News Sept. 14, 2019 Use of intraocular lenses relatively safe for treatment of cataracts in infants ages 7 to 24 months old The Toddler Aphakia and Pseudophakia Study (TAPS) evaluated concerns about adverse events, re-operations and refractive changes in infants who receive intraocular lens implantation for cataract. Sept. 14, 2019 Study finds most conjunctival tumors benign with low risk of malignant transformation While most conjunctival tumors are benign with low risk of malignant transformation, researchers recommend subspecialty referrals in the setting of changing appearance or worrisome features. Sept. 14, 2019 Study supports increased risk of ischemic stroke in the peri-CRAO period Research supports that there is an increased risk of stroke around the time of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), especially if an embolic etiology of CRAO is diagnosed. July 16, 2019 PedEyeQ assesses quality of life in children with eye conditions PedEyeQ comprehensive questionnaires can be used to assess two broad areas, eye-related quality of life and functional vision, in children of any age with any eye condition. July 16, 2019 Study identifies clinical phenotype, visual outcomes of MOG-IgG antibody optic neuritis Research supports that MOG-IgG positivity should be suspected if optic disk edema is moderate to severe at onset or if MRI shows optic nerve sheath involvement. July 16, 2019 Biopsy recommended for patients with clinical characteristics of IgG4-ROD Researchers recommend biopsy for patients who do not follow the usual clinical course of Graves' orbitopathy or have clinical characteristics of immunoglobulin G4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD). April 13, 2019 Risk of primary open-angle glaucoma increases after vitreoretinal surgery Research supports an increased risk of late-onset, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) after vitrectomy and vitrectomy with scleral buckling, but not after scleral buckling alone. Researchers recommend more-frequent moni[...] April 13, 2019 New method classifies FECD severity: Tomographic evaluation of corneas for subclinical edema A new method of classifying Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) severity employs Scheimpflug tomography for preoperative assessment of corneas for the presence of subclinical edema. April 13, 2019 Optimal timing for intervention in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction A study of infants with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) suggests that surgical intervention may be most appropriate in an early and narrow time frame: between ages 9 and 15 months. Sept. 21, 2018 Surgical treatment impacts health-related quality of life for patients with glaucoma Patients with glaucoma report poor health-related quality of life due to worse diplopia, lower mean deviation on visual field testing in either eye, decreased visual acuity in either eye, younger age, and previous glauc[...] Sept. 21, 2018 Ocular manifestations in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder: A case report Mayo subspecialists collaborated for successful treatment of an 8-year-old boy. After orthotopic heart transplantation, the boy exhibited bilateral ocular involvement in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder with[...] Sept. 21, 2018 SCOPE research tracks increased use, performance of scleral lenses The Scleral Lenses in Current Ophthalmic Practice: An Evaluation (SCOPE) study group works to provide a better understanding of the role and performance of scleral lenses in clinical practice. Aug. 21, 2018 Optic disk edema in GFAP meningoencephalitis may mimic papilledema Mayo specialists recommend testing cerebrospinal fluid glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) autoantibodies in patients with unexplained meningoencephalitis. Their optic disk edema is more likely due to an inflammatory[...] Aug. 18, 2018 Fibrin hydrogels provide a scaffold for transplantation of RPE monolayers Research suggests that fibrin hydrogels may provide a long-lived scaffold for the differentiation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from stem cells that can then be degraded under controlled circumstances after delive[...] Aug. 17, 2018 Incidence of pseudophakic intraocular lens exchange increases with incidence of cataract surgery Emerging indications of intraocular lens exchange, including unplanned refractive error and uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema syndrome from square-edged haptics in the ciliary sulcus, reflect changes in lens design and increasin[...] April 14, 2018 Evidence supports association between CSC and exogenous glucocorticoid use Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is uncommonly mentioned by nonophthalmologists as a side effect of steroid use. A review suggests significant association: Both exogenous and endogenous glucocorticoids are implica[...] April 13, 2018 Psychological factors may impact quality of life after strabismus surgery Depressive symptoms, double vision and facial anomalies may impact patient-reported outcome measures after strabismus surgery. Research confirms the need to consider and address psychological factors and personality par[...] April 13, 2018 Research confirms the clinical characteristics of ocular sarcoidosis In a population-based study of the clinical characteristics of ocular involvement of sarcoidosis, eye symptoms were the first presentation that led to the diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis in more than half of the patie[...] Oct. 13, 2017 Incidence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension parallels rising rate of obesity Obesity is a major risk factor for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Research indicates that the incidence rates of obesity and IIH have increased steadily and in parallel since 1990. Oct. 13, 2017 Pediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology, Third Edition, available Published by Springer-Verlag New York, the textbook contains 823 pages that detail the current diagnostic management and treatment of neuro-ophthalmological diseases in children. Oct. 13, 2017 Risk of serious complications increases for older adult patients treated with dacryocystorhinostomy for acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction Research indicates that in patients age 80 and older, the rate of symptom resolution after dacryocystorhinostomy was significantly lower and the risk of serious complications was higher than that of younger patients. Oct. 13, 2017 Optical coherence tomography shows promise for the noninvasive detection of elevated intracranial pressure Optical coherence tomography could change current neurosurgical practice by sparing children with elevated intracranial pressure the stress and risks of invasive monitoring. Ophthalmologists may play a more determinativ[...] July 15, 2017 Patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy exhibit a unique signature of missplicing events in TCF4 Research shows that changes in gene function through alternate splicing induced by a trinucleotide repeat expansion in the TCF4 gene can be a valid pathogenic mechanism in most patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal d[...] July 15, 2017 Intraoperative use of GenTeal gel linked to subconjunctival necrotizing granulomata A study of patients who developed postoperative subconjunctival necrotizing granulomata after ophthalmologic surgical procedures involving large conjunctival incisions indicates an association between intraoperative use[...] July 15, 2017 Posterior corneal profile changes impact Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy, endothelial keratoplasty and intraocular lens implantation In eyes with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), the posterior cornea is flatter and more spherical than normal, resulting in less negative power and loss of normal posterior surface toricity — changes th[...] April 15, 2017 The causes of acquired 3rd nerve palsy A study using Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) records demonstrates a higher incidence of microvascular and a lower incidence of aneurysmal third nerve palsies than previously reported in nonpopulation-based studies[...] April 15, 2017 Ophthalmology moves toward a culture of safety Building a culture of safety requires acknowledgment of the high-risk nature of eye team activities, commitment to consistently safe operations, a blame-free environment, and collaboration across ranks and disciplines t[...] April 15, 2017 Diplopia underrecognized in patients with medically and surgically treated glaucoma Research indicates that use of a standardized self-assessment of diplopia and strabismus in patients with glaucoma both before and after surgery encourages providers to broach the topic of diplopia with patients in rout[...] Oct. 15, 2016 KATP channel opener cromakalim lowers IOP in human and mouse models Research evaluating the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering ability of ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener cromakalim in human and murine models indicates that cromakalim can significantly lower IOP in human and anim[...] Oct. 15, 2016 Visual acuity continues to improve after DSEK for Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy For patients in a prospective study, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity continued to improve between one and five years after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), accompanied by improvements in cornea[...] Oct. 15, 2016 Research identifies characteristics of convergence insufficiency in adults Researchers used a medical record retrieval system to describe the clinical characteristics of convergence insufficiency (CI) in a population-based cohort of adults 19 years of age and older, diagnosed over a 20-year pe[...] July 16, 2016 Bevacizumab with dexamethasone implant improves visual acuity and macular morphology in eyes with DME A study of eyes with persistent diabetic macular edema after multiple anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections indicates that a dexamethasone implant combined with bevacizumab improves visual acuity and macula[...] July 16, 2016 Intense pulsed light for treatment of dry eye disease A retrospective study confirms that intense pulsed light (IPL) and meibomian gland expression (MGX) treatment can improve dry eye symptoms and offers a reasonable option for patients who have not shown improvement with [...] July 16, 2016 Intraoperative torsional forced duction test assesses obliques' tightness and laxity The torsional forced duction test enables more-precise quantitative assessment of superior oblique (SO) and inferior oblique (IO) tightness and laxity, and is useful for intraoperative surgical planning. April 15, 2016 Trabeculectomy-related complications not related to mitomycin Researchers studying Rochester Epidemiology Project data on patients with glaucoma treated with trabeculectomy found the complication rate was unchanged during the 25-year study period, regardless of changes in mitomyci[...] April 12, 2016 Onset of corneal abnormalities in Fuchs' dystrophy begins early in the course of the disease Improved understanding of the onset of corneal changes in Fuchs' dystrophy may help identify patients who will benefit from intervention before any changes in the host tissue that affect outcomes become irreversible. April 12, 2016 Adults with nonparalytic forms of strabismus face increased risk of mental illness Research based on Rochester Epidemiology Project data indicates that adults with divergence insufficiency or small-angle hypertropia may be at increased risk of mental illness and its comorbidities. Oct. 31, 2015 MYD88 L265P mutation may provide a new marker for diagnosis of vitreoretinal lymphoma Research indicates that MYD88 L265P constitutive activating mutations are present in at least some cases of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma form of vitreoretinal lymphoma. Oct. 30, 2015 RNA toxicity and missplicing identified in patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy The genetic mechanism of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is the same as the genetic mechanism in myotonic dystrophy type 1, a severe neuromuscular degeneration. It's possible that other common genetic diseas[...] Oct. 30, 2015 Rituximab offers no benefit over placebo to patients with active or moderate-to-severe Graves' orbitopathy Results from a double-masked, randomized controlled trial indicate that rituximab offers no additional benefit over placebo to patients with active and moderate-to-severe Graves' orbitopathy (GO) and carries non-negligi[...] July 11, 2015 Fixation is the primary driver of dissociated vertical divergence Research shows that peripheral binocular luminance disparity modulates dissociated vertical divergence (DVD) at the cortical level primarily when superimposed upon fixation. DVD develops when fixation evokes facultative[...] July 11, 2015 Regenerative Medicine Biotrust provides hope for patients with Best disease Mayo's Regenerative Medicine Biotrust converted skin samples into bioengineered stem cells and then converted those cells into functioning retinal pigment epithelial cells, allowing researchers to test potential options[...] July 11, 2015 Patients report better vision-related quality of life after endothelial keratoplasty Endothelial keratoplasty offers corneal surgeons simpler postoperative management, including lack of suture removal and suture-associated complications, a predictable postoperative refractive error, and a tectonically s[...] April 11, 2015 Reimbursement policy creates a conflict of interest for patients and physicians Research indicates that some surgeons have made a significant change in the delivery of ptosis and blepharoplasty surgical services after the bundling of payment for these two procedures by the CMS. April 11, 2015 Intraocular pressure should be monitored in eyes receiving ranibizumab Although uncommon, sustained intraocular pressure increase after intravitreal ranibizumab injections is possible. Treating ophthalmologists should check pre-injection IOP at each patient visit. April 11, 2015 Combination therapy offers rapid improvements in vision and CST in patients with macular edema due to RVOs Compared with bevacizumab monotherapy, the combination of bevacizumab with a dexamethasone implant leads to more rapid improvements in vision and CST in patients with macular edema due to RVOs, while requiring fewer bev[...] Nov. 06, 2014 Disease-causing mutations exhibit disparate effects on the localization of bestrophin-1 Recent studies of the mechanisms underlying the bestrophinopathies indicate that four degenerative retinal diseases are associated with disparate effects on bestrophin-1 localization, but not oligomerization. Stem cell [...] Nov. 06, 2014 Use of antidepressant medications and the incidence of cataract surgery A retrospective, population-based study indicates that cataract surgery in people age 50 years or older was significantly associated with an increased use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the most commonly pr[...] Nov. 06, 2014 Trinucleotide repeat in TCF4 responsible for Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy Researchers at Mayo Clinic have identified the specific genetic defect in the TCF4 gene — the expansion of the TGC repeat — that appears to be responsible for Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Aug. 07, 2014 Rat IVC model allows researchers to study the role of intracranial pressure modulation in optic neuropathies In the rat intraventricular cannula model, intracranial pressure can be manually reduced or increased over an extended period of time to study the role of intracranial pressure in optic nerve pathology. Aug. 07, 2014 Study to explore the prevalence of angle-closure glaucoma and appropriate laser peripheral iridotomy in Caucasian populations Because angle-closure glaucoma has been considered uncommon among non-Asian ethnic groups, ophthalmologists may underuse gonioscopy during routine eye exams for Caucasians. A new study screens 5,000 volunteer Caucasian [...] Aug. 07, 2014 PEDIG translates research to evidence-based care for patients at Mayo Clinic The Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group uses evidence-based care to advance the treatment of children with amblyopia. PEDIG has also developed a more rigorous approach to assessing clinical parameters and provides [...] May 01, 2014 Incidence and probability of progression to blindness due to open-angle glaucoma decreases dramatically New diagnostic and progression analysis tools and new therapies for intraocular pressure reduction have benefited individual patients. A Rochester Epidemiology Project-based study explores their effects on the rates of [...] May 01, 2014 Retrospective study identifies incidence and demographics of new-onset strabismus in adults Research using Rochester Epidemiology Project data to explore the incidence and demographics of new-onset strabismus and its types in adults shows ocular misalignment among adults differs significantly from pediatric st[...] May 01, 2014 Fluoroquinolones do not increase patients' risk of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment In a retrospective study, researchers did not identify any increased risk of retinal detachment or acute retinal tears in patients who used oral fluoroquinolone prescriptions. Fluoroquinolones are one of the most common[...] Nov. 15, 2013 Children with congenital esotropia are at increased risk of developing mental illness Children with congenital esotropia are more likely to develop mental illness - Rochester Epidemiology Project research indicates that children diagnosed with CET are more likely to have mental illness diagnoses by their[...] Immunosuppressive agents may enhance corticosteroid treatments for uveitis Immunosuppressive medications may aid management of uveitis - Corticosteroids and topical cyclosporine drugs are approved for use in ocular inflammatory diseases. Patients with uveitis who require long-term corticostero[...] Patients with central retinal artery occlusion require embolic work-ups Study shows no significant correlation between EVP and elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma EVP is not the primary cause of high IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma - Researchers seeking a clearer understanding of EVP's contribution to the elevation of IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma found that a[...] Aflibercept shows promise as a game-changer for patients with age-related macular degeneration Aflibercept promises excellent visual outcomes for patients with exudative AMD - A review of clinical trial results indicates that monthly and bimonthly aflibercept treatments were noninferior to monthly ranibizumab at [...] Incidence of cataract surgery continues to increase steadily Increases in antidepressant use may contribute to growth of incident cataract surgery - A retrospective, population-based study indicates that cataract surgery in people age 50 years or older was significantly associate[...] Eye in the Storm Cancer immunotherapy eradicates tumors from within Cancer immunotherapy cures tumor-burdened mice - Researchers used human DNA from melanoma cells delivered through the vector vesicular stomatitis virus to eradicate cancerous tumors in mice. Success is associated with t[...] Blepharoptosis repair improves patients' quality of life Patients with blepharoplasty report statistically significant improvement of quality of life - Researchers used both the vision-specific NEI VFQ-25 and a generic health-related instrument, the EQ-5D, to examine the effe[...] Macular hole repair does not require face-down positioning Older patients benefit from macular hole surgery without face-down positioning - Surgery with broad ILM peeling, 20 percent sulfur hexafluoride gas and no face-down positioning may be effective in the treatment of idiop[...] Anti-VEGF therapy for age-related macular degeneration yields improved acuity for eyes with VMID Patients with VMID are not necessarily treatment resistant for AMD - A study that reviewed patients with vitreomacular interface disease (VMID) undergoing treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) f[...] Patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy experience residual corneal haze after DSEK Residual haze partially improves after DSEK for Fuchs dystrophy - A study of eyes with Fuchs dystrophy indicates that visual function after Descemet stripping with endothelial keratoplasty is affected by residual haze i[...] Medical Professionals Ophthalmology News