Resolution of recalcitrant chronic papillary conjunctivitis associated with epiphora following punctoplasty and lacrimal stenting.

Objective: To assess the use of lacrimal stenting for chronic papillary conjunctivitis associated with epiphora in young adults with little or no atopic background.

Methods: A retrospective interventional case series of 21 consecutive patients (36 eyes) treated for epiphora and chronic papillary conjunctivitis at a tertiary university-affiliated medical center between January 2014 and August 2015 by the same oculoplastic surgeon (I.A).

Prevention of Exposure Keratopathy in Critically Ill Patients: A Single-Center, Randomized, Pilot Trial Comparing Ocular Lubrication With Bandage Contact Lenses and Punctal Plugs.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of bandage contact lenses and punctal plugs with ocular lubricants in preventing corneal damage in mechanically ventilated and sedated critically ill patients.

Design: Single-center, prospective, randomized, pilot study.

Setting: Sixteen-bed, general ICU at a tertiary academic medical center.

[Lucentis versus Avastin--is there a light at the end of the tunnel for age-related macular degeneration patients?].

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the developed world. The recently introduced anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections of Ranibizumab (Lucentis) and Bevacizumab (Avastin) generated a heated academic argument: on the one hand Lucentis is the only drug that was proven effective and relatively safe in large prospective double-blinded studies, albeit this drug is expensive and might cost up to $1000 per single injection. On the other hand, Avastin is widely used worldwide as a low cost alternative for Lucentis, with an estimated cost of about $120 per injection, although its efficacy and side effects were investigated only in smaller retrospective studies.

Variability among retina specialists in evaluating fluorescein angiograms of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To determine the rate of agreement among five retina specialists in classifying various angiographic features of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), as evaluated on printed digital fluorescein angiogram (FA) frames, as well as determination of eligibility for photodynamic treatment (PDT) according to established guidelines.

Methods: Ninety-two digital FAs demonstrating subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD were evaluated independently by five retina specialists. The pattern of classic component could be classified as no classic component, minimally classic, predominantly classic, or classic only.

Photodynamic therapy of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in high myopia in a clinical setting: visual outcome in relation to age at treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate the visual outcome of patients with myopic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) given photodynamic therapy (PDT) in a clinical setting, and to identify potential relation between the visual outcome and the age at treatment.

Design: Interventional case series.

Methods: Retrospective comparative study.