyes that had undergone myopic corneal refractive surgery, and 3389 control eyes without a history of any ocular surgery and having a spherical equivalent (SE) <-3.00 D, obtained from the KNHANES database for the years 2010-2012. Glaucoma diagnosis was based on the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria. The association between a history of corneal refractive surgery and the prevalence of glaucoma was analysed using logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Glaucoma prevalence did not differ between eyes that had and had not undergone corneal refractive surgery (p=0.675). After adjusting for age, sex, SE, and intraocular pressure, multivariate logistic regression analysis found that corneal refractive surgery was significantly associated with an increased risk of glaucoma (OR 9.14, p=0.002; 95% CI 2.22 to 37.69). Subgroup analysis that only included control eyes with a refraction cut-off <-3.70 D found that corneal refractive surgery was not significantly associated with glaucoma.

CONCLUSIONS

History of corneal refractive surgery was associated with a higher prevalence of glaucoma in the Korean population. However, this association was not observed in eyes with a higher degree of myopia.

Short-term changes in the anterior segment and retina after small incision lenticule extraction

Background

To analyse short-term changes in the anterior segment and retina after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).

Methods

Patients with myopia scheduled for SMILE were recruited from Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China. Basic patient information such as age, sex, and refractive errors was recorded. Ocular measurements were taken before surgery, and 1 day and 1 week after surgery; they included axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), white to white (WTW), pupil diameter (PD), macular thickness (MT), ganglion cell layer thickness (GCL), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL), choroidal thickness (CT), macular vessel density, and optic disc vessel density.

Results

Sixty-one eyes of 31 patients were selected for this study. AL, CCT, ACD, and postoperative PD were significantly reduced (p < 0.05), while LT was thickened after surgery (p < 0.05). MT at the fovea decreased 1 day and 1 week after surgery (p < 0.05). GCL showed no significant changes after surgery. RNFL was unchanged 1 day after surgery, but the inferior sector was thickened 1 week after surgery. CT was thicker at the fovea 1 day after surgery and 1.0 mm from the fovea in the nasal sector 1 week after surgery. Macular vessel density was significantly decreased 1 day after surgery and most recovered in 1 week. Optic disc vessel density decreased at the peripapillary part 1 day after surgery and recovered after 1 week. ΔACD and ΔLT showed no significant correlation 1 day after surgery. ΔACD was negatively correlated with ΔLT and sphere 1 week after surgery (r = − 0.847, p < 0.000; r = − 0.398, p = 0.002). ΔLT was positively correlated with the sphere 1 week after surgery (r = 0.256, p = 0.048).

Conclusion

The anterior segment was the most affected, while the retina also underwent changes with regard to MT, RNFL, CT, macular vessel density, and peripapillary vessel density.

Evaluation of Retinal Ganglion Cell Layer Thickness in the Early Period After Femtosecond LASIK Surgery

Objectives:

To evaluate the early effects of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery on retinal ganglion cell thickness (GCT), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber thickness (NFT), and central macular thickness (CMT) obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in a healthy population.

Materials and Methods:

This case-control study included data from the right eye of 40 subjects without any disease other than refractive error and who had undergone femtosecond LASIK surgery. The preoperative, postoperative 1-hour, and postoperative 3-week GCT, NFT, and CMT values obtained by SD-OCT were compared.

Results:

The mean age was 27.54±5.99 years (18-45 years). GCT, NFT, and CMT were 18.43±6.03 μm, 107.90±9.01, and 234.3±21.2 μm preoperatively; 18.05±5.93 μm, 108.08±8.92 μm, and 230.1±22.6 μm at postoperative 1 hour; and 17.86±5.27 μm, 107.98±10.13, and 236.3±25.1 μm at postoperative 3 weeks (p=0.159, 0.85, and 0.254, respectively).

Conclusion:

There were no changes in GCT, NFT, and CMT values evaluated with SD-OCT in the early period after femtosecond LASIK surgery.

Comparison of Manual and Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty for Failed Penetrating Keratoplasty

PURPOSE

To compare outcomes of manual Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (M-DMEK) and femtosecond laser-assisted Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (F-DMEK) in treatment of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) graft failure.

METHODS

Setting: Retrospective, interventional comparative case series. PatientPopulation: Included were all patients with a failed PK graft who underwent either F-DMEK (10 eyes of 10 patients) or M-DMEK (29 eyes of 29 patients) at Toronto Western Hospital and the Kensington Eye Institute between 2014 and 2019, and had 6 months of postoperative follow-up. OutcomeMeasures: Rates of graft detachment, rebubbling, rejection and failure, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and endothelial cell (EC) density.

RESULTS

Rate of significant graft detachment (detachment requiring either rebubble or repeat keratoplasty) was 10.0% in F-DMEK and 65.5% in M-DMEK (P = .003). Rebubble rate was 10.0% in F-DMEK and 58.6% in M-DMEK (P = .011). Primary failure rate was 0% in F-DMEK and 27.6% in M-DMEK (P = .086). Rates of rejection and secondary failure did not differ between the groups (P = 1.000 for both). In a multivariable analysis, F-DMEK was found to be the only independent factor significantly associated with reduced postoperative detachment. Postoperative BSCVA at 6 months returned to prefailure levels in both groups, with no significant difference between the groups at any time point. EC loss rates were 43.8% in F-DMEK and 38.0% in M-DMEK at 6 months (P = .453).

CONCLUSIONS

F-DMEK is a safe and effective procedure in failed PK patients, with outcomes comparable to M-DMEK, and with reduced detachment and rebubble rates. A trend towards reduced primary failure should be further studied.