Effect of COVID-19-related lockdown on ophthalmic practice in Italy: A report from 39 institutional centers.

Background/objectives: To compare the number of eye surgical procedures performed in Italy in the 2 months following the beginning of lockdown (study period) because of COVID-19 epidemic with those performed in the two earlier months of the same year (intra-year control) and in the period of 2019 corresponding to the lockdown (inter-year control).

Methods: Retrospective analysis of surgical procedures carried out at 39 Academic hospitals. A distinction was made between elective and urgent procedures.

Applications of the Amniotic Membrane in Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Recently, the use of the human amniotic membrane (hAM) has been extended to treat retinal disorders, such as macular holes that failed to close and retinal tears. The hAM has demonstrated the induction of a recovery process of the external retinal layers involving the external limiting membrane (ELM) and the ellipsoid zone (EZ). After that, the application of the hAM for retinal pathologies was extended to large macular tears, high myopic retinal detachment associated with MH, paravascular tears, serous macular detachment associated with optic pit, complicated retinal detachment and advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

HUMAN AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE TO TREAT MACULAR HOLES THAT FAILED TO CLOSE, SULFUR HEXAFLUORIDE ENDOTAMPONADE VERSUS AIR ENDOTAMPONADE: A Prospective Comparative Study.

Background/purpose: To determinate the efficacy of the human amniotic membrane plugs with sulfur hexafluoride versus human amniotic membrane plug with air as endotamponade to treat macular holes that failed to close after vitrectomy plus internal limiting membrane peeling. Multimodal imaging was focused to evaluate preoperative features and postoperative changes.

Methods: Prospective interventional comparative study.

Human Amniotic Membrane Plug to Restore Age-Related Macular Degeneration Photoreceptor Damage.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in adults 65 years of age and older. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) can complicate AMD and lead to severe visual acuity reduction. Despite the several treatments available, if the retinal pigment epithelium is damaged, we have to cope with the impossibility of restoring acceptable visual acuity using only medical treatments.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of ranibizumab for the treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization: Results from the LUMINOUS study.

Purpose: To assess the 1-year effectiveness, safety, and treatment patterns of ranibizumab in patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) enrolled in the LUMINOUS study.

Methods: This 5-year, prospective, multicenter, observational, study enrolled 30,138 patients across all approved ranibizumab indications from outpatient ophthalmology clinics. 297 consenting patients (≥18 years) with mCNV who were treatment-naïve or prior-treated with ranibizumab or other ocular treatments were enrolled, and treated with ranibizumab according to the local product label.