Robert J. Cooling

Vitreoretinal surgery after inadvertent globe penetration during local ocular anesthesia

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to review visual morbidity resulting from inadvertent globe penetration during administration of local anesthetic and to identify the most appropriate management. DESIGN The records of 20 consecutive patients referred to a specialist vitreoretinal unit over a 2-year period were reviewed. PARTICIPANTS Twenty eyes of 20 consecutive patients were included. INTERVENTION Observations included type of local anesthetic administered (e.g., retrobulbar or peribulbar), level of training of person administering the block, type of needle used for the block, and findings at presentation to the vitreoretinal unit. The authors also observed results of B-scan ultrasound evaluation of the retina, interval between the recognition of the complication and referral, as well as nature and timing of subsequent surgical intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Final visual acuity and retinal status (attached versus detached) were measured. RESULTS The most common presentation was vitreous hemorrhage observed from the first postoperative day. Ten eyes were found to have an associated retinal detachment on initial assessment in the vitreoretinal unit. These eyes generally had a poor visual outcome despite vitrectomy with long-acting gas or silicone oil tamponade. Seven (70%) of the remaining eyes with attached retina at the time of presentation achieved good visual recovery after vitrectomy. CONCLUSIONS The authors recommend prompt referral for consideration of early vitrectomy in eyes with dense vitreous hemorrhage after inadvertent globe penetration. This management may improve the overall visual prognosis by preventing subsequent retinal detachment.

Retinal detachment following excimer laser

AIMS To report the clinical presentation, surgical management, and outcome of retinal detachment following excimer laser. METHODS Retrospective analysis of retinal detachments observed in 11 eyes of 10 myopic patients who had previously undergone photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) by excimer laser. RESULTS Symptoms of visual loss in two eyes were initially attributed to corneal haze. In 10 of 11 eyes visualisation of the retinal detachment and causative break was possible despite mild corneal haze and optical aberrations caused by the refractive laser procedure. Retinal reattachment was achieved in all 11 eyes though one eye required four surgical interventions. CONCLUSION This is the first published report to describe an association between retinal detachment and previous excimer laser treatment. The association would appear to reflect the predisposition of myopes to retinal detachment. Clinicians should be aware of potential retinal pathology in patients undergoing PRK.

Pseudophakic retinal detachment.

The clinical findings, surgical techniques, anatomic results and visual recovery in 71 pseudophakic and 71 aphakic eyes with retinal detachment repaired concurrently were compared. Preoperative visibility of the peripheral retina was significantly reduced in the pseudophakic group. Intraoperative identification of retinal breaks was useful for the pseudophakic eyes. The surgical techniques used in the two groups were similar. Anatomic success was achieved in 65 pseudophakic eyes (92%) and 63 aphakic eyes (89%); however, the visual recovery after a mean follow-up period of 18 months was poorer in the pseudophakic group, only 35 (54%) of which, compared with 39 (62%) of the aphakic group, had a final best-corrected visual acuity of 6/15 or better.

Management of the subluxed crystalline lens

There has been a traditional reluctance to remove a subluxed (ectopic) lens because of the high surgical risk. The use of closed intraocular microsurgical techniques, however, now allows greater intraoperative control with few complications. The authors present the results of subluxed lens extraction, by limbal or pars plana lensectomy, in 44 eyes of 24 patients, in which the indication for surgery was lens subluxation causing a reduction in visual acuity or uncorrectable refractive error. Visual acuity was improved in all cases after surgery, with no significant complications. Patients with reduced visual acuity secondary to ectopic lenses have a good visual prognosis after lensectomy using a closed intraocular microsurgical technique.

Norrie disease and peripheral venous insufficiency

Norrie disease (ND) is a rare X linked recessive disorder in which affected males are blind at birth or in early infancy. About one third develop progressive sensorineural deafness. In addition, about 25% of affected males have varying degrees of developmental delay. The ocular findings include bilateral retinal folds, retinal detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, and bilateral retrolental masses consisting of haemorrhagic vascular and glial tissue (vitreoretinal dysplasia). Histopathological examination of the eyes of an 11 week foetus with ND showed no evidence of primary neuroectodermal maldevelopment of the retina, suggesting that later disordered retinal vascular development may be a more likely disease mechanism.1 More than 100 different mutations of the ND gene, NDP , have been identified.2 Germ line mutations in NDP have also been identified in X linked familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) and in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Somatic NDP mutations have been implicated in retinal telangiectasis (Coats disease). These findings suggest a …

Retinal detachment and herpesvirus retinitis in patients with AIDS.

BACKGROUND--The prolongation of survival of patients with herpesvirus retinitis and AIDS has been associated with a rise in the incidence of retinal detachment. In such cases, however, retinal reattachment may be difficult to achieve, and postoperative visual acuity may be poor despite anatomically successful surgery. METHODS--In order to examine factors affecting the visual outcome of surgery, a retrospective review of 29 patients with retinal detachment, herpesvirus retinitis, and AIDS was performed. Retinal reattachment surgery (32 procedures) or prophylactic laser demarcation (five procedures) was performed in 28 eyes of 23 patients. RESULTS--The macula was attached in 23/28 (82%) eyes at the last outpatient visit. Best postoperative visual acuity (median 6/18, range 6/6-hand movements) was significantly greater than final postoperative acuity (median counting fingers, range 6/6-no perception of light) (Wilcoxon sign rank test, p = 0.003), and was retained for a median of 3 months (1-91 weeks) after surgery. Poor visual outcome as evidenced by submedian final visual acuity was invariably associated with persistence of macular detachment, and significantly associated with the occurrence of optic atrophy (odds ratio = 5, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION--Retinal reattachment surgery appears justified in patients with herpesvirus retinitis and AIDS, but postoperative visual deterioration may occur in association with optic atrophy.

Fluorescein angiography of anterior uveal melanocytic tumours

A retrospective analysis of 32 cases of anterior uveal melanocytic tumours included 14 cases in which the tumours could be categorised histologically as malignant, of intermediate cytology with equivocal features of malignancy, or as benign progressive naevi. An additional eight cases without a histological diagnosis were included as benign naevi, because there had been no change in their clinical characteristics after a minimum follow-up of four years. Clinical features and iris fluorescein angiographic (IFA) findings were analysed with respect to these groups in an attempt to identify features predictive of malignant or locally invasive behaviour. Very small tumours were more likely to be benign (p = 0.029). Glaucoma and episcleral vascular dilatation occurred in ciliary body tumours only. Tumours involving the anterior chamber angle proved more likely to be malignant (p = 0.019). IFA showed a disorganised vasculature and gross late leakage in 4/7 (56%) malignant melanomas as well as in 2/6 (33%) tumours with intermediate cytology. No benign tumours showed these features. Four out of nine (44%) benign tumours, but no tumours with malignant or intermediate cytology, showed complete masking of fluorescence. Early leakage of dye from tumour vessels and a geometric tumour vasculature were not specific features of any tumour category. IFA correlated with the cytology and behaviour of anterior uveal melanocytic tumours in 11/22 (50%) of our cases.

Ocular injuries associated with the use of airguns

Sixty patients with eye injuries resulting from the use of airguns were admitted to a large eye hospital over an 11-year period. The typical patient was a young male teenager; 70 per cent of patients were under the age of 17, the age at which it is legally permissible to own an air weapon. In 4 cases the missile lodged in the ocular adnexae, in 18 cases there was a penetrating eye injury and in 38 patients blunt non-penetrating eye injury. The prognosis for visual recovery was poor especially following penetration of the globe; visual acuity was reduced to 6/60 or less in 40 per cent of all eyes and in 18 per cent the injured eye was excised.

Repair of late retinal detachment after successful treatment of retinoblastoma.

Purpose: To analyze the results of vitreous surgery for late retinal detachment (RD) after successful treatment of retinoblastoma. Methods: The records of all patients with retinoblastoma seen at a single ocular oncology service between 1982 and 1998 were reviewed to identify patients treated for late RD. Previous treatments, characteristics of the RD, surgical techniques used, and visual and anatomic results of the surgery were recorded. Results: Of more than 500 charts reviewed, four patients treated for late RD were identified. All four had received previous, whole‐eye, external beam radiotherapy and subsequently required cataract surgery. Other previous treatments included radioactive plaque, cryotherapy, xenon photocoagulation, and chemotherapy. At presentation, some patients had shifting subretinal fluid. None had a tear identifiable preoperatively, but two patients had a definite small slit tear at a tumor edge identified at surgery. One patient had a primary scleral buckle that failed. All patients had vitreous surgery with silicone oil. Average postsurgical follow‐up was 30 months. Preoperative visual acuity ranged from 20/80 to light perception and improved postoperatively in two patients. The retina re‐ mained completely attached in three patients. Conclusions: Despite shifting subretinal fluid and no identifiable tear, a rhegmatog‐ enous RD should be considered if it occurs late in patients with otherwise stable, treated retinoblastoma. Tumor reactivation must be excluded carefully. Vitreous surgery can be used to repair the RD successfully and improve vision.

Giant retinal tear and retinal detachment with underlying retinitis pigmentosa and hearing loss.

Few retinal detachments have been described in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and allied retinal disorders, with only two cases (both with hearing loss) reported in association with giant retinal tears. To further characterise clinical characteristics of giant retinal tear associated with retinitis pigmentosa, we reviewed the course of four eyes of three patients. Unexpectedly, all three individuals also suffered from congenital sensorineural hearing loss. One suffered from associated myopathy. Despite aggressive surgical management, three of the four eyes became blind. The diagnosis of retinal detachment preceded the diagnosis of photoreceptor dystrophy in two of the three patients. To date, giant retinal tears occurring with underlying retinitis pigmentosa have been described in five young individuals, all of whom had associated congenital sensorineural hearing loss.