Visual outcomes and intraoperative complications of small incision cataract surgery performed by junior residents in GMC

To evaluate in intraoperative complications of MSICS performed by Junior Residents and to compare the incidences of major complications in the first six months of training versus last six months of training.It is a retrospective type of study. From March 2018 to February 2019 a total of 293 manual SICS were conducted by the Junior Residents in Department of Ophthalmology. Each of the patients underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination preoperatively and underwent MSICS under peribulbar anesthesia. Consents for surgeries were obtained from each patient.Following intraoperative complications were noted: tunnel related complications, capsulorrhexis related complications, Iridodialysis, posterior capsular rent, zonular dialysis, vitreous leak, surgical aphakia, Descemet membrane detachment, placement of ACIOL, Nucleus drop and IOL drop. The patient’s immediate postoperative vision was also noted. SPSS version 15.0.Tunnel related complications were found in 13.98% patients either as scleral button holing or premature entry. Posterior capsular rents and bag disinsertion were found in total of 11.94% patients owing to which 3.07% were left aphakic. 63.13% patients had visual acuity better than 6/12 by snellens chart on first postoperative day. Performance of adequate anterior capsulotomy, minimal handling of the cornea and avoidance of posterior capsular rent are some of the challenges faced by the residents while learning MSICS. Stepwise supervised training can help a resident doctor master these steps while keeping the complications at acceptably low levels. Stepwise supervised training of residents performing MSICS can minimize complications

Pseudopterygium in a Rabbit - Treatment with Tracolinus

Background: Pseudopterygium, also known as aberrant conjunctival growth, is poorly described in the literature, although it is known that this abnormality is uncommon and affects dwarf rabbits and their crossbreeds. The etiology of this disease is unknown, but there are hypotheses that the conjunctival growth cause may have its origins in immunological factors, inflammation, traumatic conditions, or cartilage dysplasias. Thus, this study reports the treatment efficacy applied in a rabbit, through the continuous use of tracolimus eye drops, after surgical procedure of conjunctival fold resection, as a way of controlling the pseudopterygium in rabbits.Case: This case report discusses the positive results from the surgical and therapeutic conduct of a clinical case attended by the Ophthalmology and Microsurgical Veterinary Service at the Hospital Veterinário Universitário (HVU) of the UFSM. The patient was a male rabbit, sterilized cunicle, approximately 2-year-old, crossed with a dwarf rabbit. The owner's main complaint was the change in the aspect of the left eye, with progressive worsening in the previous four weeks. In the ophthalmological examination, the animal did not present impaired vision or discomfort, however, a vascularized pink membrane was noted, which consisted of a fold of the bulbar conjunctiva, that grew centripetally and covered 90% of the cornea in 360 degrees. The diagnosis was confirmed through visual inspection and the patient's history. The eye alteration had a characteristic aspect, described as proliferation of the bulbar conjunctiva over the cornea, in a centripetal manner and without signs of inflammation. In addition, other ophthalmological alterations were ruled out during the patient's physical and specific examination. The patient was referred for anesthetic evaluation and, in addition, pre-surgical blood tests were performed, which were normal, according to the expected ranges for the species. Subsequently, the animal was submitted to surgical treatment, which consisted of dividing the exuberant conjunctiva, followed by three radial incisions in equal portions. Next, the conjunctival fold was completely incised to the edge of the limbus, without the need of sutures. Anterior lamellar keratectomy was performed on the portion where the membrane was attached to the cornea. For home care, tobramycin-based eye drops (QID, for 7 days) and 0.02% aqueous tacrolimus eye drops (BID - continuous use) were prescribed. The animal was reevaluated 7, 14, 30, 60, 120 and 180 days after surgical correction, and no recurrence of pseudopterygium was observed during the follow-up period. The prognosis of patients with pseudopterygium is reserved, as it is known that the disease may recur after surgical treatment. Therefore, the continuous use of the chosen immunomodulating eye drops was recommended as well as periodic follow-up of the patient.Discussion: In the current study, it was not possible to increase knowledge regarding about the pseudopterygium etiology. Although the condition is not serious, it can cause partial impairment of vision and chronic discomfort. However, the vision field described in the rabbit in this current case remained unchanged, in accordance with other cases described in the literature. Furthermore, no signs of patient discomfort were detected. Some surgical techniques described in the literature for correction of pseudopterygium, shows membrane’s growth recurrence. The use of immunomodulatory drugs is suggested for relapses controlling. In this study, the tracolimus eye drops efficacy was tested, and presented good results in the patient's evaluations for a long period after surgery. The use of immunomodulators is an option for adjuvant topical treatment for controlling pseudopterygium growth, which, associated with corrective surgical treatment, has shown positive results.Keywords: conjunctiva, aberrant, immunomodulator, treatment, bunny.Título: Pseudopterígio em coelho - tratamento com tracolimusDescritores: conjuntiva, aberrante, imunomodulador, tratamento, coelho.

Vascular and vegetative factors of glaucoma attack

Purpose. To study the involvement of vascular and vegetative factors in the pathogenesis of glaucoma attack. Material and methods. 12 patients (24 eyes) aged 49 to 82 — 5 men and 7 women, including 3 patients with acute glaucoma and 9 patients with subacute glaucoma were subjected to an ophthalmological examination that included visometry, tonometry, automated static perimetry, OCT and OCT angiography. They were also tested for heart rate variability (HRV) using a Polar heart rate monitor, and for plasminogen content and products of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation in the tear. For comparison, the contralateral eyes of these patients were examined. Results. In the eyes with an acute glaucoma attack, the vascular network was noticeably weakened, especially in the area of the deep peripapillary vascular plexus at the lamina cribrosa level, and focal capillary loss was observed. The peripapillary density of the deep vascular plexus in the eyes with an acute attack was 33.0 ± 5.6 % (М ± m), which was significantly (p < 0.01) lower as compared to 50.0 ± 4.7 % in the unaffected eyes. This indicator correlated with the thickness of the ganglion cell complex (GCC) (p < 0.01). In unaffected eyes, no correlations were found between these glaucoma-related parameters. A significant amount of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products was found in the tear of glaucoma patients, which may point to a violation of blood circulation in the optic nerve vessels. It has been established that glaucoma attack occurs with increased activity of sympathetic regulation of blood flow. Conclusion. When monitoring this contingent of patients, it is essential to determine the sympathetic-parasympathetic status of the patient. Taking into account the vascular component of the condition, it is expedient to introduce the necessary additions into its treatment plans

Clinical manifestations of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy in children with nucleotide sequence alterations in the FZD4 gene

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR)is a rare genetically heterogeneous disease with multiple types of inheritance (autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked) and widely varying clinical features. Up to 40 % of cases of FEVR are associated with mutations of the FZD4 gene.Purpose: to investigate the clinical manifestations of FEVR in children with nucleotide sequence alterations in the FZD4 gene. Material and methods. The Helmholtz National Medical ResearchCenter of Eye Diseases and the ResearchCentre for MedicalGenetics conducted a joint in-depth ophthalmological examination of 18 patients aged from 3 weeks to 17 years with a diagnosis of FEVR, which included a detailed ophthalmoscopy under drug mydriasis, ultrasound and electrophysiological examination, photographic recording of fundus changes using RetCam and Fundus Foto. Molecular genetic examination was carried out by direct sequencing according to Sanger. Results. Nucleotide sequence alterations in the FZD4 gene were detected in 3 patients(16.7 %)from two unrelated families. In one family, a 12-year-old girl wasfound to display the firstsymptoms of ophthalmic pathology (reduced vision, strabismus) at the age of 3.5 years. In another family, the clinical manifestations of FZD4 gene mutations were observed in two children during the first year of life (at the age of 5 and 11 months).Conclusions. The clinical picture of 3 patients with detected changes in the nucleotide sequence of the FZD4 gene is characterized by early manifestation and bilateral asymmetric ophthalmoscopic damage. The results of the study indicate the need for a timely diagnosis of FEVR in young children, recommend an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the disease, which should contribute to a better understanding of pathogenesis, and the development of an effective diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation algorithm.

A new algorithm of treatment choice in primary open-angle glaucoma

Purpose: to develop a comprehensive algorithm for choosing the optimal method for monitoring and treating patients with primary openangle glaucoma (POAG). Material and methods. 30 patients with POAG, aged 30 to 86, underwent an ophthalmological examination which included visometry, standard automatic perimetry, tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, and biomicroscopy. The data obtained were evaluated on a point scale according to the innovative algorithm, on the basis of which a plan of patient management was recommended. Then the recommendation of the algorithm was compared with the suggestion of an expert specializing in the treatment of glaucoma. Results. The proposed innovative algorithm for treating POAG patients sets up four stages in the appointment of topical hypotensive therapy. When gaining a certain number of points, the algorithm recommends surgical treatment. The treatment tactics suggested by the algorithm, agreed with the opinion of glaucoma expert in most of the cases (27 out of 30 cases; 90%). Conclusion. An algorithm for the treatment of patients with POAG has been proposed and tested. The algorithm makes it possible to assess the progression of the glaucomatous process and select the optimal tactics for managing the patient in real time of examination.

Myopic choroidal neovascularization: management issues remain

In the modern world, myopia continues to be one of the most common refractive errors and is considered a socially signifi cant problem, since it is a common cause of decreased vision. In connection with the growth of myopia, the risk of developing complications in the fundus increases, leading to the development of degenerative changes in the retina and an irreversible decrease in visual functions in young and middle-aged people. One of these complications is myopic choroidal neovascularization, which leads to a progressive, irreversible decrease in visual acuity and poor prognosis, and the process is often bilateral in nature. The tactics of managing patients with such complications has been determined: antiangiogenic therapy is used – intravitreal therapy with anti-VEGF drugs, which is currently the fi rst choice therapy for this pathology. But in some cases, antiangiogenic therapy is contraindicated, and the question arises about the tactics of managing such patients. The aim: to study treatment options for myopic choroidal neovascularization in patients with myopia in different situations.Material and methods. The paper presents two clinical observations of patients with mChNV, considers the tactics of their management. The patients underwent standard ophthalmological examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-Angio (OPTOPOL Technology, Poland).Conclusions. Women with myopia planning pregnancy need a thorough examination not only by a clinician, but also by an ophthalmologist, since it is necessary to take into account not only the degree of myopia and choose the optimal delivery method, but also to study the state of the retina for the timely diagnosis of degenerative changes in the fundus.

Features of pathological changes in the retina and vitreoretinal interface in the macular zone in patients with diabetic macular edema

Background. Diabetic macular edema (DME) is one of the main causes of decreased central vision. Determining the reasons for the refractoriness of DME to treatment is an urgent problem.Aims. Based on the analysis of optical coherence tomography, to study the features of pathological changes in the retina and vitreoretinal interface (VRI) in the macular zone in patients with DME.Materials and methods. We studied 587 patients (587 eyes) with diffuse DME in the setting of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. In addition to the standard ophthalmological examination, everyone underwent optical coherence tomography of the macular zone with an assessment of structural changes in the retina, morphometric parameters, and the state of the VRI.Results. In 351 patients (59.80 %) with DME, pathological variants of the VRI were revealed, in which the best corrected visual acuity was significantly lower, and the morphometric parameters (retinal thickness and macular volume) were signifi cantly higher. Analysis of morphostructural changes in the macular zone revealed that in pathological VRI, neuroepithelial detachment and high edema are more common, and cystic edema is larger in area compared to the group with a normal VRI. With detachment of neuroepithelium against the background of a pathological VRI, the worst morphometric data are determined, with solid exudates in the macula, the worst indices of visual loss are determined.Conclusions. The pathological VRI in patients with diabetic macular edema occurs in more than half of the cases and is characterized by a high incidence of neuroepithelial detachment, high edema, higher morphometric parameters with worse visual acuity. At the same time, the presence of neuroepithelial detachment corresponds to the worst morphometric indicators of the macular zone, and the presence of solid exudates corresponds to a lower maximum corrected visual acuity. Further research is needed to assess the effect of the listed morphostructural and morphometric changes in combination with various pathological variants of VRI on the effectiveness of DME treatment.

Macular volume and fovea thickness as OCT-criteria for multiple sclerosis. Preliminary results

Background. The characteristic optical coherence tomography (OCT) changes in the optic nerve head in patients with multiple sclerosis are known and have been described many times, however, the state of the macular area is described in a small number of publications.The aim: to analyze the changes in the macular area of the retina in patients with multiple sclerosis, to identify the OCT signs pathognomonic for this disease and to trace their changes over time as the disease progresses.Material and methods. In addition to the standard ophthalmological examination, 28 patients (55 eyes) diagnosed with multiple sclerosis underwent OCT of the macular zone to determine the thickness of the fovea and the volume of the macula in the 6 mm zone. The follow-up period was 6–12 years. The endpoints were the primary treatment and the most recent inspection.Results. At the initial examination, the visual acuity was 0.96 ± 0.24 (95% CI: 0.9–1.03), fovea thickness – 253.0 μm (Q1–Q3: 233.0–264.0), macular volume – 5.471 mm3 (Q1–Q3: 5.281–5.625). In 37 cases (67.3 %), the macular volume was below normal. The initial fovea thickness was below normal in 9 cases (16.4 %). At the end of the study, visual acuity did not change statistically (p = 0.824) and amounted to 0.96 ± 0.25 (95% CI: 0.90–1.04). The fi nal thickness of the fovea was 247.5 μm (Q1–Q3: 233.0–260.0), changes are statistically significant (p = 0.02). Number of cases with a thickness below normal in the fi nal study was 11 (20 %), change of frequency of cases was not statistically signifi cant (p = 0.5). The fi nal macular volume was 5.393 mm3 (Q1–Q3: 5.197–5.565), the changes are statistically significant (p = 0.023). The final number of cases with a volume below the norm was 42 (76.4 %), the change in the frequency of cases is close to statistically signifi cant (p = 0.063). At all stages of the study, there was no case of an isolated decrease in the thickness of the fovea without a decrease in the volume of the macula.Conclusion. The decrease in the volume of the macula with time while maintaining the thickness of the fovea within the normal range can be attributed to the pathognomonic OCT signs of multiple sclerosis. This criterion can be used for a comprehensive assessment of the course and therapy of this disease.

Pathogenetic Justification of a New View on the Treatment of Angle-Closure Glaucoma

Purpose. To study the effectiveness of vascular, anti-inflammatory and fibrinolytic therapy, to conduct a comparative assessment with treatment without vascular therapy in patients with angle-closure (ACG) and mixed glaucoma.Methods. A total of 55 patients with angle-closure and mixed glaucoma, mainly with hypermetropic refraction of varying degrees, were examined: 7 people with acute glaucoma attack, 6 people with subacute glaucoma attack (group 1, with anti-inflammatory treatment), 7 people with acute glaucoma attack and 6 people with subacute glaucoma attack (group 2, with vascular treatment), 14 people with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (group 3) and 15 people with mixed glaucoma (group 4). All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, which included visometry, refractometry, tonometry, computer perimetry, OCT and OCT angiography, and an ELISA analysis to determine cytokines.Results. The administration of the drug Pentoxifylline as a cytokine blocker and antiplatelet agent in ACG contributed, in our opinion, to an improvement in visual acuity, perimetry (MD), an increase in the density of capillaries of the deep vascular plexus at the level of lamina cribrosa in the peripapillary zone (%), i.e. improved blood circulation in the vessels of the optic nerve disc and also contributed to the blockade of cytokines, mainly in the 2-nd group of patients. In our opinion, a personalized approach to the treatment of ACG is to maintain the improvement of blood circulation in the peripapillary zone by prescribing a course of treatment with Pentoxifylline for 6 months after surgery. After phacoemulsification, there was a significant increase in the density of capillaries of the deep peripapillary vascular plexus at the level of lamina cribrosa (p ≤ 0.05) (51.0 ± 3.5 %), and after further treatment with Pentoxifylline, the capillary density continued to increase in 2–4 groups in the next 6 months of follow-up. The thickness of RNFL (Retinal nerve fiber layer, structural parameter) decreased due to a decrease in edema in 1–2 groups, slightly increased in 3–4 groups, in our opinion, due to improved blood circulation. Increased reperfusion in the capillaries of the deep plexus during normalization of IOP in glaucoma patients and further treatment with pentoxifylline indicates the effectiveness of the proposed treatment in addition to surgical treatment. The results obtained emphasize the advantages of the proposed therapy for the treatment of patients with angle-closure and mixed glaucoma.Conclusion. To date, there are no clear recommendations of vascular therapy for the treatment of patients with ACG and mixed glaucoma, which creates the need for its addition to treatment regimens, taking into account the vascular component of ACG and mixed glaucoma.

A case of congenital glaucoma in type I neurofibromatosis

BACKGROUND: Recklinghausens generalized neurofibromatosis (NF) is a hereditary disease characterized by the formation of benign tumors from the nervous tissue that provokes skin and bone changes of various types. Often, involvement in the pathological process and the organ of vision. The variability of eye lesions in NF-I type is known according to the clinical course, severity, and clinical forms. Gliomas and atrophy of the optic nerves, neurofibromas in the iris, sclera, conjunctiva, eyelids, less often glaucoma, buphthalmos, orbital osteodystrophy are described. RESULTS: The article describes a rare case of type I neurofibromatosis, the first clinical manifestation of congenital glaucoma. Modern complex ophthalmological examination made it possible to identify the cause and clarify the nature of the development of glaucoma. CONCLUSION: The need for an interdisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, dispensary observation, and treatment of NF-I is emphasized.