Peripapillary pachychoroid syndrome (PPS) is a rare disease characterized by choroidal thickening around the optic disc. Visual acuity might be impaired secondary to the associated peripapillary intraretinal and/or subretinal fluids. We reported a case of a 70-year-old male patient who presented with a gradual bilateral decrease in vision. His best-corrected visual acuity was 20/60 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye. Dilated fundus examination showed yellowish peripapillary lesions and intraretinal fluid (IRF) surrounding the optic disc in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography showed that the outer retinal layers were disrupted, and IRF affected the nasal macula. A bilateral increase in the thickness of the choroid around the optic discs was found. The patient was successfully treated with a tapering dose of topical prednisolone acetate (1%). Three months after treatment, his vision improved to 20/25 in the right eye and 20/20 in the left eye. Topical steroid drops might be administered to treat PPS.

At the global level and in Saudi Arabia, COVID-19 remains a major public health problem. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed substantially to a surge in publications on the novel coronavirus responsible for this pandemic. This research is intended to assess the increasing contribution of Saudi Arabia to the global research on COVID-19. A bibliometric analysis of all Saudi-affiliated publications on COVID-19 documented between December 2019 and October 2021 was conducted in October 2021 using the Web of Science advanced search builder. A total of 175,615 global publications on COVID-19 were retrieved in the search. Among these, 9118 (5.2%) publications were from Arab nations. Among the Arab nations, Saudi Arabia (n = 3615) had the highest number of COVID-19 publications, followed by Egypt (n = 2053) and the United Arab Emirates (n = 1057), respectively. Globally, Saudi Arabia ranked 15th among the countries with the highest publication productivity, and the rank was 11th after standardization based on the population size and the gross domestic product. International collaborations were mainly with the researchers from Egypt, followed by the United States, India, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom. King Saud University was the most productive among all institutes in terms of COVID-19-related publications at both local and regional levels. Saudi Arabia is the leading Arabian nation and one of the top fifteen nations worldwide in terms of COVID-19 research output. Further efforts are warranted from the researchers based in Saudi Arabia in the direction of increasing the quality and the number of publications at the global level. This can be achieved by timely response, proper planning, understating the global research progress, and enhancing the knowledge exchange and collaboration with the other local and international institutes.

Anterior scleritis is rarely diagnosed with a peripheral amelanotic subretinal mass. We reported a rare case of a 31-year-old woman who was referred for suspected left eye choroidal melanoma. The patient had granulomatosis with polyangiitis with a history of treated left eye necrotizing anterior scleritis. Her left eye examination revealed 20/60 vision, superotemporal diffuse scleral injection, and thinning. Dilated fundus examination of the left eye showed a large peripheral amelanotic subretinal mass below the area of anterior scleritis, optic disc hyperemia, and subretinal fluid. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous methylprednisolone, rituximab infusions, and oral methotrexate. Two months after treatment, her vision improved to 20/20, with inactive anterior scleritis and a significant reduction in the subretinal mass with complete resolution of optic disc hyperemia and subretinal fluid. High index of suspicion of this atypical presentation of anterior scleritis is important to avoid aggressive modalities of treatment.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different auditory conditions on pattern-reversal visual evoked potential (PVEP) responses among healthy adults. Methods: This repeated-measure design with a fixed baseline and randomized order of the two auditory conditions was conducted at the Retina Clinic, Ophthalmology Department, Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Healthy adults with no systemic or ocular diseases aged 20–60 years were included. All participants underwent comprehensive visual and ocular assessment, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), screening audiometry, and a PVEP test conducted under three auditory conditions: silence, Quran recitation, and music exposure. P100 latency and amplitude were recorded using 1° and 0.25° stimulation sizes. Statistical analysis was performed using non-parametric statistics. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Significant differences in PVEP amplitude responses were observed across auditory conditions, particularly at the 1° stimulation size. The Friedman test demonstrated significant amplitude differences at the 1° stimulation size (χ² = 16.379, p < 0.001), with silence producing adjusted significantly higher amplitudes compared with Quran recitation and music exposure (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003), respectively. Significant positive correlations were identified between BCVA and P100 amplitude at Quran exposure (r = 0.178, p < 0.05) only at the 0.25° stimulation size. Conclusions: The stimulus size can be sensitive in revealing auditory-related changes in different retinal areas of functional visual pathway alterations. In comparison to baseline (silence), which generally produces the highest amplitudes, both auditory conditions (Quran recitation and music) were associated with lower P100 amplitude, while no significant difference was observed between Quran recitation and music.

Introduction and importance: Uveal effusion syndrome (UES) is a rare condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the suprachoroidal space and is often associated with scleral thickening and impaired transscleral outflow. The management of UES is challenging. We present a case of UES successfully managed with a modified surgical technique involving double scleral flaps with mitomycin-C. Case presentation: A 43-year-old man presented with sudden, painless, decreased vision in his left eye. Clinical examination and imaging revealed bilateral optic disc swelling, choroidal thickening, and inferior exudative retinal detachment in the affected eye. The axial lengths were short, suggestive of nanophthalmos. After an unsuccessful trial of high-dose oral corticosteroids, the patient underwent surgery involving two inferior scleral windows using double scleral flaps, central sclerotomy, and intraoperative application of mitomycin-C. Histopathology revealed a thickened sclera without inflammation. The effusion resolved completely within 6 months postoperatively, with no recurrence over a 2-year follow-up. Discussion: UES remains a surgical challenge, particularly in patients with eyes that have thick sclerae, where conventional drainage is ineffective. The aim of our approach was to reduce scleral resistance to fluid egress while preserving structural integrity. Long-term patency of the scleral windows was likely maintained by the use of mitomycin-C, which helped prevent fibrosis. Compared with previously described techniques, this modification is effective, safe, and structurally conservative. Conclusion: Double scleral flaps combined with mitomycin-C can be an effective surgical option for managing UES. The long-term resolution achieved in this case supports the value of this technique.