Primary Cataract Research Articles

Efficacy of new two-stage methods of surgical and laser treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma combined with cataract

Background. Lowering the intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only proven method to slow the progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Successful conservative treatment or surgery do not guarantee the preservation of visual fields throughout life. Despite the current advances in conservative treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma, about 5.3 % of patients still require surgical or combined treatment. There is no consensus yet on approaches to the treatment of patients with glaucoma and cataract. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of new two-stage methods for surgical and laser treatment of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma associated with cataract. Materials and methods. Seventy patients (70 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma stages I–IV complicated by cataract were included in this study. There were two observation groups. All patients received a two-stage treatment — micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-TSCPC) and phacoemulsification with a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. The first group (n = 34) included participants who underwent phacoemulsification with IOL implantation (stage 1) one month prior to MP-TSCPC (stage 2). The second group (n = 36) consisted of patients who underwent MP-TSCPC (stage 1) and phacoemulsification with IOL implantation a month after (stage 2). These groups did not statistically differ in terms of age, gender, baseline IOP, and stage of primary open-angle glaucoma. The primary outcome measure was the normalization of IOP with or without the use of antiglaucoma medications and without a need for further laser and incisional procedures in 1, 3 and 6 months. The secondary outcome was stabilization or expansion of visual fields when evalua­ting 1, 3, and 6 months after stage 2. Results. The average IOP level with antihypertensive medications before the treatment in group 1 was 27.5 ± 1.3 mmHg, in group 2 — 27.0 ± 1.1 mmHg. One month after the treatment, patients of group 1 had normal IOP in 94.2 % of eyes and in 5.8 % of eyes with local antihypertensive medications; in group 2, IOP was normal in 100 % of eyes without antiglaucoma medications (p < 0.05). In 3 and 6 months, better hypotensive results were in group 2, but outcomes were not statistically significant. The visual fields were preserved at the preoperative level or expan­ded in patients from groups 1 and 2 one month after the treatment in 91.2 and 97.2 % of the eyes, respectively, 3 months after — in 91.2 and 97.2 %, 6 months after — in 88.2 and 94.4 % of the eyes, respectively. In group 2, better functional results were obtained at all time points, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusions. The studies have established a high efficacy and safety of new two-stage methods for surgical and laser treatment of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and cataract with a follow-up period of 6 months. There was a tendency to greater efficacy of the method, where MP-TSCPC as stage 1 was followed by phacoemulsification with IOL implantation as stage 2. The nature and frequency of surgical and postoperative complications in both groups did not differ.

Indications and Outcomes of Intraocular Lens Explantation in a Tertiary Eyecare Center in Hungary between 2006 and 2020.

Our study aimed to evaluate the indications and outcomes of intraocular lens (IOL) explantation surgeries in a tertiary eyecare center in Hungary. This retrospective study included all IOL explantation surgeries performed between 2006 and 2020 at the Department of Ophthalmology of Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. There were no exclusion criteria for this study. For each patient, the demographics, clinical history, preoperative status, indications for IOL explantation, and operative and postoperative details were reviewed. Primary outcomes included explantation indications and the type of secondary implanted IOL. A total of 161 eyes from 153 patients were included (96 males; 62.7%); age at the time of the IOL explantation was 65.0 ± 17.4 years. The mean time between primary cataract surgery and IOL explantation was 8.5 ± 7.7 years. In total, 139 (86.3%) PCIOLs and 22 (13.7%) ACIOLs were explanted. The main indications for IOL explantation were dislocation (n = 133; 95.7%) and refractive cause (n = 2; 1.4%) in the PCIOL group. Among ACIOL explantations, the main reasons were pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (n = 14; 63.6%), dislocation (n = 4; 18.2%), and refractive cause (n = 2; 9.1%). In the PCIOL group, 115 (82.7%) primary IOLs were implanted in the capsular bag, 16 (11.5%) were sulcus fixated, and 8 (5.8%) were scleral fixated. The most frequent ocular comorbidities were previous vitrectomy (n = 50, 31.1%), previous ocular trauma (n = 45, 28.0%), glaucoma (n = 16, 9.9%), pseudoexfoliation syndrome (n = 15, 9.3%), and high axial myopia (n = 14, 8.7%). The most commonly used secondary IOL implant was the prepupillary iris-claw IOL (n = 115, 73.7%), followed by the retropupillary iris-claw IOL (n = 32, 20.5%). Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was significantly better following IOL exchange in the entire sample (1.57 ± 0.61 (range: 2.40-0.05) vs. 0.77 ± 0.56 (range: 2.40-0.00); p < 0.001). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was maintained or improved in 80.7% of cases after IOL explantation. The most common indication for IOL explantation at a tertiary eyecare center in Hungary is IOL dislocation, followed by pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Prepupillary and retropupillary iris-claw IOL are the most frequently used secondary implants and their use resulted in a significant UCVA improvement following IOL exchange.

Impact of Peripheral Anterior Synechiae on the Outcome of Combined Phacoemulsification, Goniosynechialysis, and Goniotomy for Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma and Cataract: A Multicenter Observational Study.

The combination of phacoemulsification, goniosynechialysis and goniotomy is an effective treatment for primary angle closure glaucoma patients with cataract, and this is not linked to the extent of preoperative peripheral anterior synechiae. To evaluate the impact of the extent of peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) on the effectiveness and safety of combined phacoemulsification (PEI), goniosynechialysis (GSL), and goniotomy (GT) in eyes with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract. This study included patients diagnosed with PACG and cataracts who underwent combined PEI and 120 degrees GSL plus GT (PEI+GSL+GT) between April 2020 and October 2022 at 10 ophthalmic institutes. Eligible patients were divided into 3 groups based on the extent of PAS: 180°≤PAS<270°, 270°≤PAS<360°, and PAS=360°. Data on intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of ocular hypotensive medications, and complications were collected and compared. The study defined complete success as postoperative IOP within the 6-18mm Hg range and a 20% reduction from baseline without the use of topical medications. Qualified success was defined in the same way as complete success, but it allowed for the use of ocular hypotensive medications. Three hundred four eyes of 283 patients were included. The mean follow-up was 12.50±1.24 months. All groups experienced a significant reduction in IOP after the surgery ( P <0.05). There were no significant differences in final IOP, number of medications, and cumulative complete and qualified success rates among the 3 groups ( P >0.05). The groups with 270°≤PAS<360°had a higher frequency of hyphema compared with 180°≤PAS<270° ( P = 0.044). PEI+GSL+GT has proven to be an effective treatment for PACG with cataracts over a 1 year period. However, the outcome was not correlated with the preoperative extent of PAS.

The Efficacy of Phacotrabeculectomy in Reducing Intraocular Pressure

Background: Primary open angle glaucoma and age related cataract are ocular comorbidities which can occur in some individuals at different times. Phacoemulsification is carried out for restoration of vision decreased by cataract while trabeculectomy is a procedure to decrease the intra ocular pressure. To save the time, money and stay in the hospital, phacotrabeculectomy is a single procedure which can fulfill both the restoration of vision and decrease intraocular pressure. Objectives: To determine the efficacy of phacotrabeculectomy in decreasing the intraocular pressure in patients having both primary open angle glaucoma and age related cataract.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Eye department, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from 1st August, 2022 to 1st February 2023 after getting the permission from Ethical Committee to do this study. Patients both males and females, from 40-80 years of age, who had coexisting age related cataract (ARC) and Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), whose intraocular pressures (IOP) was 21mm Hg or above, with and without using anti-glaucoma treatment.Patients who had secondary or rosette shaped cataract, past ocular trauma (including ocular surgery along with its intraoperative or post-operative complications) and trauma after phacotrabeculectomy procedure during the follow up period were excluded from this study.Results: All 121 patients underwent Phacotrabeculectomy. Follow up was done for 5 months. Preoperative mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 23.53 ± 4.22SD which reduced to 12.90 ± 2.09SD postoperatively which was highly significant with p- value=0.001Conclusion: Phacotrabeculectomy reduced Intraocular pressure by &gt;10 mm Hg in our study which showed that this procedure is very effective in coexisting age related cataract and primary open angle glaucoma.Keywords: Age related cataract, Angle closure glaucoma, Combined phaco-trabeculectomy, Glaucoma, Intraocular pressure, Open angle glaucoma, Trabeculectomy.

Self-reported Visual Difficulty, Age-related Eye Disease, and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Purpose Self-reported visual difficulty is consistently associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric outcomes, but studies of specific age-related eye diseases have yielded conflicting results. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from The National Health and Aging Trends Study, an ongoing nationally representative survey of older U.S. adults (n = 10,089). All subjects are screened for self-reported visual difficulty annually. Using linked Medicare claims data, we identified subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), diabetic retinopathy, and cataract. For each condition, controls with complete Medicare eligibility and at least one eye care encounter were selected. We used semiparametric discrete time proportional hazards models to measure associations with incident dementia, and generalized estimating equations to examine longitudinal associations with depression, anxiety, and hallucinations, adjusting for baseline demographics and time-varying comorbidities. Results Self-reported visual difficulty was associated with dementia (HR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00–1.34), depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.26), anxiety (OR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.06–1.29), and hallucinations (OR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.29–1.84). Diabetic retinopathy was associated with depression (OR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05–1.64), and cataracts were associated with a lower risk of depression (OR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.95) and anxiety (OR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75–0.99). There were no other associations between age-related eye disease and neuropsychiatric outcomes. Conclusion Self-reported visual difficulty is associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric outcomes to a greater degree than age-related eye disease. These findings highlight the distinction between self-reported vision and clinically diagnosed eye disease with regard to health outcomes in older adults.

Resilience of elderly patients with sarcopenic obesity and age-related visual impairment

BACKGROUND: The development of visual deficit due to glaucoma or cataracts significantly limits motor activity and reduces the independence of elderly patients from others in daily activities. However, resilience among older patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and cortical cataract remains largely unexplored.&#x0D; AIM: To analysis of the resilience of elderly patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and cortical cataract&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this study, two clinical groups were formed: patients aged 60–74 years with primary open-angle glaucoma without secondary cataracts in the amount of 135 people (64 men and 71 women) and patients with cortical cataracts without combination with glaucoma in the number of 128 people (59 men and 69 women). To study the viability of patients, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25, validated in the Russian Federation, was used.&#x0D; RESULTS: To the greatest extent, representatives of both study groups differed in the subdomain “security in relationships” and “positivity of accepted changes” with a representative difference. The compared groups of patients also had statistically significant differences in such an important subdomain as individual perseverance (p 0.05) and competence in mean scores for each cohort. At the same time, there was a deterioration in age-related vitality according to the final parameter of patients on the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-25. At the same time, the decrease in the average value of the integral parameter according to the age-related vitality scale used in the study was 16.3 points with a statistically significant difference (p 0.05) in the group with cortical cataracts.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: As a result of the study, it was found that cortical cataracts and primary open-angle glaucoma contributed to a decrease in the vitality of elderly patients, and this was more pronounced in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, which should be taken into account when justifying medical and psychological support for such patients.

Reopening the capsular bag by removing the capsular proliferative membrane to enable secondary in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation in pediatric aphakic eyes.

To present a surgical technique for reopening the capsular bag in pediatric aphakia. Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangzhou, China. Case series study. Consecutive pediatric patients with bilateral aphakia requiring secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation between July 2021 and June 2022 were included. The diameter of the capsular proliferative membranous ring (PMR) and position of IOL implantation were documented. Various parameters of capsular bag opening during primary cataract removal and secondary surgery were also analyzed. 48 eyes were included with a mean follow-up of 8.1 ± 4.4 months. Using the surgical technique developed in this study, the capsular bag was successfully reopened with in-the-bag (ITB) implantation in 43 eyes (89.6%). ITB implantation was accomplished in all eyes with an outer diameter of PMR ≤5.5 mm and in 3 of 8 eyes (37.5%) with an outer diameter of PMR >5.5 mm. A positive correlation was observed between the primary and secondary anterior capsular opening diameters (ACODs) ( r = 0.422, P = .007) and the primary and secondary posterior capsular opening diameters (PCODs) ( r = 0.619, P < .001). The inner diameter of PMR was found to be positively correlated with secondary PCOD ( r = 0.728, P < .001) and the outer diameter with secondary ACOD ( r = 0.669, P < .001). This was a safe and effective surgical technique for pediatric secondary IOL implantation with maximum preservation of the peripheral capsule. Aphakic eyes with an outer diameter of PMR ≤5.5 mm are preferred for secondary ITB implantation.

Potentially compromised systemic and local lactate metabolic balance in glaucoma, which could increase retinal glucose and glutamate concentrations

To investigate the association between lactate metabolism and glaucoma, we conducted a multi-institutional cross-sectional clinical study and a retinal metabolomic analysis of mice with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) induced by intracameral microbead injection. We compared lactate concentrations in serum and aqueous humor in age-matched 64 patients each with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and cataract. Neither serum nor aqueous humor lactate concentrations differed between the two groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed that only body mass index showed a significant positive correlation with serum and aqueous humor lactate concentration in POAG patients (rs = 0.376, P = 0.002, and rs = 0.333, P = 0.007, respectively), but not in cataract patients. l-Lactic acid was one of the most abundantly detected metabolites in mouse retinas with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, but there were no significant differences among control, 2-week, and 4-week IOP elevation groups. After 4 weeks of elevated IOP, d-glucose and l-glutamic acid ranked as the top two for a change in raised concentration, roughly sevenfold and threefold, respectively (ANOVA, P = 0.004; Tukey–Kramer, P < 0.05). Glaucoma may disrupt the systemic and intraocular lactate metabolic homeostasis, with a compensatory rise in glucose and glutamate in the retina.

Low expression of TGF-β2 and matrilin2 in human aqueous humour with acute primary angle closure.

Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Angle closure induced by pupil block and secondary iris synechia is the fundamental pathology of the PACG. The molecular mechanisms of angle closure have not yet been clearly illustrated. This study was designed to investigate the protein difference in the aqueous humour and explore new biomarker of the PACG. Aqueous humour (AH) was collected from patients with acute primary angle closure (APAC) and cataract (n = 10 in APAC group) and patients with cataract only (n = 10 in control group). Samples were pooled and measured using label-free proteome technology. Then, the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were verified by ELISA using independent AH samples (n = 20 each group). More than 400 proteins were revealed in both groups through proteomics. Comparing the two groups, there were 91DEPs. These proteins participate in biological activities such as inflammation, fibrosis, nerve growth and degeneration and metabolism. We found that the expression of transforming growth factor-β2 and matrilin2 was downregulated in the APAC group. The two proteins are related to inflammation and extracellular matrix formation, which might be involved in angle closure. This study characterized DEPs in AH of the APAC and found a downregulated protein matrilin2.

Outcomes of hemi-Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty and phacoemulsification for the treatment of primary Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy combined with cataract

This study evaluates the long-term results of surgical treatment of patients with Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy and cataract. The study included 24 patients (24 eyes) with primary Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy and cataract, who underwent cataract phacoemulsification with IOL implantation and of Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty with a semicircular graft (hemi-DMEK). The effect of treatment was assessed by best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT) and endothelial cell density (ECD). In total, surgical treatment involved 14 donor corneas that were divided in half during the preparation and isolation of the Descemet's membrane (DM). By month 12 after the surgery an increase in visual functions and graft transparency were observed in 23 patients (23 eyes) out of 24. Repeated keratoplasty was required in one case due to fibrosis of the posterior layers of recipient's corneal stroma. At 12 months postoperatively, the study group showed an increase in BCVA from 0.16±0.1 to 0.75±20, a decrease in CCT from 650.9±4.5 μm to 519.6±43.9, and a decreased in ECD from 2850.5±84.7 cells/mm2 up to 1285.5±277.2 cells/mm2. Thus, the loss of endothelial cells at one year after surgery amounted to 54.9%. The developed method for transplantation of a semicircular DM fragment provides a tissue-saving approach to endothelial keratoplasty, and considering the high percentage of transparent engraftment of grafts and complete visual rehabilitation, it can be recommended in the treatment of patients with cataract and Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Allele and genotype frequencies for primary hereditary cataract, multifocal retinopathy 1, and degenerative myelopathy in Pyrenean Mountain dog from Italy

Pyrenean Mountain Dog (PMD) is an ancient dog breed firstly described in XIV century in the Pyrenees Region and nowadays diffused both in Europe and in the US. Hereditary Cataract (HC), defined as the inherited opacity of the lens, involves clinical signs ranging from reduced vision to glaucoma. A molecular basis of HC was firstly described in Staffordshire Bull Terriers and then reported in multiple canine breeds. The HC-associated variation is a single nucleotide deletion in HSF4 gene that introduces a premature stop codon (c.962del, p.Ala321*). Multifocal Retinopathy 1 (MR) is an ocular disorder characterized by multiple areas of retinal degeneration, caused in various dog breeds (including PMD) by a single nucleotide variant (SNV) in BEST1 gene that generates a premature stop codon (c.73G>A, p.Arg25*). Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is an adult-onset, progressive neurodegenerative disease and it is associated to a SNV in SOD1 gene causing a change in aminoacidic sequence of the protein (c.118G>A, p.Glu40Lys). This causative variant has been described in various dog breeds, including PMD. Aim of this study was to determine the allele frequencies for the abovementioned three genetic diseases in the Italian breeding PMD population. The survey found no dogs carrying the allele (deletion) associated with HC, while three dogs (6 %) were heterozygous (G/A) for the MR-associated variant, and seven dogs (13 %) were heterozygous (G/A) for the DM-associated alteration, indicating that the variant alleles frequency were 0 %, 3 %, and 7 %, respectively. Appropriate mating management is suggested for the prevention of genetic diseases spreading in the PMD population.

Jacques Daviel performed the first documented planned primary cataract extraction on Sep. 18, 1750.

Jacques Daviel performed the first documented planned primary cataract extraction on Sep. 18, 1750.

Comparison of Long-Term Effects Following Phacoemulsification Combined with Goniosynechialysis and Trabeculectomy in Patients with Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma and Cataract.

Goniosynechialysis (Phaco-GSL) is a logical therapeutic approach for patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term effectiveness and safety of Phaco-GSL and trabeculectomy (TRB) in the management of PACG with coexisting cataract. A review was conducted on 96 Chinese patients (96 eyes) with PACG and cataract from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Among them, 56 patients underwent Phaco-GSL, while 40 underwent TRB. Intraocular pressure (IOP), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), use of supplemental antiglaucoma medical therapy, surgery success rates, and complications for both procedures were assessed. The average follow-up period was 50.3 ± 18.7months in the Phaco-GSL group and 61.2 ± 15.1months in the TRB group. At the final follow-up, IOP decreased from 27.0 ± 11.1mmHg to 13.5 ± 2.1mmHg in the Phaco-GSL group and in the TRB group IOP decreased from 27.1 ± 7.7mmHg to 16.5 ± 5.5mmHg. The long-term postoperative IOP in the Phaco-GSL group was significantly lower than that in the TRB group. There was a statistically significant reduction in medication usage in both groups, with the TRB group having a higher number of postoperative medications at the final follow-up. The incidence of postoperative complications was significantly higher in the TRB group compared to the Phaco-GSL group. Phaco-GSL is the recommended surgical approach for Chinese patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and cataract. Compared to traditional TRB, eyes undergoing Phaco-GSL show a reduced requirement for antiglaucomatous medications, improved management of IOP, decreased risk of complications, and higher long-term cumulative probability of treatment success for patientswith PACG.

Long-term outcome and determinants of primary pediatric cataract surgery.

This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of primary pediatric cataract surgery and to identify determinants of success and recommendations to improve the care of patients with pediatric cataracts. A cohort, retrospective study of cases who were operated as primary pediatric cataract surgery at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital. Patients who are 4 years old or younger and underwent primary cataract surgery with at least 3-year follow-up were enrolled in this study. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations were performed to determine the surgery outcomes. Two hundred and two eyes of 119 patients were enrolled in the study. Seventy percentage of the patients were diagnosed with bilateral cataracts and 30% with unilateral cataracts. Postoperative evaluation showed that 20% of the patients had best corrected visual acuity of 20/30 or better, 25% had 20/40-20/50, 20% had 20/60-20/80, and 29% had 20/100 or less, 6% as fixate and follow. In addition, the mean spherical equivalent was 1.50D. Amblyopia was present in 120 eyes. Fourteen percentage showed a significant myopic shift of more than -4.00D and it was more in eyes with primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Glaucoma was reported in 19% of the patients. There was a significant postoperative myopic shift and it was more in eyes with primary IOL implantation. Glaucoma was the most common reported postoperative complication. The presence of strabismus and nystagmus may affect the visual outcomes. Early intervention might reduce the incidence of amblyopia.

INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE REDUCTION FOLLOWING COMBINED PHACOEMULSIFICATION AND TRABECULECTOMY SURGERY: A STUDY OF 300 CASES

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction following combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy surgery in primary glaucomapatients with cataract. Methods: A prospective, comparative study of 300 patients with primary glaucoma and cataract who underwent combined surgery phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy at our center between July 2016 and June 2019 were included in this study. Out of these, 124 patients had primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 176 patients had primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG). Phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation, and trabeculectomy were performed in all cases. Follow-up visits were carried out at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. Complete ophthalmic examination was done at each follow-up visit. Results: The pre-operative mean IOP of all patients was 34.60±6.33 mmHg and mean IOP at last 6 month follow-up was 13.0±2.18 mmHg. There was a statistically significant difference between IOP at presentation and IOP at 6-month follow-up (p&lt;0.001). No significant difference in post-operative IOP in POAG and PACG patients (p&gt;0.001). Out of 300, 58 patients required anti-glaucoma medication at 1 month and this number decreased to 41 patients at 6 month follow-up. No significant intraoperative complications were noted. Conclusion: Combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy surgery is safe and effective in controlling IOP with minimal complications in the management of primary glaucoma patients with cataract in expert hands.

Hypocalcemic cataract secondary to idiopathic hypoparathyroidism in an adolescent.

Idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is a rare endocrine disorder characterized by hypocalcemia secondary to inadequate parathyroid hormone secretion. Hypocalcemia-related cataract is most often observed in patients with postoperative hypoparathyroidism, whereas primary hypoparathyroidism-related cataract is rare and displays slow progression. Cataract usually occurs in people aged 18 to 50 years. Here, we describe a 17-year-old boy with bilateral cataract and a history of hypocalcemic tetany who was diagnosed with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism. Phacoemulsification with implantation of a monofocal aspherical intraocular lens was performed in the right eye; 6 months later, it was performed in the left eye. Elevated phosphorus and diminished calcium were observed in blood and aqueous humor. A deep anterior chamber, relatively thin central corneal thickness, large white-to-white distance, and thin lens were also observed. During follow-up, neither eye displayed intraocular lens decentration; best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes. These findings suggest that ophthalmologists should be vigilant when hypocalcemic tetany and cataract are present, especially in adolescents and young adults.

ATP-P2X7R-mediated microglia senescence aggravates retinal ganglion cell injury in chronic ocular hypertension

BackgroundDysfunction of microglia during aging affects normal neuronal function and results in the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases. Retinal microglial senescence attributes to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in glaucoma. This study aims to examine the role of ATP-P2X7R in the mediation of microglia senescence and glaucoma progression.MethodsForty-eight participants were enrolled, including 24 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and age-related cataract (ARC) and 24 patients with ARC only. We used ARC as the inclusion criteria because of the availability of aqueous humor (AH) before phacoemulsification. AH was collected and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration was measured by ATP Assay Kit. The chronic ocular hypertension (COH) mouse model was established by microbead occlusion. Microglia were ablated by feeding PLX5622 orally. Mouse bone marrow cells (BMCs) were prepared and infused into mice through the tail vein for the restoration of microglia function. Western blotting, qPCR and ELISA were performed to analyze protein and mRNA expression in the ocular tissue, respectively. Microglial phenotype and RGC survival were assessed by immunofluorescence. The mitochondrial membrane potential was measured using a JC-1 assay kit by flow cytometry.ResultsATP concentrations in the AH were increased in older adults and patients with POAG. The expression of P2X7R was upregulated in the retinal tissues of mice with glaucoma, and functional enrichment analysis showed that P2X7R was closely related to cell aging. Through in vivo and in vitro approaches, we showed that pathological activation of ATP-P2X7R induced accelerated microglial senescence through impairing PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)-mediated mitophagy, which led to RGC damage. Additionally, we found that replacement of senescent microglia in COH model of old mice with BMCs from young mice reversed RGC damage.ConclusionATP-P2X7R induces microglia senescence by inhibiting PINK1-mediated mitophagy pathway. Specific inhibition of ATP-P2X7R may be a fundamental approach for targeted therapy of RGC injury in microglial aging-related glaucoma.

Uniocular Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: An Unusual Case Report from Bangladesh

Purpose: To describe the case of a uniocular patient with advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and age-related cataract in the right eye and microphthalmic left eye. Methods: A 73-year-old one-eyed man presented with four years of painless, progressive dimness of vision in the right eye. The vision was 6/18 in the right eye, whereas the left eye had no light perception (NLP). In the left eye, severe ptosis and microphthalmos were detected, while the right eye had age-related cataracts, an open anterior chamber angle, intraocular pressure (IOP) of 30 mmHg, and progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy. The IOP was dropped to 22 mmHg after a topical timolol maleate (0.5%), brimonidine tartrate (0.2%), and brinzolamide (1%). As the patient had mature cataract, advanced glaucomatous optic nerve damage, target IOP was not reached, and adherence issues with antiglaucoma medications (AGM), the decision was made to proceed with cataract extraction combined with augmented trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (MMC). Results: There were no intraoperative complications. Over one year, the IOP was maintained in the 12–14 mmHg range without AGM. Conclusion: In advanced glaucoma patients, combined phaco-trabeculectomy operations can considerably lower IOP and drug load or compliance concerns with antiglaucoma drugs. This case represented an efficient and safe surgical technique for uniocular advanced POAG, particularly in a developing country like Bangladesh.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Intraocular Lens Calcification after Pars Plana Vitrectomy.

To determine the clinical risk factors that may increase the occurrence of intraocular lens (IOL) calcification in patients who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). The medical records of 14 patients who underwent IOL explantation due to clinically significant IOL opacification after PPV were reviewed. The date of primary cataract surgery, technique and implanted IOL characteristics; the time, cause and technique of PPV; tamponade used; additional surgeries; the time of IOL calcification and explantation; and IOL explantation technique were investigated. PPV had been performed as a combined procedure with cataract surgery in eight eyes and solely in six pseudophakic eyes. The IOL material was hydrophilic in six eyes, hydrophilic with a hydrophobic surface in seven eyes and undetermined in one eye. The endotamponades used during primary PPV were C2F6 in eight eyes, C3F8 in one eye, air in two eyes and silicone oil in three eyes. Two of three eyes underwent subsequent silicone oil removal and gas tamponade exchange. Gas in the anterior chamber was detected in six eyes after PPV or silicone oil removal. The mean interval between PPV and IOL opacification was 20.5 ± 18.6 months. The mean BCVA in logMAR was 0.43 ± 0.42 after PPV, which significantly decreased to 0.67 ± 0.68 before IOL explantation for IOL opacification (p = 0.007) and increased to 0.48 ± 0.59 after the IOL exchange (p = 0.015). PPV with endotamponades in pseudophakic eyes, particularly gas, seems to increase the risk for secondary IOL calcification, especially in hydrophilic IOLs. IOL exchange seems to solve this problem when clinically significant vision loss occurs.

Aqueous humor cytokine levels are associated with the severity of visual field defects in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma

BackgroundTo evaluate the aqueous humor (AH) levels of cytokines in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and cataract patients.MethodsThirty-eight POAG patients and 26 cataract patients were recruited. Peripheral blood (PB) was collected from each subject. The POAG group was divided into 2 subgroups according to the severity of visual field defects. The cutoff point of the mean deviation (MD) of the visual field was -12 dB. AH was obtained at the time of anterior chamber puncture during cataract or glaucoma surgery by using a 27-gauge needle attached to a microsyringe. AH and PB levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-beta2 (TGF-β2) and IL-4 were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Postoperative intraocular pressures (IOPs) of POAG patients were recorded during the follow-up period.ResultsTNF-α and TGF-β2 showed significantly higher AH levels in the POAG group than in the cataract group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). For the POAG group, preoperative IOPs were significantly positively correlated with AH levels of TNF-α (r2 = 0.129, P = 0.027) and TGF-β2 (r2 = 0.273, P = 0.001). AH levels of TGF-β2 were significantly different among cataract patients, POAG patients with MD> -12 dB and POAG patients with MD≤ -12 dB (P = 0.001). AH levels of TNF-α were significantly positively associated with IOP reduction after trabeculectomy (P = 0.025). AH and PB levels of cytokines were not related to the long-term success of trabeculectomy.ConclusionThe levels of TNF-α and TGF-β2 showed different profiles in POAG patients and cataract patients. AH levels of TGF-β2 were correlated with the severity of glaucomatous neuropathy in POAG patients. The findings suggest possible roles for cytokines in the pathogenesis and development of POAG.