[Application of gene therapy to oncologic ophthalmology].

Since the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953 by Watson and Crick, our understanding of the genetic causes and the regulations involved in tumor development have hugely increased. The important amount of research developed since then has led to the development of gene therapy, which specifically targets and treats cancer cells by interacting with, and correcting their genetic material. This study is a review of the most accomplished research using gene therapy aimed at treating malignant ophthalmologic diseases, and focuses more specifically on uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma.

Photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularisation secondary to basal laminar drusen.

Purpose: Basal laminar drusen (BLD) is a rare retinal disorder that may be complicated with choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). Here we describe four patients treated with verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) for CNV secondary to BLD.

Methods: Four consecutive patients presented with subfoveal CNV secondary to BLD.

Indocyanine green angiography features of central areolar choroidal dystrophy.

Purpose: Central areolar choroidal dystrophy is an inherited autosomal dominant macular disease characterized by a central atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris. Our purpose was to describe fluorescein angiography and confocal indocyanine green angiography features of central areolar choroidal dystrophy.

Methods: We performed a complete ophthalmologic examination including best corrected visual acuity, fundus examination, color fundus photographs, red free frames, fluorescein angiography, infrared, confocal indocyanine green, and electroretinography in a cohort of patients with a family history of central areolar choroidal dystrophy.

Choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia: recent developments in diagnosis and treatment.

Choroidal neovascularization is a common cause of vision loss in patients with pathologic myopia, often resulting in irreversible central vision loss. This is particularly important because choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia affects many people of working age. Patients may be limited in the types of tasks they can perform effectively or may even have to give up work; thus, in addition to the emotional strain, the vision loss caused by choroidal neovascularization can have a severe impact on career expectations and financial status.

[Natural development over 4 years of a macular small choroidal melanoma in a single-eyed patient].

We report the case of a single-eyed patient with a small (2.2 mm thick with largest tumor diameter 7.6 mm) choroidal melanoma involving the entire macular surface with few functional signs.

[Macular fold following retinal detachment surgery].

Introduction: The occurrence of a retinal fold after vitrectomy for retinal reattachment is not often described. In this case report, its treatment, prevention, and mechanism are discussed.

Case Report: A 45-year-old pseudophakic woman experienced a superotemporal retinal detachment with macula-on and numerous retinal tears.

[Optic disc pit complicated by serous macular detachment: a case report].

Introduction: Optic disc pit is a rare congenital anomaly that, in 60% of cases, can be complicated by serous macular detachment.

Case Report: We report the case of a 56-year-old patient who presented with serous macular detachment caused by optic disc pit and responsible for a deterioration of visual acuity. Intravitreal injection of 0.

[Mycosis fungoides of the eyelids. Two case reports].

Mycosis fungoides is a distinct variant of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. We describe two male patients presenting with the third stage of the disease at the age of 56 and 67 years. The patients had large, patchy pigmented tumors all over the face and eyelids.

[Thirty-five years of follow-up before enucleation for malignant choroidal melanoma. A case report].

We report the case of a patient with a unilateral chorioretinal lesion that evolved over 35 years before enucleation provided the diagnosis of amelanotic choroidal melanoma. This case is quite unusual in regards the long-term follow-up of this tumor before treatments were initiated. The patient showed no evidence of locoregional failure or distant metastasis at 30 months of follow-up.

[Fundus flavimaculatus and choroidal neovascularization].

Objective: Fundus flavimaculatus is an aspect of Stargardt disease, which is characterized by juvenile onset, rapidly progressive deterioration, and poor visual outcome due to atrophic areas or flecks. Recently, a late-onset form has been described, on the borderline with AMD. However, choroidal neovascular complications are not frequent and rarely described in Stargardt's disease.

[Giant keratoacanthoma of the eyelid].

The clinicopathologic case of a 76-year-old male with a giant tumor of the left eyelid is reported. Histopathological diagnosis was a keratoacanthoma. The lesion was treated with an injection of 5-Fluoro-Uracil and oral treatment with acitretin (Soriatane), causing the lesion to disappear quickly.

[Ciliary body leiomyomas. Three case reports].

We present our experience with three patients, two of whom were women, 16, 28 and 44 years of age, presenting with leiomyomas of the ciliary body. Salient clinical features were involvement of the left eye and temporal quadrants in two cases and extension into the anterior chamber in the other. Two patients underwent enucleation and the third had iridocyclochoroidectomy.

Indocyanine green angiography of juvenile X-linked retinoschisis.

Purpose: In juvenile X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), fluorescein angiography is usually unremarkable and contributes poorly to the diagnosis. However, indocyanine green (ICG) angiography features in eyes that are affected with XLRS were not yet described.

Design: Retrospective observational case series.

Photodynamic therapy for choroidal neovascularization on late-onset fundus flavimaculatus.

Purpose: To report the features of three consecutive cases of patients affected with late-onset fundus flavimaculatus (FFM) complicated with choroidal new vessels (CNV) and treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Design: Retrospective interventional case series.

Methods: Three unrelated women (70- to 74-year-old) presented with unilateral decrease of central vision.

[Results of limited macular translocation in subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration].

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the major cause of legal blindness in industrialized countries. The exudative form could be responsible for severe visual loss. Recent therapeutic approaches are now available for treating subfoveal neovascularization.

Systemic melanoma metastatic to the retina and vitreous.

Purpose: Report of a case of retinal and vitreous metastases of a systemic melanoma, possibly arising in the lung, that responded favourably to radiotherapy.

Case Report: Retinal and vitreous metastases were demonstrated in a 57-year-old woman during routine follow-up after surgical resection of a melanoma presumed to be a primary pulmonary melanoma. After a 7-week observation period, which confirmed the progressive nature of the intra-ocular lesions, the patient was treated by external beam radiotherapy at a dose of 35 Gy delivered in 14 fractions of 2.

Clinical features of drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment in age related macular degeneration.

Aim: To analyse clinical features of drusenoid pigment epithelium detachment (PED) in age related macular degeneration.

Methods: 61 eyes of 32 patients with untreated drusenoid PED were followed for an average of 4.6 years (range 1-17 years).

[Monitoring the patient after treatment: angiographic aspects of recurrence and indications for retreatment].

Objectives: Dynamic phototherapy with intravenous injection of Verteporfin (Visudyne) is a relatively recent therapeutic concept based on a photochemical reaction. Its statistically significant efficacy has been demonstrated in treating choroidal newvessels and age-related macular degeneration. This occlusion is often temporary, thus requiring repeated treatments in persistent cases and/or recurrences.

[Indications for photodynamic therapy in age-related macular degeneration].

Exudative age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is now benefitting from new therapeutic approaches. Three international randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in stabilizing visual acuity at 2 years. PDT is based on the activation of a photosensitizer with an adapted wavelength.