Lingam Gopal

Eales Disease—An Update

Eales disease, first described by Henry Eales in 1880, remains an enigma. The disease, observed more commonly in the Indian subcontinent than in the rest of the world, occurs in young healthy adult males, initially presenting as retinal periphlebitis and later as retinal ischemia that may lead to vascular alterations and neovascularization. Recurrent vitreous hemorrhage with or without retinal detachment is the common sequelae. In recent years, immunological, molecular biological, and biochemical studies have indicated the role of human leukocyte antigen, retinal autoimmunity, mycobacterium tuberculosis genome, and free radical mediated damage in the etiopathogenesis of this disease. However, its etiology appears to be multifactorial. The management depends on the stage of the disease and consists of medical treatment with oral corticosteroids in the active inflammatory stage and laser photocoagulation in the advanced retinal ischemia and neovascularization stages. The results of vitreoretinal surgery have been found to be satisfactory in case of vitreous hemorrhage with or without retinal detachment.

Intravitreal voriconazole for drug-resistant fungal endophthalmitis: case series.

Purpose: To report the efficacy of intravitreal voriconazole. Methods: Retrospective analysis of an interventional case series of five cases of culture-proven fungal endophthalmitis treated with intravitreal voriconazole was done. Only cases found to be resistant to conventional antifungal agents were included in the study. The diagnosis of fungal endophthalmitis was established on the basis of clinical as well as microbiological examination. All patients received one or more intravitreal injections of voriconazole. Resolution was determined on the basis of clinical examination. Resolution of infection and final visual acuity were the main outcome measures. Results: Resolution of infection was achieved in all five cases. Visual acuity was better in three cases and was maintained in two. Of the three patients who had improvement, two had vision better than or equal to 20/120. Evisceration was avoided in one case with maximal antifungal treatment including voriconazole. Conclusions: Voriconazole definitely adds to the available treatment options for fungal endophthalmitis. Because of its broad spectrum of activity, it is efficacious in even amphotericin–B– and fluconazole-resistant fungal endophthalmitis.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy of sclerotomy sites after pars plana vitrectomy for diabetic vitreous hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE This study was aimed at assessing changes at the sclerotomy site using the ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM) in eyes that underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy for complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. DESIGN Prospective, observational case series. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-six eyes of 84 patients with vitreous hemorrhage caused by proliferative diabetic retinopathy. INTERVENTION Three-port pars plana vitrectomy followed by UBM evaluation of all sclerotomy sites between 6 and 8 weeks after surgery. Correlation with intraoperative findings done in case of reoperations. Forty-one eyes had repeat UBM at 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The changes at the sclerotomy site were classified into six groups: well healed, gape, plaque, vitreous incarceration, fibrovascular proliferation, and anterior hyaloidal fibrovascular proliferation (AHFVP). The UBM characteristics of each of the groups were defined. The findings at 6 months were compared with those at 6 to 8 weeks. RESULTS At 6 to 8 weeks after surgery, most sclerotomies were well healed or had either moderate to high reflective plaques bridging the site. Wound gape was seen in 22.1% of active ports, 32.6% of light ports, and 25.6% of infusion ports. Vitreous incarceration was seen most often at the infusion port (18. 6% of eyes). Fibrovascular proliferation was seen in 9.3% of active ports, 12.8% of light ports, and 15.1% of infusion ports. Thirteen eyes had recurrent vitreous hemorrhage 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Cases with rebleeding and no fibrovascular proliferation at the sclerotomy on UBM did well with outpatient fluid-air exchange (two eyes) or observation only (three eyes). Those with fibrovascular proliferation on UBM (eight eyes) required more extensive surgery. CONCLUSIONS UBM is helpful in detecting complications at the sclerotomy sites after pars plana vitrectomy and is an invaluable tool in the assessment of the patient before reoperation.

Intraocular cysticercosis: clinical characteristics and visual outcome after vitreoretinal surgery

PURPOSE To report the clinical characteristics of, discuss the surgical options for, and analyze the factors affecting the anatomic and visual outcome of intraocular cysticercosis. DESIGN Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS Forty-five eyes of 44 Indian patients with posterior segment intraocular cysticercosis. METHODS The charts of 45 eyes, in which intraocular cysticercosis was removed by vitreoretinal surgery (either transscleral or transvitreal), were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES These included the postoperative retinal status and the best-corrected Snellen visual acuity. RESULTS Intraocular cysticercosis was present in the vitreous cavity of 27 eyes (60%) and in the subretinal space of 18 eyes (40%). Anterior segment inflammation was seen in 13 eyes (28.8%) and vitreous inflammation in 38 eyes (84.4%). Retinal detachment was observed in 22 eyes (48.8%), with proliferative vitreoretinopathy in 13 eyes (59.09%). Subretinal cysts anterior to the equator (4 eyes) were removed transsclerally, whereas subretinal cysts posterior to the equator and intravitreal cysts (41 eyes) were removed transvitreally. The mean follow-up was 10.5 months. At the last follow-up, the retina was attached in 39 eyes (86.6%); visual acuity of >/=5/200 was achieved in 67.5%. CONCLUSIONS Current vitreoretinal surgical techniques enable removal of intraocular cysticercosis in all cases, with reattachment of the retina in 86.6% and recovery of ambulatory vision in approximately 67% of cases.

Retinal detachment in Marfan syndrome: clinical characteristics and surgical outcome.

Purpose To describe the clinical characteristics of retinal detachments in patients with Marfan syndrome and report the surgical outcome of vitreoretinal surgery. Methods Records relating to 53 eyes of 45 patients with Marfan syndrome who underwent surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were reviewed. Of the 53 eyes, 24 (45.3%) underwent scleral buckling as the first procedure and 29 (54.7%) underwent vitrectomy surgery with scleral buckle as the first procedure. Main outcome measures included clinical characteristics of retinal detachment, reattachment rates, and functional improvement in vision. Results Characteristic findings included total retinal detachment in 40 (75.5%) eyes, atrophic holes in 24 (45.3%) eyes, more than four retinal breaks in 21 eyes (39.6%), preequatorial and postequatorial breaks in 20 (37.7%) eyes, giant retinal tears in six (11.3%) eyes, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (posterior, anterior, or both) in nine (17%) eyes. In 30 (56.6%) eyes, retinal breaks were located only in the temporal half of the retina. Of the 24 eyes with myopia, 13 (54.2%) had a myopic correction greater than 7 diopters. At the median follow-up of 10.7 months, complete retinal reattachment was obtained in 87.6% and 86.2% of patients undergoing scleral buckling (including additional procedures such as vitrectomy) and vitrectomy surgery, respectively. In eyes with reattached retinas, a final visual acuity of 20/200 or better was obtained in 81% of the patients after scleral buckling and in 56% of the patients after vitrectomy surgery (P = 0.07). Conclusions Retinal detachment in Marfan syndrome is complete in 75% of the eyes. More than half (56%) the eyes had a retinal break only in the temporal half of the retina, and 83% had at least a break in the temporal half of the retina. Currently available vitreoretinal surgical techniques result in successful reattachment of the retina in approximately 86% of the eyes.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF RETINAL DETACHMENTS RELATED TO COLOBOMA OF THE CHOROID

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a rationale for the management of retinal detachments related to choroidal coloboma and to study the outcome of their management. DESIGN The study design was a retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS A total of 85 eyes of 81 patients with retinal detachments related to coloboma of the choroid participated. INTERVENTION All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal tamponade using silicone oil (80 eyes) or perfluropropane gas (5 eyes). Behavior of the retina on fluid-air exchange was used to guide the further steps of surgery. Endolaser was performed along the coloboma border. Silicone oil was removed in 80% of eyes. The main outcome measures were retinal reattachment and visual recovery. RESULTS Recurrent retinal detachment occurred in 16.3% of silicone oil-filled eyes and 60% of gas-filled eyes. After silicone oil removal, 15.6% of eyes had recurrent retinal detachment. After a mean follow-up of 13.4 months, 81.2% of eyes had attached retina and 69.4% recovered equal to or better than 10/200 visual acuity. CONCLUSION Retinal detachment secondary to coloboma of choroid is treated best by pars plana vitrectomy along with silicone oil tamponade. Gas tamponade has limited indications. Clinical evaluation of the extent of retinal detachment within the colobomatous area and the behavior of the retina on fluid-air exchange help the authors understand the pathogenesis of the retinal detachment and plan a rational therapy.

Endolaser around macular hole in the management of associated retinal detachment in highly myopic eyes.

Purpose: To analyze the role of endolaser around macular hole in managing associated retinal detachment in patients with high myopia. Methods: Review of medical records of 25 consecutive eyes of 25 patients with at least 5.00 diopters of myopia who underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy and fluid‐gas exchange. In the first half of the study period, one row of contiguous argon green endolaser was routinely applied over the retinal edge of the macular hole (EL group). In the second half of the study period, endolaser was not applied around any macular hole (NEL group). Demographic information, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and final visual acuities and retinal reattachment rates were studied. Results: The mean (±SD) refractive error was ‐11.8 ± ‐3.5 diopters (D) for the EL group and ‐11.6 ± ‐5.4 D for the NEL group. The mean axial length was 29.0 ±1.8 mm for the EL group and 28.3 ± 1.7 mm for the NEL group. The primary anatomic success was 62.5% (10/16) and 77.8% (7/9) in the EL and NEL groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found in preoperative, postoperative, or change in best‐corrected visual acuities between the two groups. Conclusion: Endolaser around the macular hole after pars plana vitrectomy and internal gas tamponade may not affect the anatomic or visual outcome in primary retinal detachment secondary to a highly myopic macular hole. RETINA 20:439‐444, 2000

Management of Retinal Detachment with Choroidal Coloboma

Seventeen eyes with retinal detachment secondary to retinal breaks in the colobomatous area were managed by vitrectomy procedures. Endodrainage was done through the break in the colobomatous area, with simultaneous fluid-air exchange. Endolaser photocoagulation was performed along the colobomatous margin posteriorly, while the anterior portion was treated by transscleral cryopexy. Silicone oil was then exchanged with air. In nine cases, the silicone oil had to be removed for complications such as emulsification, glaucoma, and keratopathy; in three of these eyes, oil removal resulted in recurrent retinal detachment. At the 2-month follow-up visit, there was 100% anatomic success, and 12 eyes (70.6%) recovered visual acuity of 10/200 or better. Of the 11 eyes with follow-up of more than 6 months, in 9 (81.8%) the retina remained reattached at last-follow up, and in 6 eyes (54.5%) a visual acuity of 10/200 or better was obtained.

Parabulbar Anesthesia for Primary Vitreoretinal Surgery

PURPOSE The efficacy and safety of parabulbar anesthesia was investigated prospectively in 100 patients undergoing primary vitreoretinal surgery. METHODS The technique involved three steps: (1) orbicularis oculi injection, (2) subconjunctival injection, and (3) sub-Tenon irrigation. The effect of anesthesia was graded 0 to 5 depending on inadequate anesthesia-akinesia with or without local supplementation. Ninety-three patients underwent vitrectomy without buckling and 4 with an encircling band; 3 had scleral buckling. Mean duration of surgery was 89.38 minutes. RESULTS In 69% of patients (grades 4 and 5), no supplementation was required and in 31% (grades 1-3), local supplementation was needed for inadequate anesthesia or akinesia or both. No ocular or systemic complication occurred. Early onset of anesthesia correlated with adequate anesthesia throughout the procedure (P < 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Parabulbar anesthesia is a safe and effective technique of local anesthesia in patients undergoing primary vitreoretinal surgery.

Tumor necrosis factor allelic polymorphism with diabetic retinopathy in India

The association of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) with diabetic retinopathy (DR) has been described previously. A total of 207 Asian Indian patients of 15-year duration of type 2 diabetes were identified. This group included (i) 100 patients with DR and (ii) 107 patients without retinopathy (DNR). In this study, we correlated the length of the (GT)n microsatellite di-nucleotide repeat upstream to the promoter region of TNF gene with susceptibility for the development of retinopathy. The microsatellite was polymerase chain reaction amplified and electrophoresed on polyacrylamide gel and silver stained. In our study population, there were 18 alleles ranging from 97 to 131 base pairs (bp). Allele 4 (103 bp) had a higher prevalence (9.81%) in the DNR group compared to that (2.5%) in the DR group (P=0.002). Patients with retinopathy and allele 8 (111 bp) had a tendency to develop proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In this study of Indian subjects, it is suggested that allele 4 is a low risk allele for developing retinopathy and allele 8 (111 bp) shows an association with PDR.