Optical Coherence Tomography: An Adjunctive Tool for Differentiating between Choroidal Melanoma and Metastasis

Purpose. To investigate the value of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for differentiation between choroidal melanoma and metastasis based on characteristics of the anterior choroidal surface and the chorioretinal interface. Methods. This retrospective observational case series included 29 patients with untreated choroidal melanomas and 21 patients with untreated choroidal metastases. Regularity and lobularity characteristics of the anterior choroidal surface were evaluated in a masked manner. Retinal and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) findings were documented as well. Results. OCT demonstrated a regular and smooth anterior choroidal surface in 89.7% of the eyes with melanoma and in 47.6% of the eyes with metastasis (p=0.002; sensitivity = 89.7%; specificity = 52.4%). The anterior choroidal contour was lobulated in 81.0% of the eyes with metastasis versus 17.2% of the eyes with melanoma (p<0.001; sensitivity = 82.8%; specificity = 81.0%). RPE thickness and neuroretinal characteristics (e.g., retinal thickness, the presence of cysts, and the presence of subretinal fluid) were similar in both choroidal tumors. Conclusion. OCT may serve as a noninvasive adjunctive tool for the differential diagnosis of choroidal tumors. Choroidal melanomas usually demonstrate regular surfaces on OCT, while choroidal metastases usually have an irregular and lobulated surface

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs

Conjunctival ulceration in Behçet disease: a case report

Behçet disease is a chronic systemic relapsing vasculitis. Ocular clinical signs in Behçet disease usually include signs of inflammation in the uvea, vitreous and retina. This report describes a rare case of a full-blown systemic exacerbation of Behçet disease with ocular involvement including conjunctival ulceration with the absence of uveal or retinal involvement

Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma Masquerading as Refractory Retinitis

Purpose: To report a case of a patient with primary vitreoretinal lymphoma masquerading as retinitis. Methods: Retrospective review of the patient's clinical, histopathological and imaging records. Results: Cytopathology was negative for malignancy, and preliminary polymerase chain reaction results supported the diagnosis of varicella zoster virus retinitis. Therefore, the patient was treated with antiviral therapy. However, under this treatment, the retinitis progressed. As a result, primary vitreoretinal lymphoma was suspected, and empirical treatment with intravitreal methotrexate injections was started. Under this treatment, the ocular features improved. Five months after initial ocular presentation and ocular resolution, the patient presented with central nervous system lymphoma. Conclusion: This case should raise the awareness of the variable clinical presentations, the challenging diagnosis and treatment of primary vitreoretinal lymphoma. All cases should be continuously systemically evaluated

Publication trends in clinical ophthalmology journals in the last decade

Purpose: To examine the absolute number and the proportions of articles published in general high-ranked ophthalmology journals for each ophthalmic subspecialty during the last decade, and to examine the publishing trends over the study period. Methods: All original articles published between January 2010 and December 2019 in the selected general clinical ophthalmic journals were included in the study. All abstracts of original articles were reviewed and deemed to be related to 1 of the 11 ophthalmic subspecialties. Results: Six journals and 10,232 abstracts were reviewed. Articles focused on medical retina were the most common in the last decade (35.22%) while articles focused on strabismus were the least common (2.11%). The total number of articles published per year decreased during the last decade (p < 0.01). There was a significant reduction in the number of publications per year focused on anterior-chamber (p = 0.012), cataract and refractive-surgeries (p = 0.014), oculoplastic (p < 0.01), and strabismus (p = 0.011). In each year during the last decade, the highest proportion of publications was focused on medical retina while the lowest proportion of publications in most of the years was focused on strabismus. There was a significant decrease during the years in the proportion of articles focused on oculoplastic (p < 0.01). Conclusions: During the last decade, there have been differences in the proportion of publications of different ophthalmology subspecialties in high impact factor journals. This probably derives from demographic changes and advances in diagnosis and treatment. The proportion of articles focused on medical retina was the highest during all years while the proportion of articles focused on strabismus was consistently the lowest

Ocular Behçet Disease—Clinical Manifestations, Treatments and Outcomes According to Age at Disease Onset

Behçet disease (BD) is a multisystemic disease that commonly involves the eyes. Although it affects patients in all age groups, data on ocular disease by age of onset are limited. This retrospective, multicenter study aimed to compare epidemiology, systemic and ocular manifestations, treatments and outcomes between three age groups: juvenile (n = 25, 14.3%), adult-onset (n = 120, 68.6%) and late-onset (n = 30, 17.1%). Most patients in all groups were male. Systemic manifestations were similar in all groups. Systemic co-morbidities were more common in late-onset patients. Bilateral panuveitis was the most common ocular manifestation in all patients. Non-occlusive retinal vasculitis, peripheral vessel occlusions, cataract and elevated intraocular pressure were found more commonly among juvenile-onset eyes. Anterior uveitis and macular ischemia were most common among late-onset eyes, while branch retinal vein occlusion was most common in adult and late-onset eyes. All patients were treated with corticosteroids. Methotrexate, immunomodulatory combinations and biologic treatments were more commonly used for juvenile-onset patients. All groups had a similar visual outcome. Our study showed that patients with ocular BD have varied ocular manifestations and require different treatments according to age of disease onset, but visual outcome is similar