Standard threshold laser versus subthreshold micropulse laser for adults with diabetic macular oedema: the DIAMONDS non-inferiority RCT.

Background: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends macular laser to treat diabetic macular oedema with a central retinal subfield thickness of < 400 µm on optical coherence tomography. The DIAMONDS (DIAbetic Macular Oedema aNd Diode Subthreshold micropulse laser) trial compared standard threshold macular laser with subthreshold micropulse laser to treat diabetic macular oedema suitable for macular laser.

Objectives: Determining the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of subthreshold micropulse laser compared with standard threshold macular laser to treat diabetic macular oedema with a central retinal subfield thickness of < 400 µm.

Diabetic Macular Edema and Diode Subthreshold Micropulse Laser: A Randomized Double-Masked Noninferiority Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To determine clinical effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of subthreshold micropulse laser (SML), compared with standard laser (SL), for diabetic macular edema (DME) with central retinal thickness (CRT) < 400 μm.

Design: Pragmatic, multicenter, allocation-concealed, double-masked, randomized, noninferiority trial.

Participants: Adults with center-involved DME < 400 μm and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of > 24 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters in one/both eyes.

Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome and Choroidal Neovascularization following SARS-COV-2 Infection in a Patient on Dabrafenib and Trametinib.

Purpose: to describe multimodal imaging and electrophysiology of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) concomitant with COVID-19 infection in a patient on BRAF (B Rapidly Accelerated Fibrosarcoma) and MEK (Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase) inhibitors.

Methods: observational case report and literature review.

Results: a 37-year-old woman affected by cutaneous melanoma on BRAF and MEK inhibitors developed visual symptoms in the right eye simultaneously with a SARS-COV-2 infection.

Real-World Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy Outcomes in Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization.

Aim: Evaluation of real-world outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy in the primary treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of treatment naive patients with myopic CNV who received treatment with either intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept over a 12-year period from September 2007 to May 2020 was performed. Baseline features, treatment factors and outcomes were compared between younger and older patients and final visual outcome was assessed for associated factors.

Delayed follow-up of medical retina patients due to COVID-19: impact on disease activity and visual acuity.

Purpose: The coronavirus pandemic has prompted unprecedented delays to treatment with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections due to the need to reduce hospital attendances and prioritise the patients at highest risk of vision loss. This study aims to quantify the effect of these delays on visual acuity (VA) outcomes and optical coherence tomography (OCT) features for patients receiving treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), retinal vein occlusions (RVO) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and correlate to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidelines (RCOphth).

Methods: A retrospective data analysis of an electronic medical record was performed on a random sample of eyes receiving anti-VEGF injections for nAMD, RVO or DMO.

A novel tool to assess the quality of RWE to guide the management of retinal disease.

Despite the growing importance of real-world evidence (RWE) for guiding clinical decisions in retinal disease, there is currently no widely used guidance available for assessing the quality and relevance of RWE studies in ophthalmology. This paper summarizes the development of a user-friendly tool that facilitates assessment of the quality of available RWE for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DME) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). A literature search was conducted to identify tools developed to assess the quality of RWE, in order to identify the most appropriate framework on which to base this tool.

Macula service evaluation and assessing priorities for anti-VEGF treatment in the light of COVID-19.

Purpose: To assess the treatment position of all patients who have had an anti-VEGF injection in 2020, prior to the UK lockdown on 23 March. To assess methods of service quality evaluation in setting benchmarks for comparison after the situation stabilized. To consider what proportion could be delayed based on national guidelines and varying vision parameters.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in neovascular age-related macular degeneration - a systematic review of the impact of anti-VEGF on patient outcomes and healthcare systems.

Background: Systematically review the evidence describing the impact of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy on neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patient outcomes and healthcare resource utilization.

Methods: A systematic literature review was completed using Medline and EMBASE for publications prior to July 2018, and proceedings from major ophthalmology conferences (January 2016 to July 2018). The search strategy combined terms for nAMD with terms for anti-VEGF and study design.

Real-world data in retinal diseases treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy - a systematic approach to identify and characterize data sources.

Background: Real-world data (RWD) has been a valuable addition to the scientific literature regarding treatment pathways, clinical outcomes and characteristics of patients with retinal diseases in recent years. Registries, observational studies and patient databases are often used for real-world research. However, there is limited information for each data source on the design, consistency, data captured, limitations and usability for assessing research questions.

Diabetic macular oedema and diode subthreshold micropulse laser (DIAMONDS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: In the UK, macular laser is the treatment of choice for people with diabetic macular oedema with central retinal subfield thickness (CST) < 400 μm, as per National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. It remains unclear whether subthreshold micropulse laser is superior and should replace standard threshold laser for the treatment of eligible patients.

Methods: DIAMONDS is a pragmatic, multicentre, allocation-concealed, randomised, equivalence, double-masked clinical trial that aims to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of subthreshold micropulse laser compared with standard threshold laser, for the treatment of diabetic macular oedema with CST < 400 μm.

United Kingdom Diabetic Retinopathy Electronic Medical Record (UK DR EMR) Users Group: report 4, real-world data on the impact of deprivation on the presentation of diabetic eye disease at hospital services.

Aim: To assess the impact of deprivation on diabetic retinopathy presentation and related treatment interventions, as observed within the UK hospital eye service.

Methods: This is a multicentre, national diabetic retinopathy database study with anonymised data extraction across 22 centres from an electronic medical record system. The following were the inclusion criteria: all patients with diabetes and a recorded, structured diabetic retinopathy grade.

Aflibercept treatment for neovascular AMD beyond the first year: consensus recommendations by a UK expert roundtable panel, 2017 update.

National recommendations on continued administration of aflibercept solution for injection after the first year of treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) have been developed by an expert panel of UK retina specialists, based on clinician experience and treatment outcomes seen in year 2. The 2017 update reiterates that the treatment goal is to maintain or improve the macular structural and functional gains achieved in year 1 while attempting to reduce or minimize the treatment burden, recognizing the need for ongoing treatment. At the end of year 1 (ie, the decision visit at month 11), two treatment options should be considered: do not extend the treatment interval and maintain fixed 8-weekly dosing, or extend the treatment interval using a treat-and-extend regimen up to a maximum 12 weeks.

First-Year Visual Acuity Outcomes of Providing Aflibercept According to the VIEW Study Protocol for Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Aflibercept has the potential advantage of reducing capacity problems by allowing 2 monthly visits for patients with neovascular macular degeneration (nAMD) compared with monthly pro re nata regimens that are the most commonly used in the United Kingdom. This study aimed to report the visual outcomes achieved in routine clinical practice using the VEGF Trap-Eye: Investigation of Efficacy and Safety in Wet AMD (VIEW) protocol at 1 year and compare with trials data and other real-world reports.

Design: Retrospective data analysis from an electronic medical record.