VITREORETINAL SURGICAL OUTCOMES PERFORMED BY SUPERVISED RETINAL FELLOWS VERSUS ATTENDING FACULTY SURGEONS.

Purpose: To evaluate common vitreoretinal surgeries performed by retinal fellows under direct faculty supervision, compared with experienced faculty members.

Methods: Retrospective study analyzing 592 consecutive eyes undergoing retinal surgery from 2009 to 2011 at Retina Consultants of Alabama/University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Ophthalmology. Vitreoretinal surgeries included macular hole, macular pucker, retinal detachment, diabetic vitreous hemorrhage, and diabetic tractional retinal detachment.

Needle contamination in the setting of intravitreal injections.

Background/purpose: To evaluate the risk of intravitreal needle contamination through speaking versus breathing in an office setting.

Methods: This was a prospective sampling assay. Participants held a sterile 30-gauge half-inch needle 25 cm from their mouth for 30 seconds under 2 conditions: (1) while speaking and (2) while breathing silently.

Safety, efficacy, and quality of life following sutureless vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters.

Purpose: To determine the safety, efficacy, and quality of life improvement following sutureless 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic floaters.

Methods: Patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters who underwent sutureless vitrectomy between January 2008 and January 2011 were included. Data were collected regarding baseline preoperative characteristics, postoperative outcomes, complications, and a nine-item quality-of-life survey completed by each patient.

Povidone-iodine contact time and lid speculum use during intravitreal injection.

Purpose: To determine the time necessary for 5% povidone-iodine (PI) to cause a significant reduction in colony-forming units and whether a lid speculum increases the conjunctival flora.

Methods: This was a prospective randomized study of 131 eyes undergoing intravitreal injection. Conjunctival samples were collected in a prospective protocol at three points before intravitreal injection: (1) no intervention (baseline), (2) after placement of a lid speculum, and (3) after treatment with 5% PI.

Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 offers protection against age-related macular degeneration.

Background: In many previous studies, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) has been linked to a variety of different risk factors. The publications have debated whether apolipoprotein E (apoE) epsilon4 serves as a potential protective factor in the development of the disease. Other studies have classified the behavior of this protein in different pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease.