The generation of fluorometholone nanocrystal eye drops, their metabolization to dihydrofluorometholone and penetration into rabbit eyes

Fluorometholone is a widely used anti-inflammatory ophthalmic formulation, which elicits a lower ocular hypertensive response than other glucocorticoid medications. This serves to mitigate against the risk of steroid-induced glaucoma. Based on the hypothesis that an improved corneal permeability can increase the bioavailability of a drug, we sought to obtain fluorometholone in suspension with a small particle size. Accordingly, we describe the formulation of fluorometholone nanocrystal eye drops, which have a mean particle size of 201.2 ± 14.1 nm (standard deviation (s.d.)) when measured by dynamic light scattering. Scanning electron microscopy further indicates that fluorometholone nanocrystals are predominantly rectangular in shape. Fluorometholone microcrystals, on the other hand, with a mean particle size of 9.24 ± 4.51 µm (s.d.), tend to have a rod-like morphology. Powder x-ray diffraction revealed that fluorometholone microcrystal and nanocrystal formulations have the same crystal structure, with the main diffraction peaks at 2θ = 10.4 and 15.3°. The nanocrystal formulation was found to be stable, long-term, when stored at 10 °C for up to 6-months. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the aqueous humor of rabbit eyes 15–240 mins after the in vivo application of fluorometholone eye drops to the ocular surface revealed that the molecule had been converted to 20α-dihydrofluorometholone (with no evidence of a 20β-dihydrofluorometholone fraction), and that penetration was 2–6 fold higher and longer lasting with the nanocrystal, rather than the microcrystal, formulation. In current study we show how newly generated fluorometholone nanocrystals when administered as eye drops enter the anterior chamber of the eye and become metabolized to dihydrofluorometholone

Rare Histological Type of Adenoma of the Nonpigmented Ciliary Epithelium

We report the rare case of an adenoma of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium (NPCE). A 67-year-old healthy man presented with a regularly shaped and nonpigmented mass at the iris root of his right eye. His best-corrected visual acuity was 1.5 with normal intraocular pressure. During observation, the size of the tumor remained stable for 1.5 years but then rapidly grew, extending through the iris, and gradually enlarged to the point of compressing the iris. Ultimately, an iridocyclectomy with scleral resection under a lamellar scleral flap was performed. The histopathologic features of the resected tissue were consistent with adenoma of the NPCE. Histopathological analysis showed that the tumor consisted of both tubular and solid components. There were solid lesions inside of the ciliary epithelium and tubular lesions outside. We observed positive immunoreactivity to vimentin and cytokeratin CK (AE1/AE3) and negative reactivity to S-100 and CD68, both rarely associated with adenoma of NPCE. During 1 year of follow-up after the iridocyclectomy, no signs of tumor recurrence were observed

Ru Complex Ion Induces Anomalous Enhancement of Electrochemical Charge Transfer

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a highly sensitive observation technique to detect the state of electrode surfaces in solution. A small amount of [Ru(bpy)2DPPZ]2+, a well-known DNA intercalator and fluorescent light switch, has been found to abnormally increase the charge transfer of the mediator [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- at the surface of carbon electrodes. When a very small amount of the Ru complex is added to the EIS solution, a large impedance decrease occurs. This phenomenon is caused by the carbon electrode, the mediator [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- and [Ru(bpy)2DPPZ]2+. No other agents are necessary. By adding [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− and a very small amount of [Ru(bpy)2DPPZ]2+ to the PCR solution, EIS measurements using a PVA-coated carbon electrode could monitor PCR progress in real-time as an increase in impedance

Mitochondrial DNA as a biomarker for acute central serous chorioretinopathy: A case-control study

The literature suggests that stress may play a pivotal role in the precipitation of acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) because chorioretinal integrity can be affected by the psychosocial state of the patient, indicating the need for a biomarker. Not only physical stress but also psychological stress causes many types of physical disorders. However, little is known about the pathophysiology of stress-induced disease. The objective of this study was to investigate whether serum factors might be involved in the development of stress-induced ocular diseases. Methods: This observational case series included 33 eyes of 33 consecutive patients with treatment-naïve acute CSC. Fifty eyes of 50 age-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study as non-CSC controls. Serum samples were collected from all participants, and the levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were measured by quantitative real-time (RT)-PCR. Serum levels of high-mobility group box (HMGB) 1 and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biological markers of acute/chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, were also measured. The relationships between serum mtDNA, 8-OHdG, and HMGB1 concentrations were investigated by multivariate regression analysis, alongside an assessment of clinical data. Results: In the treatment-naïve acute CSC group, the serum mtDNA levels (36.5 ± 32.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher than the levels in the control group (7.4 ± 5.9 ng/mL; p < 0.001). Serum levels of 8-OHdG and HMGB1 in treatment-naïve acute CSC patients measured 0.12 ± 0.08 ng/mL and 18.1 ± 35.0 ng/mL, respectively, indicating that HMGB1 levels were elevated in CSC compared with the control group. Multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that increased serum mtDNA levels were significantly associated with the height of serous retinal detachment. Conclusion: We showed serum mtDNA and HMGB1 level elevation and its relation to the clinical activities of CSC, indicating that serum mtDNA and HMGB1 could serve as biomarkers for the acute phase of the disease. The use of these biomarkers makes it possible to predict disease onset and determine disease severity

Diagnosis of choroidal disease with deep learning-based image enhancement and volumetric quantification of optical coherence tomography

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify choroidal vessels (CVs) in pathological eyes in three dimensions (3D) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and a deep-learning analysis. Methods: A single-center retrospective study including 34 eyes of 34 patients (7 women and 27 men) with treatment-naïve central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and 33 eyes of 17 patients (7 women and 10 men) with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) or sympathetic ophthalmitis (SO) were imaged consecutively between October 2012 and May 2019 with a swept source OCT. Seventy-seven eyes of 39 age-matched volunteers (26 women and 13 men) with no sign of ocular pathology were imaged for comparison. Deep-learning-based image enhancement pipeline enabled CV segmentation and visualization in 3D, after which quantitative vessel volume maps were acquired to compare normal and diseased eyes and to track the clinical course of eyes in the disease group. Region-based vessel volumes and vessel indices were utilized for disease diagnosis. Results: OCT-based CV volume maps disclose regional CV changes in patients with CSC, VKH, or SO. Three metrics, (i) choroidal volume, (ii) CV volume, and (iii) CV index, exhibit high sensitivity and specificity in discriminating pathological choroids from healthy ones. Conclusions: The deep-learning analysis of OCT images described here provides a 3D visualization of the choroid, and allows quantification of features in the datasets to identify choroidal disease and distinguish between different diseases. Translational Relevance: This novel analysis can be applied retrospectively to existing OCT datasets, and it represents a significant advance toward the automated diagnosis of choroidal pathologies based on observations and quantifications of the vasculature

Adalimumab in Active and Inactive, Non-Infectious Uveitis:Global Results from the VISUAL I and VISUAL II Trials

Purpose: Report global adalimumab safety and efficacy outcomes in patients with non-infectious uveitis. Methods: Adults with non-infectious intermediate, posterior, or panuveitis were randomized 1:1 to receive placebo or adalimumab in the VISUAL I (active uveitis) or VISUAL II (inactive uveitis) trials. Integrated global and Japan substudy results are reported. The primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TF). Results: In the integrated studies, TF risk was significantly reduced (hazard ratio [95% CI]) with adalimumab versus placebo (VISUAL I: HR = 0.56 [0.40-0.76], p < 0.001; VISUAL II: HR = 0.52 [0.37-0.74], p < 0.001). In Japan substudies, no consistent trends were observed between groups (VISUAL I: HR = 1.20 [0.41-3.54]; VISUAL II: HR = 0.45 [0.20-1.03]). Adverse event rates were similar between treatment groups in both studies (854 to 1063 events/100 participant-years). Conclusions: Adalimumab lowered time to TF versus placebo in the integrated population; no consistent trends were observed in Japan substudies. Safety results were consistent between studies

Recent advances and future prospects: Current status and challenges of the intraocular injection of drugs for vitreoretinal diseases

Effective drug therapy for vitreoretinal disease is a major challenge in the field of ophthalmology; various protective systems, including anatomical and physiological barriers, complicate drug delivery to precise targets. However, as the eye is a closed cavity, it is an ideal target for local administration. Various types of drug delivery systems have been investigated that take advantage of this aspect of the eye, enhancing ocular permeability and optimizing local drug concentrations. Many drugs, mainly anti-VEGF drugs, have been evaluated in clinical trials and have provided clinical benefit to many patients. In the near future, innovative drug delivery systems will be developed to avoid frequent intravitreal administration of drugs and maintain effective drug concentrations for a long period of time. Here, we review the published literature on various drugs and administration routes and current clinical applications. Recent advances in drug delivery systems are discussed along with future prospects

Corneal infiltration and xanthoma formation in mycosis fungoides

Purpose: To report a case of corneal infiltration and xanthoma formation in mycosis fungoides (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). Observations: A middle aged Japanese man with mycosis fungoides (MF) involving the face was referred to Ophthalmology for evaluation of unilateral, painless conjunctival injection. Biopsy of the conjunctiva revealed a malignant T cell population consistent with MF tumor invasion. Years later, he returned following several episodes of infectious keratitis with a painless, yellow, rapidly forming mass in the left eye over two weeks. Corneal biopsy showed foamy histiocytes and positive staining for CD68, and a diagnosis of corneal xanthoma was made. Conclusions and importance: Severe ocular surface disease can rarely occur in MF by direct invasion of tumor cells. Corneal infiltration and xanthoma development may be avoidable by careful monitoring for infectious keratitis in patients with conjunctival involvement, as in our case. Keywords: Mycosis fungoides, Cutaneous T cell lymphoma, Corneal infiltration, Xanthoma, Optical coherence tomography, Short running titl

Choroidal Nevus in an Eye with Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

Purpose: To report an eye with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and a choroidal nevus. Methods: This is an observational case report. Results: A healthy 69-year-old woman was referred to the Osaka University Hospital with a diagnosis of a macular tumor. She complained of having distorted vision in her left eye. The medical history of the patient was unremarkable. At the initial examination, her best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in both eyes, and the intraocular pressure was 18 mm Hg in both eyes. A slit-lamp examination showed no abnormalities in the anterior segment of both eyes and a fundus examination of the left eye showed a slightly elevated juxtafoveal chorioretinal lesion and polyp-like reddish-orange lesions. The juxtafoveal choroidal lesion was located beneath a choroidal neovascularization (CNV). An optical coherence tomography confirmed CNV with pigment epithelial detachment (PED). Fluorescein angiography showed juxtafoveal hyperfluorescence due to CNV. Indocyanine green angiography demonstrated a branching choroidal vascular network that resembled polypoidal lesions. A fundus autofluorescence showed a mosaic pattern and a slight hyperautofluorescence at the CNV. We diagnosed the patient as having PCV. Aflibercept was injected intravitreally because of her PED. After the injection, PED improved and her visual acuity remained stable during the 12-month follow-up period. Conclusions: In cases of PCV, FAF images are helpful in determining the status of the posterior pole. Intravitreal injections of aflibercept can improve PED associated with CNV, and the BCVA will remain stable for at least 12 months