Retinal and choroidal changes and visual outcome in central retinal artery occlusion: an optical coherence tomography study.

Purpose: To investigate the retinal and choroidal changes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) and to identify factors associated with visual outcome in eyes with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).

Design: Retrospective, observational case series.

Methods: setting: Institutional.

Retinal and choroidal changes with severe hypertension and their association with visual outcome.

Purpose: To investigate retinal and choroidal changes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and to evaluate visual outcome in patients with severe hypertension.

Methods: In 42 eyes with hypertensive retinopathy from 21 patients with severe hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≥ 180 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥ 110 mm Hg), SD-OCT was performed on the day blood pressure (BP) was measured. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus features, and SD-OCT morphologic findings were evaluated and OCT features were compared between baseline and final visits.

Toxocara optic neuropathy after ingestion of raw meat products.

Purpose: To report Toxocara optic neuropathy in five men with histories of ingestion of raw meat, liver, or blood.

Case Report: Five men in their 30s to 60s presented with unilateral visual disturbance. All five had a history of ingesting raw meat, liver, or blood products.

Identification of vinculin as a potential plasma marker for age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To identify plasma protein biomarkers for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using a large-scale quantitative proteomic discovery procedure.

Methods: Plasma proteomes from 20 exudative AMD patients and 20 healthy control patients were comparatively profiled by four-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Proteins existing at statistically different levels were validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting in 233 case-controlled samples.

Five heavy metallic elements and age-related macular degeneration: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011.

Objective: To investigate the association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 5 heavy metallic elements (lead, mercury, cadmium, manganese, and zinc).

Design: A cross-sectional study using a complex, stratified, multistage, probability cluster survey.

Participants: Participants of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 to 2011.

Discovery of melanotransferrin as a serological marker of colorectal cancer by secretome analysis and quantitative proteomics.

To discover serological colorectal cancer (CRC) markers, we analyzed cell line secretome to gather proteins of higher potential to be secreted from tissues into circulation. A total of 898 human proteins were identified, of which 62.2% were predicted to be released or shed from cells.

Central retinal artery occlusion with concomitant ipsilateral cerebral infarction after cosmetic facial injections.

We report 2 cases of central retinal artery occlusion with concomitant ipsilateral cerebral infarction after cosmetic facial injections and a literature review. The 2 patients were two healthy women, in which cosmetic facial injections with autologous fat and filler were performed, respectively. The patients had no light perception at the final visit and their conditions led to memory retrieval disturbance in case 1 and right arm weakness, dysarthria, facial palsy, and ophthalmoplegia in case 2.

Paraneoplastic neuromyelitis optica associated with ANNA-1 antibodies in invasive thymoma.

Background: Thymoma is associated with various paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders. Herein, we report paraneoplastic neuromyelitis optica (NMO) associated with both anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) immunoglobulin G (IgG) and type 1 antineuronal nuclear antibody (ANNA-1) in an invasive thymoma patient.

Case Presentation: A woman presented with a sudden onset of bilateral progressive visual loss associated with recurrence of invasive thymoma, 6 years after thymectomy and immunosuppressive treatment.

Punctate hyperfluorescence spot as a common choroidopathy of central serous chorioretinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose: To characterize punctate hyperfluorescence spot as common choroidopathy in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Design: Cross-sectional retrospective study.

Methods: A total of 150 patients with 50 each allocated to CSC, PCV, and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) groups were included.

Ocular toxocariasis: clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Despite being one of the most common zoonotic infections worldwide, human toxocariasis has been one of the neglected tropical diseases. Although most human infections are asymptomatic, two main syndromes of human toxocariasis are classically recognized: systemic toxocariasis, which encompasses diseases in major organs; and ocular toxocariasis (OT), disease in the eye or optic nerve, caused by the migration of Toxocara larvae into the eye. OT is usually a unilateral disease, which typically presents as retinal granuloma, a yellowish or whitish inflammatory mass, in the posterior pole or peripheral retina.

Wnt modulators in the aqueous humor are associated with outer retinal damage severity in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the associations of the Wnt modulators Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF-1) and Dickkopf 3 (DKK-3) in the aqueous humor with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and to determine their clinical implications.

Methods: Seventy-four nAMD patients initially treated with an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR) and 74 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Aqueous humor WIF-1 and DKK-3 levels were measured by Western blotting and an ELISA before and 1 month after two consecutive IVRs (pre- and post-IVR).

Myelinated nerve fiber-associated local scleral excavation and induced axial myopia.

Purpose: To investigate the association between the distributions of local scleral excavation and myelinated nerve fibers (MNF) and to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of axial myopia in eyes with MNF.

Methods: In six eyes of six pediatric patients with MNF, the distribution of the MNF on fundus photography was compared with the regional excavation of the sclera on linear scans across the fovea and a peripapillary circular scan of spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Results: The tilting of Bruch membrane on vertical scan of spectral domain optical coherence tomography was associated with the major distribution of MNF (κ = 1, Cohen's kappa coefficient).

Acquired pseudoduplication of the optic disc in pathologic myopia.

Purpose: To elucidate the mechanism of acquired pseudoduplication of the optic disc and its association with pathologic myopia.

Methods: The prevalence of pseudoduplication of the optic disc was estimated by reviewing 128 consecutive patients diagnosed as having pathologic myopia between January 2010 and December 2012. The pseudodisc was investigated at the scleral level using enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to elucidate pathologic changes.

Clinical features and course of ocular toxocariasis in adults.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical features, clinical course of granuloma, serologic findings, treatment outcome, and probable infection sources in adult patients with ocular toxocariasis (OT).

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined 101 adult patients diagnosed clinically and serologically with OT. Serial fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography images of all the patients were reviewed.

Nationwide incidence of clinically diagnosed central retinal artery occlusion in Korea, 2008 to 2011.

Purpose: To define the incidence and demographics of clinically diagnosed central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) in Korea.

Design: Nationwide population-based retrospective study using data entered into the Korean national health claims database from 2007 to 2011.

Participants: Data of the entire Korean population (N = 47,990,761, based on the 2010 census) were analyzed.

Evaluation of congenital excavated optic disc anomalies with spectral-domain and swept-source optical coherence tomography.

Purpose: To investigate the anatomic characteristics of congenital excavated optic disc anomalies by using fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).

Methods: Fourteen eyes from 13 patients with congenital excavated optic disc anomalies underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity evaluation, fundus photography, and SD-OCT. SS-OCT was performed in cases of peripapillary staphyloma cases in which the excavation depth could not be detected with SD-OCT.

The effect of lithospermic acid, an antioxidant, on development of diabetic retinopathy in spontaneously obese diabetic rats.

Background: Lithospermic acid B (LAB), an active component isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza radix, has been reported to have antioxidant effects. We examined the effects of LAB on the prevention of diabetic retinopathy in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes.

Methods And Findings: LAB (10 or 20 mg/kg) or normal saline were given orally once daily to 24-week-old male OLETF rats for 52 weeks.

Neonatal systemic inflammation in rats alters retinal vessel development and simulates pathologic features of retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: Alteration of retinal angiogenesis during development leads to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants, which is a leading cause of visual impairment in children. A number of clinical studies have reported higher rates of ROP in infants who had perinatal infections or inflammation, suggesting that exposure of the developing retina to inflammation may disturb retinal vessel development. Thus, we investigated the effects of systemic inflammation on retinal vessel development and retinal inflammation in neonatal rats.

Comparison of 1-year therapeutic effect of ranibizumab and bevacizumab for myopic choroidal neovascularization: a retrospective, multicenter, comparative study.

Background: To compare the long-term efficacy of ranibizumab versus bevacizumab for myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter, comparative, non-randomized study of 64 consecutive patients with myopic CNV treated with ranibizumab (22 patients) or bevacizumab (42 patients). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) on optical coherence tomography were evaluated before and after treatment.

The usefulness of interferon-gamma release assay for diagnosis of tuberculosis-related uveitis in Korea.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB)-related uveitis (TRU).

Methods: Records from 181 patients with ocular signs and symptoms suggestive of TRU and intraocular inflammation of unknown etiology were reviewed. All subjects underwent clinical and laboratory testing, including IGRA, to rule out presence of underlying disease.

Predicting 1-month response of macular edema to intravitreal bevacizumab from 1-hour response.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of the change in central macular thickness (CMT) measured 1 h after intravitreal bevacizumab injection (IVB) for macular edema (ME) secondary to diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Participants: Thirty eyes with ME treated with IVB.

Effect of diabetic macular edema on peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness profiles.

Purpose: To investigate both the effect of diabetic macular edema (DME) on measured peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab injection on RNFL thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: We compared the SD-OCT RNFL thickness profiles between eyes with and without DME (DME [n = 42]; without DME [n = 53]) and conducted an interventional study for evaluating the effect of DME on RNFL thickness. Six sectorial and the global RNFL (gRNFL) thicknesses were compared between the two groups.