Persistent Subretinal Fluid After Successful Full-Thickness Macular Hole Surgery: Prognostic Factors, Morphological Features and Implications on Functional Recovery

INTRODUCTION

The present study aimed to identify preoperative factors that predispose the development of subretinal fluid (SRF) following successful macular hole (MH) surgery.

METHODS

Thirty-four eyes of 33 consecutive patients that underwent pars plana vitrectomy for idiopathic full-thickness MH surgery were included in this retrospective study. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were evaluated pre- and postoperatively in all cases. Patient's demographic characteristics, stage of MH, measurements of base diameter and minimum aperture diameter of the MH, preoperative foveal vitreomacular traction and selected intra-operative parameters were correlated with the development of postoperative SRF.

RESULTS

Postoperative SRF was observed in 15 cases (48%). Total absorption of SRF was observed in 73% of affected eyes and was most commonly seen between the third and the fifth postoperative month. One patient developed lamellar hole leading to full-thickness MH. Postoperative BCVA was similar between the eyes that did and the eyes that did not develop postoperative SRF (0.31 ± 0.2 vs 0.35 ± 0.2; p ≥ 0.05). Development of postoperative SRF was significantly associated with the presence of preoperative foveal vitreomacular traction (p = 0.048), stage II MH (p = 0.017) and smaller size of the closest distance between the MH edges (p = 0.046).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative SRF is a common occurrence following successful MH surgery. Meticulous evaluation of preoperative clinical and OCT findings may disclose risk factors associated with this condition. Based on our observations, idiopathic holes of early stage appear to be at a higher risk of developing postoperative SRF. This could be a point of interest with the advancing use of enzymatic proteolysis.

Long-term follow-up of inflammatory cystoid macular edema

PURPOSE

To determine the long-term functional and anatomical outcome of idiopathic uveitic cystoid macular edema (UCME).

METHODS

A longitudinal retrospective study was undertaken of the medical records of patients with UCME. All individuals were examined in the uveitis Service at the Moorfields Eye Hospital. The main outcome measures were change in visual acuity and anatomical outcome of UCME at diverse time points.

RESULTS

A total of 109 eyes (92 patients) with UCME were included in the analysis. Mean follow-up was 60 ± 45 months (median, 48 months). Mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity 1 month after the intervention improved significantly (P < 0.001) by 0.21 ± 0.27 and maintained at similar levels throughout the follow-up period. Visual acuity at the final follow-up improved in 75 eyes (69%), was deteriorated in 21 eyes (19%), and remained unchanged in 13 eyes (12%). Younger age and better visual acuity at baseline were associated with more favorable visual outcome (P < 0.001). Optical coherence tomography documentation of improvement or total resolution of UCME was observed in 84 eyes (77%) at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Cystoid macular edema is a major complication in uveitis. Current management provides satisfactory long-term results for the majority of those individuals. Visual acuity 1 month after the intervention is usually indicative of the final functional outcome.

Pseudovasculitis associated with vitreoretinal traction

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to report a case of vitreoretinal traction masqueraded as retinal vasculitis.

METHODS

An 81-year-old woman with exudative age-related macular degeneration was treated with intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. During routine follow-up, angiographic evidence of focal, segmental, retinal vasculitis, involving both arteries and veins, was noticed in the fellow eye. Clinical examination revealed no sign of ocular inflammation in either eye.

RESULTS

Spectralis optical coherence tomography revealed partial posterior vitreous detachment with multiple areas of persisting vitreoretinal adhesion. Focal vasculitis on fluorescein angiography showed absolute correspondence with sites of vitreoretinal traction on optical coherence tomography. Patient was managed by observation and 6 months later, despite persisting fluorescein leak, she was still asymptomatic with no evidence of anterior chamber or vitreous activity.

CONCLUSION

This is an exceptional case of pseudovasculitis associated with mechanical traction, representing a variant of vitreomacular traction syndrome. Clinicians should be aware of this unusual manifestation, which may mimic true vasculitis associated with uveitis.

Intraocular pressure control over 24 hours using travoprost and timolol fixed combination administered in the morning or evening in primary open-angle and exfoliative glaucoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) control over 24 hours using travoprost and timolol fixed combination (TTFC) administered in the morning or evening in primary open-angle and exfoliative glaucoma.

METHODS

Patients were randomized to TTFC administered in either the morning or evening for 8 weeks. Previously treated patients underwent an untreated washout period of 4-6 weeks, after which baseline IOP was required to be > 25 mm Hg and < 38 mmHg (in two readings taken at 10.00 +/- 1 hours). During the treatment period, IOP was measured at 10.00, 14.00, 18.00, 22.00, 02.00 and 06.00 hours. Patients were then treated with the opposite dosing regimen for 8 weeks and IOP measurements were repeated.

RESULTS

In 32 subjects who completed the study, the untreated baseline IOP following washout was 27.7 +/- 3.5 mmHg. Both dosing regimens reduced IOP from baseline at each time-point and throughout the 24-hour diurnal curve (p < 0.0001). When treatments were compared directly, evening dosing (18.4 +/- 3.3 mmHg) provided a statistically significant lower 24-hour curve than morning dosing (19.2 +/- 3.5 mmHg; p = 0.001). Evening dosing also resulted in a lower 24-hour IOP fluctuation (3.8 +/- 1.6 mmHg) than morning dosing (5.1 +/- 1.6 mmHg; p = 0.0002) and lower peak IOP (p = 0.0003).

CONCLUSIONS

Both morning and evening administration of TTFC provide effective 24-hour IOP reduction, but evening dosing demonstrates better 24-hour pressure control.

Long-term results of the management of silicone oil-induced raised intraocular pressure by diode laser cycloablation

AIMS/BACKGROUND

To analyse the effectiveness and safety of cyclodiode treatment in eyes with silicone oil-related raised intraocular pressure (IOP) and to correlate the results with clinical features of treated eyes.

METHODS

Retrospective review of case notes of all eyes that underwent cyclodiode treatment following injection of silicone oil at Moorfields Eye Hospital between April 1993 and January 2003 and were followed up for at least 1 year.

RESULTS

In all, 38 patients were followed up for between 13 and 113 months. Totally, 17 had silicone oil in situ at the time of first treatment. The mean pretreatment IOP was 31.4 mmHg (SD 10.9), reducing to 18.6 mmHg (SD 8.6) at 1 year and to 13.9 mmHg (SD 8.4) at the final follow-up visit (P<0.001). Before treatment, 28 (73.7%) patients were on two or more topical medications. This was reduced to 18 (47.4%) patients (P=0.013) at 1 year and 13 (34.2%) patients (P=0.0007) at final follow-up. Use of oral acetazolamide for glaucoma was reduced from 16 (42.1%) patients precyclodiode to five (13.2%) patients at 1 year (P=0.0034) and three (7.9%) patients at the final visit (P=0.001). Four patients (10.5%) at 1 year and five patients (13.2%) at the final visit had hypotony (defined as IOP of less than 5 mmHg). One patient had enucleation 75 months following first cyclodiode treatment.

CONCLUSION

Diode laser photocoagulation can successfully control silicone oil-induced raised intraocular pressure where medical treatment fails. Reduction of IOP appears to be maintained long term.

Vitrectomy for phacolytic glaucoma in a patient with homocystinuria

PURPOSE

To determine the successful treatment of unilateral phacolytic glaucoma by vitrectomy and trabeculectomy in a patient with homocystinuria whose lens had dislocated into the vitreous at least 15 years earlier.

METHODS

In a 32-year-old woman with homocystinuria, bilateral dislocation of the lens into the vitreous, and phacolytic glaucoma in her left eye a three-port pars plana vitrectomy was performed with the patient under general anesthesia. The lens was removed and a trabeculectomy fashioned. Special precautions for general anesthesia included preoperative aspirin and compression stockings for thromboembolic prophylaxis and intraoperative dextrose infusion, 5%, to maintain intravascular volume and prevent hypoglycemia.

RESULTS

The intraocular pressure and uveitis resolved postoperatively with improvement in the visual acuity and intraocular pressure, which returned to normal without further treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Phacolytic glaucoma is best resolved by removal of the exciting lens material. Pars plana vitrectomy with the patient under general anesthesia can be carried out safely despite the risks traditionally associated with homocystinuria.

Necrotising fasciitis as a complication of botulinum toxin injection

PURPOSE

To highlight the need for early diagnosis and treatment of the rare condition of necrotising fasciitis as a complication of botulinum toxin injection, and to illustrate that injections in immunocompromised patients carry a rare but serious risk.

RESULTS AND METHODS

A case report is presented of an 80-year-old woman suffering from blepharospasm and chronic myeloid leukaemia, who developed necrotising fasciitis 3 days after a botulinum toxin injection.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic debilitating processes such as diabetes, alcoholism and polymyositis have been suggested as predisposing factors in the development of necrotising fasciitis. We believe this is the first reported case of necrotising fasciitis occurring secondary to a botulinum toxin injection. The fact that this infection extended through the fascial planes and led to the death of muscle was, probably, because an inoculum was introduced directly into the muscle at the time of botulinum toxin treatment. This may have led to its deep spread and difficulty in debriding the area. Chronic myeloid leukaemia does not in itself cause significant immunosuppression, but our patient was on anti-proliferative treatment and had a low leucocyte count, which may have been a predisposing factor in this case.