Associations Between Retinal Vascular Occlusions and Dementia.

Background/objectives: Retinal vascular occlusions, such as retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and retinal artery occlusion (RAO), are associated with cognitive impairment, including dementia. Our objective was to examine the odds of dementia among patients with retinal vascular occlusion.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 474 patients with retinal vascular occlusion and 948 patients without retinal vascular occlusion (comparison group).

Neurodegenerative biomarkers in different chambers of the eye relative to plasma: an agreement validation study.

Background: Protein biomarkers have been broadly investigated in cerebrospinal fluid and blood for the detection of neurodegenerative diseases, yet a clinically useful diagnostic test to detect early, pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains elusive. We conducted this study to quantify Aβ40, Aβ42, total Tau (t-Tau), hyperphosphorylated Tau (ptau181), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) in eye fluids relative to blood.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study we collected vitreous humor, aqueous humor, tear fluid and plasma in patients undergoing surgery for eye disease.

Long-Term Satisfaction of Oral Sedation versus Standard-of-Care Intravenous Sedation for Ocular Surgery.

Purpose: Long-term patient satisfaction may influence patients' perspectives of the quality of care and their relationship with their providers. This is a follow up to a comparative effectiveness study investigating oral to intravenous sedation (OIV study). The OIV study found that oral sedation was noninferior in patient satisfaction to standard intravenous (IV) sedation for anterior segment and vitreoretinal surgeries.

Demographic and socioeconomic disparities in the hybrid ophthalmology telemedicine model.

Importance: As telemedicine use expands, it is important to evaluate demographic and socioeconomic disparities among patients receiving ophthalmic care through new hybrid telemedicine models.

Objective: To evaluate whether there are demographic and socioeconomic disparities in the delivery of the hybrid telemedicine model.

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional, case-control analysis of patient encounters from April to December 2020.

Diverse Research Teams and Underrepresented Groups in Clinical Studies.

Importance: Several ophthalmic diseases disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority patients, yet most clinical trials struggle to enroll cohorts that are demographically representative of disease burden; some barriers to recruitment include time and transportation, language and cultural differences, and fear and mistrust of research due to historical abuses. Incorporating diversity within the research team has been proposed as a method to increase trust and improve engagement among potential study participants.

Objective: To examine how demographic factors of potential research participants and personnel may be associated with patient consent rates to participate in prospective ophthalmic clinical studies.

Unrelenting Vision Loss: The Virulence of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

A 37-year-old Hispanic male with a recent history of COVID-19 infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath, chest pain, and hyperglycemia. Eye exam and imaging findings indicated endogenous endophthalmitis confirmed by blood cultures that speciated to . The patient's eye condition progressed, ultimately resulting in no light perception less than a month after the initial evaluation.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Patients Receiving Intravitreal Injections for Age-Related Macular Degeneration Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To determine the effects of socioeconomic factors on visit adherence and the resultant visual outcomes for patients receiving intravitreal injections for neovascular age-related macular degeneration during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this retrospective case-control study, medical records were reviewed to collect appointment attendance, age, sex, self-reported race/ethnicity, primary language, marital status, insurance, distance from clinic, and Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage. Multivariate regression models were created to determine differences in socioeconomic factors between individuals who attended (show group) and those who did not attend (no-show group) appointments.

Patient Satisfaction with the Hybrid Telemedicine Model for Ophthalmology.

The purpose of this research was to compare patient satisfaction between hybrid ophthalmology telemedicine and standard-of-care in-person visits. A retrospective, cross-sectional, case-control analysis of patient satisfaction based on survey data was used. Responses to the National Research Council Health Patient Survey were retrieved for randomly sampled hybrid ophthalmology telemedicine and in-person visits between March 11, 2020 and December 31, 2021 at a hospital-based eye clinic in Boston, Massachusetts.

Effect of Lens Status on Diabetic Vitreous Hemorrhage Resolution.

To determine the effect of lens status (pseudophakic vs phakic) on diabetic vitreous hemorrhage (VH) resolution time. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for each case of diabetic VH until resolution, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), or loss to follow-up. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine predictors of diabetic VH resolution time through estimated hazard ratios (HRs).

Vitreous Humor Biomarkers Reflect Pathological Changes in the Brain for Alzheimer's Disease and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

Background: Patients with eye disease have an increased risk for developing neurodegenerative disease. Neurodegenerative proteins can be measured in the eye; however, correlations between biomarker levels in eye fluid and neuropathological diagnoses have not been established.

Objective: This exploratory, retrospective study examined vitreous humor from 41 postmortem eyes and brain tissue with neuropathological diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 7), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE, n = 15), both AD + CTE (n = 10), and without significant neuropathology (controls, n = 9).

The Eye as a Diagnostic Tool for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder impacting cognition, function, and behavior in the elderly population. While there are currently no disease-modifying agents capable of curing AD, early diagnosis and management in the preclinical stage can significantly improve patient morbidity and life expectancy. Currently, the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is a clinical one, often supplemented by invasive and expensive biomarker testing.

The Scholarly Impact of Student Authorship in Ophthalmology.

 The H-index (H ), an author-level metric of scholarly impact, is predictive of future scientific achievement. We sought to analyze the scholarly impact of student authorship on the H of corresponding authors (CAs) within a major academic journal in the specialty of ophthalmology.  We compared the H of all unique CAs for manuscripts published in (Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Upregulation of Neuroinflammatory Protein Biomarkers in Acute Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments.

The purpose of this study is to characterize the inflammatory cytokine profile in rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs) compared to surgical controls. Vitreous humor was collected from patients undergoing vitrectomy for RRD and noninflammatory vitreoretinal diseases. A quantitative immunoassay was used to measure the levels of 36 cytokine markers.

Genome-Wide Pleiotropy Study Identifies Association of with Age-Related Macular Degeneration and COVID-19 Infection Outcomes.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been implicated as a risk factor for severe consequences from COVID-19. We evaluated the genetic architecture shared between AMD and COVID-19 (critical illness, hospitalization, and infections) using analyses of genetic correlations and pleiotropy (i.e.

Effect of race and ethnicity on surgical outcomes for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of socioeconomic and demographic factors on outcomes in rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: A total of 71 white and 124 black and/or Hispanic patients who had surgical repair of RRDs between October 2013 and September 2021 at a single-centre safety net hospital.

Focal Laser Photocoagulation for Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in Under-Represented Populations: A Retrospective Case Series.

This case series examines visual and anatomic outcomes of focal laser photocoagulation in the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) with subretinal fluid (SRF) in under-represented populations. We reviewed records of 25 eyes with CSCR and SRF that underwent focal laser photocoagulation. Visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were recorded prior to laser, after laser treatment, and at final follow-up and were all compared using Wilcox signed-rank tests after using Shapiro-Wilk tests to determine normality.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Delayed Retinal Tears after an Acute, Symptomatic Posterior Vitreous Detachment.

Purpose: To determine the long-term incidence of and risk factors for delayed retinal tears after acute, symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) without concurrent retinal tears.

Design: Retrospective, observational case series.

Subjects: Patients diagnosed with an acute, symptomatic PVD without concurrent retinal tears at a tertiary eye center between 2013 and 2018.

Outcomes of a Hybrid Ophthalmology Telemedicine Model for Outpatient Eye Care During COVID-19.

Importance: The hybrid ophthalmology telemedicine model asynchronously pairs an imaging appointment by a technician with a subsequent virtual appointment by a clinician. Although it has been mentioned in several studies as an alternative to standard in-person care during the COVID-19 pandemic, outcomes of this alternative clinical care model remain to be evaluated.

Objective: To investigate the outcomes associated with the hybrid ophthalmology telemedicine model during the COVID-19 pandemic for nonurgent and nonprocedural ophthalmological care.

Oral Sedation is Non-Inferior to Intravenous Sedation for Cornea and Glaucoma Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To determine whether oral sedation is as safe and effective as IV sedation for ophthalmic surgeries other than cataract surgery, we tested whether patient satisfaction with oral triazolam was non-inferior to IV midazolam for cornea and glaucoma surgeries.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-five cornea and 49 glaucoma surgery patients 18 years and older at Boston Medical Center (Boston, MA) were randomized within each study group (cornea or glaucoma) to receive oral triazolam + IV placebo, or oral placebo + IV midazolam before surgery in a double-masked fashion. Supplemental IV anesthesia was administered as needed during surgery.

Poor Correlation of Provider and Patient Satisfaction with Anesthesia in Ophthalmic Surgeries: A Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial.

Purpose: This secondary analysis of a clinical trial that measured surgeon, anesthesiologist, and patient satisfaction following ophthalmic surgery under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with a benzodiazepine investigates the degree of association between patient satisfaction with anesthesia compared to surgeon and anesthesiologist satisfaction with anesthesia.

Patients And Methods: Data from analogous 6-point surgeon satisfaction surveys and anesthesiologist satisfaction surveys were compared to data from a 6-point validated patient satisfaction survey collected from a clinical trial investigating satisfaction with different forms of benzodiazepine for patients undergoing cataract, retina, cornea, or glaucoma surgery. Relationships between measures were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, with further subgroup analysis based on language groups and single-question measures of satisfaction.

Race and ethnic representation among clinical trials for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema within the United States: A review.

Purpose: Evaluate racial and ethnic representation in clinical trials compared to the disease burden for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) within the United States (US). Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is currently the leading cause of blindness in American adults, affecting over 7.7 million individuals and disproportionately affecting Black Americans.

Simultaneous visible light optical coherence tomography and near infrared OCT angiography in retinal pathologies: A case study.

A dual-channel optical coherence tomography system with wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared light ranges can provide both structural and functional information for retinal microvasculature simultaneously. We applied this integrated system in an ongoing clinical study of patients with various retinal pathologies. Here, we present case study results of patients with diabetic retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion, and sickle cell retinopathy compared to a healthy subject.

Diagnosis and management of degenerative retinoschisis and related complications.

Degenerative retinoschisis is a common condition characterized by elevation of the inner layers of the peripheral retina. While uncomplicated retinoschisis (i.e.

Chorioretinal paracoccidioidomycosis treated with intravitreal voriconazole and therapeutic vitrectomy.

Purpose: To report a case of aggressive chorioretinal paracoccidioidomycosis requiring treatment with systemic antifungal agents, frequent intravitreal voriconazole injections, and surgical excision.

Observations: A Brazilian man in his mid-30s with a history of chronic, biopsy-proven cutaneous paracoccidioidomycosis, chronic sinusitis, and perichondritis secondary to paracoccidioidomycosis presented with profound vision loss. He was found to have significant vitreous inflammation and a large chorioretinal lesion in the posterior pole concerning for ocular involvement.

Patient Satisfaction With Oral vs Intravenous Sedation for Vitrectomy Surgery: A Randomized, Noninferiority Clinical Trial.

Purpose: This work aims to determine whether patient satisfaction with oral sedation is noninferior to intravenous (IV) sedation in vitrectomy surgery.

Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-masked, noninferiority clinical trial measured patient satisfaction in 84 participants receiving oral or IV sedation during vitrectomy surgery under monitored anesthesia care. Patients were excluded if they were unable to receive benzodiazepines.