Cross-Sectional Study on Vitamin D, Zinc Oxide and Fatty Acid Status in a Population with a Moderate to High Risk of AMD Identified by the STARS Questionnaire.

Introduction: A prospective study was carried out in Belgium to determine the proportion of subjects with a moderate to high risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), identified using the STARS (Simplified Théa AMD Risk-Assessment Scale) questionnaire, who were in need of nutritional supplementation, by assessing the vitamin D, zinc oxide and fatty acid profile status.

Methods: This multicentre cross-sectional pilot study involved 50 Belgian subjects with no or early AMD, aged > 55 years who were at moderate to high risk for AMD. Subjects were assessed using the STARS questionnaire, visual acuity assessment, an optical coherence tomography scan of the macula and fundus photography.

Long-Term Ranibizumab Treatment in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Belgian Subanalysis from the Global Real-World LUMINOUS Study.

Purpose: To evaluate long-term, real-world treatment patterns and outcomes of ranibizumab 0.5 mg for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in a Belgian cohort.

Patients And Methods: This Belgian (BE) cohort of the 5-year global observational LUMINOUS study included 229 patients with nAMD.

Vitamin D and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

In recent years, the relationship between vitamin D and health has received growing attention from the scientific and medical communities. Vitamin D deficiencies have been repeatedly associated with various acute and chronic diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Its active metabolite, 1α,25-dihydoxy vitamin D, acts as a modulator of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, and cumulative data from experimental and observational studies suggest that relatively a lower vitamin D status could be a potential risk factor for the development of early and/or late AMD.

SEVERE CASE OF RENAL COLOBOMA SYNDROME IN LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP.

Purpose: To characterize the ocular features of a severe case of renal coloboma syndrome in a long-term follow-up.

Methods: Observational case report over a period of 45 years. Examination under anesthesia at the age of 3 months, repeated ophthalmologic examination (age 7, 14, 25, 45 years), fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, electroretinography, ocular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, computed tomography scan orbits, and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain.

Six-year outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration with ranibizumab.

Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of ≥6y ranibizumab therapy in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: HELIX was a retrospective, observational effectiveness study using medical records of patients treated in three clinics in Belgium. Patients had neovascular AMD and were initially treated with intravitreal ranibizumab (0.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Against a background of considerable epidemiological and other evidence implicating omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the negative results of the Age-Related Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) were unexpected. The possibility that the design, setting, intake or subjects of AREDS2 may not have permitted the prophylactic potential of omega-3 to be adequately demonstrated is considered. Epidemiological studies had indicated potential preventative effects of omega-3, and an earlier randomised prospective study (NAT2) showed that patients who achieved high red blood cell membrane EPA/DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid/docosahexaenoic acid) levels were significantly protected against AMD compared with those with permanently low EPA/DHA levels.

Early diagnosis and successful treatment of paraneoplastic melanocytic proliferation.

Background: Paraneoplastic melanocytic proliferation (bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation, BDUMP) is a rare but devastating disease that causes progressive visual loss in patients who usually have an occult malignancy. Visual loss occurs as a result of paraneoplastic changes in the uveal tissue.

Methods: In a masked fashion, the serum of two patients with BDUMP was evaluated for the presence of cultured melanocyte elongation and proliferation (CMEP) factor using cultured human melanocytes.

Ocular features in Alport syndrome: pathogenesis and clinical significance.

Alport syndrome is an inherited disease characterized by progressive renal failure, hearing loss, and ocular abnormalities. Mutations in the COL4A5 (X-linked), or COL4A3 and COL4A4 (autosomal recessive) genes result in absence of the collagen IV α3α4α5 network from the basement membranes of the cornea, lens capsule, and retina and are associated with corneal opacities, anterior lenticonus, fleck retinopathy, and temporal retinal thinning. Typically, these features do not affect vision or, in the case of lenticonus, are correctable.

Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation with good clinical response to plasmapheresis and treatment of the primary tumor.

Purpose: To report successful treatment of bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation.

Methods: Case report of a patient with clinical diagnosis of bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation, imaged with fluorescein angiography and spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and with follow-up data after treatment with plasmapheresis, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Results: A 67-year-old white man presented with a history of bilateral rapidly declining vision.

European survey on the opinion and use of micronutrition in age-related macular degeneration: 10 years on from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study.

Purpose: To evaluate ophthalmologists' opinion of, and use of, micronutritional dietary supplements 10 years after publication of the first Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) study.

Methods: Participation was solicited from 4,000 European ophthalmologists. Responding physicians were screened, and those treating at least 40 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) per month and prescribing nutrition supplements at least 4 times per month were admitted and completed a 40-item questionnaire.

Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) in a 34-year-old patient.

We report macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) in a 34-year-old man, the youngest patient so far published with MacTel type 2. The patient presented with metamorphopsia and impaired reading ability. Diagnosis was based on bilateral abnormal macular autofluorescence, perifoveal telangiectasia with fluorescein angiographic hyperfluorescence without cystoid oedema, a small foveal avascular zone, asymmetric configuration of the foveal pit, disruptions in the inner segment/outer segment layer and hyper-reflective haze and spots in the outer nuclear layer.

Effect of pegaptanib sodium 0.3 mg intravitreal injections (Macugen) in intraocular pressure: posthoc analysis from V.I.S.I.O.N. study.

Objective: To assess the rate of pegaptanib-associated sustained intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation.

Methods: A posthoc analysis was conducted on all IOP measurements, except the immediate 30-min postinjection, from all subjects randomised to pegaptanib 0.3 mg or sham injections continuously in the first 2 years of the Vascular endothelial growth factor Inhibition Study in Ocular Neovascularisation (V.

Subconscious manipulation of pain expectation can modulate cortical nociceptive processing.

Objective: To determine whether manipulation of the expectation of pain inhibition can enhance the efficacy of conditioned pain modulation in healthy participants

Methods: A conditioned pain modulation paradigm was used to investigate the effect of psychological manipulation of expectation on pain inhibition. In 19 healthy men, the lower limb nociceptive flexion reflex was elicited in isolation (test stimulus) and during application of 2 forms of conditioning stimuli. Following application of the first conditioning stimulus (CS1), the participants were informed that the subsequent conditioning stimulus (CS2) would elicit a greater amount of inhibition of test pain compared with the first.

Immunogammopathies and acquired vitelliform detachments: a report of four cases.

Purpose: To describe the nature and evolution of acquired macular detachments in patients with immunogammopathies and to propose a mechanism for their development.

Design: Retrospective observational case series.

Methods: Three patients with multiple myeloma and 1 with light chain deposition disease were diagnosed with vitelliform macular detachments based on clinical examination, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography.

Long-term fundus changes in acquired partial lipodystrophy.

We describe long-term fundus changes in a patient with partial lipodystrophy (PL). Retinal pigment alterations, drusen and subretinal neovascularisation were seen without evidence for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Fundus alterations similar to those seen in age-related macular degeneration can occur at an earlier age in patients with PL, even without renal disease.

Intravitreal bevacizumab for nonsubfoveal choroidal neovascularization associated with angioid streaks.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab injections in the treatment of nonsubfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with angioid streaks.

Design: Nonrandomized, interventional, prospective case series.

Methods: Fifteen patients (15 eyes) affected by juxtafoveal or extrafoveal CNV secondary to angioid streaks were enrolled in the study.

Real-world variability in ranibizumab treatment and associated clinical, quality of life, and safety outcomes over 24 months in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: the HELIOS study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine ranibizumab treatment patterns in "real-world" practice and clinical settings, as well as to assess quality of life outcomes over a 24-month period.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective, observational, multicenter, open-label study of 0.5 mg of ranibizumab administered intravitreally.

Traumatic retinopathy presenting as acute macular neuroretinopathy.

Aim: Traumatic retinopathy presenting as acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMNR) is an uncommon disease causing paracentral scotomas after indirect trauma.

Methods: We report on five patients (six eyes) with AMNR with a temporary reduction of visual acuity and persistent paracentral scotomas after indirect trauma. The findings were documented using multimodal imaging and the follow-up was up to 32 months.

Flecked retina, choroidopathy, and retinal pigment epithelial tear in familial pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Thanks to advancement in treatment modalities, the medial survival rate of patients with familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (FPAH) has been improved. Unfortunately, ocular complications because of the chronically elevated systemic venous pressure become more frequent.

Methods: The authors report new FPAH-associated fundus changes in a 50-year-old male patient treated with sildenafil.

Retinal pigment epithelial detachments and tears, and progressive retinal degeneration in light chain deposition disease.

Background/purpose: Light-chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a rare condition characterised by deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (LCs) in tissues, resulting in varying degrees of organ dysfunction. This study reports the characteristic clinical ocular findings seen in advanced LCDD upon development of ocular fundus changes. This is the first report to describe this entity in vivo in a series of patients.

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum confirmed by genetic analysis but not by skin biopsy: a case report and review of the literature.

In patients with angioid streaks, additional investigations are useful to identify underlying systemic disease, unless age and short peripapillary streaks are indicative of senile streaks as an isolated abnormality. In middle-aged or young adults with angioid streaks and no obvious systemic disease, the possibility of a hemoglobulinopathy or pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) as etiologic entities should be investigated. Hemoglobinopathies can be excluded based on blood screening and the absence of typical ocular fundus changes, such as retinal vessel tortuosity.

Micronutrients in age-related macular degeneration.

Several lines of evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that specific micronutrients may have beneficial effects in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Such effects appear to be complex and may include filtering short wavelength light and attenuating oxidative and inflammatory damage as well as other structural and physiological factors. There is clinical evidence for potential benefits from vitamin C, β-carotene, vitamin E and zinc, as well as emerging epidemiological and clinical data for the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin and for omega-3 fatty acids.

Vertical transmission of macular telangiectasia type 2.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report vertical transmission of macular telangiectasia type 2 and type 2 diabetes mellitus in 3 families.

Methods: In this retrospective interventional case series, the charts of patients with inherited macular telangiectasia type 2 were reviewed. A large spectrum of presentations of macular telangiectasia type 2 was observed and has been studied with different techniques including best-corrected visual acuity, microperimetry, confocal blue reflectance fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and time domain and spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Diving-related visual loss in the setting of angioid streaks: report of two cases.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report diving-related visual loss in the setting of angioid streaks.

Methods: Observational case reports of two patients with angioid streaks suffering sudden visual loss immediately after diving.

Results: Two young adult male patients presented with visual loss after diving headfirst.

Randomized clinical trial France DMLA2: effect of trimetazidine on exudative and nonexudative age-relatedmacular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on the occurrence of choroidal neovascularization or geographic atrophy in age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: A total of 1,086 patients from France, Belgium, and Spain with soft drusen and/or retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities in the study eye and choroidal neovascularization in the contralateral eye were randomly assigned to receive orally placebo or TMZ 70 mg daily (35 mg × 2) and followed-up for 3 years to 5 years.

Results: Treatment duration ranged between 0.