Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor and cytochrome c peroxidase combination in transgenic mice corneal epithelial healing process after excimer laser photoablation

Purpose: To evaluate the role of prepared basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) combination eyedrops in corneal epithelial healing of transgenic mice (B6(A)-Rperd12/J ) after excimer laser photoablation. Materials and methods: In this prospective study, 216 eyes of 108 mice underwent bilateral photorefractive keratectomy. We considered 4 groups: A, B, C, and D. Group A received standard topical postoperative therapy with tobramycin, diclofenac, and dexamethasone eyedrops plus CCP at 3 drops per day for a week or until corneal re-epithelialization was achieved. Group B received standard topical postoperative therapy plus bFGF eyedrops and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) 3 drops per day for a week or until corneal re-epithelialization was complete. In group C, 1 eye received standard topical postoperative therapy plus CCP eyedrops, bFGF eyedrops, and PBS 3 drops per day for a week or until corneal re-epithelialization was complete. Control eyes (group D) received a standard topical postoperative therapy plus placebo eyedrops. Mice were followed-up for a week from the day after the surgery to evaluate the rate of corneal re-epithelialization. Results: Data were analyzed by ANOVA using the XLSTAT 2010 software. Eyes in group A, B, and C healed completely before the fifth postoperative day, achieving, respectively, a re-epithelialization time of 92 hours ± 10 SD, 90 hours ± 12 SD, and 86 hours ± 12 SD. Group D had a re-epithelialization time of 121 hours ± 8 SD (P < 0.05). No side effects or toxic effects were documented

Macular Holes: Main Clinical Presentations, Diagnosis, and Therapies

Macular holes are a spectrum of retinal diseases that comprehends full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs), refractory/recurrent macular holes, lamellar macular holes (LMHs), myopic macular holes (MMHs), traumatic macular holes, and macular holes secondary to other retinal pathologies or injuries. There are various classifications of the subtypes of macular hole, and only in recent times researchers defined a common nomenclature, especially thanks to the evolution in retinal imaging, offered by new instruments like the swept-source OCT. The proposed therapies for macular holes are different and range from a "wait-and-see" approach to the vitrectomy, with different results in each subtype of macular hole. This narrative review has the purpose to investigate the available evidence in literature to give a summary of the knowledge about these retinal pathologies

COVID-19 pandemic and ophthalmological emergencies: a case-control analysis of the impact of lockdowns in a University Hospital in Lombardy region, Italy

Purpose: to evaluate the incidence of ocular pathologies seen at the ophthalmological emergency department (OeD) during the national lockdown in 2020 due to the cOViD-19 pandemic and compare it to the corresponding period in 2019.Methods: electronic records of patients who presented at the OeD of our University hospital in Varese, italy during the cOViD-19 lockdown were compared with that from the corresponding period in 2019. Records from the spring (2020a) and winter (2020B) lockdowns were compared with each other and with the same periods in 2019 (2019a and 2019B). statistical analyses were performed by unpaired student’s t-tests, Poisson’s regression and chi-square test.Results: the number of consultations at the OeD significantly decreased during the cOViD-19 lockdown (p value &lt;.0001). the largest decreases were observed in the youngest (age &lt;15 years: –77.3%) and oldest (age &gt;61 years, –68.5%) age groups. the proportion of men who consulted increased significantly from 61.76% in 2019a to 67.63% in 2020a, and from 54.56% in 2019B to 62.79% in 2020B. a significant reduction in deferrable consultations was also reported (from 943 in 2019 to 335 in 2020; p value &lt;.0001). a statistically significant decrease in the number of consultations involving ocular trauma was also reported despite an increase in its proportion among all consultations for ocular pathologies in 2020.Conclusions: Our evaluation showed a significant reduction in the number of OeD consultations in all deferrable pathologies. although the incidence of conditions that affect visual function was lower, these were more frequent in the lockdown period. the significant reduction in the number of deferrable consultations highlights the misuse of the OeD

Malattia di Stargardt: riabilitazione visiva domiciliare. Aspetti sperimentali.

Questo studio ha preso in considerazione 10 pazienti affetti da malattia di Stargardt dovuta a mutazione del gene ABCA4. Lo scopo dello studio è stato quello di dimostrare di poter avere un miglioramento della performance visiva e di indurre plasticità corticale, tramite una terapia domicialiare riabilitativa, basata su un programma per Ipad. I risultati ci hanno mostrato un incremento dell'acuità visiva , della stabilità di fissazione ed un aumento della velocità di lettura di questi pazienti. Lo studio pone le basi per un ampliamento della casistica, nonchè della valutazione neurofisiologica riabilitativa

The morphology of choroidal neovascularization in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy presenting with flat, irregular pigment epithelium detachment

PURPOSE: To evaluate morphological characteristics of choroidal neovascularization in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) presenting with flat and irregular pigment epithelium detachment (FIPED) by means of innovative multimodal imaging.METHODS: In this observational cross-sectional study, we examined 10 consecutive patients affected by chronic CSC and FIPED using fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine-green angiography (ICGA) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). A qualitative analysis of the nature and characteristics of neovascular membrane was performed, combining available multimodal imaging and literature data.RESULTS: Multiple areas of retinal pigment epitheliumalterations, macular hypo- and hyperpigmentation and atrophic areas were identified. Spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) showed subretinal fluid in 80% of eyes and the 'double layer sign' in all patients. Late FA phases showed staining areas without leakage in all eyes; ICGA showed a hyperfluorescent plaque with surrounding hypofluorescence in 80% of patients. OCTA detected characteristic neovascular networks in the outer retina within the FIPEDs, classified as filamentous vessels with a pruned tree-like pattern in five eyes and a tangled pattern in three eyes. The choriocapillaris network showed dark areas in 80% of eyes and diffuse dark spots in all eyes.CONCLUSION: Multimodal imaging completes clinical characterization of FIPEDs in chronic CSC. This study using OCTA technology describes the phenotype of hidden neovascular lesions in shape and morphology

OCT Biomarkers in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Narrative Review

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in elderly people. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) is responsible for the majority of cases of severe visual loss in eyes with AMD. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is the most widely used technology for the diagnosis and follow-up of nAMD patients, which is widely used to study and guide the clinical approach, as well as to predict and evaluate treatment response. &amp;e aim of this review is to describe and analyze various structural OCT-based biomarkers, which have practical value during both initial assessment and treatment follow-up of nAMD patients. While central retinal thickness has been the most common and one of the first OCTidentified biomarkers, today, other qualitative and quantitative biomarkers provide novel insight into disease activity and offer superior prognostic value and better guidance for tailored therapeutic management. &amp;e key importance of retinal fluid compartmentalization (intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, and subretinal pigment epithelium (RPE) fluid) will be discussed firstly. In the second part, the structural alterations of different retinal layers in various stages of the disease (photoreceptors layer integrity, hyperreflective dots, outer retinal tubulations, subretinal hyperreflective material, and retinal pigment epithelial tears) will be analyzed in detail. &amp;e last part of the review will focus on how alterations of the vitreoretinal interface (vitreomacular adhesion and traction) and of the choroid (sub-RPE hyperreflective columns, prechoroidal clefts, choroidal caverns, choroidal thickness and choroidal volume, and choroidal vascular index) interact with nAMD progression. OCT technology is evolving very quickly, and new retinal biomarkers are continuously described. &amp;is up-to-date review article provides a comprehensive description on how structural OCT-based biomarkers provide a valuable tool to monitor the progression of the disease and the treatment response in nAMD patients. &amp;us, in this perspective, clinicians will be able to allocate hospital resources in the best possible way and tailor treatment to the individual patient\u2019s needs