POEMS Syndrome in a 20-year-old Patient Diagnosed Following a Complaint of Reduced Visual Acuity

We report a case of POEMS syndrome in a 20-year-old patient diagnosed after visiting an eye clinic with a chief complaint of reduced visual acuity. A male university student aged 20 years was referred to our department complaining of blurred vision in both eyes that had persisted for 1 month. He also noted headache, nausea, and paresthesia in the lower extremities around the same time. The visual acuity of his right and left eye was 20/40 and 20/20, respectively. Optic disc edema and serous retinal detachment were present. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no intracranial abnormalities, while elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure, reduced nerve conduction velocity in both lower extremities, hepatosplenomegaly, M proteinemia, high blood VEGF levels, osteoblastic and osteolytic changes in the spine, and atypical plasma cells in bone lesions were noted. From the above findings, the patient was diagnosed with POEMS syndrome. He received high-dose dexamethasone, thalidomide, and radiotherapy on the sacral mass, followed by high-dose melphalan with autologous stem-cell support, and showed subsequent systemic and ophthalmologic improvement. Here, we report the youngest case ever of POEMS syndrome with ocular manifestation. If patients have optic disc edema in both eyes with no intracranial space-occupying lesion, POEMS syndrome should be considered in differential diagnosis, regardless of age

Results of a Treat-and-Extend Regimen of Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection for Macular Edema due to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

To investigate the effectiveness of a treat-and-extend regimen (TAE) of intravitreal ranibizumab injections (IVR) for macular edema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). We retrospectively examined 35 eyes of 35 patients with ME due to BRVO who underwent TAE for 1 year. Patients whose treatment interval extended to 12 weeks were switched to a pro re nata regimen (PRN; TAE to PRN group), while TAE was continued for patients whose treatment interval was less than 12 weeks (continued TAE group). Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), and predictive factors for inclusion in the TAE to PRN group were analyzed. BCVA and CRT both improved significantly at 1 year compared with baseline (p<0.001). Sixteen eyes (45.7%) were included in the TAE to PRN group, while 19 eyes (54.3%) were included in the continued TAE group. BCVA in the TAE to PRN group was significantly better than that in the continued TAE group at 1 year (p=0.047). BCVA at baseline and macular BRVO were significant predictive factors for inclusion in the TAE to PRN group. TAE was effective for improving BCVA and CRT. The TAE to PRN group showed significantly better prognosis

A Case of Retinitis Pigmentosa Diagnosed with Severe Anterior Capsule Contraction after Cataract Surgery

A 66-year-old woman presented with significant anterior capsule contraction and intraocular lens dislocation in both eyes 4 months after cataract surgery. Postoperative examinations such as fluorescein angiography, Goldmann perimetry, and electroretinography revealed retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Patients with significant anterior capsule contraction after cataract surgery should be closely examined because RP may be a contributing factor

Bilateral Blunt Ocular Trauma Caused by an Exercise Resistance Band during Muscle Building Exercise for Swimming

An 18-year-old male high school student presented to our clinic with bilateral blunt ocular trauma caused by an exercise resistance band (ERB) during a muscle-building exercise. Best-corrected decimal visual acuities (BCVAs) for right and left eyes were light perception and 0.15, respectively. The right eye was operated 10 days after injury for persistent vitreous hemorrhage, and the left eye 5 months later because of macular hole onset. After 36 months, the right eye showed extensive retinal degeneration (BCVA 0.04), and the left eye macular hole closure (BCVA 1.2). ERBs should be used cautiously as they can cause serious ocular trauma

Quantitative Analyses of Retinal Traction Force and Metamorphopsia in Lamellar Macular Hole and Related Diseases

Purpose: To investigate the involvement of retinal traction in the pathogenesis of lamellar macular hole (LMH) and related diseases based on OCT–based consensus definition. Design: Retrospective, observational study. Participants: Seventy-two eyes with LMH, epiretinal membrane foveoschisis (ERM-FS), or macular pseudohole (MPH). Methods: To quantitatively evaluate the involvement and strength of retinal traction in their pathogenesis, retinal folds were visualized with en face OCT imaging, and the maximum depth of the parafoveal retinal folds (MDRF) was measured. Metamorphopsia was quantified by measuring the minimum visual angle of dotted lines needed to cause it to disappear using M-CHARTS (Inami). Main Outcome Measures: Maximum depth of retinal folds and M-CHARTS scores. Results: Of the 72 eyes, 26 were classified as having LMH, 25 as having ERM-FS, and 21 as having MPH. Parafoveal retinal folds were observed in 7 (26.9%) eyes with LMH, 25 (100%) with ERM-FS, and 21 (100%) with MPH. The MDRF (7.5 ± 17.6 μm) was significantly smaller in LMH than in ERM-FS (86.3 ± 31.4 μm) and MPH (74.5 ± 24.6 μm) (both P  Conclusions: Retinal traction was significantly weaker in the LMH group than in the ERM-FS and MPH groups. The MDRF was significantly associated with the degree of metamorphopsia in the ERM-FS and MPH groups. These results provide insights into the diseases’ pathophysiology and treatment strategy. Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article

Objective and quantitative estimation of the optimal timing for epiretinal membrane surgery on the basis of metamorphopsia

Purpose: To establish an objective and quantitative biomarker of metamorphopsia in epiretinal membranes (ERMs) and determine the optimal timing for ERM surgery. Methods: Retrospectively, 172 eyes with ERM were reviewed. Retinal folds due to tangential traction by ERM were visualized by en face optical coherence tomography (OCT). The maximum depth of retinal folds (MDRF) within the parafovea was quantified. Metamorphopsia was quantified by M-CHARTS. The change in the distance between the retinal vessels after ERM surgery and the preoperative total depth of retinal folds between the vessels were quantified using en face OCT and OCT angiography. Results: Significant correlations were observed between preoperative MDRF and M-CHARTS scores before and at 6 months after surgery (r=0.617 and 0.460, respectively; P Conclusion: MDRF is an objective and quantitative biomarker of metamorphopsia in ERM. To maintain patients’ quality of vision, ERM surgery may be performed when the preoperative MDRF ranges between 69 and 118 μm

En face image-based classification of diabetic macular edema using swept source optical coherence tomography

This retrospective study was performed to classify diabetic macular edema (DME) based on the localization and area of the fluid and to investigate the relationship of the classification with visual acuity (VA). The fluid was visualized using en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) images constructed using swept-source OCT. A total of 128 eyes with DME were included. The retina was segmented into: Segment 1, mainly comprising the inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer, including Henle's fiber layer; and Segment 2, mainly comprising the outer nuclear layer. DME was classified as: foveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and no fluid at Segment 2 (n=24), parafoveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and no fluid at Segment 2 (n=25), parafoveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and diffuse fluid at Segment 2 (n=16), diffuse fluid at both segments (n=37), and diffuse fluid at both segments with subretinal fluid (n=26). Eyes with diffuse fluid at Segment 2 showed significantly poorer VA, higher ellipsoid zone disruption rates, and greater central subfield thickness than did those without fluid at Segment 2 (P<0.001 for all). These results indicate the importance of the localization and area of the fluid for VA in DME

Macular Hole Formation Six Months after Hemorrhage Displacement for Submacular and Henle Fiber Layer Hemorrhage due to Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysm Rupture

A 78-year-old woman presented with sudden vision loss and central scotoma. Visual acuity in the right eye was 20/222, with submacular hemorrhage (SMH) and Henle fiber layer hemorrhage (HFLh) due to retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM) rupture. She underwent SMH displacement, including cataract surgery, vitrectomy, intravitreal injection of tissue-plasminogen activator, and air tamponade. Three months postoperatively the SMH and HFLh had disappeared and visual acuity had improved to 20/200. Six months postoperatively, a macular hole had developed. We performed an inverted internal limiting membrane flap and gas tamponade. Ten months later, the hole had closed and visual acuity had improved to 20/100

Embedding of Epiretinal Proliferation for a Secondary Lamellar Macular Hole 12 Years after Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair

A 58-year-old Japanese man underwent vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in 2002. Twelve years later, optical coherence tomography revealed the development of a lamellar macular hole; the visual acuity was 20/200. Two years later, because metamorphopsia and the foveal retina thinning were aggravated, epiretinal proliferation embedding was performed to restore the foveal structure by transplanting glial cells to the foveal cavity. The patient was followed-up for 4 years, and his macular morphology and visual acuity (20/66) improved. No complications occurred. This appears to be the first report of epiretinal proliferation embedding for a lamellar macular hole post-RRD repair