[Imaging in Uveitis].

Imaging is one of the key elements in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. This is especially true for intraocular inflammation. In this article, the current imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, fundus autofluorescence and wide-field imaging modalities are discussed.

[Does the Foveal Avascular Zone Change in Glaucoma?].

Background: The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) - with perimeter and acircularity index (AI) and surrounding vessel density - are measured in glaucomatous eyes in comparison to healthy eyes - with additional subdivision into visual field defects in different locations (central vs. peripheral).

Materials And Methods: The data from 128 eyes were evaluated.

[Peri-/Postoperative Anti-Inflammatory Therapy in Vitreoretinal Interventions].

The perioperative treatment of retinal surgery with anti-inflammatory drugs is an everyday procedure for ophthalmologists in Germany. Nevertheless, little data are available to investigate the efficacy of vitreoretinal surgery. Treatment is usually analogous to procedures on the anterior segment of the eye, for which much more robust data are available.

[Trabeculectomy with Collagen Matrix Implant as Bevacizumab Depot: Clinical Results on Efficacy and Safety].

Background: Trabeculectomy for the surgical reduction of internal eye pressure is an established procedure, but the principle limitations are in postoperative wound healing. Various antimetabolites are regularly used to avoid postoperative subconjunctival scarring. The present study investigates whether the combination of an Ologen implant with bevacizumab can modify the rates of success and/or complications during trabeculectomy.

[Uveitic Secondary Glaucoma].

An intraocular pressure increase with development of glaucomatous damage is a common complication of uveitis. The prevalence has a wide range depending on various factors such as the underlying uveitis type and the duration of the disease. Pathogenetically, a distinction must be made between a secondary angle closure component and the more frequently occurring open-angle glaucoma.

[Experience with Introduction of SMILE: Learning Phase of our First 200 Treatments].

  Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) is a relatively new surgical method to correct myopia and myopic astigmatism. Although considered to be safe and effective, it is not yet popular. Potential reasons for its limited use could be that surgeons fear inferior results and a higher complication rate in the learning phase.

[Diagnosis and treatment of episcleritis and scleritis].

Episcleritis is a benign and self-limiting disease, often with a recurrent course, manifesting mainly in young adults. In less than a third of patients, an associated systemic disease can be found. In contrast, scleritis is observed mainly in patients between the 4th and 6th decade of life, may lead to severe ocular complications, and is often associated with a systemic rheumatological disease.

[Efficacy of a Dexamethasone Implant for the Treatment of Refractory Cystoid Macular Oedema in Non-Infectious Uveitis].

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®) in patients with cystoid macular oedema (CME) suffering from non-infectious uveitis.

Methods: Monocentric, retrospective, single-arm analysis in 49 patients (59 implanted eyes) with inactive uveitis, in whom CME had been unresponsive to corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants and systemic acetazolamide, and who received a dexamethasone implant. Patients were followed up at 6, 12 and 24 weeks after unilateral (n = 39)/bilateral (n = 10) implantation.

[Interpretation of Pathological Changes at the Vitreoretinal Interface].

For decades there was a general consensus about diagnostic investigations and surgical treatment of symptomatic pathological changes in the vitreomacular interface (VMI). The introduction of SD-OCT imaging helped in the understanding of the pathogenetic processes at this interface and risk factors were defined for the macular traction syndrome, epiretinal membrane (ERM) and macular hole. After approval of ocriplasmin for non-surgical treatment, a new classification based on treatment outcome and new imaging techniques was established.

[Design of the ORCA module in the OCEAN study : Evaluation of SD-OCT results in daily routine practice].

Background: The prevalence of blindness as defined by law could be reduced by the introduction of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. Because the treatment is governed by patient needs, mostly using morphological criteria, imaging diagnostics are of particular importance. The non-interventional OCEAN study investigates the treatment with ranibizumab in the clinical routine practice.

[OCT Angiography - Is this the Future for Macular Diagnosis?].

Recent developements in OCT technology using high speed acquisition and calculation of consecutive scans (SSADA = split spectrum amplitude decorrelation algorithm) have resulted in the possibility to demonstrate retinal and choroidal vessels in the macula. This new technology of "OCT angiography" thus allows the non-invasive and rapid (within seconds) reconstruction of the three-dimensional structure of the retinal and choroidal vascularisation. There are still limitations caused by movement artefacts, superposition of superficial retinal vessels at the RPE level or insufficient three-dimensional imaging, but the first experience with this new method and especially the correlations with the current standard diagnostic procedure fluorescein angiography shows that especially for vascular changes which are predominantly in one retinal layer (e.

[Change of therapy from ranibizumab to aflibercept for recurrent or persistent exudative age-related macular degeneration].

Background: Even during consistent anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy a reactivation of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) lesions can be observed in many patients. The present case series examined whether a switch from ranibizumab to aflibercept is safe and whether differences in potency can be observed.

Patients And Methods: In 56 consecutive patients with recurrent activity of AMD according to the morphological criteria of the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) examination, a change to aflibercept was made after 6-41 (mean 18.

[Serous vascularized pigment epithelial detachment in exudative AMD. Morphological typing and risk of tears in the RPE].

Purpose: Are there any morphological parameters in pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which could identify the development of tears (RIP) in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) before initiation of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy?

Methods: Retrospectively, the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), FLA and near infrared (NIR) images of 98 eyes with PED in exudative AMD before treatment (ranibizumab or bevacizumab) were analyzed. Eyes in which a tear in the RPE (RIP group) could be observed during treatment were compared to eyes without the development of RIP (PED group) in the following morphological parameters of PED: height, number of peaks, presence of hyporeflective fissures at the base of the PED, structure of the RPE, presence of floating structures in the PED with maximum hyperreflectivity, amount and localization of hyperreflectivity in the PED and hyperreflectivity in the NIR images.

Results: In the 80 eyes of the PED group the mean PED height was 373.

[Vernal keratoconjunctivitis].

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) belongs to the group of allergic eye diseases. The incidence varies considerably, depending on the climate zone. In temperate climates VKC occurs only seasonally, while in hot climates it is mostly all year-round and rather more severe.

[Endophthalmitis as a serious complication of intravitreal drug delivery].

Background: Endophthalmitis, regarded as a severe complication, can occur after intraocular injection of drugs (IVI). At present only few reports exist on the development of this disease, although recently the number of intraocular injections to treat especially age-related macular degenerations is increasing considerably.

Methods: In this paper we present our results of a retrospective study of 27 patients suffering from endophthalmitis after IVI.

[Tear in retinal pigment epithelium under anti-VEGF therapy for exudative age-related macular degeneration : function recovery under intensive therapy].

This article reports the case of a 72-year-old woman with pigment epithelial detachment with occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which developed under anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy of a tear in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In the area of free RPE autofluorescence was completely absent and the microperimetry in this area showed an absolute scotoma. The visual acuity was 0.

[Trabeculectomy in uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: long-term results in pediatric secondary glaucoma].

Background: Secondary uveitic glaucoma in children can only be controlled in many cases by surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of trabeculectomy (TE) with administration of mitomycin C in children with secondary uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Materials And Methods: This study was a retrospective chart review of 21 children with uveitic glaucoma who underwent TE with administration of mitomycin C including analysis of complications, further interventions, additional surgical procedures to control intraocular pressure (IOP) and of the success rates after a mean follow-up of 5 years.

[Infections after intraocular lens surgery: implications for refractive surgery].

Apart from the classical indication of removing an opaque lens that is compromising vision, extraction of the crystalline lens is gaining increasing importance as a refractive procedure. This literature review which considers the present guidelines of various ophthalmological societies and recently published studies is intended to give an estimate of the incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis and evidence-based recommendations for its prophylaxis, diagnosis, and therapy. The incidence of endophthalmitis after cataract extraction is reported to be 0.

Effect of repositioning or discarding the epithelial flap in laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy and epithelial laser in situ keratomileusis.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of the epithelial flap after epithelial laser in situ keratomileusis (epi-LASIK) and laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK) to correct low to moderate ametropia on visual recovery, epithelial closure, pain, and haze formation.

Setting: Zentrum für Refraktive Chirurgie, Augenabteilung am St. Franziskus Hospital, Münster, Germany.

[Pigment epithelial detachment in exudative macular degeneration: clinical characteristics and therapeutic options].

Vascularized pigment epithelial detachment (PE detachment) can be viewed as a special form of occult choroidal neovascularization (CNV) owing to the natural course of the disease, its specific pathogenesis and its response to various forms of treatment. This applies to serous PE detachment associated with both occult CNV and also with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). A tear in the retinal pigment epithelium (RIP) represents a serious complication of vascularized PE detachment and is often associated with acute vision deterioration that not uncommonly also involves massive subretinal hemorrhaging.