Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of permanent central visual acuity loss in persons over 65 years of age in industrialized nations. Today, intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors are the mainstay of treatment worldwide. Areas covered: The following review covers the current treatments and challenges of wet AMD management. It also covers emerging therapies including radiation, latest generation anti-VEGF agents, and combination therapies. Expert opinion: Current neovascular AMD therapy is aimed at decreasing the VEGF effect at the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) complex. The most important existing challenges in the treatment of neovascular AMD are improving visual outcomes, decreasing the treatment burden, and minimizing geographic atrophy. Clinicians are using many treatment strategies to minimize intravitreal injections without sacrificing visual outcomes. Combination of anti-VEGF therapy with other previously available treatments that target a different pathophysiological mechanism may be a reasonable clinical strategy to minimize intravitreal injections. Many exciting novel drugs that target newly discovered pathways associated with CNV development and progression hold clinical promise. The results of ongoing randomized clinical trials will answer the important concerns surrounding new drugs and delivery devices: safety and visual outcomes.
1 September 2020 in American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
To report the first use the intravitreal anti-VEGF brolucizumab for the treatment of macular exudates and edema in a patient with Coats’ disease. A 9-year-old boy was referred with a decrease in vision in the right eye. Visual acuity was 20/400 OD on presentation, and examination was remarkable for peripheral telangiectasias, exudates, microaneurysms, macular edema, and an inferior exudative retinal detachment. A diagnosis of Stage 3A2 Coats’ disease was made, and the patient was treated with intravitreal bevacizumab as well as peripheral diode laser. However, on follow up, there was persistence of subretinal fluid accompanied by a decrease in visual acuity. The patient was then treated with intravitreal brolucizumab. Post injection visual and anatomical improvements were significant with complete resolution of macular edema within two weeks. Throughout the 5 months of follow up, there has been no re-accumulation of fluid and no further required therapy. Intravitreal brolucizumab was effective for the treatment of retinal edema and exudates in Coats’ disease.
1 June 2020 in American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
To report a case of bilateral uveitis secondary to intravenous nivolumab therapy in a patient with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. A 53-year-old male with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer presented with gradual onset of blurry vision in the left eye for nine days after completion of the first cycle of intravenous nivolumab chemotherapy. At initial presentation, best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 in the right eye and 20/30 in the left eye. Slit lamp biomicroscopy examination of the left eye showed temporal injection of the conjunctiva and sclera, granulomatous keratic precipitates, and vitreous cells in the posterior segment. Imaging studies, including fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, iridocyanine green angiography, and B scan ultrasonography, demonstrated acute inflammation in the posterior segment of the right eye and anterior, intermediate and posterior segments of the left eye. Nivolumab was discontinued and the patient received a course of corticosteroids resulting in resolution of visual complaints. The patient subsequently developed elevated and sustained intraocular pressures and decreased visual acuity in the left eye secondary to treatment complications. The patient was then lost to follow-up. To our best knowledge, this is a rare case of bilateral uveitis secondary to intravenous nivolumab use and the sixteenth reported case of nivolumab-induced uveitis. Physicians should be aware of possible ocular complications associated with the use of nivolumab and provide prompt treatment when necessary.
3 January 2022 in American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
To report a case of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) associated with dengue virus serotype 1 infection. An 18-year-old Puerto Rican female was evaluated due to painless paracentral scotomas in each eye that developed after being hospitalized for dengue fever a week before. Clinical examination and multimodal imaging revealed bilateral hypopigmented macular lesions, hyperreflectivity at the outer nuclear and photoreceptor layer, and reduced flow signal in the deep capillary plexus. Additionally, hypoautofluorescent parafoveal lesions were found in the left eye. AMN was diagnosed. Two-month follow-up after the initial evaluation showed resolution of symptoms but persistence of some findings on optical coherence tomography. Patients with dengue virus serotype 1 may develop paracentral scotomas with classic AMN findings and obtain complete symptomatic recovery without treatment.
Endophthalmitis treatment consists of intravitreal antibiotics injections and, in selected circumstances, pars plana vitrectomy. However, severe or refractory cases may require an enucleation or evisceration (ENEV). Our study seeks to identify risk factors leading to enucleation or evisceration in patients with infectious endophthalmitis. A retrospective chart review of subjects with a clinical diagnosis of infectious endophthalmitis was undertaken. The affected eyes were stratified into groups: those that underwent ENEV and those in which the eyeball was preserved (EP). The groups were compared using statistical analyses. In total, 69 eyes diagnosed with infectious endophthalmitis were included in the study. There was a higher frequency of exogenous infectious endophthalmitis in the ENEV group versus the EP group. Postsurgical infectious endophthalmitis was lower in the ENEV than in the EP group. A visual acuity of no light perception was more common in the ENEV compared to the EP group. Panophthalmitis was more frequent in the ENEV versus the EP group. Our findings suggest that eyes with endophthalmitis presenting with a visual acuity of no light perception, panophthalmitis, or exogenous etiology have a higher risk of requiring ENEV. In addition, eyes with a postsurgical etiology may be at a lower risk of requiring ENEV.
1 April 2018 in Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging Retina
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to illustrate various clinical findings associated with fovea plana in normal children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of pediatric subjects with a diagnosis of fovea plana was conducted to evaluate the characteristics associated with this condition. RESULTS: All eyes had 20/40 or better best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). In five of six subjects (83%), there was bilateral fovea plana. Astigmatism equal or greater than +1.5 diopters was present in 45% of eyes. On spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), a foveal depression was absent in 82% of eyes and the inner nuclear layer was present in the center of the fovea in all eyes analyzed. CONCLUSION: Fovea plana is typically a bilateral disease and occurs in patients with generally good BCVA despite abnormal SD-OCT findings. However, unilateral disease may also be present. Astigmatism may be more prevalent in patients with fovea plana than initially suspected.
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Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:251–257.]