Erratum to: Worldwide Argus II implantation: recommendations to optimize patient outcomes (original) (raw)

Worldwide Argus II implantation: recommendations to optimize patient outcomes

BMC ophthalmology, 2016

A position paper based on the collective experiences of Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System investigators to review strategies to optimize outcomes in patients with retinitis pigmentosa undergoing retinal prosthesis implantation. Retinal surgeons, device programmers, and rehabilitation specialists from Europe, Canada, Middle East, and the United States were convened to the first international Argus II Investigator Meeting held in Ann Arbor, MI in March 2015. The recommendations from the collective experiences were collected. Factors associated with successful outcomes were determined. Factors leading to successful outcomes begin with appropriate patient selection, expectation counseling, and preoperative retinal assessment. Challenges to surgical implantation include presence of staphyloma and inadequate Tenon's capsule or conjunctiva. Modified surgical technique may reduce risks of complications such as hypotony and conjunctival erosion. Rehabilitation efforts and correlation wi...

Altered gene expression in conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma

Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma is a malignancy of the ocular surface. The molecular drivers responsible for the development and progression of this disease are not well understood. We therefore compared the transcriptional profiles of eight snap-frozen conjunctival squamous cell carcinomas and one in situ lesion with normal conjunctival specimens in order to identify diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets. RNA was analyzed using oligonucleotide microarrays, and a wide range of transcripts with altered expression identified, including many dysregulated in carcinomas arising at other sites. Among the upregulated genes, we observed more than 30-fold induction of the matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-9 and MMP-11, as well as a prominent increase in the mRNA level of a calcium-binding protein important for the intracellular calcium signaling, S100A2, which was induced over 20-fold in the tumor cohort. Clusterin was the most downregulated gene, with an approximately 180-fold reduction in the mRNA expression. These alterations were all confirmed by qPCR in the samples used for initial microarray analysis. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the overexpression of MMP-11 and S100A2, as well as reductions in clusterin, in several independent in situ carcinomas of conjunctiva. These data identify a number of alterations, including upregulation of MMP-9, MMP-11, and S100A2, as well as downregulation of clusterin, associated with epithelial tumorigenesis in the ocular surface. Modern Pathology advance online publication,

Uveitis survey in children

British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2009

Background/Aims: This is a retrospective cohort uveitis survey to determine the clinical features of uveitis in children and assess the rate of complications at two referral centers in Saudi Arabia.

The Effects of Intravitreal Bevacizumab in Infectious and Noninfectious Uveitic Macular Edema

Journal of Ophthalmology, 2014

Background/Aims. To assess the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVBI) for the treatment of macular edema due to infectious and noninfectious uveitides. Design. Retrospective interventional case series. Methods. A chart review was performed on all the patients who were diagnosed with uveitic macular edema (UME) and received 1.25 mg of IVBI at two referral centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All included patients had their visual acuity and macular thickness analyzed at baseline and at 1 and 3 months following IVBI and any sign of reactivation was noted. Results. The mean age of patients was 41 ± 16 years with a mean followup of 4 ± 1 months. Ten patients had idiopathic intermediate uveitis, 9 patients had Behcet's disease, 10 had idiopathic panuveitis, and twelve patients had presumed ocular tuberculosis uveitis. Following IVBI, the mean LogMAR visual acuity improved from 0.8 ± 0.8 at baseline to 0.4 ± 0.5 at 1 month and 0.3 ± 0.5 at 3 months ( < 0.002, at 3 months). The mean macular thickness was 430 ± 132 m at baseline. Following IVBI macular thickness improved to 286 ± 93 m at 1 month and to 265 ± 88 m at 3 months of followup ( < 0.001, at 3 months). Conclusion. Bevacizumab was effective in the management of UME associated with both infectious and noninfectious uveitides. Intravitreal bevacizumab induced remission of UME with infectious uveitis and had no immunosuppressive effect against infectious agents.

Polymerase chain reaction in unilateral cases of presumed viral anterior uveitis samir s shoughy 1 hind M alkatan 2,4 abdulelah a al-abdullah 2 albarah el-Khani 2 Jolanda DF de groot- Mijnes

Background and objectives: Anterior uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation. The main aim of this study was to determine the viral etiology in patients with unilateral cases of anterior uveitis. Patients and methods: A total of 12 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of idiopathic unilateral anterior uveitis were included prospectively. Aqueous specimens were obtained from each patient by anterior chamber paracentesis and subjected to the detection of viral DNA/RNA genome by polymerase chain reaction assay for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, and rubella virus. Results: There were six male and six female patients. The mean age was 43 years, with an age range of 11–82 years. All 12 cases presented with unilateral anterior uveitis. In four (33%) patients, polymerase chain reaction was positive for viral genome. Two patients were positive for herpes simplex virus type 1, one patient was positive for cytomegalovirus and one for Epstein–Barr virus. Conclusion: Recent molecular diagnostic assays would help in the identification of the causative agent in patients with unilateral anterior uveitis.

Polymerase Chain Reaction For Viral Agents In Idiopathic Unilateral Cases Of Anterior Uveitis

Anterior uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation. The main aim of this study was to determine the viral etiology in patients with unilateral cases of anterior uveitis. Patients and methods: A total of 12 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of idiopathic unilateral anterior uveitis were included prospectively. Aqueous specimens were obtained from each patient by anterior chamber paracentesis and subjected to the detection of viral DNA/RNA genome by polymerase chain reaction assay for herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and rubella virus. Results: There were six male and six female patients. The mean age was 43 years, with an age range of 11-82 years. All 12 cases presented with unilateral anterior uveitis. In four (33%) patients, polymerase chain reaction was positive for viral genome. Two patients were positive for herpes simplex virus type 1, one patient was positive for cytomegalovirus and one for Epstein-Barr virus. Conclusion: Recent molecular diagnostic assays would help in the identification of the causative agent in patients with unilateral anterior uveitis.

Outcomes of cataract surgery in diabetic patients: results of the Pan American Collaborative Retina Study Group

Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia, 2014

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the visual and anatomical out co mes after cataract surgery in diabetic patients with different intraoperative therapeutic strategies. Methods: The research design comprised of a multicentric, retrospective, interventional study conducted at 6 centers in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela. We included 138 diabetic patients with at least 6-month follow-up following phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness were collected at baseline and at 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. Of these, 42 cases were not treated with any intraoperative coadjuvant medication (Group 1), 59 patients received intraoperative bevacizumab (Group 2) and 37 patients received intraoperative triamcinolone (4 mg/0.1 ml) (Group 3). Results: The mean logMAR [± standard deviation (SD)] BCVA improved from 0.82 (± 0.43) at baseline, to 0.14 (± 0.23) at 6-month follow-up (p<0.001) in Group 1; from 0.80 (± 0.48) to 0.54 (± 0.45) (p<0.001) in Group 2; and from 1.0 (± 0.40) to 0.46 (± 0.34) (p<0.001) in Group 3. The mean central subfield thickness increased from 263.57 µm (± 35.7) at baseline to 274.57 µm (± 48.7) at 6-month follow-up (p=0.088) in Group 1; from 316.02 µm (± 100.4) to 339.56 µm (± 145.3) (p=0.184) in Group 2; and from 259.18 µm (± 97.9) to 282.21 µm (± 87.24) (p=0.044) in Group 3. Conclusions: Diabetic patients may significantly benefit from cataract surgery. This study provides evidence to support the use of intravitreal triamcinolone or bevacizumab at the time of cataract surgery in cases with pre-existent diabetic macular edema or moderate-severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Identification of Multiple DNA Copy Number Alterations Including Frequent 8p11.22 Amplification in Conjunctival Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2014

Purpose: Little is known about the molecular alterations which drive formation and growth of 2 conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). We therefore sought to identify genetic changes 3 which could be used as diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets. 4 Methods: DNA extracted from 10 snap frozen cSCC tumor specimens and 2 in situ tumors 5 carcinomas was analyzed using array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH), and 6 further examined with NanoString and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).