A prospective multicenter study on genome wide associations to ranibizumab treatment outcome for age-related macular degeneration.

We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the outcome of anti-VEGF treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a prospective cohort. Four hundred and sixty-one treatment-naïve AMD patients were recruited at 13 clinical centers and all patients were treated with 3 monthly injections of ranibizumab followed by pro re nata regimen treatment for one year. Genomic DNA was collected from all patients for a 2-stage GWAS on achieving dry macula after the initial treatment, the requirement for an additional treatment, and visual acuity changes during the 12-month observation period.

Glaucomatous changes in lamina pores shape within the lamina cribrosa using wide bandwidth, femtosecond mode-locked laser OCT.

Purpose: The lamina cribrosa (LC) is known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Although it has been reported that striae-shaped or slit-shaped lamina pores are more frequent in eyes with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), this observation is based only on fundus photography. The primary object of this study is to perform layer-by-layer comparisons of the shape of lamina pores within the LC in vivo.

Vertical asymmetry of lamina cribrosa tilt angles using wide bandwidth, femtosecond mode-locked laser OCT; effect of myopia and glaucoma.

Purpose: Morphological features of the lamina cribrosa (LC) and optic disc may be important in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and myopic neuropathy. We therefore performed a cross-sectional study of patients with glaucoma and myopic neuropathy to evaluate vertical asymmetry of LC tilt angles (LCTAs) from Bruch's membrane opening (BMO).

Material And Methods: Forty-six control eyes and 35 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes were included.

Generation of broadband noise-like pulse from Yb-doped fiber laser ring cavity.

We have demonstrated a generation of the noise-like pulse (NLP) with broadband spectrum in a nonlinear polarized evolution-based passive mode-locked Yb-doped fiber (YDF) ring laser. At the cavity dispersion of near zero, the NLP with spectrum bandwidth up to 131 nm (FWHM) was obtained at a central wavelength of 1070 nm with output power of 136 mW and 80 MHz repetition rate. To our best knowledge, this spectrum bandwidth of NLP is the broadest among the reported YDF lasers.

New loci and coding variants confer risk for age-related macular degeneration in East Asians.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of blindness, but presents differently in Europeans and Asians. Here, we perform a genome-wide and exome-wide association study on 2,119 patients with exudative AMD and 5,691 controls, with independent replication in 4,226 patients and 10,289 controls, all of East Asian descent, as part of The Genetics of AMD in Asians (GAMA) Consortium. We find a strong association between CETP Asp442Gly (rs2303790), an East Asian-specific mutation, and increased risk of AMD (odds ratio (OR)=1.

Correlation between lamina cribrosa tilt angles, myopia and glaucoma using OCT with a wide bandwidth femtosecond mode-locked laser.

Purpose: To measure horizontal and vertical lamina cribrosa (LC) tilt angles and investigate associated factors using prototype optical coherence tomography (OCT) with a broad wavelength laser light source.

Design: Cross sectional study.

Methods: Twenty-eight no glaucoma eyes (from 15 subjects) and 25 glaucoma eyes (from 14 patients) were enrolled.

Prognostic phenotypic and genotypic factors associated with photodynamic therapy response in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Background: This study aimed to demonstrate the phenotypic and genotypic factors associated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: The study included 149 patients with exudative AMD treated by PDT. Eight phenotypic factors and ten genotypic factors for three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs800292, rs1061170, rs1410996) in the complement factor H (CFH) gene, rs 11200638-SNP in the high temperature requirement A-1 (HTRA1) gene, two SNPs (rs699947, rs2010963) in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene, and four SNPs (rs12948385, rs12150053, rs9913583, rs1136287) in the pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) gene were evaluated.

Three-dimensional optic nerve head images using optical coherence tomography with a broad bandwidth, femtosecond, and mode-locked laser.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the fine laminar structure of the optic nerve head (ONH), in vivo, using a broad wavelength, ultra-high resolution, and optically coherent tomography (OCT) system.

Methods: This high-resolution OCT system, based on a 200 nm bandwidth spectrometer and an 8 femtosecond ultra-short, mode-locked, coherent laser light source, enabled in vivo cross-sectional ONH imaging with 2.0 μm axial resolution.

A genome-wide association study for diabetic retinopathy in a Japanese population: potential association with a long intergenic non-coding RNA.

Elucidation of the genetic susceptibility factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) is important to gain insight into the pathogenesis of DR, and may help to define genetic risk factors for this condition. In the present study, we conducted a three-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify DR susceptibility loci in Japanese patients, which comprised a total of 837 type 2 diabetes patients with DR (cases) and 1,149 without DR (controls). From the stage 1 genome-wide scan of 446 subjects (205 cases and 241 controls) on 614,216 SNPs, 249 SNPs were selected for the stage 2 replication in 623 subjects (335 cases and 288 controls).

Ocular localization and transduction by adenoviral vectors are serotype-dependent and can be modified by inclusion of RGD fiber modifications.

Purpose: To evaluate localization and transgene expression from adenoviral vector of serotypes 5, 35, and 28, ± an RGD motif in the fiber following intravitreal or subretinal administration.

Methods: Ocular transduction by adenoviral vector serotypes ± RGD was studied in the eyes of mice receiving an intravitreous or subretinal injection. Each serotype expressed a CMV-GFP expression cassette and histological sections of eyes were examined.

[Corneal subepithelial infiltrates that developed following intravitreous injection of bevacizumab].

Background: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies including intravitrous bevacizumab injection (IVB) emerged as an effective treatment for various fundus diseases. Reports of adverse reactions derived from bevacizumab itself are rare. We report a case in which corneal subepithelial infiltrates developed following IVB.

Five-year results of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for Japanese patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To describe the treatment outcome of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) followed for 5 years.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical charts of 51 patients with AMD. Thirty-one eyes of typical AMD (tAMD) and 20 eyes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) were evaluated.

Montage images of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in eyes with idiopathic macular holes.

Purpose: To describe the morphologic and anatomic relationships at the vitreoretinal interface, from the macula into the periphery, in patients with idiopathic macular hole. Montaged images of posterior and peripheral spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) studies were used to describe the anatomic vitreoretinal relationships.

Design: Prospective, consecutive, observational case series.

Association of elastin gene polymorphism to age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose: To see if there is an association in Japanese between elastin gene (ELN) polymorphisms and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or its subtypes, typical AMD (tAMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods: The authors genotyped five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2301995, rs2856728, rs868005, rs884843, and rs13239907, at Kyoto University and Saitama Medical University. A case-control study was performed on 1296 patients with AMD and 478 controls.

Associations of cigarette smoking but not serum fatty acids with age-related macular degeneration in a Japanese population.

Purpose: To assess modifiable environmental risk factors and protective factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a native Japanese population.

Design: A case-control study.

Participants: We included 422 case-control samples composed of 279 consecutive AMD cases and 143 controls.

Complement factor H and high-temperature requirement A-1 genotypes and treatment response of age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To determine whether there is an association between complement factor H (CFH), high-temperature requirement A-1 (HTRA1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) genotypes and response to treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Japanese population.

Design: Prospective, case-control study.

Participants: One hundred ten patients with exudative AMD treated by verteporfin PDT were recruited prospectively at the Department of Ophthalmology, Saitama Medical University Hospital, Saitama, Japan.

CFH, VEGF, and PEDF genotypes and the response to intravitreous injection of bevacizumab for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

We determined whether there is an association between complement factor H (CFH), high-temperature requirement A-1 (HTRA1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) genotypes and the response to treatment with a single intravitreous injection of bevacizumab for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Eighty-three patients with exudative AMD treated by bevacizumab injection were genotyped for three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs800292, rs1061170, rs1410996) in the CFH gene, a rs11200638-SNP in the HTRA1 gene, three SNPs (rs699947, rs1570360, rs2010963) in the VEGF gene, and four SNPs (rs12150053, rs12948385, rs9913583, rs1136287) in the PEDF gene using a TaqMan assay. The CT genotype (heterozygous) of CFH-rs1061170 was more frequently represented in nonresponders in vision than TT genotypes (nonrisk allele homozygous) at the time points of 1 and 3 months, while there was no CC genotype (risk allele homozygous) in our study cohort (p = 7.

Retinal adaptability loss in serous retinal detachment with central serous chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the functional characteristics of the detached retina on a serous retinal detachment (SRD) in eyes with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) with spared visual acuity.

Methods: Multifocal electroretinograms (mfERGs) were recorded with a long recording time of 14 minutes, 34 seconds, to obtain accurate measurement of the second-order kernel (K2.1), an index of functional adaptability of the retina, from seven eyes with CSC (visual acuity, >or=1.

Phenotype and genotype characteristics of age-related macular degeneration in a Japanese population.

Purpose: To describe phenotype and genotype characteristics of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients.

Design: A case-control study.

Participants: A total of 550 case-control samples composed of 408 consecutive AMD cases and 142 controls.

[Outcome of photodynamic therapy for exudative age-related macular degeneration with good visual acuity].

Purpose: To evaluate visual outcome one year after photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) showing good visual acuity (VA).

Subjects And Methods: One hundred and thirteen patients with AMD who received PDT therapy were recruited for this study. The study subjects were divided into two groups : those having a better visual acuity than 0.

Choriocapillary blood propagation in normal volunteers and in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy.

Background/aims: To evaluate early choroidal vascular dye-filling and dye propagation patterns in normal subjects and in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) using indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.

Methods: Seventeen healthy volunteers (21-81 years old) and six patients with CSC were included. ICG angiography was performed using a modified Topcon ICG video-camera system.

Photodynamic effects on retinal oxygen saturation, blood flow, and electrophysiological function in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on retinal functions, such as oxygen saturation, blood flow, and electrophysiological function using Fourier transform-based spectral retinal imaging (SRI), Heidelberg retinal flowmeter (HRF), and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG).

Methods: This was a prospective interventional case series. Twenty-two patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with unilateral choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were examined using SRI, HRF, and mfERG before and 1 week and 1 month after PDT.

An empty E1, E3, E4 adenovirus vector protects photoreceptors from light-induced degeneration.

We have previously identified a neuroprotective effect associated with empty (E1(-), E3(-), E4(-)) adenovirus vector delivery in a model of light-induced, photoreceptor cell death. In this study, we further characterize this protective effect in light-injured retina and investigate its molecular basis. Dark-adapted BALB/c mice, aged 6-8 weeks, were exposed to standardized, intense fluorescent light for 96 or 144 h.