Prevalence of severe visual impairment and barriers to access eye care services in the Udupi district

Aim: To assess the prevalence of severe visual impairment (SVI) and reasons for not accessing eye care services in a field practice area of a tertiary care hospital. Study design: Cross-sectional observational study. Materials and methods: Through a cross-sectional study using simple random sampling, a total of 1510, individuals above 18 years of age, from six rural and maternity welfare centers (RMCW) within a distance of 20 km from a tertiary hospital were approached. All participants underwent basic assessment of visual acuity, anterior segment evaluation using torch light, and answered a structured questionnaire on eye care. Results: Of 1510 subjects, 267 had SVI (defined as visual acuity < 6/60 either in one or both eyes) with a prevalence of 17.7%. SVI was higher among men and those above 60 years of age (52.8%). Significant association was found between barriers to accessing eye care facilities and lack of knowledge to access health care (p = 0.004), lack of financial support (95% CI, p = 0.006), and social reasons (95% CI, p = 0.028). Prevalence of SVI among diabetics was 32.7% as compared to non-diabetics (OR: 2.630; 95% confidence interval: 1.864–3.712), and among hypertensives was 34.61% as compared to non-hypertensives (OR: 2.836; 95% confidence interval: 1.977–4.068). Conclusion: In spite of being close to a tertiary care center, a prevalence of SVI in 17.7% of this population indicates a lack of knowledge regarding the importance of self-health care in subjects. This emphasizes the need to increase the awareness among the general public to access the ophthalmic health care facilities in order to improve the ocular health of the patients.

Epstein-Barr virus uveitis after intravitreal triamcinolone injection

Purpose: To report a case of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) uveitis after intravitreal triamcinolone injection. Methods: Observational case report. Results: A 66-year-old male presented with bilateral intermediate uveitis, left macular branch retinal vein occlusion, and left macular edema 3 months following acute infectious mononucleosis. He received systemic prednisolone, methotrexate, and intravitreal bevacizumab with partial response. Intravitreal triamcinolone was given for recurrent macular edema, which led to the development of severe panuveitis with positive EBV PCR in aqueous humour. This was successfully treated with high-dose systemic valaciclovir and topical prednisolone. Conclusion: Non-infectious uveitis may become infectious following intravitreal steroid administration triggering intraocular viral replication. Intraocular fluid should be tested in cases which are suspicious for infection and EBV should be considered a differential diagnosis, particularly if PCR is negative for more common viral etiologies.

Profile of fungal keratitis in a Sub-Himalayan territory of north India

Aim: To study the microbiological and epidemiological profile of patients with suppurative corneal ulcer presenting in a rural referral center situated in a Sub-Himalayan territory of north India. The study was conducted to evaluate the epidemiology and frequency of mycotic keratitis among the patients of suppurative corneal ulcer and to identify various fungal species as etiological agents. Methods: Corneal scrapings from 56 patients of suppurative corneal ulcers were subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Results: Of the 56 cases of suppurative corneal ulcer investigated, fungal etiology was identified in 18 (32%) cases. Most of the patients (82.1%) worked in agriculture. Trivial trauma with vegetative matter was the most common predisposing factor. Fusarium and Acremonium species were the most common fungi isolated, followed by Aspergillus. Four cases of rare mycotic keratitis caused by Paecilomyces lilacinus, Scedosporium apiospermum, Monilia sitophila, and Ulocladium species were detected. Four cases were smear positive (10% KOH wet mount) but culture negative. Analysis of KOH wet mount was done using culture as gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of KOH wet mount was 71.43% and 90.48%, respectively. Conclusion: Direct microscopy and culture has a greater diagnostic value in the management of suppurative corneal ulcer. The authors have observed changes in the pattern of organisms identified as cause of fungal keratitis in the region. Rare species of fungi may also be detected if corneal scrapings are collected for direct microscopy and culture from all the cases of suppurative corneal ulcers greater than 2 mm.

Wick technique in subscleral and subconjunctival Ologen™ implantation with trabeculectomy in patients with high risk of failure

Introduction: Ologen™ is traditionally placed subconjunctivally during trabeculectomy, which limits its area of action. Subscleral implantation of Ologen has been described involving fashioning a gutter beneath the scleral flap. This, however, would not prevent fibrosis at the margins of the scleral flap. We describe a modified technique of Ologen® placement that has the potential to prevent scarring at the margins of the flap withoutthe need to fashion a gutter. Materials and methods: The study involved a retrospective review of patients who had undergone trabeculectomy with Ologen implantation by the wick technique between January 2015 and August 2016. Patients judged to be at high risk of trabeculectomy failure were operated with this technique. Results: A total of six patients with median age of 38.5 years were included in the study. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 30.8 ± 7.3 mmHg, which reduced to 10.6 ± 2.2 mmHg 18 months after surgery. By 18 months postoperative, all patients had IOP in the low teens (two patients required additional topical medication). One patient had two episodes of hypotony that responded to steroids and cycloplegics. Another patient required two needlings to bring IOP under control. No other complications were noted. Ultrasound biomicroscopy done 3 months after surgery showed two pieces of Ologen in one patient. Conclusions: The results of our study show that this technique may be used effectively in patients at high risk of trabeculectomy failure. Further studies in a larger number of patients with diverse high-risk conditions are required before this technique is recommended for general use.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of implantable collamer lens versus femtosecondlaser in situ keratomileusis and small incision lenticule extraction for moderate-to-high myopia and myopic astigmatism correction

Purpose: To compare safety, efficacy, stability, and predictability of implantable collamer lens (ICL) with femtosecond-laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) or small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for the correction of moderate-to-high myopia/myopic astigmatism. Study design: We retrospectively collected data from patients with moderate-to-high myopia/myopic astigmatism (spherical equivalent [SE] ≥ −3.00 diopters [D]) who underwent ICL (48 eyes), FS-LASIK (36 eyes), or SMILE (86 eyes) at Hai Yen Eye Center from October 2016 to February 2018. Materials and methods: The Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare pre- and postoperative patients’ characteristics of ICL with SMILE or FS-LASIK. Generalized linear models with unstructured correlation matrix and robust standard errors were used to analyze efficacy and safety indices; logistic regression was used for cylinder predictability. Results: After controlling for age, preoperative SE, and preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (pCDVA), SMILE had significantly lower safety indices (Coefficient = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.07–−0.01) and efficacy indices (Coefficient = −0.10, 95% CI = −0.20–−0.01) than did ICL, while FS-LASIK was not significantly different from ICL (Coefficient = −0.02, 95% CI = −0.06–0.02 and Coefficient = −0.01, 95% CI= −0.10–0.09, respectively). ICL SEswere stable over 12 months after surgery. However, in FS-LASIK and SMILE, SEs significantly decreased at 12 months compared with 6 months after surgery. The percentage of eyes that underwent FS-LASIK and had target SEs within ±0.5 D at 12 months was significantly lower than those that underwent ICL (OR = 0.14, 95% CI = 0.02–0.85), after controlling for age, preoperative SE, and pCDVA. Conclusion: For the correction of moderate-to-high myopia/myopic astigmatism, ICL seems to perform better than SMILE and FS-LASIK.

Complete dislocation of the eye globe into the maxillary sinus: a rare case

Blowout fracture with entrapped orbital contents within the maxillary sinus is common due to the fragility of the inferior wall, but complete herniation of the eye globe is extremely rare and emergent. Dealing with such a case appears to be a real challenge for any ophthalmologist. We herein present a case of a 31-year-old woman with the entire eyeball missing from the orbit following a road traffic accident. Imaging revealed a complete herniation of the globe into the maxillary sinus. The patient underwent surgery for repositioning the herniated orbital contents and reconstructing the orbital walls. The outcome was satisfactory in terms of aesthetic effect, although the patient’s vision could not be restored as it still depends on various factors, especially the survival of ganglion cells after trauma.

Tocotrienol-rich vitamin E from palm oil (Tocovid) and its effects in diabetes and diabetic retinopathy: a pilot phase II clinical trial

Aim: To identify the effects of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E from palm oil (Tocovid) on diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: The intervention group (n = 21) received 200 mg Tocovid twice daily while the control group (n = 22) received placebo twice daily for 8 weeks. Changes in retinal photography by conventional grading and novel quantification of retinal hemorrhage were assessed. Changes in serum biomarkers advanced glycation end products (AGE) general, sRAGE (soluble receptor of AGE), Nε-CML (specific type of AGE), and cystatin C were evaluated. Results: A novel technique to quantify retinal hemorrhage had a strong positive correlation with conventional grading of DR in both eyes at baseline and at the end of the study. Eight-week supplementation of Tocovid resulted in significant reduction in retinal hemorrhage in the right eye. Liver enzymes and ALT significantly reduced. No significant changes in grade of DR, serum biomarkers, HbA1c, blood pressure, renal profile, and lipid profile were observed. Conclusions: Tocovid is a potential adjunct to current treatment of DR and fatty liver disease. A novel method of quantifying retinal hemorrhage is a potential technique for assessing disease severity of DR, particularly the early changes.

Policy recommendations in response to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases for institutional medical practice from an ophthalmic perspective

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. Singapore was one of the first countries to identify imported cases and also experience a second wave of outbreaks. A slew of measures enacted by the government to ‘flatten the curve’ has directly impacted upon the way we practice. Study design/Methods: This article describes steps enacted by our department to ensure sustainability of our ophthalmic practice. Results: We share considerations at various time points and policies implemented in a stepwise approach in response to the worsening community situation. We further discuss our phased approach towards reinstating our services safely and effectively for patients and staff in a markedly different practice climate. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly upended the way we practice medicine. Reflecting on the ideal measures required for such occurrences in the future will empower practices with the ability to respond effectively to future outbreaks.