Childhood versus early-teenage onset Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy: visual prognosis and capacity for recovery.

Objective: In Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) in children and teenagers, the influence of age on visual prognosis has not yet been investigated.

Methods: Patients from the mitoNET registry with LHON onset at age 4-16 years with at least 4 years of follow-up without treatment were included. Visual acuity (VA) at baseline, lowest VA ever recorded (nadir) and VA at end of follow-up were compared between childhood onset (ChO, ≤12 years of age) and early-teenage onset (eTO; 13-16 years).

Assessment of intravitreal ocriplasmin treatment for vitreomacular traction in clinical practice.

Purpose: To assess treatment effects following intravitreal injection of ocriplasmin for vitreomacular traction (VMT), with or without full-thickness macular hole (FTMH), in real-life setting.

Methods: This is a monocentric, retrospective, consecutive series of 82 eyes from 82 patients who underwent ocriplasmin treatment between July 2013 and December 2016. We included 57 eyes with pure VMT, 17 eyes with small FTMHs, and eight eyes with medium FTMHs.

VITRECTOMY FOR INTERMEDIATE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION ASSOCIATED WITH TANGENTIAL VITREOMACULAR TRACTION: A CLINICOPATHOLOGIC CORRELATION.

Purpose: To describe the morphologic characteristics of the vitreomacular interface in intermediate age-related macular degeneration associated with tangential traction due to premacular membrane formation and to correlate with optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings and clinical data.

Methods: Premacular membrane specimens were removed sequentially with the internal limiting membrane from 27 eyes of 26 patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration during standard vitrectomy. Specimens were processed for immunocytochemical staining of epiretinal cells and extracellular matrix components.

Evaluation of a short-term topical interferon α-2b treatment for histologically proven melanoma and primary acquired melanosis with atypia.

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of series of 6-week treatments with brief intervals (6-week = 1 cycle) of topical Interferon α-2b (IFNα-2b) treatment in primary acquired melanosis (PAM) with atypia and melanoma of the conjunctiva.

Patients And Methods: Five patients with biopsy-proven PAM with atypia and seven patients with melanoma of the conjunctiva, treated with topical IFNα-2b (1 million units/ml, 5 times daily), were included in the study. All patients had colour photographs and the tumour area was measured manually for each patient before and after treatment.

MuSIC report III: tumour microcirculation patterns and development of metastasis in long-term follow-up of melanocytic uveal tumours.

Purpose: To statistically determine differences in microcirculation patterns between nevi and uveal melanomas and the influence of these patterns on metastatic potential in the long-term follow-up of 112 patients with melanocytic uveal tumours. In vivo markers indicating malignancy and metastatic potential have implications for treatment decision.

Methods: Primary diagnosis and work-up included clinical examination, fundus photography, standardized A and B scan echography as well as evaluation of tumour microcirculation patterns via confocal fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).

Cells at the vitreoretinal interface in small full-thickness macular holes.

Purpose: To report on total number, distribution, and type of cells at the vitreomacular interface in small full-thickness macular holes.

Methods: Internal limiting membrane specimens were removed from 20 consecutive patients with macular holes <250 μm at times when pharmacologic vitreolysis was not available. Specimens were flat mounted and investigated by phase contrast and interference microscopy and immunocytochemistry.

Hyalocytes in idiopathic epiretinal membranes: a correlative light and electron microscopic study.

Purpose: To describe characteristics of epiretinal cells at the vitreoretinal interface by correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM).

Methods: Epiretinal membrane (ERM) specimens and internal limiting membrane (ILM) specimens were harvested by sequential peeling during vitrectomy from 27 eyes with idiopathic epiretinal gliosis, and processed for CLEM. Intraoperatively, the presence of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was documented.

Epiretinal membrane characteristics correlate with photoreceptor layer defects in lamellar macular holes and macular pseudoholes.

Purpose: To report on epiretinal membrane (ERM) characteristics and photoreceptor layer integrity of lamellar macular holes (LMHs) and macular pseudoholes (MPHs), and to compare with clinical course in operated and untreated eyes.

Methods: We consecutively reviewed the charts of patients with LMH and MPH between 2003 and 2013. For clinical analysis, we included 87 eyes (48 with LMH, 39 with MPH) with a minimum follow-up of 6 months.

Epiretinal cell proliferation in macular pucker and vitreomacular traction syndrome: analysis of flat-mounted internal limiting membrane specimens.

Purpose: To describe new details of epiretinal cell proliferation in flat-mounted internal limiting membrane specimens.

Methods: One hundred nineteen internal limiting membrane specimens were removed en bloc with epiretinal membranes from 79 eyes with macular pucker (MP) and 40 eyes with vitreomacular traction syndrome. Intraoperatively, posterior vitreous detachment was assessed as complete or incomplete.

Immunocytochemical and ultrastructural evidence of glial cells and hyalocytes in internal limiting membrane specimens of idiopathic macular holes.

Purpose: To provide new information on epiretinal cell proliferation and the cells' origin in idiopathic macular holes and to overcome the effects of embedding and sectioning preparation procedures on cell-distribution patterns.

Methods: Interference and phase-contrast microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy were performed on surgically excised whole-mounted internal limiting membrane (ILM) specimens removed from 60 eyes with idiopathic macular holes. Cell distribution and cell morphology were correlated with immunocytochemical staining characteristics.

Receiver operating characteristic analysis: calculation for the marker 'melanoma inhibitory activity' in metastatic uveal melanoma patients.

The serological marker melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) has been shown to be significantly higher in the serum of patients suffering from metastatic uveal melanoma than in progression-free patients. The objective of this study was to calculate a meaningful receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for MIA based on a large patient collective and to find an appropriate threshold value. MIA tumor marker levels of 503 outpatients suffering from uveal melanoma were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Two-step LASIK after penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: The point of interest of this retrospective case review is to study refractive changes caused by the hinged lamellar keratotomy and the refractive outcome after laser ablation in a second step within the scope of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in patients with penetrating keratoplasty.

Methods: Data from eight patients obtained before lamellar keratotomy, before laser ablation, and three months later were evaluated. Keratotomies were performed with the Moria((R)) LSK one and the Amadeus((R)) 2 microkeratome, laser ablation was performed with the Schwind((R)) Keratome I and the Wavelight((R)) Allegretto WaveEyeQ.

Idiopathic macular holes: ultrastructural aspects of surgical failure.

Purpose: To investigate the ultrastructure of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) and epiretinal tissue in eyes with idiopathic macular holes that were not successfully closed by one operation.

Methods: A second vitrectomy with en bloc removal of the ILM and epimacular tissue was performed in 16 eyes with full-thickness macular holes after surgical failure. The specimens were processed for transmission electron microscopy.

Ultrastructure of the vitreomacular interface in full-thickness idiopathic macular holes: a consecutive analysis of 100 cases.

Purpose: To evaluate the ultrastructure of the vitreoretinal interface in stage III and stage IV idiopathic macular holes.

Design: A consecutive observational case series, laboratory investigation.

Methods: Pars plana vitrectomy with en-bloc removal of the internal limiting membrane (ILM) and epimacular tissue was performed by one surgeon in 80 eyes with stage III macular holes and in 20 eyes with stage IV macular holes.