The aims of this study were to explore intestinal microbial composition and functionality in primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) and to relate these findings to inflammation, permeability and the transcription factor Forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3) gene expression in peripheral blood. The study included 19 pSS patients and 19 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and body mass index. Fecal bacterial DNA was extracted and analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing using an Ion S5 platform followed by a bioinformatics analysis using Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME II) and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt). Our data suggest that the gut microbiota of pSS patients differs at both the taxonomic and functional levels with respect to healthy controls. The gut microbiota profile of our pSS patients was characterized by a lower diversity and richness and with Bacteroidetes dominating at the phylum level. The pSS patients had less beneficial or commensal butyrate-producing bacteria and a higher proportion of opportunistic pathogens with proinflammatory activity, which may impair intestinal barrier function and therefore contribute to inflammatory processes associated with pSS by increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and decreasing the release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and the peripheral FOXP3 mRNA expression, implicated in the development and function of regulatory T cells (Treg) cells. Further studies are needed to better understand the real impact of dysbiosis on the course of pSS and to conceive preventive or therapeutic strategies to counteract microbiome-driven inflammation.

Purpose: To compare the clinical performance of the TECNIS Synergy multifocal (model ZFR00V) intraocular lens (IOL) with that of the AcrySof PanOptix Trifocal (model TFNT00) IOL in patients undergoing bilateral cataract surgery. Setting: Multicenter clinical setting. Design: Prospective randomized comparative study. Methods: Patients aged 22 years or older were randomly assigned (2:1) to bilateral implantation with ZFR00V or TFNT00 IOLs. End points included the mean binocular distance-corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA) at 40 cm, photopic and mesopic DCNVAs at 33 cm, photopic low-contrast corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and mesopic CDVA, nondirected patient responses to an ocular/visual symptoms questionnaire, and safety. Results: Of the 150 patients implanted with IOLs, 95 of the 97 patients with ZFR00V IOLs and 52 of the 53 patients with TFNT00 IOLs completed the 3-month follow-up. Most patients in the ZFR00V and TFNT00 groups achieved 20/25 or better binocular CDVA (100% vs 96.2%) and DCNVA measured at 40 cm (88.4% vs 75.0%) and 33 cm (78.9% vs 51.9%). The mean between-group difference in binocular DCNVA at 40 cm favored ZFR00V IOLs (0.5 lines Snellen; 95% CI, 0.012 to 0.089; P ≤ .05). Similarly, the mean binocular photopic and mesopic DCNVAs at 33 cm (0.8 lines Snellen each; both P ≤ .05 vs TFNT00) and photopic high-contrast and low-contrast CDVA (0.5 lines Snellen each; both P ≤ .05 vs TFNT00) favored ZFR00V IOLs. Patient-reported ocular/visual symptoms and safety were generally similar between the 2 IOLs. Conclusions: The ZFR00V IOL showed an extensive range of vision, particularly through near distances, and better mesopic performance than the TFNT00 IOL in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

We describe a technique using deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) in 5 eyes that developed keratectasia after LASIK. The technique is based on surgical manipulation that allows visualization of the lamellar dissection depth using a posterior approach to reach the predescemetic space. The mirror effect, indentation effect, and folding effect were used to determine proximity to Descemet's membrane. The same diameter donor and recipient buttons were used to correct myopia. The donor button without Descemet's membrane was placed using 10-0 nylon sutures. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. The mean best spectacle-corrected visual acuity changed from 0.16 diopter (D) +/- 0.05 (SD) (range 0.10 to 0.25 D) before DALK to 0.68 +/- 0.19 D (range 0.5 to 1.0 D) after DALK. Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty may be a better alternative than penetrating keratoplasty for any pathology with healthy endothelium.

Purpose: To analyze the target induced astigmatism (TIA), surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), difference vector (DV), and correction index (CI) in the correction of astigmatism with phakic lenses, and its influence on visual acuity, and to analyze the safety and efficacy indexes of the correction of high and low power astigmatism with toric phakic lenses. Design: Retrospective comparative study. Methods: The medical records of patients that were operated on at the research center during the period were analyzed. Results were divided into Low Astigmatism Group – LAG (33 eyes) and High Astigmatism Group – HAG (93 eyes) according to the implanted toric ICL lens power. Preoperative refraction and resultant postoperative refraction were analyzed by vector analysis. Visual acuity pre and postop, with and without optical correction, were compared. Results: A total of 126 eyes were studied. The average preop refraction was −5.02 D sphere with −2.61 D cylinder. The average ICL lens power implanted was −8.31 D sphere +2.77 D cylinder. Refractive remaining was −0.01 ± 0.11 D sphere −0.15 ± 0.28 D cylinder. The arithmetic average angle of error in the astigmatism correction was 1.08°. The resultant cylinder was −0.03 ± 0.12 D and −0.19 ± 0.30 D in the low and high astigmatism groups, respectively, with a mean UDVA −0.01 ± 0.10 and 0.01 ± 0.16 and CDVA −0.03 ± 0.08 and −0.01 ± 0.17 for each group. The safety and efficacy indexes for the low astigmatism group were 1.09 ± 0.16 and 1.05 ± 0.17, respectively, with 1.11 ± 0.17 and 1.06 ± 0.16 for the high astigmatism group. Conclusions: The correction of astigmatism by the implantation of toric phakic lenses of the posterior chamber is safe and effective, independently of the amount of cylinder corrected.

Purpose: To describe an outbreak of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) and provide a hypothesis about the etiology. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 328 eyes of 220 patients who underwent LASIK over 9 months. The occurrence of DLK using two different methods of cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments and an autoclave reservoir were analyzed. Microbial analyses were carried out by two laboratories on samples obtained from the original autoclave reservoir and tubing. A chi-square test was used to compare qualitative values. The Student t test was used to compare numerical values. Results: Forty-six (24.5%) of 188 cases of DLK were diagnosed. Sphingomona paucimobilis and Burkholderia pickettii were isolated in the reservoir of the steam sterilizer. Electron microscopy revealed gram-negative microbes on the tubing walls. After changing the reservoir of the steam sterilizer and implementing a new cleaning and sterilization protocol based on air-drying the instruments and draining and drying the reservoir of the sterilizer, the occurrence of DLK stopped. No statistically significant correlation was noted between the occurrence of DLK and gender, age, or volume of tissue removed. Conclusions: Data obtained during this DLK outbreak support the theory that a bacterial endotoxin, which can survive short-cycle steam sterilization, could be responsible for an outbreak of DLK. We recommend cleaning and sterilization protocols based on air-drying surgical instruments and leaving the reservoirs completely dry at the end of each surgical day. [ J Refract Surg . 2007;23:482–486.]

Purpose: To report a case of Candida albicans keratitis after Descemet stripping with automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) due to fungal contamination of the donor cornea. Methods: Case report. Results: A 73-year-old woman underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and DSAEK with 1 week difference. Ten days after DSAEK surgery, the culture of the donor corneoscleral rim revealed Candida albicans contamination and a small whitish infiltrate was noted within the interface. Despite conservative treatment with oral and systemic voriconazole, the infection was present outside the interface and inside the anterior chamber. Hot penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) was performed and the infection was eradicated. However, due to uncontrolled high intraocular pressure, a new PKP had to be performed, the IOL was removed, and an Ahmed valve was implanted (by pars plana vitrectomy). The anterior cap of the same donor cornea was used to perform a tectonic superficial anterior lamellar keratoplasty and the recipient did not have any problem related to fungal infection. Conclusions: The diagnosis of fungal keratitis should be taken into account once a small infiltrate is seen in the interface of any kind of lamellar keratoplasty. It is not clear whether it is better to treat it conservatively or aggressively.