PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION FEATURES AMONG PILOTS

PURPOSE

To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of age-related macular degeneration features among pilots of Republic of Korea Air Force.

METHODS

This retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed with a total of 2781 Republic of Korea Air Force pilots who underwent regular medical examinations between 2020 and 2021. Age-related macular degeneration features were determined and graded by fundus photographs. Risk factors were identified with logistic regression analysis in odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

The prevalence was 12.9% in the Republic of Korea Air Force pilots and 35.2% in those older than 50 years. Pilots with age-related macular degeneration features were positively associated with age (OR: 1.082, CI: 1.067-1.096, P < 0.001), male sex (OR: 0.229, CI: 0.056-0.939, P = 0.041), smoking (OR: 1.027, CI: 1.008-1.047, P = 0.006), flight time (OR: 1.004, CI: 1.003-1.005, P < 0.001), total cholesterol (OR: 1.004, CI: 1.000-1.007, P = 0.033), and low-density lipoprotein (OR: 1.005, CI: 1.001-1.008, P = 0.011). Aircraft type was also identified as a risk factor (OR: 0.617, CI: 0.460-0.827 for carrier, OR: 0.572, CI: 0.348-0.940 for helicopter, P = 0.002), with fighter pilots having a higher risk than carrier and helicopter pilots. The results were similar for pilots older than 50 years.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of age-related macular degeneration features in Republic of Korea Air Force pilots was higher than in other general populations studied. Identified risk factors such as flight time and aircraft type suggest potential occupational risk of age-related macular degeneration in aviators.

Sickle Eye Project: a cross-sectional, non-interventional study of the prevalence of visual impairment due to sickle cell retinopathy and maculopathy in the UK

INTRODUCTION

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common genetic disorders in the UK, with over 15 000 people affected. Proliferative sickle cell retinopathy (SCR) is a well-described complication of SCD and can result in significant sight loss, although the prevalence in the UK is not currently known. There are currently no national screening guidelines for SCR, with wide variations in the management of the condition across the UK.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Sickle Eye Project is an epidemiological, cross-sectional, non-interventional study to determine the prevalence of visual impairment due to SCR and/or maculopathy in the UK. Haematologists in at least 16 geographically dispersed hospitals in the UK linked to participating eye clinics will offer study participation to consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria attending the sickle cell clinic. The following study procedures will be performed: (a) best corrected visual acuity with habitual correction and pinhole, (b) dilated slit lamp biomicroscopy and funduscopy, (c) optical coherence tomography (OCT), (d) OCT angiography where available, (e) ultrawide fundus photography, (f) National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 and (g) acceptability of retinal screening questionnaire. The primary outcome is the proportion of people with SCD with visual impairment defined as logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution ≥0.3 in at least one eye. Secondary outcomes include the prevalence of each stage of SCR and presence of maculopathy by age and genotype; correlation of stage of SCR and maculopathy to severity of SCD; the impact of SCR and presence of maculopathy on vision-related quality of life; and the acceptability to patients of routine retinal imaging for SCR and maculopathy.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval was obtained from the South Central-Oxford A Research Ethics Committee (REC 23/SC/0363). Findings will be reported through academic journals in ophthalmology and haematology.

[Blue light and intraocular lenses (IOLs): Beliefs and realities]

The first intraocular lenses (IOLs) used for cataract surgery transmitted both ultraviolet (UV) radiation and visible light to the retina. Colorless UV-blocking IOLs were introduced and rapidly adopted in the 1980s. Yellow-tinted blue-blocking (also known as blue-filtering) IOLs were marketed in the early 1990s. Blue-blocking IOLs were intended to simulate age-related crystalline lens yellowing to reduce the cyanopsia that some patients experienced after cataract surgery. When blue-filtering IOLs were introduced in North America, however, blue-blocking chromophores were advocated as a way to protect patients from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) despite the lack of evidence that normal environmental light exposure causes AMD. The "blue light hazard" is a term that describes the experimental finding that acute, abnormally intense light exposures are potentially more phototoxic to the retina when short rather than long wavelengths are used. Thus, in brief exposures to intense light sources such as welding arcs, ultraviolet radiation is more hazardous than blue light, which is more hazardous than longer wavelength green or red light. International commissions have cautioned that the blue light hazard does not apply to normal indoor or outdoor light exposures. Nonetheless, the hazard is used for commercial purposes to suggest misleadingly that ambient environmental light can cause acute retinal phototoxicity and increase the risk of AMD. Very large epidemiological studies show that blue-blocking IOLs do not reduce the risk or progression of AMD. Additionally, blue-filtering IOLs or spectacles cannot decrease glare disability, because they decrease image and glare illuminance in the same proportion. Blue light is essential for older adults' scotopic photoreception needed to reduce the risk of nighttime falling and related injuries. It is also critical for circadian photoreception that is essential for good health, sleep and cognitive performance. Unfortunately, age-related pupillary miosis, retinal rod and ganglion cell photoreceptor degeneration and decreased outdoor activity all reduce the amount of healthful blue light available to older adults. Blue-restricting IOLs further reduce the available blue light at a time when older adults need it most. Patients and ophthalmologists are exposed to hypothesis-based advertisements for blue-filtering optical devices that suppress short wavelength light critical for vision in dim lighting and for good physical and mental health. Spectacle and intraocular lens selections should be based on scientific fact, not conjecture. Ideal IOLs should improve photoreception rather than limit it permanently. Practice efficiency, surgical convenience and physician-manufacturer relationships may eliminate a patient's opportunity to choose between colorless blue-transmitting IOLs and yellow-tinted, blue-restricting IOLs. Cataract surgeons ultimately determine whether their patients have the opportunity to make an informed choice about their future photoreception.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Review

Importance

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects approximately 20 million people in the US and 196 million people worldwide. AMD is a leading cause of severe vision impairment in older people and is expected to affect approximately 288 million people worldwide by 2040.

Observations

Older age, genetic factors, and environmental factors, such as cigarette smoking, are associated with development of AMD. AMD occurs when extracellular deposits accumulate in the outer retina, ultimately leading to photoreceptor degeneration and loss of central vision. The late stages of AMD are characterized by outer retinal atrophy, termed geographic atrophy, or neovascularization associated with subretinal and/or intraretinal exudation, termed exudative neovascular AMD. The annual incidence of AMD ranges from 0.3 per 1000 in people who are aged 55 to 59 years to 36.7 per 1000 in people aged 90 years or older. The estimated heritability of late-stage AMD is approximately 71% (95% CI, 18%-88%). Long-term prospective cohort studies show a significantly higher AMD incidence in people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day compared with people who never smoked. AMD is diagnosed primarily with clinical examination that includes a special lens that focuses light of the slit lamp through the pupil. Exudative neovascular AMD is best identified using angiography and by optical coherence tomography. Individuals with AMD who take nutritional supplements consisting of high-dose vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and zinc have a 20% probability to progress to late-stage AMD at 5 years vs a 28% probability for those taking a placebo. In exudative neovascular AMD, 94.6% of patients receiving monthly intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections experience less than a 15-letter visual acuity loss after 12 months compared with 62.2% receiving sham treatment.

Conclusions and Relevance

The prevalence of AMD is anticipated to increase worldwide to 288 million individuals by 2040. Intravitreally administered anti-VEGF treatment is first-line therapy for exudative neovascular AMD.

Nighttime Outdoor Artificial Light and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Importance

Light pollution's impact on human health is increasingly recognized, but its link to exudative age-related macular degeneration (EAMD) remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate the association between exposure to outdoor artificial light at night (OALAN) and the risk of incident EAMD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this nationwide population-based case-control study, all individuals 50 years or older with newly diagnosed EAMD between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011, were identified with reference to the Korean National Health Insurance Service registration program database for rare and intractable diseases. Birth year- and sex-matched controls (with no EAMD diagnosis until 2020) were selected at a 1:30 ratio. Data were acquired from May 1 to December 31, 2021, and analyzed from June 1 to November 30, 2022.

Exposures

Mean levels of OALAN at participants' residential addresses during 2008 and 2009 were estimated using time-varying satellite data for a composite view of persistent nighttime illumination at an approximate scale of 1 km2.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of the association between residential OALAN and risk of incident EAMD were determined based on maximum likelihood estimation after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and area-level risk factors (ie, nighttime traffic noise and particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm in each participant's administrative district of residence).

Results

A total of 126 418 participants were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 66.0 [7.9] years; 78 244 men [61.9%]). Of these, 4078 were patients with newly diagnosed EAMD and 122 340 were EAMD-free matched controls. In fully adjusted models, an IQR (55.8 nW/cm2/sr) increase in OALAN level was associated with an HR of 1.67 (95% CI, 1.56-1.78) for incident EAMD. The exposure-response curve demonstrated a nonlinear, concave upward slope becoming more pronounced at higher levels of light exposure (ie, at approximately 110 nW/cm2/sr). In a subgroup analysis, an IQR increase in OALAN was associated with increased risk of incident EAMD in urban areas (HR, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.33-1.61]) but not in rural areas (HR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.84-1.22]).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this nationwide population-based case-control study, higher levels of residential OALAN were associated with an increased risk of incident EAMD. Future studies with more detailed information on exposure, individual adaptive behaviors, and potential mediators are warranted.

LIFETIME AMBIENT ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION EXPOSURE AND INCIDENCE OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

PURPOSE

To investigate the link between lifelong exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

METHODS

The Alienor study is a prospective population-based cohort involving 963 residents of Bordeaux, France, older than 73 years. A subset of 614 participants for advanced AMD and 422 participants for early AMD were included in the analysis. The participants' residential history combined with UVR estimates from the EuroSun satellite were used to estimate the amount of ambient UVR they have been exposed to over their lifetime. Age-related macular degeneration was classified from retinal fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography at 2 to 3 years intervals over the 2006 to 2017 period. Associations between cumulative exposure to ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, and total (total UV) and the incidence of early and advanced AMD were estimated using multivariate Cox models.

RESULTS

Intermediate quartiles of total UV, ultraviolet A, and ultraviolet B exposures were associated with a higher risk for incident early AMD (Hazard Ratio [HR] =2.01 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-3.13], HR = 2.20 [95% CI = 1.38-3.50], HR = 1.79 [95% CI = 1.13-2.80], respectively) as compared with the lower quartile. However, this risk did not further increase in the highest quartiles of exposure. None of the three types of UVR exposure was significantly associated with incident advanced AMD.

CONCLUSION

Despite an increased risk with intermediate compared with low UVR exposure, our study cannot confirm a dose-response relationship of UVR exposure with early AMD onset.

Smoking, dietary factors and major age-related eye disorders: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

There is accumulating evidence of the associations between age-related eye diseases (AREDs) and smoking or dietary factors. We aimed to provide an umbrella review of the published literature pertaining to smoking or dietary intake as risk factors for major AREDs including cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy.

METHODS

We searched for pertinent systematic reviews or meta-analyses in PubMed and Web of Science until 16 April 2022. We reperformed the meta-analysis of each association using random effects models. The heterogeneity and 95% prediction interval were calculated. The presence of small-study effect or excess significance bias was also assessed.

RESULTS

In total, 64 associations from 25 meta-analyses and 41 associations from 10 qualitative systematic reviews were evaluated. There was convincing (class I) evidence for only one association, namely current smoking and cataract. Two factors had highly suggestive (class II) evidence, namely ever smoking associated with cataract and fish consumption associated with AMD. We also found suggestive (class III) evidence for associations between the dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C and the risk of cataract.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking as a risk factor for cataract was the most robust association we identified. We also identified several dietary elements associated with AREDs. Large prospective studies are warranted to further examine the associations discussed in this review.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022339082.

Associations Between Autoimmune Disease and the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose

The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) likely implicates the dysregulation of immune response pathways. Several studies demonstrate that the pathogenic elements of AMD resemble those of autoimmune diseases, yet the association between AMD development and most autoimmune diseases remain unexplored.

Methods

We conducted a case-control analysis of patients ages 55 and older with new-onset International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding of dry, wet, or unspecified AMD between 2005 and 2019 in the Merative MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Databases. The diagnosis of an autoimmune disease was defined by an outpatient or inpatient claim with a relevant ICD code in the 12 months before the index visit. Conditional multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for AMD risk factors, was used to calculate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

We identified 415,027 cases with new-onset ICD coding for AMD matched with propensity scores to 414,853 controls. In total, 16.1% of cases and 15.9% of controls were diagnosed with any autoimmune disease. The diagnosis of any autoimmune disease did not affect the odds of new-onset ICD coding for AMD in multivariable regression (OR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.999-1.02). Discoid lupus erythematosus (OR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12-1.48), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.15-1.27), giant cell arteritis (OR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.30), Sjogren's syndrome (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.26), and Crohn's disease (OR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.06-1.22) increased the odds of a new-onset ICD coding for AMD.

Conclusions

Most autoimmune diseases do not affect the odds of developing AMD but several common autoimmune disorders such as SLE and Crohn's disease were associated with modestly increased odds of AMD. Further studies are needed to validate and investigate the underlying mechanisms of these associations.

PREVALENCE OF AGE-MACULAR DEGENERATION IN PERSONS OF WORKING AGE WHO APPLIED TO PARTICIPATE IN WORK IN ACTION CONDITIONS IONIZING RADIATION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

In recent decades, several large-scale epidemiological surveys of the eyes have been conducted to determine the global prevalence of retinal degenerative diseases (for example, the Blue Mountains Eye Study). The results of such studies were evaluated several decades, and the studies themselves required significant material resources. Such large-scale projects have not been carried out in Ukraine.Objective of the work is to study the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in a pilot group of non-irradiated persons of working age to determine the suitability of using the results for further epidemiological studies in Ukraine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective-prospective analysis of the prevalence of degenerative diseases of the retina in a pilot group of persons who underwent an in-depth examination, as they claimed to participate in works in harmful conditions (with ionizing radiation) was carried out. The results of primary ophthalmological examinations of 1,064 people, conducted between January 18, 2007 and October 29, 2009, were randomly selected. The age of the examinees at the time of examination ranged from 18.94 to 67.49 years, the number of persons aged 18 to 30, 30 to 40, and 40 to 50 years was approximately the same. The results of a standardized ophthalmological examination were used.

RESULTS

In the pilot group of people in working age, the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration was 196.4 per 1,000 people. Hazard analysis showed that the relative risk of age-related macular degeneration increased with age and was 1.14 (95% CI 1.07-1.21) for individuals aged 30-39 years; in comparison with persons under the age of 30; 1.3 (95% CI 1.21-1.41) - for persons aged 40-49; 1.3 (95% CI 1.18-1.52) - for persons aged 50-59; 1.86 (95% CI 1.0-3.47) - for persons over 60 years of age. The odds ratio (OR) of having age-related macular degeneration for those aged 30-39 years compared with those younger than 30 years was 3.04 (95% CI 1.79-5.15); for persons aged 40-49 years - 5.49 (95% CI 3.31-9.09); for persons aged 50-59 years - 6.04 (95% CI 3.36-10.88); for persons aged 50-59 years - 6.04 (95% CI 3.36-10.88) and for persons older than 60 years - 13.71 (95% CI 3.68-51.15), p in all cases < 0.0001.

CONCLUSIONS

It was established that the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in non-irradiated individuals determined in the pilot group was high and statistically significantly increased with age. It is shown that the results of primary ophthalmological examinations of a pilot group of persons who applied for participation in works in harmful conditions (with ionizing radiation) are suitable for epidemiological studies of the frequency and course of degenerative retinal diseases in persons of working age in Ukraine. The obtained results are important for practical medicine, as they will allow us to assess the prospects needs for medical care in the secondary and tertiary care.

Protective role of IL-17-producing γδ T cells in a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization mouse model

BACKGROUND

Vision loss in patients with wet/exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is associated with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision impairment in older adults. Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a component of the microenvironment associated with some autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have indicated that wet AMD patients have elevated serum IL-17A levels. However, the effect of IL-17A on AMD progression needs to be better understood. We aimed to investigate the role of IL-17A in a laser-induced CNV mouse model.

METHODS

We established a laser-induced CNV mouse model in wild-type (WT) and IL-17A-deficient mice and then evaluated the disease severity of these mice by using fluorescence angiography. We performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to analyze the levels of IL-17A and to investigate the immune cell populations in the eyes of WT and IL-17A-deficient mice. We used ARPE-19 cells to clarify the effect of IL-17A under oxidative stress.

RESULTS

In the laser-induced CNV model, the CNV lesions were larger in IL-17A-deficient mice than in WT mice. The numbers of γδ T cells, CD3+CD4+RORγt+ T cells, Treg cells, and neutrophils were decreased and the number of macrophages was increased in the eyes of IL-17A-deficient mice compared with WT mice. In WT mice, IL-17A-producing γδ T-cell numbers increased in a time-dependent manner from day 7 to 28 after laser injury. IL-6 levels increased and IL-10, IL-24, IL-17F, and GM-CSF levels decreased in the eyes of IL-17A-deficient mice after laser injury. In vitro, IL-17A inhibited apoptosis and induced the expression of the antioxidant protein HO-1 in ARPE-19 cells under oxidative stress conditions. IL-17A facilitated the repair of oxidative stress-induced barrier dysfunction in ARPE-19 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide new insight into the protective effect of IL-17A in a laser-induced CNV model and reveal a novel regulatory role of IL-17A-producing γδ T cells in the ocular microenvironment in wet AMD.

Rubus suavissimus S. Lee Extract Alleviates Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in H2O2-Treated Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells and in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mouse Retinas

BACKGROUND

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of visual disorders in the aged population and is characterized by the formation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) deposits and dysfunction/death of the RPE and photoreceptors. It is supposed that both oxidative stress and inflammation play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AMD. The development of therapeutic strategies against oxidative stress and inflammation in AMD is urgently needed. Rubus suavissimus S. Lee (RS), a medicinal plant growing in the southwest region of China, has been used as an herbal tea and medicine for various diseases.

METHODS

In this project, we evaluate the therapeutic potential of RS extract for AMD. We prepared RS extracts from dried leaves, which contained the main functional compounds.

RESULTS

RS extract significantly increased cell viability, upregulated the expression of antioxidant genes, lowered the generation of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, and suppressed inflammation in H2O2-treated human RPE cells. In the in vivo study, treatment with RS extract attenuated body weight gain, lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the liver and serum, increased antioxidant capacity, and alleviated inflammation in the retina and RPE/choroid of mice fed a high-fat diet.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that RS extract offers therapeutic potential for treating AMD patients.

Small-Molecule Drug Repurposing for Counteracting Phototoxic A2E Aggregation

Despite the well-established role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the mechanism underlying phototoxicity remains unclear. Herein, we used a drug repurposing approach to isolate an FDA-approved drug that blocks the aggregation of the photoinducible major fluorophore of lipofuscin, the bis-retinoid N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E). Our fluorescence-based screening combined with dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis led to the identification of entacapone as a potent inhibitor of A2E fluorescence and aggregation. The entacapone-mediated inhibition of A2E aggregation blocks its photodegradation and offers photoprotection in A2E-loaded retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells exposed to blue light. In-depth mechanistic analysis suggests that entacapone prevents the conversion of toxic aggregates by redirecting A2E into off-pathway oligomers. These findings provide evidence that aggregation contributes to the phototoxicity of A2E.

Chinese medicine, Qijudihuang pill, mediates cholesterol metabolism and regulates gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed mice, implications for age-related macular degeneration

Background

Traditional Chinese Medicines have been used for thousands of years but without any sound empirical basis. One such preparation is the Qijudihuang pill (QP), a mixture of eight herbs, that has been used in China for the treatment of various conditions including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the aged population. In order to explain the mechanism behind the effect of QP, we used an AMD model of high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice to investigate cholesterol homeostasis, oxidative stress, inflammation and gut microbiota.

Methods

Mice were randomly divided into three groups, one group was fed with control diet (CD), the other two groups were fed with high-fat-diet (HFD). One HFD group was treated with QP, both CD and the other HFD groups were treated with vehicles. Tissue samples were collected after the treatment. Cholesterol levels in retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), liver and serum were determined using a commercial kit. The expression of enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress was measured with qRT-PCR. Gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

In the majority of the lipid determinations, analytes were elevated by HFD but this was reversed by QP. Cholesterol metabolism including the enzymes of bile acid (BA) formation was suppressed by HFD but again this was reversed by QP. BAs play a major role in signaling between host and microbiome and this is disrupted by HFD resulting in major changes in the composition of colonic bacterial communities. Associated with these changes are predictions of the metabolic pathway complexity and abundance of individual pathways. These concerned substrate breakdowns, energy production and the biosynthesis of pro-inflammatory factors but were changed back to control characteristics by QP.

Conclusion

We propose that the ability of QP to reverse these HFD-induced effects is related to mechanisms acting to lower cholesterol level, oxidative stress and inflammation, and to modulate gut microbiota.

[Nutrition and age-related macular degeneration]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in France and in other industrialized countries. AMD affects around 20 % of the population over the age of 80 years. This complex and multifactorial disease involves both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Smoking and nutrition are well-known modifiable risk factors for AMD. Numerous studies provide convincing arguments in favor of micronutrients to encourage dietary advice and the prescription of nutritional supplements containing antioxidant vitamins, lutein and omega-3 fatty acids. Attention to modifiable risk factors is of utmost importance to reduce progression to advanced AMD and associated medical and societal burdens.

Predictors of myopic macular degeneration in a 12-year longitudinal study of Singapore adults with myopia

PURPOSE

To investigate the predictive factors for myopic macular degeneration (MMD) and progression in adults with myopia.

METHODS

We examined 828 Malay and Indian adults (1579 myopic eyes) with myopia (spherical equivalent (SE) ≤-0.5 dioptres) at baseline who participated in both baseline and 12-year follow-up visits of the Singapore Malay Eye Study and the Singapore Indian Eye Study. Eye examinations, including subjective refraction and axial length (AL) measurements, were performed. MMD was graded from fundus photographs following the Meta-Analysis for Pathologic Myopia classification. The predictive factors for MMD development and progression were assessed in adults without and with MMD at baseline, respectively as risk ratios (RR) using multivariable modified Poisson regression models. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to visualise the performance of the predictive models for the development of MMD, with performance quantified by the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

The 12-year cumulative MMD incidence was 10.3% (95% CI 8.9% to 12.0%) among 1504 myopic eyes without MMD at baseline. Tessellated fundus was a major predictor of MMD (RR=2.50, p<0.001), among other factors including age, worse SE and longer AL (all p<0.001). The AUC for prediction of MMD development was found to be 0.78 (95% CI 0.76 to 0.80) for tessellated fundus and increased significantly to an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.84 to 0.88) with the combination of tessellated fundus with age, race, gender and SE (p<0.001). Older age (p=0.02), worse SE (p<0.001) and longer AL (p<0.001) were found to be predictors of MMD progression.

CONCLUSIONS

In adults with myopia without MMD, tessellated fundus, age, SE and AL had good predictive value for incident MMD. In adults with MMD, 1 in 10 eyes experienced progression over the same period. Older age, more severe myopia and longer AL were independent risk factors for progression.

PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY IN BEHCET DISEASE

PURPOSE

To report a novel presentation of bilateral paracentral acute middle maculopathy and peripheral vascular occlusions in Behcet disease.

METHODS

A retrospective case report with multimodal imaging studies of a patient with Behcet's disease.

RESULTS

A 58-year-old Chinese man presented with a paracentral scotoma, fever, arthralgias, and skin rash. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing revealed HLA-B51 positivity. Ophthalmic examination showed peripheral retinal hemorrhages and fluorescein angiography (FA) demonstrated vascular occlusions in the peripheral retina bilaterally. Optical coherence tomography showed classic acute paracentral acute middle maculopathy lesions in both eyes.

CONCLUSIONS

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy and peripheral vascular occlusion are infrequent and unconventional presentations of Behcet disease. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the ophthalmic literature of paracentral acute middle maculopathy and peripheral vascular occlusion in Behcet disease.

The relationship between dietary patterns and ophthalmic disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is a rising interest in the impact of diet on the pathogenesis of common ophthalmic conditions. The purpose of this review is to summarize the potential preventive and therapeutic power of dietary interventions described in recent basic science and epidemiological literature.

RECENT FINDINGS

Basic science investigations have elucidated a variety of mechanisms by which diet may impact ophthalmic disease, particularly through its action on chronic oxidative stress, inflammation and macular pigmentation. Epidemiologic investigations have shown the real-world influence of diet on the incidence and progression of a number of ophthalmic diseases, particularly cataract, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. A large observational cohort study found a 20% reduction in the incidence of cataract among vegetarians compared with nonvegetarians. Two recent systematic reviews found that higher adherence to Mediterranean dietary patterns was associated with a decreased risk of progression of AMD to later stages. Finally, large meta-analyses found that patients following plant-based and Mediterranean diets had significant reductions of mean haemoglobin A1c scores and incidence of diabetic retinopathy as compared with controls.

SUMMARY

There is a significant and growing body of evidence that Mediterranean diet and plant-based diets - those that maximize fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts; and that minimize animal products and processed foods - help prevent vision loss from cataract, AMD and diabetic retinopathy. These diets may hold benefits for other ophthalmic conditions, as well. Nevertheless, there is a need for further randomized, controlled and longitudinal studies in this area.

Long-term visual outcomes after ruthenium plaque brachytherapy for posterior choroidal melanoma

BACKGROUND

To assess the long-term visual outcomes in patients with posteriorly located choroidal melanoma treated with ruthenium plaque brachytherapy between January 2013 and December 2015.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted on consecutive patients treated with ruthenium plaque brachytherapy for post-equatorial choroidal melanoma with available Snellen visual acuity before and after treatment, and the development and treatment of radiation complications.

RESULTS

There were 219 patients with posterior choroidal melanoma treated with ruthenium plaque brachytherapy. Median follow up was 56.5 months, range 12-81 months. Final visual acuity was ≥6/12 in 97 (44.3%) patients, 6/12 to 6/60 in 57 (26.0%), <6/60 in 55 (25.1%) and 10 (4.6%) eyes were enucleated. Radiation maculopathy was the most common radiation complication encountered, occurring in 53 (24.2%) patients. Of these, final visual acuity was 6/12 in 10 patients (18.9%), 6/12 to 6/60 in 26 (49.1%), <6/60 in 16 (30.2%) and 1 eye (1.9%) was enucleated. Twenty-five (47%) with radiation maculopathy were treated with intravitreal anti-angiogenic therapy, 27 (51%) were monitored and one (2%) was treated with scatter photocoagulation. Eyes treated with intravitreal anti-angiogenic therapy had better final vision than those observed or treated with retinal laser (chi-square, p = 0.04). On multivariate analysis, close proximity to the optic nerve and fovea, and large or notched plaque type was associated with final vision worse than 6/12.

CONCLUSION

Most patients treated with ruthenium plaque brachytherapy for posterior choroidal melanoma retain 6/60 vision, with almost half retaining 6/12 vision at long term follow up.

The Role of Inflammation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Updates and Possible Therapeutic Approaches

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common retinal disease characterized by complex pathogenesis and extremely heterogeneous characteristics. Both in "dry" and "wet" AMD forms, the inflammation has a central role to promote the degenerative process and to stimulate the onset of complications. AMD is characterized by several proinflammatory stimuli, cells and mediators involved, and metabolic pathways. Nowadays, inflammatory biomarkers may be unveiled and analyzed by means of several techniques, including laboratory approaches, histology, immunohistochemistry, and noninvasive multimodal retinal imaging. These methodologies allowed to perform remarkable steps forward for understanding the role of inflammation in AMD pathogenesis, also offering new opportunities to optimize the diagnostic workup of the patients and to develop new treatments. The main goal of the present paper is to provide an updated scenario of the current knowledge regarding the role of inflammation in "dry" and "wet" AMD and to discuss new possible therapeutic strategies.

Extramacular Drusen and Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Age Related Eye Disease Study 2 Report 30

PURPOSE

To identify the prevalence of extramacular drusen and their role in the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

The study was conducted in 4168 eyes (2998 participants) with intermediate AMD in one or both eyes enrolled in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), a 5-year multicenter study of nutritional supplements.

METHODS

Baseline 3-field 30-degree color photographs were evaluated for drusen characteristics outside the macular grid, including size, area, and location. The characteristics of extramacular drusen were compared with those of drusen within the macula.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Progression rates to late AMD.

RESULTS

Although extramacular drusen were observed in 3624 (86.9%) eyes, they represented a small area (< 0.5 mm2) in 50.3% of eyes, with only 17.5% exhibiting an area of > 1 disc area. Eyes with extramacular drusen exhibited larger macular drusen size and area than eyes without extramacular drusen (P < 0.001). Extramacular drusen were not associated with progression to late AMD. The hazard ratio adjusted for baseline age, sex, smoking, AMD severity level, and reticular pseudodrusen for 4043 eyes at risk of developing late AMD over 5 years was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-1.54; P = 0.27) for geographic atrophy and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.76-1.2; P = 0.7) for neovascular AMD.

CONCLUSIONS

Extramacular drusen are commonly observed in eyes with AMD and are more frequent with an increasing drusen burden within the macula. In eyes with intermediate AMD, extramacular drusen do not confer additional risk to previously identified risk factors in progression to late AMD.

Association of Metformin With the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Importance

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness with no treatment available for early stages. Retrospective studies have shown an association between metformin and reduced risk of AMD.

Objective

To investigate the association between metformin use and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design, Setting, and Participants

The Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study is a cross-sectional follow-up phase of a large multicenter randomized clinical trial, Diabetes Prevention Program (1996-2001), to investigate the association of treatment with metformin or an intensive lifestyle modification vs placebo with preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes in a population at high risk for developing diabetes. Participants with retinal imaging at a follow-up visit 16 years posttrial (2017-2019) were included. Analysis took place between October 2019 and May 2022.

Interventions

Participants were randomly distributed between 3 interventional arms: lifestyle, metformin, and placebo.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Prevalence of AMD in the treatment arms.

Results

Of 1592 participants, 514 (32.3%) were in the lifestyle arm, 549 (34.5%) were in the metformin arm, and 529 (33.2%) were in the placebo arm. All 3 arms were balanced for baseline characteristics including age (mean [SD] age at randomization, 49 [9] years), sex (1128 [71%] male), race and ethnicity (784 [49%] White), smoking habits, body mass index, and education level. AMD was identified in 479 participants (30.1%); 229 (14.4%) had early AMD, 218 (13.7%) had intermediate AMD, and 32 (2.0%) had advanced AMD. There was no significant difference in the presence of AMD between the 3 groups: 152 (29.6%) in the lifestyle arm, 165 (30.2%) in the metformin arm, and 162 (30.7%) in the placebo arm. There was also no difference in the distribution of early, intermediate, and advanced AMD between the intervention groups. Mean duration of metformin use was similar for those with and without AMD (mean [SD], 8.0 [9.3] vs 8.5 [9.3] years; P = .69). In the multivariate models, history of smoking was associated with increased risks of AMD (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05-1.61; P = .02).

Conclusions and Relevance

These data suggest neither metformin nor lifestyle changes initiated for diabetes prevention were associated with the risk of any AMD, with similar results for AMD severity. Duration of metformin use was also not associated with AMD. This analysis does not address the association of metformin with incidence or progression of AMD.

[Pathogenetic role of multifunctional protein alpha-2-macroglobulin and its activity in tears and serum in age-related macular degeneration and proliferative diabetic retinopathy]

Alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2-MG) is a multifunctional protein involved in neurodegeneration, inflammation and neovascularization, which are key processes in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). AMD and PDR are two of the main causes of vision loss and blindness, are difficult to treat, and are generally diagnosed at the stage of irreversible changes.

PURPOSE

This study estimates the activity of α2-MG in the blood serum and tears of patients with AMD and PDR in order to reveal the relation of its levels with the intensity of the pathological process in the retina.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 17 patients (34 eyes) with AMD, 15 patients (30 eyes) with PDR, and 15 healthy adults (30 eyes) of the similar age. The activity of α2-MG in serum and tears was measured enzymatically using the specific substrate N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA).

RESULTS

The activity of α2-MG in tears of patients with AMD was on the average 3.5 times higher than in healthy controls, and in patients with PDR - 1.5 times higher. Patients with AMD at the submacular fibrosis stage showed decreased α2-MG activity in tears. The activity of α2-MG in serum of patients with AMD and PDR was on the average 25% higher than in healthy persons. No correlation was revealed between serum and tear levels of α2-MG activity.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed for the first time that in AMD and PDR the activity of α2-MG in tears is increased, and that in AMD the increase is higher than in PDR. An increase of α2-MG activity in serum confirms the presence of systemic inflammation. Absence of correlation between the serum and tear activity of α2-MG confirms its local origin. The high level of α2-MG activity in tears reflects the presence of an active destructive process in the retina, justifying its further investigation as a predictor of AMD and PDR course, as well as an indicator of therapy effectiveness.

Are macular drusen in midlife a marker of accelerated biological ageing?

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Macular drusen are associated with age-related maculopathy but are not an ocular manifestation or biomarker of systemic ageing.

BACKGROUND

Macular drusen are the first sign of age-related maculopathy, an eye disease for which age is the strongest risk factor. The aim of this cohort study was to investigate whether macular drusen in midlife - a sign of the earliest stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - are associated with accelerated biological ageing more generally.

METHODS

Members of the long-running Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (hereafter the Dunedin Study, n = 1037) underwent retinal photography at their most recent assessment at the age of 45 years. Images were graded for the presence of AMD using a simplified scale from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). Accelerated ageing was assessed by (i) a measure of Pace of Ageing defined from a combination of clinical and serum biomarkers obtained at ages 26, 32, 38, and 45 years and (ii) Facial Ageing, defined from photographs obtained at age 38 and 45 years.

RESULTS

Of the 938 participants who participated at the age 45 assessments, 834 had gradable retinal photographs, and of these 165 (19.8%) had macular drusen. There was no significant difference in Pace of Ageing (p = .743) or Facial Ageing (p = .945) among participants with and without macular drusen.

CONCLUSIONS

In this representative general population sample, macular drusen in midlife were not associated with accelerated ageing. Future studies tracking longitudinal changes in drusen number and severity at older ages may reveal whether drusen are a biomarker of accelerated ageing.

What did we learn in 35 years of research on nutrition and supplements for age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review

The aim of this paper is to summarize all available evidence from systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative nonrandomized studies (NRS) on the association between nutrition and antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral supplements and the development or progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane register CENTRAL, MEDLINE and Embase were searched and studies published between January 2015 and May 2021 were included. The certainty of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE methodology. The main outcome measures were development of AMD, progression of AMD, and side effects. We included 7 systematic reviews, 7 RCTs, and 13 NRS. A high consumption of specific nutrients, i.e. β-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, copper, folate, magnesium, vitamin A, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin C, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, was associated with a lower risk of progression of early to late AMD (high certainty of evidence). Use of antioxidant supplements and adherence to a Mediterranean diet, characterized by a high consumption of vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and a low consumption of red meat, were associated with a decreased risk of progression of early to late AMD (moderate certainty of evidence). A high consumption of alcohol was associated with a higher risk of developing AMD (moderate certainty of evidence). Supplementary vitamin C, vitamin E, or β-carotene were not associated with the development of AMD, and supplementary omega-3 fatty acids were not associated with progression to late AMD (high certainty of evidence). Research in the last 35 years included in our overview supports that a high intake of specific nutrients, the use of antioxidant supplements and adherence to a Mediterranean diet decrease the risk of progression of early to late AMD.

An Altered Neurovascular System in Aging-Related Eye Diseases

The eye has a complex and metabolically active neurovascular system. Repeated light injuries induce aging and trigger age-dependent eye diseases. Damage to blood vessels is related to the disruption of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), altered cellular communication, disrupted mitochondrial functions, and exacerbated aggregated protein accumulation. Vascular complications, such as insufficient blood supply and BRB disruption, have been suggested to play a role in glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD), resulting in neuronal cell death. Neuronal loss can induce vision loss. In this review, we discuss the importance of the neurovascular system in the eye, especially in aging-related diseases such as glaucoma, AMD, and AD. Beneficial molecular pathways to prevent or slow down retinal pathologic processes will also be discussed.

Intermittent Fasting Is Associated With a Decreased Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PURPOSE

To investigate the association between intermittent fasting and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the general older adult population.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study using a population-based, government-led survey data, Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

METHODS

A total of 4504 individuals aged ≥55 years with comprehensive data including meal frequency and fundus photography were selected using the KNHANES 2015-2018 database. Participants were divided into 2 groups based on breakfast frequency per week; intermittent fasting (nearly 0 time/week) and nonfasting (5-7 times/week) groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk factors for AMD identified by fundus photography.

RESULTS

AMD was identified in 25.1% of total participants. The intermittent fasting group had a decreased risk of AMD compared with the nonfasting group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.413, 95% CI 0.203-0.841), especially in individuals with a younger age (<70 years, aOR 0.357, 95% CI 0.153-0.833), obesity (aOR 0.663, 95% CI 0.424-1.037), and urban residence (aOR 0.437, 95% CI 0.248-0.769). Increased age (aOR 1.058, 95% CI 1.041-1.076) and serum high-density lipoprotein levels (aOR 1.011, 95% CI 1.002-1.021) were also independent risk factors for AMD.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the population-based survey data, we demonstrated that intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast was significantly associated with a reduced risk of AMD in a representative older adult population, especially in individuals with age <70 years, obesity, and urban residence.

Gout as a Risk Factor for Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Taiwanese Adults-A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

The relationship between gout and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was suggested in previous literature but has yet to be accepted fully among physicians. This study aimed to explore the effect of gout on the development of age-related macular degeneration in Taiwan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database that includes a 2-million-persons dataset. The crude hazard ratio, Kaplan-Meier plot, and separate cox proportional hazard ratio were utilized to demonstrate the effect of gout on the development of age-related macular degeneration. The crude hazard ratio for gout patients developing AMD was 1.55 and the adjusted hazard ratio 1.20. In conclusion, gout is a risk factor for developing AMD, and achieving good disease management is therefore essential for preventing AMD from occurring.

The Blue Light Hazard Versus Blue Light Hype

PURPOSE

The blue light hazard is the experimental finding that blue light is highly toxic to the retina (photic retinopathy), in brief abnormally intense exposures, including sungazing or vitreoretinal endoillumination. This term has been misused commercially to suggest, falsely, that ambient environmental light exposure causes phototoxicity to the retina, leading to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We analyze clinical, epidemiologic, and biophysical data regarding blue-filtering optical chromophores.

DESIGN

Perspective.

METHODS

Analysis and integration of data regarding the blue light hazard and blue-blocking filters in ophthalmology and related disciplines.

RESULTS

Large epidemiologic studies show that blue-blocking intraocular lenses (IOLs) do not decrease AMD risk or progression. Blue-filtering lenses cannot reduce disability glare because image and glare illumination are decreased in the same proportion. Blue light essential for optimal rod and retinal ganglion photoreception is decreased by progressive age-related crystalline lens yellowing, pupillary miosis, and rod and retinal ganglion photoreceptor degeneration. Healthful daily environmental blue light exposure decreases in older adults, especially women. Blue light is important in dim environments where inadequate illumination increases risk of falls and associated morbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

The blue light hazard is misused as a marketing stratagem to alarm people into using spectacles and IOLs that restrict blue light. Blue light loss is permanent for pseudophakes with blue-blocking IOLs. Blue light hazard misrepresentation flourishes despite absence of proof that environmental light exposure or cataract surgery causes AMD or that IOL chromophores provide clinical protection. Blue-filtering chromophores suppress blue light critical for good mental and physical health and for optimal scotopic and mesopic vision.

The Influence of Diabetes, Hypertension, and Hyperlipidemia on the Onset of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in North China: The Kailuan Eye Study

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the prevalence of dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and to analyze the risk factors for AMD.

METHODS

A population-based cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted involving 14,440 individuals. We assessed the prevalence of dry and wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects and analyzed the risk factors for AMD.

RESULTS

The prevalence of wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic patients was 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, and the prevalence of dry AMD was 17% and 16.4%, respectively. The prevalence of wet AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.2%, and 0.7%, respectively. The prevalence of dry AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 16.6%, 16.2%, 15.2%, and 17.2%, respectively. Age, sex, body mass index, and use of hypoglycemic drugs or lowering blood pressure drugs were corrected in the risk factor analysis of AMD. Diabetes, diabetes/hypertension, diabetes/hyperlipidemia, and diabetes/hypertension/hyperlipidemia were analyzed. None of the factors analyzed in the current study increased the risk for the onset of AMD.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among subjects with hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Diabetes co-existing with hypertension and hyperlipidemia were not shown to be risk factors for the onset of dry AMD.

Adherence to the Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern and Macular Degeneration: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a serious degenerative disease affecting the eyes, and is the main cause of severe vision loss among people >55 years of age in developed countries. Its onset and progression have been associated with several genetic and lifestyle factors, with diet appearing to play a pivotal role in the latter. In particular, dietary eating patterns rich in plant foods have been shown to lower the risk of developing the disease, and to decrease the odds of progressing to more advanced stages in individuals already burdened with early AMD. We systematically reviewed the literature to analyse the relationship between the adherence to a Mediterranean diet, a mainly plant-based dietary pattern, and the onset/progression of AMD. Eight human observational studies were analysed. Despite some differences, they consistently indicate that higher adherence to a Mediterranean eating pattern lowers the odds of developing AMD and decreases the risk of progression to more advanced stages of the disease, establishing the way for preventative measures emphasizing dietary patterns rich in plant-foods.

Glial-mediated neuroinflammatory mechanisms in age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium loss often complicated by neovascularization and is one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss worldwide. However, the precise pathophysiology of AMD remains to date unclear, and there is a dearth of effective therapies for the early stages of the disease. A growing body of evidence has identified microglia-mediated neuroinflammation as a key driver of neuronal damage in AMD, presenting a novel avenue for the development of pharmacological agents targeting this cell population. The local microglial response interacts with other glia as well as engages in crosstalk with peripheral immunological niches. This article presents a review of the current evidence regarding the involvement of glia in the pathophysiology of AMD, an overview of the key immune circuits and effector mechanisms shown to be active in AMD, and potential therapeutic avenues targeting glial involvement.

Vitamin D and Ocular Diseases: A Systematic Review

The contributory roles of vitamin D in ocular and visual health have long been discussed, with numerous studies pointing to the adverse effects of vitamin D deficiency. In this paper, we provide a systematic review of recent findings on the association between vitamin D and different ocular diseases, including myopia, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), dry eye syndrome (DES), thyroid eye disease (TED), uveitis, retinoblastoma (RB), cataract, and others, from epidemiological, clinical and basic studies, and briefly discuss vitamin D metabolism in the eye. We searched two research databases for articles examining the association between vitamin D deficiency and different ocular diseases. One hundred and sixty-two studies were found. There is evidence on the association between vitamin D and myopia, AMD, DR, and DES. Overall, 17 out of 27 studies reported an association between vitamin D and AMD, while 48 out of 54 studies reported that vitamin D was associated with DR, and 25 out of 27 studies reported an association between vitamin D and DES. However, the available evidence for the association with other ocular diseases, such as glaucoma, TED, and RB, remains limited.

N-Glycosylation Patterns across the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Spectrum

The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains elusive, despite numerous research studies. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the changes of plasma and IgG-specific N-glycosylation across the disease severity spectrum. We examined 2835 subjects from the 10.001 Dalmatians project, originating from the isolated Croatian islands of Vis and Korčula. All subjects were classified into four groups, namely (i) bilateral AMD, (ii) unilateral AMD, (iii) early-onset drusen, and (iv) controls. We analysed plasma and IgG N-glycans measured by HPLC and their association with retinal fundus photographs. There were 106 (3.7%) detected cases of AMD; 66 of them were bilateral. In addition, 45 (0.9%) subjects were recorded as having early-onset retinal drusen. We detected several interesting differences across the analysed groups, suggesting that N-glycans can be used as a biomarker for AMD. Multivariate analysis suggested a significant decrease in the immunomodulatory bi-antennary glycan structures in unilateral AMD (adjusted odds ratio 0.43 (95% confidence interval 0.22–0.79)). We also detected a substantial increase in the pro-inflammatory tetra-antennary plasma glycans in bilateral AMD (7.90 (2.94–20.95)). Notably, some of these associations were not identified in the aggregated analysis, where all three disease stages were collapsed into a single category, suggesting the need for better-refined phenotypes and the use of disease severity stages in the analysis of more complex diseases. Age-related macular degeneration progression is characterised by the complex interplay of various mechanisms, some of which can be detected by measuring plasma and IgG N-glycans. As opposed to a simple case-control study, more advanced and refined study designs are needed to understand the pathogenesis of complex diseases.

PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY AFTER AORTIC ANEURYSM REPAIR

PURPOSE

We report a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy secondary to cholesterol embolization syndrome after an endovascular aortic aneurism repair (EVAR).

METHODS

Functional and anatomical damage was assessed by Snellen visual acuity, fundoscopy, and optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

A 67-year-old man presented with sudden vision loss in the right eye for one day with concomitant livedo reticularis in both feet. His medical history included an abdominal EVAR repair three days before the symptoms. The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Fundoscopy showed intraarteriolar cholesterol plaques (Hollenhorst) bilaterally, and a localized retinal whitening in the right eye. Optical coherence tomography at the lesion site revealed a hyperreflective band on the level of inner nuclear layer. The patient was referred for imaging and complete systemic evaluation. He was then closely followed up by a vascular team, without additional intervention. Retinal stigma partially regressed at six months with visual improvement.

CONCLUSION

This case describes paracentral acute middle maculopathy as a rare ocular sign of cholesterol embolization in postoperative intraaortic operations. The diagnosis of this complication led to prompt clinical care with a multidisciplinary approach.

SELF-INFLICTED LASER-INDUCED MACULOPATHY MASQUERADING AS POSTERIOR UVEITIS IN A PATIENT WITH SUSPECTED IgG4-RELATED DISEASE

PURPOSE

To report the clinical presentation and imaging features in a case of bilateral self-inflicted handheld laser-induced maculopathy which masqueraded as progressive posterior uveitis in a patient with suspected IgG4-related disease.

METHODS

Case report with clinical history, fundus photographs, fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and swept-source optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

A young Asian Indian man presented with sudden progressive bilateral visual loss over the past 1 week. He was being treated with oral corticosteroids for multiple subcutaneous skin lesions believed to be due to IgG4-related disease. Findings included bilateral central areas of outer retinal disruption with eccentric linear and serpentine lesions showing hypoautofluorescence. Hyperreflective bands extending from the retinal pigment epithelium and interdigitation zone to the outer plexiform layer were present on swept-source optical coherence tomography. After careful history and evaluation of multimodal imaging, posterior uveitis was excluded, and a diagnosis of handheld laser-induced maculopathy was established.

CONCLUSION

Pattern recognition is important in establishing a diagnosis of self-inflicted handheld laser-induced maculopathy which can masquerade as posterior uveitis. Increasing availability of powerful Class IIIb laser devices in both developed and developing countries will likely increase the incidence of this entity.

A mutation in transmembrane protein 135 impairs lipid metabolism in mouse eyecups

Aging is a significant factor in the development of age-related diseases but how aging disrupts cellular homeostasis to cause age-related retinal disease is unknown. Here, we further our studies on transmembrane protein 135 (Tmem135), a gene involved in retinal aging, by examining the transcriptomic profiles of wild-type, heterozygous and homozygous Tmem135 mutant posterior eyecup samples through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). We found significant gene expression changes in both heterozygous and homozygous Tmem135 mutant mouse eyecups that correlate with visual function deficits. Further analysis revealed that expression of many genes involved in lipid metabolism are changed due to the Tmem135 mutation. Consistent with these changes, we found increased lipid accumulation in mutant Tmem135 eyecup samples. Since mutant Tmem135 mice have similar ocular pathologies as human age-related macular degeneration (AMD) eyes, we compared our homozygous Tmem135 mutant eyecup RNA-Seq dataset with transcriptomic datasets of human AMD donor eyes. We found similar changes in genes involved in lipid metabolism between the homozygous Tmem135 mutant eyecups and AMD donor eyes. Our study suggests that the Tmem135 mutation affects lipid metabolism as similarly observed in human AMD eyes, thus Tmem135 mutant mice can serve as a good model for the role of dysregulated lipid metabolism in AMD.

Gut microbiota and age-related macular degeneration: A growing partnership

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe, irreversible vision impairment in developed countries, and its prevalence is rising all over the world, increasing sharply with age. AMD represents an acquired degeneration of the retina that causes significant central visual impairment through a combination of noneovascular and neovascular derangement. The main risk factors for the development of advanced AMD are increasing age, genetic factors, and cigarette smoking; however, the exact pathophysiology of AMD is yet relatively poorly understood. In recent years, the gut microbiota has been intensively studied and linked to several pathologic processes, including ocular diseases. In this sense, the aim of this review is to gather published evidence about the relationship between gut microbiota and AMD.

PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY AFTER EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE REMOVAL

PURPOSE

To describe a patient with newly developed paracentral acute middle maculopathy after uncomplicated epiretinal membrane removal.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review.

RESULTS

A 74-year-old white man underwent uncomplicated vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane removal in his left eye. One week later, the patient complained of a small paracentral visual field deficit and decreased visual acuity. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed a characteristic hyperreflective band-like lesion at the level of the inner nuclear layer, consistent with paracentral acute middle maculopathy. The patient was closely followed and endorsed subjective improvement of his paracentral visual deficit at 3 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy, although rare, may be encountered after epiretinal membrane removal.

No association between cataract surgery and mitochondrial DNA damage with age-related macular degeneration in human donor eyes

Purpose

To determine whether age-related macular degeneration (AMD) severity or the frequency of retinal pigment epithelium mitochondrial DNA lesions differ in human donor eyes that have undergone cataract surgery compared to phakic eyes.

Methods

Eyes from human donors aged ≥ 55 years were obtained from the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. Cataract surgery status was obtained from history provided to Eye Bank personnel by family members at the time of tissue procurement. Donor eyes were graded for AMD severity using the Minnesota Grading System. Quantitative PCR was performed on DNA isolated from macular punches of retinal pigment epithelium to quantitate the frequency of mitochondrial DNA lesions in the donor tissue. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate for associations between (1) cataract surgery and AMD severity and (2) cataract surgery and mitochondrial DNA lesion frequency.

Results

A total of 157 subjects qualified for study inclusion. Multivariable analysis with age, sex, smoking status, and cataract surgery status showed that only age was associated with AMD grade. Multivariable analysis with age, sex, smoking status, and cataract surgery status showed that none of these factors were associated with retinal pigment epithelium mitochondrial DNA lesion frequency.

Conclusions

In this study of human donor eyes, neither retinal pigment epithelium mitochondrial DNA damage nor the stage of AMD severity are independently associated with cataract surgery after adjusting for other AMD risk factors. These new pathologic and molecular findings provide evidence against a relationship between cataract surgery and AMD progression and support the idea that cataract surgery is safe in the setting of AMD.

INVOLUTION OF NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION AFTER ENDOPHTHALMITIS

PURPOSE

To report patients who demonstrated an alteration in the clinical and optical coherence tomography features of neovascular age-related macular degeneration after resolution of endophthalmitis.

METHODS

Retrospective case series of the subsequent changes in the macula and need for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who developed endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection.

RESULTS

The study included seven eyes of seven patients with follow-up ranging between 3 months and 11 years. The vitreous cultures (n = 7) before intravitreal antibiotic injection were the following: culture-negative (4) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (3). Initial treatment included vitreous tap and injection (4) and pars plana vitrectomy (3). In 5/7 eyes, the optical coherence tomography showed resolution of subretinal fluid and serous pigment epithelial detachment, and there was no additional anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment administered.

CONCLUSION

After successful treatment of endophthalmitis in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, there was relative involution of the maculopathy and reduced anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment burden in this series.

PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION

PURPOSE

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) is a recently identified clinical entity with numerous retinal vascular and systemic associations. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of PAMM associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

METHODS

A case is presented with multimodal imaging.

RESULTS

A patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension is found to have the characteristic clinical, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and OCT angiography findings associated with PAMM.

CONCLUSION

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy is believed to arise from a microvascular insult to the retinal deep capillary plexus. We add a previously undescribed association with idiopathic intracranial hypertension to the list of etiologies that can cause PAMM.

CORRELATION BETWEEN ATROPHY-TRACTION-NEOVASCULARIZATION GRADE FOR MYOPIC MACULOPATHY AND CLINICAL SEVERITY

PURPOSE

To assess the reliability of the atrophy-traction-neovascularization (ATN) classification in patients with pathologic myopia (PM) and its correlation with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Hundred highly myopic eyes with a spherical equivalent of >-6.0 diopters or axial length of >26 mm and a total ATN score of ≥3 underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, including fundus photography and swept-source optical coherence tomography. Five observers graded each eye using the ATN system. Mean A, T, and N scores were calculated and correlated with age, BCVA (in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), and axial length. Patients were considered to present severe PM if either A or T components were ≥3 and/or N was ≥2.

RESULTS

Hundred eyes (53 left) from 91 patients (78 women) were classified. Mean age, BCVA, and axial length values were, respectively, 65.1 ± 11.7 years (range, 36-97 years), -0.63 ± 0.62 (-3.00 to 0.00), and 29.26 ± 2.7 mm (26.01-37.66 mm). Mean ATN grades for each component were as follows: A = 2.51 ± 0.78 (0.6-4.0), T = 0.88 ± 1.14 (0.0-5.0), and N = 1.31 ± 1.40 (0.0-3.0). Weighted interobserver agreement was 98.1%, 98.7%, and 94.6%, for A, T and N, respectively. In eyes with severe PM, BCVA was significantly lower and axial length was significantly longer.

CONCLUSION

The excellent interobserver rate in this study demonstrates that the updated ATN grading system is an accurate and reliable tool to classify patients with PM. These findings show that BCVA is more compromised in eyes with severe PM, particularly those graded ≥A3 and/or T3.

ASYMPTOMATIC MULTIFOCAL PARACENTRAL ACUTE MIDDLE MACULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH JUVENILE DERMATOMYOSITIS: OPTICAL COHERENCE ANGIOGRAPHY FINDINGS

PURPOSE

To describe a unique presentation of multifocal paracentral acute middle maculopathy in a young patient with juvenile dermatomyositis including optical coherence tomography angiography findings.

METHODS

Retrospective single case report.

PATIENT

Seventeen-year-old male patient with a history of juvenile dermatomyositis presented for routine hydroxychloroquine screening.

RESULTS

Optical coherence tomography revealed undulations of the outer retinal layers and retinal thinning near the fovea in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography angiography revealed loss of flow void densities in the superficial and deep capillary plexi in both eyes. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of paracentral acute middle maculopathy.

CONCLUSION

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the optical coherence tomography angiography findings in paracentral acute middle maculopathy associated with juvenile dermatomyositis. The defects were located in the superficial and deep capillary plexi and likely due to the known occlusive retinopathy associated with juvenile dermatomyositis.

LONG-TERM VISUAL RECOVERY IN BILATERAL HANDHELD LASER POINTER-INDUCED MACULOPATHY

PURPOSE

To describe the long-term visual, clinical, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) recovery after 4 years in a patient who incurred severe bilateral handheld laser pointer damage.

METHODS

The findings on clinical examination, color fundus photography, and spectral domain OCT at presentation followed by sequential time points over 4 years are presented.

RESULTS

A 9-year-old healthy boy presented with bilateral reduced vision to count fingers in each eye with yellow irregular lesions. After extensive evaluation, he admitted to multiple, prolonged episodes of staring at a handheld red laser pointer reflected in a mirror. Initial visual acuity was count fingers bilaterally. Clinical examination revealed bilateral yellow streaks radiating from the fovea without hemorrhages or fluid and retinal pigment epithelium pigmentary mottling. Spectral domain OCT showed disruption of the foveal outer retina extending from the outer plexiform layer to the retinal pigment epithelium spanning 896 μm in the right eye and 564 μm in the left eye. Six months after injury, vision had only minimally improved to 20/200 with resolution of outer plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer opacification on OCT. Over the ensuing 4 years, visual acuity slowly recovered to 20/30 in each eye and the regions of outer retinal disruption progressively reduced in size to 295 μm in the right eye and 115 μm in the left eye.

CONCLUSION

This case illustrates gradual vision and anatomical improvement over 4 years despite initial poor vision after severe laser pointer macular damage. Visual recovery may be related to patient and exposure factors as well as initial OCT features where an intact Bruch membrane can provide a scaffold for photoreceptors to recover, thereby reducing the outer retinal defect.

Common haplotypes at the CFH locus and low-frequency variants in CFHR2 and CFHR5 associate with systemic FHR concentrations and age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the principal cause of blindness in the elderly population. A strong effect on AMD risk has been reported for genetic variants at the CFH locus, encompassing complement factor H (CFH) and the complement-factor-H-related (CFHR) genes, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We aimed to dissect the role of factor H (FH) and FH-related (FHR) proteins in AMD in a cohort of 202 controls and 216 individuals with AMD. We detected elevated systemic levels of FHR-1 (p = 1.84 × 10-6), FHR-2 (p = 1.47 × 10-4), FHR-3 (p = 1.05 × 10-5) and FHR-4A (p = 1.22 × 10-2) in AMD, whereas FH concentrations remained unchanged. Common AMD genetic variants and haplotypes at the CFH locus strongly associated with FHR protein concentrations (e.g., FH p.Tyr402His and FHR-2 concentrations, p = 3.68 × 10-17), whereas the association with FH concentrations was limited. Furthermore, in an International AMD Genomics Consortium cohort of 17,596 controls and 15,894 individuals with AMD, we found that low-frequency and rare protein-altering CFHR2 and CFHR5 variants associated with AMD independently of all previously reported genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals (p = 5.03 × 10-3 and p = 2.81 × 10-6, respectively). Low-frequency variants in CFHR2 and CFHR5 led to reduced or absent FHR-2 and FHR-5 concentrations (e.g., p.Cys72Tyr in CFHR2 and FHR-2, p = 2.46 × 10-16). Finally, we showed localization of FHR-2 and FHR-5 in the choriocapillaris and in drusen. Our study identifies FHR proteins as key proteins in the AMD disease mechanism. Consequently, therapies that modulate FHR proteins might be effective for treating or preventing progression of AMD. Such therapies could target specific individuals with AMD on the basis of their genotypes at the CFH locus.

Morphological Characteristics Predict Postoperative Outcomes After Vitrectomy in Myopic Traction Maculopathy Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To provide the surgical indication for patients with myopic traction maculopathy (MTM) by investigating the postoperative outcomes after vitrectomy among different types of morphological characteristic groups.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study that included patients (37 eyes) diagnosed with MTM at a single institution. All 37 eyes from 37 patients with MTMs were classified into three groups: foveal retinoschisis (FS), lamellar macular hole (LMH), and foveal retinal detachment (FRD). The ratios of anatomic recovery, central retinal thickness (CRT), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were statistically analyzed among the three groups preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after vitrectomy.

RESULTS

Anatomical recovery could be found in all patients of the FS group at 6 months postoperatively and in the LMH group at 12 months postoperatively. Only 83.33% patients in the FRD group showed anatomic recovery until 12 months. The time taken for CRT to reduce to 200 µm was gradually increased between the FS, LMH, and FRD groups. Postoperative BCVA was better in the FS group than the LMH and FRD groups (P < .05), but the LMH and FDR groups had no difference (P ≥ .05) at any point. The visual acuity was significantly improved in the FS group (P < .01) and FRD group (P = .018), but not in the LMH group (P = .196) at 12 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The FS group achieved anatomical recovery in the shortest time and had the best postoperative BCVA. FRD patients could get visual gain but need too much time for the anatomical recovery. LMH patients experienced anatomic success with surgery, but not in BCVA. Early surgery might be considered for eyes at FS prior to the occurrence of LMH or FRD. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:574-582.].