VOLUME 80 - ISSUE 4

Purpose: Administration of eye drops containing antihistamines or sodium cromoglycate and its derivatives for the treatment of allergic keratoconjunctivitis is often insufficient and usually requires the addition of corticosteroids. However, the risk of complications, such as glaucoma and cataract, limits the use of corticosteroids to short courses, resulting in inadequate long-term treatment response. Immunosuppressive drugs have been considered as a valid alternative to steroids for atopic keratoconjunctivitis and vernal keratoconjunctivitis. This study aimed to evaluate the use of topical tacrolimus (TCL) in improving the clinical signs of severe allergic keratoconjuctivitis in children. Methods: Patients with severe allergic keratoconjunctivitis associated with corneal epitheliopathy, gelatinous limbal infiltrates, and/or papillary reaction, along with a history of recurrences and resistance to conventional topical anti-allergy agents, were included in this open clinical trial. Patients were treated with 0.03% TCL ointment for ocular use. A severity score ranging from 0 to 9, with 9 being the highest and 0 being the lowest, was assigned based on signs observed on biomicroscopy prior to and following TCL treatment. Results: Analyses included 66 eyes of 33 patients. After a mean follow-up period of 13 months (range, 12-29 months), TCL treatment significantly decreased the mean symptom score severity for the right (from 5.56 ± 1.18 to 2.76 ± 1.5; p<0.001) and left (from 5.94 ± 1.16 to 2.86 ± 1.64; p<0.001). Conclusion: Topical TCL was effective and significantly improved the clinical signs of allergic keratoconjuctivitis in children. Thus, it is a potential new option for severe and challenging cases of ocular allergy.

Keywords: Cornea; Tacrolimus therapy; Conjunctivitis, Allergic drug therapy

Purpose: To analyze the clinical features, visual acuity, and full-field electroretinogram (ERG) findings of 15 patients with the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) phenotype and to establish the role of ERG testing in NCL diagnosis. Methods: The medical records of five patients with infantile NCL, five with Jansky-Bielschowsky disease, and five with juvenile NCL who underwent full-field ERG testing were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Progressive vision loss was the initial symptom in 66.7% of patients and was isolated or associated with ataxia, epilepsy, and neurodevelopmental involution. Epilepsy was present in 93.3% of patients, of whom 86.6% presented with neurodevelopmental involution. Fundus findings ranged from normal to pigmentary/atrophic abnormalities. Cone-rod, rod-cone, and both types of dysfunction were observed in six, one, and eight patients, respectively. Conclusion: In our study, all patients with the NCL phenotype had abnormal ERG findings, and the majority exhibited both cone-rod and rod-cone dysfunction. We conclude that ERG is a valuable tool for the characterization of visual dysfunction in patients with the NCL phenotype and is useful for diagnosis.

Keywords: Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses; Membrane proteins/genetics; Retina/physiopathology; Electroretinography; Retinal dystrophies; Visual acuity

Purpose: To analyze the indications and types of eye removal at Latin America's highest-volume ophthalmic reference center in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of surgical pathological reports in the electronic database of the Ophthalmology Department of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo Hospital of patients who underwent eye-removal procedures between January 2000 and December 2012. Results: A total of 412 cases met the inclusion criteria for this study. The most common indications for eye removal were ocular melanoma and retinoblastoma, representing 35.4% and 31.1% of the total cases, respectively. Other frequent indications included endophthalmitis (6.3%), nonspecific inflammation (4.1%), squamous cell carcinoma (3.6%), panophthalmitis (3.4%), and phthisis bulbi (1.2%). The remaining indications accounted for 14.8% of all cases, with each accounting for <1% of the total cases. Enucleation was the most common eye-removal procedure seen in our study. Conclusions: The two most common indications for eye removal were ocular melanoma and retinoblastoma. Alternative treatment options are effective in limiting the need for eye removal but are constrained by our public center's so cioeconomic context.

Keywords: Eye enucleation; Eye evisceration; Retinoblastoma; Melanoma; Brazil

Purpose: We compared the efficacy and safety of ranibizumab versus ranibizumab plus scatter laser photocoagulation (SLP) in patients with chronic post-central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) macular edema (ME). Methods: This prospective non-randomized pilot study included 250 patients with peripheral retinal ischemia and CRVO-related ME. The mean follow-up period was 24.5 ± 6.5 months. The clinical assessments conducted included best corrected visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, and multi-field fluorescein angiography with measurement of the ischemic area. The study population comprised two comparable patient groups with peripheral retinal ischemia that received different treatments for post-CRVO ME: ranibizumab with peripheral SLP of capillary non-perfusion areas (Group 1); and Lucentis® monotherapy (Group 2). Data analyses were performed using Statistica 7 software suite and included the estimation of х ± δ values and their dispersion and covariation coefficients at different stages of the study. Results: Clinically significant retinal ischemia was detected in 175 (70%) patients, occupying an average of 435.12 ± 225.13 mm2, i.e., 167.15 ± 45.16 optic disc areas. Peripheral ischemia was found in 125 patients, representing 50% of all patients with CRVO and 71.4% of all patients with ischemic CRVO. The mean number of ranibizumab injections in patients who underwent SLP was 3.5 ± 1.6. Patients treated with ranibizumab monotherapy for 24 months received 10.6 ± 2.5 injections. Functional and anatomic results were comparable in the two groups. Conclusions: The combination of ranibizumab injections and peripheral SLP in capillary non-perfusion areas can significantly decrease the number of injections and reduce neovascular complications.

Keywords: Retinal vein occlusion; Ranibizumab; Ischemia; Laser coagulation; Vi sual acuity

Purpose: To evaluate blood vitamin D level in patients with pterygium. Methods: This prospective study, compared 58 eyes of 58 healthy individuals (control group) with 63 eyes of 63 patients with pterygium (study group). Subjects were stratified by time spent indoors or outdoors. Participants were given comprehensive ophthalmic examinations; blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (nmol/L) was assayed. Results: Vitamin D level was significantly higher in men with pterygium than without it (p=0.020), but the difference was not significant in women (p=0.86). In the pterygium group, vitamin D level was significantly increased in participants with outdoor activity (p=0.010). In the control group, vitamin D levels did not differ significantly with indoor and outdoor activity (p=0.126). Conclusion: Vitamin D level in participants with pterygium was significantly increased only in men and in those with more outdoor activity.

Keywords: Vitamin D/metabolism; Pterygium/metabolism; Ultraviolet rays; Sunlight

Purpose: We evaluated dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis (TDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and catalase (CAT) activity in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). All analyzes were conducted on plasma samples. Methods: Thirty-two patients with AMD and 38 age-matched healthy controls were included. Native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels and TDH status were determined using a novel, automated assay. MDA levels and CAT activity were determined. Percentages were compared using the chi-squared test. The Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare quantitative variables. Results: Native thiol levels were significantly lower (p=0.004) in patients with AMD (272.02 ± 52.41 µmol/l) than in healthy individuals (307.82 ± 47.18 µmol/l), whereas disulfide levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in patients with AMD than in controls (21.64 ± 5.59 vs. 14.48 ± 5.37 µmol/L). Dynamic TDH was also significantly lower (p<0.001) in patients with AMD than in controls (13.41 ± 4.3 vs. 25.41 ± 14.52 µmol/l). No significant differences were evident in total thiol or MDA levels. Mean CAT activity was significantly higher (p=0.043) in patients with AMD compared with controls (0.035 vs. 0.018 k/ml). Conclusions: The antioxidant/oxidant balance demonstrated by dynamic TDH is shifted to the oxidative side in patients with AMD.

Keywords: Macular degeneration; Sulfhydryl compounds; Disulfides; Oxidative stress; Malondialdehyde

Purpose: To study the technique of eye drop instillation in glaucoma patients and identify independent factors that may influence their performance. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 71 consecutive patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, self-administering topical anti-glaucoma medications for ≥6 months were evaluated. All patients instilled a tear substitute into the eye with the worst eyesight using the technique normally used at home. The following parameters were evaluated: age, number of years receiving treatment with ocular hypotensive eye drops, time spent to instill the first drop, number of drops instilled, correct location of the eye drops, contact of the bottle with the eye, closing of the eyelids or occlusion of the tear punctum, and asepsis of the hands. Results: The mean age of the patients was 66 ± 10.8 years, and patients were on ocular hypotensive drugs for 11.3 ± 7.3 (range, 2-35) years. Only 28% of the patients were able to correctly instill the eye drops (squeeze out 1 drop and instill it into the conjunctival sac without bottle tip contact). Touching the tip of the bottle to the globe or periocular tissue occurred in 62% of the patients. In 49% of the patients, the eye drops fell on the eyelids or cheek. Two or more drops were squeezed by 27% of the patients. Conclusions: The majority of glaucoma patients were unable to correctly instill eye drops. Age was an independent factor associated with eye drop instillation performance.

Keywords: Glaucoma/drug therapy; Medication adherence; Ophthalmic solutions/therapeutic use; Instillation drug

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results of patients treated by amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) following excision of conjunctival and limbal tumors. Methods: A total of 14 eyes of 14 patients who underwent AMT after total lesion-free tumor excision and perilesional cryotherapy were evaluated. Results: The excised tumors comprised 7 conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia, 5 conjunctival nevus, 1 primary acquired melanosis, and 1 squamous cell carcinoma. Limbus was involved in 10 cases, whereas cornea was involved in 6 cases. The average measurement of the tumor base was 14.8 mm (range 6-20 mm, SD 16 mm). The mean follow-up time period was 17.5 months (range 6 -60 months, SD 20 months). Complete healing occurred in eight eyes, but limbal cell deficiency developed in two eyes. Four cases had recurrence and were treated with the same surgical and medical procedures; during follow-up after recurrence, superficial peripheral vascularization and corneal scar were noted to have developed. Conclusions: AMT was effective for reconstruction of tissue defect after excision and cryotherapy of limbal and conjunctival tumors. In most of these cases, complete healing was achieved with a smooth, stable, and translucent surface.

Keywords: Conjunctival neoplasm surgery; Squamous cell carcinoma; Amnion transplantation; Cryotherapy

Purpose: To identify and evaluate changes in the ocular surface in obese patients with bariatric surgery. Methods: The study included 89 randomly selected patients; 81 (91.0%) were women, 35 were preoperative, 32 were included 0-12 months after surgery, and 22 were included >12 months after surgery. All patients completed a dry eye-specific questionnaire and were evaluated by the tear ferning test, tear-film breakup time (BUT), Schirmer's test I, examination of the ocular surface by 1% rose Bengal staining, and impression cytology. Patients were questioned about compliance with nutritional supplementation. Results: The pre- and postoperative groups did not differ significantly in age (p=0.082), but did differ in body mass index (p<0.001). All test values are within the normal range and there was no statistically significant difference in ocular surface disease index score between the preoperative and postoperative periods. The mean tear-film BUT was lower than that considered normal (10 s) at each time it was tested. No statistically significant group differences were observed in Schirmer's test, BUT, rose Bengal staining, or impression cytology. A high rate of noncompliance with nutritional supplementation was observed. Conclusions: No symptoms of xerophthalmia developed in this series of bariatric surgery patients. No changes were observed in any of the specific tests used to evaluate the ocular surface up to 5 years after surgery compared with presurgery results.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Obesity; Ocular surface; Xerophthalmia; Dry eye syndromes

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the effects of topical application and subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab on corneal neovascularization (CNV) in rabbits' eyes after chemical burning of the cornea. Methods: The animals were randomly distributed into four groups of five animals. In one group, the drug was instilled, while in another, it was administered by subconjunctival injection. The two procedures using bevacizumab were compared with instillation and subconjunctival injection of saline solution (S). Neovascularization was evaluated according to the size of the invasion area of new blood vessels and through computerized analysis of this area. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's test for two-by-two comparison of the groups, to assess the external examination of CNV. Analysis of variance was used to assess the area of CNV. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Assessing both the external examination and the invasion area of neovessels on the 5th and 10th days, there was a clear difference between the groups. The group to which saline solution had been applied showed higher scores for CNV, as well as increases in the invasion area of neovessels. Two-by-two comparison of groups revealed no significant differences. However, an analysis of the factors involved (injection vs. instillation and bevacizumab vs. saline solution) showed that injection did not differ from instillation, but that bevacizumab differed from saline solution. Conclusion: Bevacizumab showed an inhibitory effect on CNV in rabbits' eyes after chemical burning of the cornea. There was no difference between the topical or subconjunctival administration of bevacizumab in the inhibition of CNV.

Keywords: Cornea; Corneal neovascularization; Bevacizumab; Injections; Angiogenesis inhibitors; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Animals; Rabbits

This case report describes a 19-year-old Caucasian man presented with decreased visual acuity in the right eye for 3 months. Dilated funds exam revealed optic disk pit associated with serous macular detachment. Optical coherence tomography identified communication between the optic disk pit and the macular serous detachment, and optical coherence tomography angiography displayed a subfoveal area suggestive of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. However, there was no evidence of leakage in the fluorescein angiogram and no evidence of choroidal neovascularization in optical coherence tomography in the area corresponding to the suspicious subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. The patient underwent 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy in the right eye. Six weeks after surgery, multimodal imaging was repeated and there was near-complete resorption of the subretinal fluid. Optical coherence tomography angiography signal superimposed on optical coherence tomography B-scan also demonstrated normal choriocapillaris signal throughout the macula. In conclusion, optical coherence tomography angiography may produce artifacts in optic disk pit maculopathy that simulate choroidal neovascularization.

Keywords: Optic disk; Tomography, optical coherence; Fluorescein angiography; Vitrectomy; Retinal detachment; Artifacts

We report a case of a 5-year-old girl with persistent fetal vasculature who presented with unilateral acute angle closure caused by aqueous misdirection syndrome that was apparently associated with regression of cycloplegia. Initial treatment with topical steroids, anti-glaucomatous drops, and atropine showed insufficient control of the intraocular pressure (IOP). Surgical treatment with lensectomy and vitrectomy resulted in satisfactory IOP control and no complications at the 6-month follow-up.

Keywords: Glaucoma, angle-closure; Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous; Mydriatics; Vitrectomy; Child

Herein, we report two cases of vision loss after successful cataract surgery, associated with drusenoid retinal pigment epithelial detachment without features of choroidal neovascularization on optical coherence tomography along with angiographic examinations suggestive of choroidal neovascularization in which anatomical and functional improvements were achieved with intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor.

Keywords: Choroidal neovascularization; Macular degeneration; Tomography, optical coherence; Intravitreal injections; Fluorescein angiography; Humans; Case reports

We report the case of a 46-year-old female patient who presented with bilateral acute angle closure during the course of dengue infection. Dengue diagnosis was confirmed by serological tests. The patient had plateau iris configuration identified by ultrasound biomicroscopy. This is the second reported case with this condition during dengue fever and the first to describe the characteristics of the angle.

Keywords: Dengue/complications; Glaucoma, angle closure/etiology; Ultrasono graphy; Humans; Case report

Various approaches have been taken to improve our knowledge of the microenvironmental regulation of limbal epithelial stem cells. Researchers have extensively investigated the roles of growth factors, survival factors, cytokines, enzymes, and permeable molecules secreted by the limbal cells. However, recent evidence suggests that stem cell fate (i.e., self-renewal or differentiation) can also be influenced by biophysical and mechanical cues related to the supramolecular organization and the liquid crystalline (mesophase) nature of the stromal extracellular matrix. These cues can be sensed by stem cells and transduced into intracellular biochemical and functional responses, a process known as mechanotransduction. The objective of this review is to offer perspectives on the supramolecular microenvironmental regulation of limbal epithelial stem cells and the differentiation of their progeny.

Keywords: Cornea; Limbus corneae; Extracellular matrix; Liquid crystal; Epithelium, corneal; Mechanotransduction, cellular; Stem cell niche