Abstract: The most prominent causes of loss of vision in individuals over 50 years include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy (DR). While it is important to screen for these diseases effectively, current eye care is not properly doing so for much of the population, resulting in unfortunate visual disability and high costs for patients. Innovative functional testing can be unified with other screening methods for a more robust and safer screening and prediction of disease. The goal in the creation of functional testing modalities is to develop highly sensitive screening tests that are easy to use, accessible to all users, and inexpensive. The tests herein are deployed on an iPad with easily understood and intuitive instructions for rapid, streamlined, and automatic administration. These testing modalities could become highly sensitive screenings for early detection of potentially blinding diseases. The applications from our collaborators at AMA Optics include a cone photostress recovery test for detection of AMD and diabetic macular edema (DME), brightness balance perception for optic nerve dysfunction and especially glaucoma, color vision testing which is a broad screening tool, and visual acuity test. Machine learning with the combined structural and functional data will optimize identification of disease and prediction of outcomes. Here, we review and assess various tests of visual function that are easily administered on a tablet for screening in primary care. These user-friendly and simple screening tests allow patients to be identified in the early stages of disease for referral to specialists, proper assessment and treatment.
Abstract: Pediatric glaucoma is a potentially sight-threatening disease and is considered the second leading cause of treatable childhood blindness. Pediatric glaucoma is a clinical entity including a wide range of conditions: primary congenital glaucoma, glaucoma secondary to ocular (e.g., aniridia, Peter’s anomaly), or systemic disease (e.g., Sturge Weber) and glaucoma secondary to acquired condition (pseudophakic, traumatic, uveitic glaucoma). The treatment algorithm of childhood glaucoma is a step-by-step approach, often starting with surgery, as in primary congenital glaucoma cases. Medical therapy is also crucial in the management of pediatric glaucoma. Here we reported the results of the randomized, controlled, clinical trials carried out in children treated with topical anti-glaucoma drugs. It is worth knowing that prostaglandin analogues showed an excellent systemic safety profile, while serious systemic events have been reported in children taking topical beta-blockers. Angle surgery is the first surgical option in patients diagnosed with primary congenital glaucoma, with ab interno and ab externo approaches showing similar outcomes. Trabeculectomy in children can be troublesome, as mitomycin C (MMC) can lead to bleb complications and a higher endophthalmitis rate than in adults. Glaucoma drainage devices (GDD) are no longer a last resort and can be considered a suitable option for the management of uncontrolled pediatric glaucoma after angle surgery failure.
Background: Total lower eyelid defect after eyelid malignancy excision poses a challenge in the surgical management of total lower eyelid reconstruction. We describe a technique of reconstructing total lower eyelid defect, using a skin flap and the residual lower forniceal conjunctiva.
Methods: A retrospective case series review. Five patients had undergone lower eyelid basal cell carcinoma excision. A 3–4 mm margin excision was performed and specimens were sent for paraffin section histological examination. Reconstruction was performed at the same stage, using a skin flap and the residual lower forniceal conjunctiva. A full thickness skin flap is raised from the lateral cheek, with its base at the lateral canthus. Subcutaneous tissues are not included in the skin flap. The lower forniceal conjunctiva is released from the inferior retractors and advanced superiorly to cover the inner surface of the skin flap. The skin flap is transposed to cover the lower eyelid defect and sutured to the soft tissues at the medial end of the defect. The advanced forniceal conjunctiva is sutured to the superior edge of the skin flap forming the new mucocutaneous junction of the eyelid margin.
Results: There were 4 females and 1 male, with a mean age of 74 years (range, 68–80 years). Histological clearance was achieved in all cases. None of the patients developed lagophthalmos, symblepharon or dry eye symptoms. None of the patients required any further revision surgery.
Conclusions: Total lower eyelid defects can be reconstructed using the residual lower fornix conjunctiva and a skin flap.
Abstract: Our increase in knowledge of the pathophysiology of non-infectious uveitis (NIU) and other immune-mediated diseases has been mirrored over the last two decades by the expansion of therapeutic options in the realm of immunosuppressive medications. Principal among these advances is the emergence of biologics, which offer the promise of targeted therapy and the hope of reduced toxicity when compared to corticosteroids and “standard” immunosuppression. Among the biologics, monoclonal antibodies blocking tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) have been shown to be a very effective therapeutic target for uveitis and many associated systemic inflammatory diseases. Multiple TNF blockers have shown benefit for uveitis, and in 2016, adalimumab became the first biologic and non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive to obtain Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in the treatment of NIU. Although effective, TNF blockers are not universally so, and safety concerns such as infection and demyelinating disease must be carefully considered and ruled out prior to their use, especially in patients with intermediate uveitis with which multiple sclerosis is a known association. Ongoing study has identified novel targets for regulation in the treatment of immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. Interferons, interleukin and Janus kinase inhibitors in addition to antibodies targeting T cell and B cell activation highlight the expanding field of treatment modalities in NIU. Ongoing study will be required to better determine the safety and efficacy of biologics in the armamentarium of immunosuppressive treatments for NIU.
Abstract: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common rheumatic disease of childhood, and juvenile idiopathic associated uveitis (JIA-U) is the most frequently noted extra-articular manifestation. JIA-U can present asymptomatically and lead to ocular complications, so regular screening and monitoring are needed to prevent potentially sight-threatening sequelae. Topical glucocorticoids such as prednisolone acetate are usually the first line of treatment for anterior uveitis associated with JIA-U, but long-term use may be associated with cataract, ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate allow tapering of the corticosteroids to prevent long-term complications. Biologic therapies have been increasingly used as targeted therapies for JIA-U, particularly monoclonal antibodies targeting the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α such as adalimumab and infliximab. One recent, multicenter, prospective, randomized clinical trial provided evidence of the efficacy of adalimumab with methotrexate for JIA-U compared to methotrexate alone. Another clinical trial studying the interleukin-6 inhibitor tocilizumab for JIA-U showed promise in tapering topical corticosteroids. Additionally, JAK inhibitors are emerging biologic therapies for JIA-U in patients refractory to TNF-α inhibitors, with a clinical trial assessing the efficacy of baricitinib for JIA-U underway. While clinical trials on these novel biologics are limited, further investigation of these agents may provide additional therapeutic options for JIA-U.
Abstract: Bioengineered materials are used as a substitute in many fields of medicine, especially in plastic surgery and in burns. In ophthalmic plastic surgery they can be used for covering large tissue defects or as a tarsal plate substitute, in cases when it is not possible to use conventional surgical techniques. We have searched PubMed and Web of Science scientific databases. We can generally categorize skin substitutes by the type of tissue used—we distinguish autografts, allografts, and xenografts. There are also completely synthetic substitutes. The aim of our article was to summarize the current state of knowledge and to sum up all the clinical applications of bioengineered materials in the periocular region. There are only a few scientific articles about this topic and lack of prospective randomized studies aimed on use of bioengineered materials in periocular region. Nevertheless, there are many articles describing successful case reports or case reports series. According to literature, bioengineered materials are the most commonly used in big traumas or large surgical defects, especially in oculoplastic tumour surgery. Bioengineered dermal substitutes are not frequently used in the periocular region. Dermal substitutes are useful, when it is not possible to close the defect with any other conventional surgical technique.
