Association Between Intraoperative Cataract Surgical Complications and Mortality.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between intraoperative complications of cataract surgery and postoperative mortality.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent cataract surgery at our institution from 2014 to 2020 was conducted. Intraoperative complications included choroidal hemorrhage, posterior capsule rupture, vitreous loss, retained lens, and/or severe zonular dialysis in either eye.

Refractive outcomes using Barrett formulas and patient characteristics of cataract surgery patients with and without prior LASIK/PRK.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to describe characteristics of cataract surgery patients who previously underwent laser in situ keratomileusis/photorefractive keratectomy (LASIK/PRK) in comparison to non-LASIK/PRK cataract surgery patients including psychiatric comorbidities, as well as describe refractive prediction error after cataract surgery while accounting for axial length (AL) using the Barrett True-K and Barrett Universal II formulas.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients from the University of Colorado Cataract Outcomes Registry. The primary outcomes were refraction prediction error (RPE), mean absolute RPE, and median absolute RPE.

Are there sex-based disparities in cataract surgery?

Aim: To investigate sex-based differences in the occurrence of intra-operative and post-operative complications and associated visual outcomes following cataract surgery.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who had phacoemulsification cataract surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Data collected included the patient's health history, ocular comorbidities, operative and post-operative complications, and the post-operative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Cataract Phacoemulsification in People with Dementia: Characterization and Outcomes.

Purpose: To characterize cataract surgery in people with dementia (PWD) using a cataract surgery outcomes database.

Methods: Demographics, medical and ocular history, surgical characteristics, and postoperative measures were analyzed for differences between PWD and non-PWD cohorts. Patient-level data were analyzed with Fisher's Exact Test, and eye-level data were analyzed with logistic regression using generalized estimating equations to account for correlation of eyes from the same individual.

Comparison of Ophthalmologist and Large Language Model Chatbot Responses to Online Patient Eye Care Questions.

Importance: Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT appear capable of performing a variety of tasks, including answering patient eye care questions, but have not yet been evaluated in direct comparison with ophthalmologists. It remains unclear whether LLM-generated advice is accurate, appropriate, and safe for eye patients.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of ophthalmology advice generated by an LLM chatbot in comparison with ophthalmologist-written advice.

Visual Functioning and Mortality of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients in a Colorado Cohort.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between visual functioning as measured by the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) and mortality in patients with various stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Observational cohort study.

Participants: Patients with AMD enrolled in the University of Colorado AMD Registry between July 9, 2014 and December 31, 2021 were included.

Impact of a formal manual small-incision cataract surgery curriculum in an American ophthalmology residency program.

Purpose: Global ophthalmology educational activities often include the ability of ophthalmology residents to partake in low-resource clinical care at home and abroad. Low-resource surgical techniques have become a pillar of education during formalized global ophthalmology fellowships. A formal manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS) curriculum was started in the University of Colorado's residency training program to meet the growing demand for this surgical skill and to allow for more sustainable outreach work from our graduates.

Early-life stressful social experience (SSE) alters ultrasound vocalizations and impairs novel odor preference: Influence of histone dopaminylation.

Background And Aim: Rat pups emit ultrasound vocalizations (USVs) in response to negative/positive stimuli, the acoustic features of USVs are altered during the stressful and threatening situation. We hypothesize that maternal separation (MS) and/or stranger (St) exposure would alter acoustic features of USVs, neurotransmitter transmission, epigenetic status and impaired odor recognition later in life.

Method: Rat pups were left undisturbed in the home cage (a) control, (b) pups were separated from mother MS [postnatal day (PND) 5-10], (c) intrusion of stranger (St; social experience: SE) to the pups either in the presence of mother (M + P + St) or (d) absence of mother (MSP + St).

Disparities in eye clinic patient encounters among patients requiring language interpreter services.

Background: Communication barriers are a major cause of health disparities for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Medical interpreters play an important role in bridging this gap, however the impact of interpreters on outpatient eye center visits has not been studied. We aimed to evaluate the differences in length of eyecare visits between LEP patients self-identifying as requiring a medical interpreter and English speakers at a tertiary, safety-net hospital in the United States.

Comparison of cataract surgery outcomes in patients with type 1 vs type 2 diabetes mellitus and patients without diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: To report outcomes of cataract surgery in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and patients without diabetes mellitus (DM).

Setting: Academic tertiary referral university hospital eye center, Aurora, Colorado.

Design: Retrospective chart review using the University of Colorado Cataract Outcomes Database for all cataract surgeries between 2014 and 2020.

Comparison of the Modified Jones Tube Technique and the DMEK EndoGlide Technique With and Without Viscoelastic Material for DMEK Tissue Preparation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare endothelial cell loss for DMEK (Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty) tissue preparation techniques using the modified Jones tube and the DMEK EndoGlide with and without viscoelastic material to protect the endothelium.

Methods: This ex vivo study included 10 DMEK grafts prepared using each of the 3 abovementioned techniques. After tissue preparation, transport conditions were simulated for a minimum of 45 hours before deployment of the DMEK tissue and quantification of endothelial cell loss.

Outcomes and Risk Factors for Complications in Cataract Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Purpose: To describe outcomes of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity undergoing cataract surgery, as well as investigate risk factors for surgical complications.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of all consecutive patients who underwent cataract surgery at a tertiary care hospital in the United States between 2014 and 2019. The exposure of interest was HCV seropositivity and outcomes included surgical complications and associated risk factors, visual acuity, and post-operative complications.

Association between Increased Cataract Surgery Duration and Postoperative Outcomes.

Purpose: To describe the relationship between surgical duration and post-operative outcomes in patients undergoing simple cataract surgery.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmology Cataract Outcomes Database. We studied eyes which underwent uncomplicated and non-complex cataract extraction via phacoemulsification between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018.

Gender as an effect modifier in the relationship between hypertension and reticular pseudodrusen in patients with early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: To determine whether the prevalence of treated hypertension is higher among males or females with early/intermediate (e/i) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with and without bilateral reticular pseudodrusen (RPD).

Methods: Retrospective review of the records of patients with e/iAMD who were recruited into the University of Colorado AMD registry between July 2014 and November 2019. Images were classified using the Beckman Initiative criteria and presence/absence of RPD.

Predictors of Pseudophakic Retinal Tears at a Tertiary Care Academic Medical Center.

Purpose: To describe the incidence and identify risk factors for retinal tears (RTs) among patients who underwent cataract phacoemulsification surgery and to describe the timing and features of the RTs.

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Subjects: Patients who underwent cataract phacoemulsification surgery between January 2014 and December 2019 at an academic eye center in Colorado.

Risk of Refractive Prediction Error After Cataract Surgery in Patients with Thyroid Eye Disease.

Purpose: To investigate the risk of unexpected refractive prediction error after cataract surgery in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) at the University of Colorado.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed using records of patients who underwent cataract surgery (2014 to 2018) who were included in a Cataract Surgery Outcomes database. Any patient with documentation of thyroid eye disease (TED) in the medical record was classified as TED.

Cataract inhibitors: Present needs and future challenges.

Cataracts result from opacification of the ocular lens and represent the leading cause of blindness worldwide. After surgical removal of the diseased lens material and implantation of an artificial intraocular lens, up to 50% of cataract patients develop a secondary lens defect called posterior capsular opacification (PCO). While vision can be restored in PCO patients by a laser-mediated capsulotomy, novel therapies involving inhibition of aldose reductase are now being developed to prevent PCO development and complications of laser capsulotomy.

Supplementation Prevents Early Life Stress-Induced Anxiety and Depressive-Like Behavior in Maternal Separation Model-Possible Involvement of Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Differential Regulation of MicroRNA124a/132 and Glutamate Receptors.

This study was designed to investigate stressful social experience (SSE) in early life by examining how it can induce alterations in the microbiota-gut-brain axis. To test this, different experimental groups of pups experienced the presence of either a stranger (S) with mother (M+P+S) or without their mother (MS+S-M). Animals were assessed for anxiety-like behavior and high-throughput bacterial 16s rRNA sequencing was performed to analyze the structure of the gut microbiota.

The Protective Effect of Metformin Use on Early Nd:YAG Laser Capsulotomy.

Purpose: To determine the effect of metformin on early Nd:YAG laser treatment for posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and to explore a molecular mechanism to explain a possible protective effect of metformin against PCO.

Methods: We conducted: 1) a retrospective cohort study of patient eyes undergoing phacoemulsification at our institution; and 2) laboratory investigation of the effect of metformin on the behavior of lens epithelial cells in the context of an animal model for PCO. Population-averaged Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to estimate risk for time to Nd:YAG.

A Modified Flanged Intrascleral Intraocular Lens Fixation Technique Using an Externalized Needle for Haptic Docking.

The Yamane intrascleral flanged haptic fixation technique has obviated the need for resources such as suture or glue. However, intraocular maneuvers to properly dock haptics into the needles for externalization can be difficult for even adept eye surgeons and is especially difficult when visualization through the cornea is poor. Additionally, one traditional resource, intraocular forceps, has been critical in both the original technique and proposed modifications since its inception.

Utilizing a Professionalism Mentor to Address Sexual Harassment in Academic Ophthalmology.

 This study assesses a new departmental role-a professionalism mentor-who receives sexual harassment reporting, liaisons with campus resources, and organizes educational sessions.  Multicenter randomized controlled survey study.  Academic ophthalmology departments in the United States were randomized to a professionalism mentor group (  = 9) and a control group (  = 7).

Time Utilization and Refractive Prediction Enhancement Associated with Intraoperative Aberrometry Use During Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the time cost of intraoperative aberrometry (IA), to compare IA prediction error to the prediction error associated with conventional formulas using preoperative calculations (PC) and evaluate when IA provides clinically relevant benefit.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of eyes that underwent cataract phacoemulsification surgery with IA at an academic eye center. IA versus PC prediction error were compared amongst various preoperative and intraoperative characteristics.