Gregory R. Blaha

Randomized trial of anesthetic methods for intravitreal injections.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of four different anesthetic methods for intravitreal injection. Methods: Twenty-four patients each received four intravitreal injections using each of four types of anesthesia (proparacaine, tetracaine, lidocaine pledget, and subconjunctival injection of lidocaine) in a prospective, masked, randomized block design. Pain was graded by the patient on a 0 to 10 scale for both the anesthesia and the injection. Results: The average combined pain scores for both the anesthesia and the intravitreal injection were 4.4 for the lidocaine pledget, 3.5 for topical proparacaine, 3.8 for the subconjunctival lidocaine injection, and 4.1 for topical tetracaine. The differences were not significant (P = 0.65). There were also no statistical differences in the individual anesthesia or injection pain scores. Subconjunctival lidocaine injection had the most side effects. Conclusion: Topical anesthesia is an effective method for limiting pain associated with intravitreal injections.

Humphrey visual field findings in hydroxychloroquine toxicity

PurposeTo analyze Humphrey visual field (HVF) findings in hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinal toxicity.MethodsHVF tests were interpreted retrospectively in this observational case series of 15 patients with HCQ toxicity. Patients seen at Lahey Clinic were identified by diagnosis coding search. Patients with age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma with visual field loss were excluded. HVFs done before the diagnosis were analyzed to see if earlier diagnosis could have been possible.ResultsA total of 66 HVFs were reviewed and categorized. Some abnormalities were subtle. Paracentral defects were seen on 10-2 tests whereas 24-2 tests, due to their compressed scale, showed central changes. The abnormalities were often more obvious on pattern deviation rather than the gray scale. Of those patients with prior HVFs available for review, 50% showed HVF abnormalities typical of HCQ toxicity present several months or years before diagnosis. HVF changes preceded fundus changes in nine patients.ConclusionHVF abnormalities indicating HCQ toxicity vary depending on the specific HVF test performed. Clinicians need to be aware of the subtle nature of HVF changes in early toxicity.

Intravascular Lymphoma Masquerading as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome

Purpose: To describe the clinical course of a case of intravascular lymphoma. Design: Case report. Methods: Retrospective chart review. Results: A 56-year-old man presented with blurry vision associated with fever and decreased hearing. Ocular exam including fluorescein angiography and OCT was consistent with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and the patient initially improved with corticosteroids. Clinical deterioration led to further systemic workup and revealed intravascular lymphoma. The patient was started on chemotherapy with resolution of visual complaints. Conclusions: Intravascular lymphoma can present as a masquerade of VKH syndrome. Diagnosis can be aided with measurement of LDH and skin biopsy.

Anatomic and Visual Outcomes of Noninfectious Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Triamcinolone

PURPOSE To describe the anatomic and visual outcomes of patients in whom noninfectious endophthalmitis developed after injection of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide. DESIGN Retrospective case series. METHODS Ophthalmologic evaluations of patients in whom noninfectious endophthalmitis developed after intravitreal triamcinolone took place on the day of injection, at the time of presentation of noninfectious endophthalmitis, at the time of clearance of inflammation, and on follow-up examination. Seventeen eyes of 17 patients were identified from 2 institutions. Noninfectious endophthalmitis was identified based on history of visual loss immediately or soon after injection, lack of ocular pain, hypopyon, anterior or vitreous inflammation, and triamcinolone crystals present in the anterior or posterior chambers. Main outcome measures were Snellen visual acuity (VA) and mean foveal thickness by optical coherence tomography. RESULTS Mean VA and mean foveal thickness on the day of injection of intravitreal triamcinolone were 20/132 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR], 0.82 +/- 0.45) and 432 +/- 118 microm, respectively. Mean VA at time of noninfectious endophthalmitis (mean, 1.9 days after injection) was 20/4444 (logMAR, 2.35 +/- 0.98). At last follow-up (mean, 57.6 days), VA and mean foveal thickness were 20/56 (logMAR, 0.44 +/- 0.30) and 301 +/- 71 microm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS VA and mean foveal thickness in all patients with noninfectious endophthalmitis after intravitreal triamcinolone improved to better than preinjection levels in this series. At last follow-up, no patient had sustained visual loss from noninfectious endophthalmitis. Noninfectious endophthalmitis after intravitreal triamcinolone may not exclude good visual and anatomic prognoses.

Preferential Hyperacuity Perimetry to detect hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity.

Purpose: To determine if Preferential Hyperacuity Perimetry (PHP) testing can detect the presence of retinal toxicity due to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) or chloroquine administration. Methods: Fifteen patients were divided into three groups. Five patients had confirmed HCQ or chloroquine toxicity, five patients had suspected HCQ toxicity, and five patients had history of long-term use of HCQ or chloroquine but no evidence of toxicity. All patients underwent PHP testing. Results: All patients with either known or suspected toxicity based upon standardized visual field testing and/or fluorescein angiography demonstrated significant hyperacuity defects on PHP testing. None of the patients on long-term HCQ therapy, without clinical suspicion of toxicity, demonstrated a PHP hyperacuity defect. Conclusion: Results of this pilot study with patients with known or suspected HCQ or chloroquine toxicity suggest that PHP may be a useful adjunct for testing of patients suspicious for toxicity due to these medications. Further testing is warranted.

Changes in flare after intravitreal injection of three different anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medications.

Purpose: To compare the change in anterior chamber flare after intravitreal injection of the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents bevacizumab, aflibercept, and ranibizumab. Methods: Sixty-one eyes of 53 patients underwent intravitreal injection with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medications for exudative age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, or retinal vein occlusion. There were a total of 26 eyes injected with bevacizumab, 14 eyes injected with aflibercept, and 21 eyes injected with ranibizumab. Anterior segment flare was measured with a laser flare meter (Kowa) before intravitreal injection and 1 day after injection. The change in flare was analyzed. Results: The mean change in flare after 1 day was +2.5 photons per millisecond in patients who received bevacizumab, 0.0 photons per millisecond for aflibercept, and −0.2 photons per millisecond for ranibizumab. There was a statistically significant difference between the 3 medications (P = 0.006). Pairwise analysis of the change in flare showed a statistically significant difference between bevacizumab and ranibizumab (P = 0.002). The change in flare in patients who received aflibercept was not different from that in those who received bevacizumab (P = 0.08) or ranibizumab (P = 0.99). Conclusion: There was a statistically significant increase in flare after bevacizumab injection compared with ranibizumab. This difference was small and is not believed to be clinically significant. There was no statistical difference in the change in flare between aflibercept and the other medications, although the number of eyes in the aflibercept group was small.