Prevalence of subclinical keratoconus and impact on adults undergoing routine, uncomplicated age-related cataract extraction

AimTo determine the prevalence of subclinical keratoconus (SKCN) among individuals undergoing routine, uncomplicated age-related cataract surgery and its impact on visual and refractive outcomes.Patient and MethodsAt a major academic ophthalmology department in the United States, we reviewed records of patients aged 50 years and older who underwent surgery from January 2011 to June 2022. We excluded patients who had poor-quality or unreliable tomographic data, previous corneal surgery, keratorefractive procedures, and significant vision-limiting ocular pathology. We defined SKCN if an eye had a Belin-Ambrósio enhanced ectasia index (BAD-D) ≥1.7, which was based on the results of a meta-analysis of large studies. In addition to the BAD-D cutoff, the eye had to deviate significantly on at least one of seven additional parameters: 1) posterior elevation at thinnest point, 2) index of vertical asymmetry, 3) index of surface variation, 4) total front higher order aberrations, 5) front vertical coma, 6) front secondary vertical coma, 7) back vertical coma. An individual had SKCN if at least one eye met the tomography-based classification and did not have manifest KCN in either eye. Visual and refractive outcomes data were acquired from patients of one experienced cataract surgeon with cases done from July 2021 to June 2022. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsAmong 5592 eyes from 3828 individuals, the prevalence of SKCN was 24.7% (95% CI, 23.4 – 26.1, 945 individuals), and the prevalence of KCN was 1.9% (95% CI, 1.6 – 2.4, 87 individuals). The prevalence of SKCN did not increase with age and was more prevalent among females and non-white races. Median post-operative month one distance-corrected visual acuity (DCVA) and proportion of eyes with improvement in DCVA were similar between normal and SKCN eyes. The proportion of eyes reaching ±0.5 and ±1.0 diopter within the refractive target were similar between normal and SKCN eyes.ConclusionSKCN is highly prevalent and should be detected but is unlikely to have a significant deleterious effect on outcomes in routine, uncomplicated cataract surgery

Tear fluid biomarkers in ocular and systemic disease: potential use for predictive, preventive and personalised medicine

In the field of predictive, preventive and personalised medicine, researchers are keen to identify novel and reliable ways to predict and diagnose disease, as well as to monitor patient response to therapeutic agents. In the last decade alone, the sensitivity of profiling technologies has undergone huge improvements in detection sensitivity, thus allowing quantification of minute samples, for example body fluids that were previously difficult to assay. As a consequence, there has been a huge increase in tear fluid investigation, predominantly in the field of ocular surface disease. As tears are a more accessible and less complex body fluid (than serum or plasma) and sampling is much less invasive, research is starting to focus on how disease processes affect the proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic composition of the tear film. By determining compositional changes to tear profiles, crucial pathways in disease progression may be identified, allowing for more predictive and personalised therapy of the individual. This article will provide an overview of the various putative tear fluid biomarkers that have been identified to date, ranging from ocular surface disease and retinopathies to cancer and multiple sclerosis. Putative tear fluid biomarkers of ocular disorders, as well as the more recent field of systemic disease biomarkers, will be shown

Meibomian Gland Disease: The Role of Gland Dysfunction in Dry Eye Disease

To discuss the pathology, causes, and ocular surface impact of meibomian gland disease (MGD), as well as its relationship to dry eye. MGD is a common disorder with various contributing mechanisms and clinical manifestations. Understanding MGD pathophysiology and its relationship to dry eye is important in order to optimize diagnosis and treatment algorithms. A review of current literature was performed to discern MGD in terms of pathophysiology, risk factors, and ocular surface impact, and the relationship to dry eye. Meibomian gland obstruction and meibocyte depletion are important components of MGD. Many pathologies can disrupt function of meibomian glands, ranging from congenital to acquired causes. Once gland disruption occurs, the quality and quantity of meibum is altered, with a negative impact on the ocular surface. Increased tear evaporation, tear hyperosmolarity, increased ocular surface staining, increased inflammation, symptomatic irritation of the eyelid and globes, as well as decreased visual acuity have all been observed. MGD leads to changes in meibum quality and quantity that can cause evaporative dry eye and ocular surface disruption, leading to dry eye symptoms in some individuals

Bilateral maxillary sinus floor augmentation with tissue-engineered autologous osteoblasts and demineralized freeze-dried bone

The pneumatization of the maxillary sinus often results in a lack of sufficient alveolar bone for implant placement. In the last decades, maxillary sinus lift has become a very popular procedure with predictable results. Sinus floor augmentation procedures are generally carried out using autologous bone grafts, bone substitutes, or composites of bone and bone substitutes. However, the inherent limitations associated with each of these, have directed the attention of investigators to new technologies like bone tissue engineering. Bone marrow stromal cells have been regarded as multi-potent cells residing in bone marrow. These cells can be harvested from a person, multiplied outside his body using bioengineering principles and technologies and later introduced into a tissue defect. We present a case where tissue-engineered autologous osteoblasts were used along with demineralized freeze-dried bone for sinus floor augmentation

Long-Term Outcomes of Radial Keratotomy, Laser In Situ Keratomileusis, and Astigmatic Keratotomy Performed Consecutively over a Period of 21 Years

Purpose. To describe a case of 3 refractive procedures performed in one eye over 2 decades. Methods. Case report. Results. A 41-year-old patient presented for refractive surgery evaluation. His ocular history includes bilateral radial keratotomy performed 21 years ago for moderate myopia: spherical equivalence of −4.25 D bilaterally. Postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/30; however, over time he developed a hyperopic shift and UCVA decreased to 20/40 in the right eye. Thus, laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) was performed at an outside institution 6.5 years later, and the patient had initial improvement of UCVA to 20/25. Due to a change in refractive error, the patient underwent uneventful astigmatic keratotomy 13 years after LASIK in the right eye, and 1.5 years after surgery best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 with manifest refraction of −1.00+5.50×134°.  Conclusion. We report the outcomes and natural refractive progression in a patient who underwent three corneal refractive procedures over two decades. This case underlines the difficulties of long-term management of post-RK hyperopia and astigmatism

Persistent corneal opacity after descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty suggesting inert material deposits into the interface.

To report a case of interface deposits after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) imaged by means of an electron microscope. An 88-year-old man was referred with a history of corneal edema resulting from pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. A DSAEK was performed on his left eye without complications; however, the follow-up examination revealed a well-attached graft with persistent interface opacities at the donor-recipient interface. The DSAEK was repeated in this eye 1 year after the first surgery because of these corneal opacities that interfered with his vision. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient had adequate visual acuity with intact graft placement and a clear interface. Pathology and electron microscope analysis were performed on the removed endothelial graft, which revealed diffuse particles on the stromal surface of the endothelial graft. A repeated DSAEK procedure sufficiently removed this patient's corneal opacities and improved the visual acuity. The opacity is believed to have occurred because of residual viscoelastic material, which was used to maintain anterior chamber volume during surgery. This solution must be thoroughly removed to avoid similar complications

Post-Laser In Situ Keratomileusis Epithelial Ingrowth: Treatment, Recurrence, and Long-Term Results

To study outcomes after surgical removal of epithelial ingrowth (EI) in post-laser in situ keratomileusis patients, specifically comparing visual results and recurrence rates between 2 different EI management techniques. In this retrospective chart review of 67 eyes of 54 patients who underwent surgical treatment for EI after laser in situ keratomileusis between July 1999 and July 2014 at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, FL, surgical techniques, recurrence rates, visual acuity (VA), and refractive error were assessed. Of the 67 eyes, 56 eyes (83.6%) had flap lift + scraping alone, and 11 eyes (16.4%) had flap lift + scraping + suturing. After mean follow-up of 2.5 years, 11 of 56 eyes (19.6%) treated with flap lift + scraping alone had EI recurrence, whereas no eyes treated with flap lift + scraping + suturing had EI recurrence. VA results and refractive errors were better in eyes treated with lift + scraping alone compared with lift + scraping + suturing at 1 month. In the 67 eyes with 1-year follow-up, VA and refractive errors improved from preoperative values and were comparable between groups. Scraping alone provides significantly better initial visual outcomes but higher EI recurrence rates compared with scrape-suturing. Long-term visual outcomes are comparable between 2 techniques

Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segment Explantation in Patients With Keratoconus: Causes, Technique, and Outcomes

To assess the causes for intrastromal corneal ring segment (Intacs; Addition Technology Inc., Lombard, IL) explantation in patients with keratoconus, and technique for explantation, long-term outcomes, and secondary procedures to correct visual acuity. Ten eyes of 8 patients with a history of Intacs explantation between 2004 and 2012 were included in a retrospective study performed at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida. Causes of Intacs removal, surgical technique, preoperative and postoperative corneal examination, and uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity were documented. Additionally, corneal topography (Tomey, Nagoya, Japan) parameters such as average keratometry and corneal cylinder were assessed. Although the segments were well positioned, the most common cause of Intacs removal was worsening visual acuity (80%). There was no statistically significant difference between pre-Intacs placement, post-Intacs placement, and post-Intacs removal in uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity, average keratometry, or corneal cylinder, except between 1-year post-Intacs placement corrected distance visual acuity (0.57 logMAR [20/75 Snellen]) and 1-month post-Intacs removal corrected distance visual acuity (0.25 logMAR [20/36 Snellen], P =.03). Four patients underwent penetrating keratoplasty after Intacs removal with good visual outcomes. This study demonstrates the visual and structural outcomes that returned to near baseline after Intacs explantation in keratoconic eyes

Sudden-Onset Blindness from a Spontaneous Carotid-Cavernous Fistula with Secondary Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

High-flow carotid-cavernous fistulas (CCFs) typically present with blurry vision, headache, diplopia and pain with trauma1, however a ruptured cavernous carotid artery aneurysm may present similarly.2 We describe a case of spontaneous high-flow CCF presenting as sudden vision loss, with venous congestion and concomitant central retinal artery occlusion