Longitudinal Assessment of Structural and Functional Changes in Rod-cone Dystrophy: A 10-year Follow-up Study.

Purpose: Emerging clinical trials for inherited retinal disease (IRD) require an understanding of long-term progression. This longitudinal study investigated the genetic diagnosis and change in retinal structure and function over 10 years in rod-cone dystrophies (RCDs).

Design: Longitudinal observational follow-up study.

Impairment of Neurovascular Function in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate neurovascular function in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Subjects with bilateral large drusen (intermediate AMD) and healthy controls ≥50 years old were recruited. The vasculature within the central 6 × 6-mm retinal area was captured using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and segmented to return superficial plexus, deep plexus, choriocapillaris, and choroid.

A Second-Generation (44-Channel) Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial of Feasibility.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a second-generation (44-channel) suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis for provision of functional vision in recipients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP) over 2.7 years.

Design: Prospective, single-arm, unmasked interventional clinical trial.

Reticular Pseudodrusen: Impact of Their Presence and Extent on Local Rod Function in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To understand the spatial relationship between local rod-mediated visual function and reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) in eyes with large drusen.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Participants: One eye with large drusen (>125 μm) each from 91 individuals with intermediate age-related macular degeneration, with and without RPD.

The development of meridional anisotropies in neurotypical children with and without astigmatism: Electrophysiological and psychophysical findings.

It is important to understand the development of meridional anisotropies in neurotypical children since those with poor visual development, such as amblyopia, can have different patterns of meridional anisotropies. While the oblique effect is usually observed in adults, neurotypical children who have normal 20/20 visual acuity tend to demonstrate a horizontal effect electrophysiologically. In this longitudinal study, orientation-specific visual evoked potentials (osVEPs) and psychophysical grating acuity were used to investigate the changes in the meridional anisotropies in children aged 3.

Role of sleep-disordered breathing in age-related macular degeneration.

Aims: To examine the association between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the subphenotype of AMD with reticular pseudodrusen (RPD).

Methods: Case-control study with 351 participants (211 AMD and 140 controls) using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the STOP-BANG Questionnaire (SBQ) validated sleep questionnaires. Participant risk of having moderate-to-severe OSA was determined using a binary risk scale based on the ESS and SBQ combined and an ordinal risk scale based on the SBQ.

Estimating Phosphene Locations Using Eye Movements of Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis Users.

Purpose: Accurate mapping of phosphene locations from visual prostheses is vital to encode spatial information. This process may involve the subject pointing to evoked phosphene locations with their finger. Here, we demonstrate phosphene mapping for a retinal implant using eye movements and compare it with retinotopic electrode positions and previous results using conventional finger-based mapping.

Knockout of AMD-associated gene reduces mitochondrial superoxide in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Genetic and epidemiologic studies have significantly advanced our understanding of the genetic factors contributing to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In particular, recent expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have highlighted as a significant gene that confers risk of developing AMD. However, the role of in retinal cells such as retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and how it contributes to AMD pathology are unknown.

Interobserver Agreement of Electrode to Retina Distance Measurements in a Second-Generation (44-Channel) Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis.

Purpose: The electrode to retina (ER) distance is an important contributory factor to the safety and efficacy of a suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis. Measuring ER distance may be performed by different observers during multisite studies. The aim of this study was to assess the interobserver agreement in measuring ER distance.

Natural History of the Relative Ellipsoid Zone Reflectivity in Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Relative ellipsoid zone reflectivity (rEZR) has been reported to be reduced in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD). However, longitudinal changes in rEZR remain unknown. This study investigated the natural history of rEZR in iAMD and its association with risk factors for disease progression, including the presence or extent of drusen volume, reticular pseudodrusen (RPD), and pigmentary abnormalities (PAs).

A Second-Generation (44-Channel) Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis: Long-Term Observation of the Electrode-Tissue Interface.

Purpose: To report the long-term observations of the electrode-tissue interface and perceptual stability in humans after chronic stimulation with a 44-channel suprachoroidal retinal implant.

Methods: Four subjects (S1-4) with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa received the implant unilaterally (NCT03406416). Electrode impedances, electrode-retina distance (measured using optical coherence tomography imaging), and perceptual thresholds were monitored up to 181 weeks after implantation as the subjects used the prosthesis in the laboratory and in daily life.

Rescue of photoreceptor with human mesenchyme stem cell and human mesenchyme stem cell expressing erythropoietin in total degeneration of retina animal model.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of human-derived umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HDUMSC) and human-derived umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells expressing erythropoietin (HDUMSC-EPO) to rescue total degenerated retina in a rat model.

Methods: The study included four treatment groups, namely negative control using normal saline (HBSS) injection, positive control using sodium iodide 60 mg/kg (SI), SI treated with HDUMSC, and SI treated with HDUMSC-EPO given via subretinal and intravenous routes, to test the efficacy of retinal regeneration following SI-induced retinal degeneration. Retinal function in both phases was tested via electroretinography (ERG) and histological staining examining the outer nuclear layer (ONL).

Therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation in rats with optic nerve injury.

Purpose: There are no effective treatments currently available for optic nerve transection injuries. Stem cell therapy represents a feasible future treatment option. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) transplantation in rats with optic nerve injury.

Effect of subthreshold nanosecond laser on retinal structure and function in intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Background: Subthreshold nanosecond laser (SNL) treatment has been studied as a potential intervention in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD). This study investigated the effect of 100 SNL treatment spots on retinal structure and function.

Methods: A prospective single-arm interventional pilot study.

Localized Structural and Functional Deficits in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Outer Retinal Atrophy.

Purpose: Cell-based therapy development for geographic atrophy (GA) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is hampered by the paucity of models of localized photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration. We aimed to characterize the structural and functional deficits in a laser-induced nonhuman primate model, including an analysis of the choroid.

Methods: Macular laser photocoagulation was applied in four macaques.

Comparison of Visual Function Tests in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Identifying the most sensitive functional measure in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) could help select an appropriate test for monitoring disease progression and evaluating the efficacy of novel interventions for the early stages of AMD. The purpose of the study was to determine which commonly used visual function test is the most discriminatory when comparing individuals with iAMD to normal participants.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, iAMD cases and healthy controls underwent visual function testing (best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), low luminance visual acuity (LLVA), mesopic microperimetry, dark adaptation, and scotopic perimetry following photobleach), clinical eye examination, and multimodal retinal imaging in a single study visit.

A Second-Generation (44-Channel) Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis: Interim Clinical Trial Results.

Purpose: To report the initial safety and efficacy results of a second-generation (44-channel) suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis at 56 weeks after device activation.

Methods: Four subjects, with advanced retinitis pigmentosa and bare-light perception only, enrolled in a phase II trial (NCT03406416). A 44-channel electrode array was implanted in a suprachoroidal pocket.

Classifying Retinal Degeneration in Histological Sections Using Deep Learning.

Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are increasingly being used to classify retinal diseases. In this study we investigated the ability of a convolutional neural network (CNN) in categorizing histological images into different classes of retinal degeneration.

Methods: Images were obtained from a chemically induced feline model of monocular retinal dystrophy and split into training and testing sets.

Subthreshold Nanosecond Laser in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Observational Extension Study of the LEAD Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effect of subthreshold nanosecond laser (SNL) treatment on progression to late age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Observational extension study of a randomized, sham-controlled trial.

Participants: Two hundred twelve participants with bilateral large drusen.

New Technologies to Study Functional Genomics of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss in people over 50 years old in developed countries. Currently, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the genetic factors contributing to AMD, which is critical to identify effective therapeutic targets to improve treatment outcomes for AMD patients. Here we discuss the latest technologies that can facilitate the identification and functional study of putative genes in AMD pathology.

Oculomotor Responses to Dynamic Stimuli in a 44-Channel Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis.

Purpose: To investigate oculomotor behavior in response to dynamic stimuli in retinal implant recipients.

Methods: Three suprachoroidal retinal implant recipients performed a four-alternative forced-choice motion discrimination task over six sessions longitudinally. Stimuli were a single white bar ("moving bar") or a series of white bars ("moving grating") sweeping left, right, up, or down across a 42″ monitor.

Validation of an Automated Quantification of Relative Ellipsoid Zone Reflectivity on Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography Images.

Purpose: Relative ellipsoid zone reflectivity (rEZR) represents a potential biomarker of photoreceptor health on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Because manual quantification of rEZR is laborious and lacks of spatial resolution, automated quantification of the rEZR would be beneficial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of an automated rEZR quantification method.