Preexisting Ocular Surface Disease Research Articles

Expert Consensus Recommendations for the Management of Ocular Surface Inflammation in Patients With Glaucoma.

We have developed through a consensus process 24 clinical recommendations for the comprehensive management of ocular surface inflammation in glaucoma patients, including diagnostic criteria, prevention measures, and treatment strategies according to ocular surface disease severity. To obtain expert consensus on the diagnosis, prevention, and management of ocular surface inflammation (OSI) in patients with glaucoma. An international steering committee of glaucoma and/or ocular surface disease (OSD) experts and a wider faculty of members from the Educational Club of Ocular Surface and Glaucoma (ECOS-G) collaborated to develop clinical recommendations on best practice in the management of OSI in glaucoma patients using a nonanonymous interactive quasi-Delphi process. Clinical recommendations were formulated by the steering committee based on an analysis of the recent literature to determine unmet needs, together with a web-based interactive survey of faculty members' opinion in seven identified areas of OSI management in glaucoma. Topics included (1) diagnosis of OSD, (2) diagnosis of OSI, (3) causes of OSI, (4) impact of OSD/OSI, (5) prevention of OSI, (6) treatment of OSI, and (7) inflammation and the deep structures of the eye. Faculty members were invited to vote on the clinical recommendations, and the steering committee then determined whether consensus had been achieved. Consensus was obtained on 24 clinical recommendations by 80%-100% of faculty members. There was consensus that OSI should be investigated in all glaucoma patients. The main prevention measure in glaucoma patients with pre-existing OSD was the elimination/minimisation of preserved medications, especially BAK-preserved eye drops. A subtractive treatment strategy rather than an additive strategy is recommended according to OSI/OSD severity to improve the ocular health and/or before glaucoma surgery. These recommendations for the management of OSI in glaucoma should be useful to guide decision-making in clinical practice.

Clinical Features, Risk Factors, and Management of Candida Keratitis

ABSTRACT Background/Aims To determine the clinical features, predisposing factors, and management of infectious keratitis caused by Candida spp. Methods Retrospective chart review. Results The medical records of 52 patients (54 eyes) with Candida keratitis were available for statistical analysis. Thinning of the corneal stroma was identified in 34 eyes (63.0%), and corneal perforation occurred in 16 eyes (29.6%). Corneal thinning and perforation were more common in Candida albicans compared with non-albicans (P-val < .001, P = .09, respectively). The most common predisposing factors for Candida keratitis were topical steroid use (21 patients, 40.4%), previous corneal transplantation (17 patients, 32.7%), and preexisting ocular surface disease (15 patients, 28.8%). Fourteen eyes (25.9%) required cyanoacrylate glue application and 10 eyes (18.5%) underwent therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (TPK). Conclusion Local immunosuppression and ocular surface disease play an important role in Candida keratitis. C. albicans appears to be more invasive compared with non-albicans spp.

Is it time for a moratorium on the use of benzalkonium chloride in eyedrops?

Is it time for a moratorium on the use of benzalkonium chloride in eyedrops?

Ocular Surface Changes After Switching from Other Prostaglandins to Tafluprost and Preservative-Free Tafluprost in Glaucoma Patients.

PurposeTo study ocular surface disease (OSD) changes after switching from preserved prostaglandin analogues monotherapy to preserved tafluprost and preservative-free (PF) tafluprost in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.MethodsGlaucoma patients treated with preserved prostaglandins (except tafluprost) monotherapy for at least 6 months, intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤22 mmHg, and diagnosed of OSD [≥1 criterion; tear break-up time (TBUT) ≤10 seconds, corneal fluorescein staining ≥grade 1] in both eyes were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study. All eligible patients were switched from preserved prostaglandin analogues monotherapy (latanoprost, bimatoprost, travoprost) to preserved tafluprost in one eye (group I) and PF-tafluprost in the other eye (group II) of the same patient by randomization. The symptoms of OSD were evaluated using the visual analogue scale, and lid inflammation, conjunctival hyperemia, TBUT, corneal fluorescein staining, and Schirmer I test were applied to assess the clinical signs. All parameters were evaluated before and then 6, 12, 24 weeks after switching the medications.ResultsThirty patients (80% women; mean age: 61.2 ±11.5 years) were included. Baseline parameters were not different between the treatment groups. After switching therapies, TBUT was significantly increased in both groups (p = 0.002, p = 0.004, respectively); however, group II had better tear quality. Other symptoms and clinical signs of OSD were improved and IOP was controlled in both groups.ConclusionTreatment with PF-tafluprost improves TBUT better than preserved tafluprost, suggesting that PF-tafluprost should be especially beneficial for patients with pre-existing OSD. Less or no preservative anti-glaucoma eye drops can restore and enhance the ocular surface in glaucoma patients.

Anti‐glaucomatous medication and ocular surface

AbstractThe purpose of this talk is to explore the interaction between ocular surface disease (OSD) and anti‐glaucomatous medication, whether a preexisting OSD can affect the success of the anti‐glaucomatous medication in terms of discomfort and non‐compliance and whether the anti‐glaucomatous medication can initiate or worsen OSD.

Preservatives in glaucoma medication

Preservatives continue to be in widespread use in ophthalmic medications due to the convenience they provide, regulatory requirements and the higher cost of alternatives. Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) remains the most...

Tear film changes after cataract surgery: manual small-incision cataract surgery versus phacoemulsification

Aim The aim was to identify if the type of surgical procedure has any bearing on dry eye syndrome and to find out the duration of postsurgical recovery of dryness in small-incision cataract surgery and phacoemulsification. Patients and methods A prospective randomized study was conducted on 100 patients of cataract. Group A had 50 patients who underwent small-incision cataract surgery, and group B included 50 patients who underwent phacoemulsification. Patients with pre-existing ocular surface disease, for example, known case of glaucoma; taking topical antiglaucoma drugs; lid disorders; and grade 5 cataract (hard cataract in which it is difficult to do phacoemulsification) were excluded. Dry eye workup included Schirmer’s I, basic secretion test, tear film breakup time, and corneal sensation. The workup was done preoperatively and then on seventh, 21st, and 90th day postoperatively. The values were compared in the group itself and in-between the two groups. Results In groups A and B, there was significant difference in the preoperative values of Schirmer’s I test, basic secretion test, and tear breakup time (TBUT) as compared with day 7 and day 21 postoperative values (P 0.05). There was significant difference in the Schirmer’s I test and basic secretion test values after 21 days of surgery between the groups (P 0.05). Conclusion Cataract surgery can cause or aggravate dry eye and affect the dry eye test values in the postoperative period up to 3 months. This holds true for both manual small-incision cataract surgery and phacoemulsification surgery. Therefore before surgery, patients must be informed about the possible aggravation of dry eye symptoms, and artificial tears should be prescribed for attenuating corneal damage and dry eye symptoms.

Fungal keratitis in the Republic of Ireland.

PurposeFungal keratitis is relatively rare in temperate climates with only one previous population-based study, which reported a minimum annual incidence of 0.32 per million population in the United Kingdom. We performed a nationwide study in the Republic of Ireland of cases over a 6-year period to establish the incidence, risk factors, treatment, and outcomes of fungal keratitis.Patients and methodsAll corneal scraping specimens positive for fungal species over a 6-year period were identified at the microbiology departments of the seven main ophthalmology units in the Republic of Ireland. Census data was used to establish national minimum annual incidence.ResultsForty-two eyes were treated for confirmed fungal keratitis during the 6-year period. This resulted in a minimum incidence of 1.53 cases per million population per year. Twenty-eight of 42 cases (67%) were due to filamentary fungi, with the most common species being Aspergillus. Pre-existing ocular surface disease was the most common risk factor constituting 42.9%; 26.2% underwent keratoplasty. No eyes underwent evisceration. Two eyes resulted in a level of vision of no perception of light. The mean LogMAR acuity in the remainder of cases was 0.89 with a range from -0.10 to 4.00.ConclusionThis study demonstrates a much higher minimum annual incidence than previously reported. The causative organism is highly related to risk factor. The range of visual outcomes remains broad in all subgroups. The wide range of outcomes and treatments used highlights the need for better evidence-based guidelines for fungal keratitis.

Achievements and Limits of Current Medical Therapy of Glaucoma.

Prescribing medical therapy for the treatment of glaucoma can be a complex process since many parameters should be taken into consideration regarding its achievements and limits. Today, a variety of options, including multiple drug classes and multiple agents within classes, are available to the clinician, but caution should be given to their side effects and contraindications. Glaucoma patients with preexisting ocular surface disease should be treated with caution, and preferably with preservative-free formulations, as there is an increased risk for symptom deterioration. The development and use of fixed-combination therapies has reduced the preservative-related side effects that threaten patient adherence and has minimized the washout effect of multiple instillations. Adherence to medical treatment is not only crucial to its efficacy but also to its cost-effectiveness. Further factors to consider are that there are patients who are nonresponders to treatment, and also that the target intraocular pressure (IOP) cannot be reached in all patients, regardless of the response to treatment. The progression of damage can occur even under maximum medical treatment or maximally tolerated medical treatment, and regardless of whether low IOP levels are reached. Furthermore, there is some conflict between medical treatment and quality of life due to long-term everyday use and to side effects of treatment. New molecules and new delivery systems are being investigated to open new horizons in glaucoma management. Although the general rule is to initiate glaucoma management with medical treatment, the limits of medical therapy should be considered to identify those patients in need of surgical management.

Outcomes of cataract surgery in graft-versus-host disease.

To study the outcomes of cataract surgery in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Retrospective review of 72 eyes of 41 patients (age, 17-69 years at the time of surgery) with chronic GVHD after HSCT, who underwent cataract surgery between 2008 and 2012 at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, W. K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan. Ophthalmic data collected included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), responses to Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, dry eye severity, and postoperative complications. BCVA improved from 20/49 to 20/25 (P < 0.0001) after surgery. Eight patients (20%) had pretransplantation total body irradiation and 39 patients (95%) received systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of GVHD. Postoperative complications included cystoid macular edema (4 eyes), corneal ulceration with perforation (2 eyes: 1 infected and 1 sterile), and band keratopathy (1 eye). After surgery, subjective OSDI responses and dry eye disease (DED) did not change significantly from before cataract surgery, although OSDI showed a trend toward worsening. With careful monitoring and management of DED and concurrent ocular surface disease, cataract surgery generally has good visual outcomes in patients with GVHD. However, aggravation of the preexisting ocular surface disease is frequent, and despite meticulous postoperative maintenance therapy, vision-threatening complications may occur.

The Outcomes of Primary Pediatric Keratoplasty in Singapore

To evaluate the long-term corneal graft survival and risk factors for graft failure in pediatric eyes. Retrospective, interventional consecutive case series. Unilateral eyes of 105 patients aged 16 years and below were included from the Singapore Corneal Transplant Study between April 4, 1991 and April 4, 2011. Corneal graft survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and survival distributions were compared using log-rank test. Mean recipient age was 8.38 ± 5.63 years (range 0.18-15.92 years). Mean follow-up time was 34.16 ± 39.10months. Main diagnoses were corneal scar (22.9%), limbal dermoid (21.9%), anterior segment dysgenesis (15.2%), and keratoconus (14.3%). Forty-four eyes (41.9%) underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PK), 37 (35.2%) underwent anterior lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), 22 (21.0%) underwent lamellar corneal patch graft, and 2 (1.9%) underwent Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). Kaplan-Meier survival rates for PK were 92.8% at 1 year, 88.9% at 2-4 years, and 80.9% at 5-16 years; survival rates for ALK were 88.0% at 1 year and 84.3% at 2-7 years; survival rates for corneal patch graft were 100% at 1-3 years and 90% at 4-10 years; these were not statistically significant (P= .362). Deep corneal vascularization (P= .012), preexisting active inflammation (P= .023), preexisting glaucoma drainage device (P= .023), and preexisting ocular surface disease (P= .037) were associated with reduced graft survival in a univariate analysis. We report good long-term graft survival following pediatric keratoplasty for various indications. Lamellar keratoplasty, when indicated, should be the procedure of choice in high-risk keratoplasties.