Contact lens multipurpose solutions (MPSs) contain several components that have the potential to cause corneal epithelial cell toxicity. Evaluating the components and the toxic effect of MPS should...

Purpose: To evaluate idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) area changes and the association with visual function in patients with good vision, using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO). Methods: The medical records of patients with iERM with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥ 20/25 and a follow-up period ≥ 2 years were reviewed retrospectively. BCVA, metamorphopsia, fundus images using cSLO, and optical coherence tomography images were obtained at baseline and every 6 months. The ERM area and diagonal lengths of the long and short axes were determined. The progression group was defined as eyes with ≥2 lines of loss, and the stable group was defined as eyes with less change. Results: This study included 46 eyes, with 23 eyes in each group. Participants in the progression group were younger (60.7 vs. 65.7 years, P = 0.015) and showed a larger BCVA change (0.20 vs. 0.04, P < 0.001) and greater ERM area decrease (34.2% vs. 11.7%, P < 0.001) during the follow-up period. In the progression group, BCVA reduction was correlated with area decrease (β = 0.571, P = 0.010). No factors were associated with metamorphopsia. In the univariate analysis, ERM area reduction at 6 months was a significant predictor of vision loss (odds ratio, 1.632; P = 0.002). Receiver operating characteristic analysis identified a 7.66% ERM area reduction at 6 months as the optimal cutoff for predicting vision loss (81.8% sensitivity, 82.6% specificity). Conclusions: ERM area reduction significantly correlates with vision loss in patients with iERM with good vision. Monitoring ERM area changes can help predict disease progression and visual outcomes.

Park SH, et al. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc. 2019 Sep;60(9):835-842. https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2019.60.9.835

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic capacity of a color fundus camera (CFC), ultra-wide-field bicolor confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (BC-cSLO; OPTOS), and true-color confocal scanning ophthalmoscope (TC-cSO; EIDON) in detecting coexisting retinal diseases in eyes with asteroid hyalosis (AH). Methods: The medical records of consecutive patients with AH who were referred to a tertiary hospital for subsequent assessment by a vitreoretinal specialist were retrospectively reviewed. Fundus images obtained simultaneously using CFC, BC-cSLO, and TC-cSO were classified into four grades based on their obscuration by asteroid bodies. The proportion of Grade 1 images (minimal obscuration group) was assessed for each imaging modality. The diagnostic and screening abilities for concurrent retinal diseases were compared in terms of the accuracy and sensitivity of each device. Results: Among the 100 eyes with AH, 76 had coexisting retinal diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), retinal vascular occlusion, age-related macular degeneration, epiretinal membrane, and retinitis pigmentosa. TC-cSO had the highest ratio of Grade 1 images (94%, P<0.001), followed by CFC (67%) and BC-cSLO (63%). CFC and BC-cSLO exhibited a 5.3-fold higher rate of significant obscuration than TC-cSO (P<0.001, 95% confidence intervals = 2.4~11.6 folds). TC-cSO demonstrated the highest accuracy and sensitivity (95% and 81%, respectively) compared with CFC (89% and 43%, respectively) and BC-cSLO (89% and 39%, respectively) for all retinal diseases. BC-cSLO showed the best performance for DR diagnosis. Conclusions: TC-cSO images showed minimal obscuration and a superior ability for diagnosing retinal diseases accompanied by AH over other imaging devices. TC-cSO can be a valuable alternative screening tool for detecting retinal diseases when AH impedes fundus imaging.

Background/Objectives: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of ocular fluids is an essential diagnostic method for identifying infectious causes of uveitis. However, multiplex PCR kits specifically developed for ophthalmic use are not commercially available in many regions, including Korea. Given the biochemical similarity between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and aqueous humor, this study evaluated the diagnostic utility of a commercially available CSF multiplex PCR panel for detecting herpesviruses in patients with suspected viral uveitis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients whose aqueous humor samples were analyzed using a multiplex PCR assay originally designed for CSF testing (Seeplex Meningitis-V1 ACE Detection kit, Seegene, Seoul, Republic of Korea). The samples were obtained between May 2019 and June 2023 at two tertiary referral hospitals. The assay targeted herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). Patients were classified into three groups: (I) anterior uveitis with suspected herpesviral infection, (II) acute retinal necrosis (ARN), and (III) CMV retinitis. Baseline characteristics, PCR positivity rates, and virus prevalence were compared among the groups. Results: Among 149 eyes tested, 86 were included in the final analysis. The overall positivity rate was 38.4%. PCR positivity was 19.7% (12/61) in Group I, 93.8% (15/16) in Group II, and 66.7% (6/9) in Group III. CMV was the most common pathogen in Groups I (66.7%) and III (100%), while VZV was predominant in Group II (80%). No HHV-6 infection was detected. Conclusions: The positivity rate in anterior uveitis (Group I) was lower than previously reported, likely due to the limited sample volume relative to the assay’s requirement. Nevertheless, the assay demonstrated diagnostic reliability comparable to previous reports for ARN and CMV retinitis. Therefore, the CSF-based multiplex PCR panel serves as a feasible and cost-effective diagnostic option for sight-threatening posterior segment infections, facilitating prompt diagnosis and treatment, although further optimization is warranted for anterior uveitis.