Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in diabetic macular oedema refractory to anti-vascular endothelial growth factors: the AUSSIEDEX study.

Aim: To evaluate effectiveness of dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 mg (DEX) monotherapy in the AUSSIEDEX study non-responder subgroup, defined by diabetic macular oedema (DME) refractory to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents.

Methods: This prospective, open-label, observational, real-world study included pseudophakic and phakic (scheduled for cataract surgery) eyes that did not achieve a ≥5-letter best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) gain and/or clinically significant central subfield retinal thickness (CRT) improvement after 3-6 anti-VEGF injections for DME (N=143 eyes), regardless of baseline BCVA and CRT.

Lesion area progression in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration treated using a proactive or a reactive regimen.

Background: To compare the change in lesion area over 4 years of follow-up in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents using either a proactive or a reactive regimen in routine clinical practice.

Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective comparative study. Totally, 202 treatment-naïve nAMD eyes (183 patients) received anti-VEGF therapy according to a proactive (n = 105) or reactive (n = 97) regimen.

Management of macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Central retinal vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion are common causes of visual loss due to associated macular oedema. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of interventions improving vision and treating macular oedema in central retinal vein occlusion and branch retinal vein occlusion.

Methods: Medical search engines and clinical trial registries were systematically searched.

Diabetic Macular Oedema Guidelines: An Australian Perspective.

The number of people living with diabetes is expected to rise to 578 million by 2030 and to 700 million by 2045, exacting a severe socioeconomic burden on healthcare systems around the globe. This is also reflected in the increasing numbers of people with ocular complications of diabetes (namely, diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and diabetic retinopathy (DR)). In one study examining the global prevalence of DR, 35% of people with diabetes had some form of DR, 7% had PDR, 7% had DMO, and 10% were affected by these vision-threatening stages.

Reactivation of Multifocal Choroiditis Associated with Treatment in Latent Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Ocular manifestations of TB can lead to severe and sight-threatening complications. Initiating treatment in ocular TB with anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) may be necessary to prevent long-term visual complications.

Role of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor in the management of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy without centre-involving diabetic macular oedema: a meta-analysis of trials.

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the impact of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment in management of eyes with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) without centre involving diabetic macular oedema (CI-DMO). We searched multiple databases for all randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated anti-VEGF treatment versus observation in eyes with NPDR without CI-DMO. Data was collected for six outcomes (best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement, diabetic retinopathy severity score (DRSS), central subfield thickness, progression to vision threatening complications (VTCs), ocular adverse events and quality of life measures).

Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Based on Non-ICGA Criteria in White Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine prevalence of probable polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among White patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using non-indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) criteria DESIGN: Multicenter, multinational, retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Methods: A total of 208 treatment-naive eyes from Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals diagnosed with nAMD were included. All underwent color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FFA).

One-year real-world outcomes of bevacizumab for the treatment of macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

Background: Bevacizumab is the only agent that many people can afford, yet there are only limited data on whether it improves macular oedema (MO) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in real-world clinical practice. Here we studied 12-month real-world treatment outcomes of bevacizumab for RVO-related MO.

Methods: This was a multicentre, observational study analysing 12-month data from the Fight Retinal Blindness! (FRB) database.

Characterization of Poor Visual Outcomes of Diabetic Macular Edema: The Fight Retinal Blindness! Project.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence, characteristics, and baseline predictors of poor visual outcomes in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) receiving intravitreal therapy in routine clinical practice.

Design: Observational study.

Participants: Treatment-naïve eyes starting intravitreal therapy for DME between 2014 and 2018 tracked in the Fight Retinal Blindness! registry.

12-month outcomes of ranibizumab versus aflibercept for macular oedema in central retinal vein occlusion: data from the FRB! registry.

Purpose: To compare 12-month treatment outcomes of eyes receiving aflibercept or ranibizumab for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in routine clinical practice.

Methods: 296 treatment-naïve eyes receiving either aflibercept (171 eyes, 2 mg) or ranibizumab (125 eyes, 0.5 mg) for macular oedema secondary to CRVO were recruited retrospectively from centres using the prospectively designed FRB! registry.

Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in treatment-naïve diabetic macular oedema: findings from the prospective, multicentre, AUSSIEDEX study.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 mg (DEX; Ozurdex) monotherapy in the patient subgroup of the AUSSIEDEX study with treatment-naïve diabetic macular oedema (DME).

Methods: The open-label, prospective, phase 4, real-world study included pseudophakic eyes and phakic eyes scheduled for cataract surgery that were treatment-naïve or non-responsive to antivascular endothelial growth factors.

Asymptomatic occlusive retinal vasculitis in newly diagnosed active tuberculosis.

Introduction: Worldwide, tuberculosis is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease. Ocular involvement can cause significant and permanent vision loss. Ocular manifestations of tuberculosis often present with visual symptoms.

Five-year outcomes of eyes initially enrolled in the 2-year BEVORDEX trial of bevacizumab or dexamethasone implants for diabetic macular oedema.

Background: The BEVORDEX trial compared outcomes of eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) randomised to receive either intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX-) implant or bevacizumab over 2 years. We assessed long-term efficacy and safety outcomes 5 years from enrolment.

Methods: Patients received standard clinical care after they finished the study.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration at treatment intervals of 14 weeks or greater.

Background: We assessed the proportion of eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in routine clinical practice that reach ≥14 week treatment intervals and their outcomes.

Method: We analysed data from the Fight Retinal Blindness! (FRB!) Project database, a prospectively designed registry of 'real-world' outcomes. Treatment-naive eyes starting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors for nAMD from 1st January 2006 were included.

Long-term outcomes of anti-VEGF treatment of retinal vein occlusion.

Background/objectives: To analyze the long-term outcomes of eyes with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) 8 years after commencing treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents.

Subjects/methods: Retrospective, multicentre study of 221 eyes diagnosed with RVO, which were commenced on anti-VEGF therapy between 2009 and 2011. VA and CRT were recorded at baseline and at subsequent annual time points.

Twelve-month outcomes of ranibizumab versus aflibercept for macular oedema in branch retinal vein occlusion: data from the FRB! registry.

Background/aims: To compare the efficacy of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) with aflibercept (2 mg) in the treatment of cystoid macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) over 12 months.

Methods: A multicentre, international, database observational study recruited 322 eyes initiating therapy in real-world practice over 5 years.

GRAding of functional and anatomical response to DExamethasone implant in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: GRADE-DME Study.

To analyze functional and anatomical response patterns to dexamethasone (DEX) implant in diabetic macular edema (DME), to describe proportion of responders and non-responders, and to propose a new DME grading system. Retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. Naïve and non-naïve DME patients were treated with DEX, with visual acuity (VA) ≥ 0.

Using Lean Six Sigma techniques to improve efficiency in outpatient ophthalmology clinics.

Background: Increasing patient numbers, complexity of patient management, and healthcare resource limitations have resulted in prolonged patient wait times, decreased quality of service, and decreased patient satisfaction in many outpatient services worldwide. This study investigated the impact of Lean Six Sigma, a service improvement methodology originally from manufacturing, in reducing patient wait times and increasing service capacity in a publicly-funded, tertiary referral outpatient ophthalmology clinic.

Methods: This quality improvement study compared results from two five-months audits of operational data pre- and post-implementation of Lean Six Sigma.