Potential participation of CTRP6, a complement regulator, in the pathology of age related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the localized expression of C1q/tumor necrosis factor related protein (CTRP) 6 in human age-related macular degeneration (AMD) retinal tissues.

Experimental Study Design: 4 AMD and 3 non-AMD whole eyes of Caucasian donors were used. Eyecups were excised at Eye Bank CorneaGen, Inc.

CTLA-2 Alpha Is a Potent Inhibitor of Angiogenesis in Murine Ocular Tissue.

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-2 (CTLA-2) alpha has been reported to suppress the activities of cathepsin L (Cath L), which is deeply involved in angiogenesis. Therefore, we assessed whether CTLA-2 alpha plays a role in angiogenesis in ocular tissue. To establish models of corneal inflammation and experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV), male C57BL/6J mice ( = 5) underwent corneal suture placement or laser-induced CNV, respectively.

Ex vivo Comparison of Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation during Pars Plana Vitrectomy Performed Using 25- and 27-Gauge Systems.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare intraoperative intraocular pressure fluctuation using different aspiration systems and 25- and 27-gauge vitreous surgery probes.

Methods: Ex vivo, pars plana, 25- and 27-gauge vitreous surgery was performed on 4 porcine eyes, and IOP fluctuations were evaluated. We performed 3-port vitrectomy using the Constellation® Vision or the EVA® Phaco-Vitrectomy system.

Prospective Clinical Trial of Intravitreal Aflibercept Treat-and-extend Regimen for Diabetic Macular Edema: 1-Year Outcomes.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of aflibercept for the treatment of diabetic macular edema via a treat-and-extend regimen.

Methods: This prospective, single-center, open-label, interventional study involved 30 patients with a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≤0.6 and a central retinal thickness (CRT) ≥300 μm.

Evaluation of pre- and post-surgery reading ability in patients with epiretinal membrane: a prospective observational study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the pre- and post-surgery reading ability in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) to evaluate whether measurement of reading performance is a helpful test in addition to visual acuity (VA) as an assessment measure.

Methods: This prospective observational study involved 42 eyes of 40 patients with idiopathic ERM. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), reading ability, and metamorphopsia score were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery.

Short axial length and hyperopic refractive error are risk factors of central serous chorioretinopathy.

Background/aims: To evaluate the axial length (AL) and refractive status in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: This retrospective observational case series involved 140 patients with CSC (180 eyes) and 78 age-matched and gender-matched control subjects. A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed, including an interferometer measurement of AL.

pH balance and lactic acid increase in the vitreous body of diabetes mellitus patients.

Although there have been no previous reports on the pH of the human vitreous body, it has been highly theorized that it changes in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). In humans, it is necessary to measure the vitreous pH in vitro, which is an important point that presents a major problem, as vitreous pH immediately changes when exposed to air. The purpose of this present study was to report our recent development of an in vitro method for measuring vitreous pH via the combination of 27-gauge (G) vitreous surgery and a blood gas analyzer, as well as our investigative findings on whether or not there is a difference of pH depending on the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Multicenter survey of sutureless 27-gauge vitrectomy for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a consecutive series of 410 cases.

Purpose: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of the 27-gauge (G) vitrectomy system for the treatment of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Methods: This retrospective consecutive series multicenter study involved a total of 410 eyes of 406 patients who underwent 3-port transconjunctival 27G pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for RRD between November 2014 and December 2016 and who were followed for a minimum of 3 months postoperative. The main outcome measure was primary reattachment, with the secondary outcome measures being final reattachment, improvement of visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), intraoperative and postoperative complications, and surgery time.

The Efficacy of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema in vitrectomised eyes: a retrospective study.

Objective: To investigate the change of chronic diabetic macular oedema (DMO) in vitrectomised eyes when the administration of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors is initiated as a systemic medical treatment.

Methods And Analysis: This study involved 10 eyes of five patients with chronic DMO lasting more than 6 months who had previously undergone vitrectomy and whose systemic medical treatments were newly changed to SGLT2 inhibitors. In this study, chronic DMO was defined as persistent diffuse macular oedema despite ophthalmic treatment in patients with diabetes.

Immunohistochemical Detection of Propionibacterium acnes in the Retinal Granulomas in Patients with Ocular Sarcoidosis.

The etiology of sarcoidosis is still obscure; however, Mycobacteria and Propionibacterium acnes are considered the most implicated etiological agent for sarcoidosis. To investigate whether P. acnes is an etiological agent for sarcoid uveitis, we analyzed the frequency of P.

SURGICAL OUTCOMES OF 27-GAUGE VITRECTOMY FOR A CONSECUTIVE SERIES OF 163 EYES WITH VARIOUS VITREOUS DISEASES.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 27-gauge vitrectomy for various vitreoretinal disorders.

Methods: In this retrospective comparative study, 163 consecutive eyes with various diseases that underwent 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy with or without ultraspeed transformer by a single surgeon from June 2012 through December 2014 were analyzed in regard to best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and surgery time.

Results: In 2 eyes (1.

A case of fungal keratitis and endophthalmitis post penetrating keratoplasty resulting from fungal contamination of the donor cornea.

Purpose: Fungal infections post keratoplasty due to contamination of the donor corneal graft have become important issues that need to be addressed. Here we report a case of fungal keratitis and endophthalmitis post penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) due to fungal contamination of the donor corneal graft.

Observations: We present a 52-year-old male who underwent PKP with a donor corneal graft that was later found to be contaminated with fungus.

Stage-specific reference genes significant for quantitative PCR during mouse retinal development.

Developing mouse retina has been serving as an ideal model for investigating the molecular mechanism of neural development and angiogenesis, because several significant events associated with these physiological phenomena are drastically occurring in conjunction with retinal development. However, as many genes are influencing on each other to establish mature retina within 21 days from E10 to P12, we must carefully design the experiments, such as in the case of quantitating the amount of altered gene expression toward the establishment of retina by quantitative PCR. As we have seen considerable variations of quantitative results in different developmental stages of retina depending on the reference genes used for compensation, we here attempted to determine a reliable reference gene to accurately quantitate the target genes in each stage.

The CD4/CD8 ratio in vitreous fluid is of high diagnostic value in sarcoidosis.

Purpose: Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic inflammatory disorder involving multiple organs, and ocular manifestation (represented by granulomatous uveitis) is one of the common features. A well-known immunologic feature in sarcoidosis is an increased CD4+ helper T-cell type 1 lymphocyte subset in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The current study investigated the vitreous lymphocyte subsets of ocular sarcoidosis to elucidate the immunologic features of this disorder in the eye.

Simultaneous analysis of multiple cytokines in the vitreous of patients with sarcoid uveitis.

Purpose: Levels of some cytokines are significantly higher in the vitreous fluid of patients with acute uveitis than in normal vitreous fluid. The authors sought to determine which proinflammatory cytokines were upregulated in the vitreous fluid of patients with ocular sarcoidosis.

Methods: Samples of vitreous fluid were collected from patients with sarcoid uveitis and from nonsarcoid control patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

Heat treatment of retinal pigment epithelium induces production of elastic lamina components and antiangiogenic activity.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the Western world. In advanced AMD, new vessels from choriocapillaris (CC) invade through the Bruch's membrane (BrM) into the retina, forming choroidal neovascularization (CNV). BrM, an elastic lamina that is located between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and CC, is thought to act as a physical and functional barrier against CNV.

Disease-related quantitation of TGF-beta3 in human aqueous humor.

TGF-beta3 has been implicated in the pathology of ocular diseases, but its concentration in human aqueous humor has never been assessed. In this study, we established an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for TGF-beta3 and quantitated it in aqueous humor collected from patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PE), primary open angle glaucoma, chronic angle closure glaucoma and cataract (as the control). To develop the TGF-beta3 ELISA, we screened antibodies to identify the best combination, validated the assay for aqueous humor, and optimized the procedure for preparing activated TGF-beta3.

Scavenger receptors for oxidized lipoprotein in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: The accumulation of macrophages is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but the reasons why macrophages accumulate in AMD lesions have not been determined. Because the histopathology of AMD has some factors common with those of atherosclerosis, the authors hypothesized that macrophages accumulate to take up oxidized lipoproteins in the eyes of patients with AMD, as has been demonstrated in atherosclerosis.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed on 10 surgically excised choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes from eyes with AMD.

[Low power transpupillary thermotherapy of choroidal neovascularization].

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of low power transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Method: We performed TTT on 55 eyes of 55 patients with subretinal CNV between April 2001 and December 2002, and observed them after therapy for more than 6 months. The laser power ranged from 80 to 320 mW when the spot size was 3 mm.