Outcome after silicone oil removal and simultaneous 360° endolaser treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome after silicone oil removal combined with a 360° endolaser treatment in complex retinal detachment (RD) cases and to assess prognostic factors.

Methods: This is a retrospective, consecutive interventional study in Vienna, Austria with data from 111 patients following silicone oil removal and simultaneous 360° endolaser treatment for at least 6 months. Stepwise regression analysis between anatomic and visual outcome, baseline demographics, and type and number of RD procedures was performed.

High-definition optical coherence tomography in a case of congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium.

The authors describe the use of high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) in a case of congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium. A 40-year-old woman presented with a large flat pigmented lesion in the inferior retinal quadrant of the left eye, which was compatible with congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium. The lesion was studied with HD-OCT (5 line raster and macular cube 512 × 128) and the results were compared with those of the fellow eye.

Comparison of visual performance with blue light-filtering and ultraviolet light-filtering intraocular lenses.

Purpose: To compare the contrast sensitivity, glare, color perception, and visual acuity at different light intensities with yellow-tinted and clear intraocular lenses (IOLs) by different manufacturers.

Setting: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Retinology and Biomicroscopic Laser-Surgery, Department of Ophthalmology, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.

Design: Comparative case series.

The effect of laser unit on photodynamic therapy spot size.

Background: To determine the effect of the laser unit on photodynamic therapy (PDT) spot size.

Methods: A calibrated Gullstrand-type model eye was used for this study. The axial length of the model eye was set to different values ranging from 22.

Human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) transplantation: outcome after autologous RPE-choroid sheet and RPE cell-suspension in a randomised clinical study.

Aims: To evaluate the outcome after two types of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) transplantation techniques.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients with advanced exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were randomly assigned to RPE-choroid sheet transplantation (group 1) or RPE cell-suspension transplantation (group 2). Outcome measures included best corrected distance and near visual acuity (BCVA), complication and recurrence rates, autofluorescence (AF), angiography, and time-domain and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (TD- and SD-OCT).

Effect of work-related ultraviolet exposure and ophthalmic changes in Austrian farmers: the SVB-UV study.

Background: Epidemiological screening to examine possible ultraviolet-induced ocular changes and pathologies in Austrian farmers.

Methods: The study was performed on behalf of the Austrian farmer insurance (Sozialversicherungsanstalt der Bauern). Randomly selected farmers and office workers as controls, both at the age of 35-55 years, underwent ophthalmic screening examinations.

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography for monitoring epiretinal membrane surgery.

Purpose: To assess prognostic factors in epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery using spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Design: Prospective, interventional case series.

Participants: Forty-one patients.

Genetic cardiovascular risk factors and age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the association between genetic cardiovascular risk factors and exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a White Austrian population.

Methods: Seventy-five unrelated AMD patients and 75 unrelated healthy, sex- and age-matched control patients were genotyped for the following 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14 different genes: blood coagulation factor V (FV) R506Q, factor II (prothrombin) G20210A and factor XIII (FXIII) V34L; 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, A1298C; plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G; endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) 4600 A>G (A3 haplotype), 4678 G>C (A1 haplotype); apolipoprotein B (ApoB) R3500Q; apolipoprotein E (ApoE) E2/E3/E4; β-fibrinogen -455 G>A; human platelet antigen 1 (HPA1) a/b; angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D; endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) 786 T>C, 894 G>T; lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) 804 C>A and 9p21 rs10757278. Genotyping was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by reverse hybridization (CVD StripAssays; ViennaLab Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria).

Comparison of macular function and visual fields after membrane blue or infracyanine green staining in vitreoretinal surgery.

Background: To compare possible toxic effects of membrane blue and infracyanine green used as vital stains in macular surgery. Vital stains are used in vitreoretinal surgery to perform peeling of the internal limiting membrane and idiopathic epiretinal membrane. There are many controversial studies about their toxicity, safety, and their effects on the retinal pigment epithelium and the neuroretinal elements.

Fusarium endophthalmitis following refractive lens exchange for correction of high myopia.

We report a case of Fusarium endophthalmitis following refractive lens exchange (RLE) for the correction of high myopia that was initially diagnosed as lens-induced uveitis. Endophthalmitis is a rare but often devastating complication of intraocular lens surgery. In contrast to cataract surgery, in which the potential increase in visual acuity clearly outweighs the potential risks involved in the procedure, RLE has all the potential risks of conventional cataract surgery and the indication for surgery, "no more glasses or contact lenses," is not that straightforward.

Modeling the effect of facial topographies upon the visual field of humans and primates.

Purpose: To establish a virtual device that can predict the effect of facial features on the visual field of humans and primates.

Methods: Virtual masks were obtained from human subjects, and macaque, chimpanzee and baboon taxidermic specimens, and aligned with upright head orientation at the center of a virtual perimeter-like dome (radius = 50 m) developed with Cinema 4D. Virtual searchlights positioned at the masks' pupils were then allowed to 'paint' facial elements obstructing their path, and demarcate the unobstructed rays at the perimetric surface and on a virtual ground floor related to eye level.

Spectral domain high-definition optical coherence tomography in patients undergoing epiretinal membrane surgery.

Background And Objective: To evaluate possible advantages of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in epiretinal membranes.

Patients And Methods: Patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERMs) were examined before and after vitreoretinal surgery. Cirrus SD high-definition (HD)-OCT was compared with Stratus time domain OCT to find correlations with visual acuity (VA) and metamorphopsia.

Systemic bevacizumab (Avastin) therapy for exudative neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The BEAT-AMD-Study.

Background: Double-blinded, randomised, prospective, pilot-study to determine the effect of systemic bevacizumab therapy.

Methods: Subjects with fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment, subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation extending under the geometric centre of the foveal avascular zone and/or macular thickness of at least 300 microm in both eyes were included. Sixteen eyes were included and randomised equally to receive either three infusions of 5 mg/kg Avastin or 100 ml of 0.

Activation of the beta-catenin signaling pathway and its impact on RPE cell cycle.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of EGF, IGF-1, and VEGF on ARPE19 cell proliferation and differentiation.

Methods: The gene expression of RPE-specific differentiation and proliferation markers and the transcriptional and translational activity of beta-catenin signaling markers were measured by flow cytometry and RT-PCR.

Results: The data showed a significant decrease in RPE65, CRALBP, and cytokeratin 18 in ARPE-19 cells stimulated with EGF and IGF-1.

Advantages of using a ray-traced, three-dimensional rendering system for spectral domain Cirrus HD-OCT to visualize subtle structures of the vitreoretinal interface.

Background And Objective: To create a ray-traced, three-dimensional display system for Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA) that improves the visualization of subtle structures of the vitreoretinal interface.

Patients And Methods: High-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) data for epiretinal membranes (17 eyes), macular holes (11 eyes), and posterior vitreal detachments (17 eyes) were collected.

Complement factor H gene polymorphisms and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the association of the complement factor H gene (CFH)Y402H polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Austrian population (Caucasoid descent), and to determine whether there is an association between exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae-responsible for up to 20% of community-acquired pneumoniae-and the AMD-associated CFHrisk polymorphism.

Methods: Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 75 unrelated AMD patients and compared with 75 healthy, age-matched control subjects. C.

Repeated measures of macular pigment optical density to test reproducibility of heterochromatic flicker photometry.

Purpose: To report the reproducibility of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) values assessed with heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) in healthy individuals.

Methods: Twenty-four volunteers from our department underwent MPOD testing of both eyes by flicker photometry on three separate occasions. To test reproducibility of MPOD, the coefficient of variance was calculated separately for right and left eyes.

Efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) therapy for early and advanced neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for early and advanced neovascular age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

Methods: A consecutive series of eyes with neovascular ARMD treated with monthly intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.

Accuracy of preoperative biometry in vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery for patients with epiretinal membranes and macular holes: results of a prospective controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: To evaluate how adding vitrectomy to cataract surgery affects the accuracy of preoperative biometry and postoperative refractive outcomes.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Retinology and Biomicroscopic Lasersurgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.

Methods: This study comprised 40 patients with vitreoretinal pathology and coexisting significant cataract (study group) and 40 patients with significant cataract only (control group).

Subretinal surgery and transplantation of autologous pigment epithelial cells in retinal angiomatous proliferation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether the presence of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) is a prognostic factor in subretinal surgery with transplantation of a suspension of autologous retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

Methods: Eyes that had been followed for at least 12 months after subretinal surgery were reviewed retrospectively and assigned to group 1 (presence of RAP) or group 2 (lesions without RAP). Main outcome measures were logMAR distance acuity and lesion size at 12 months.

Correlation of different circulating endothelial progenitor cells to stages of diabetic retinopathy: first in vivo data.

Purpose: To investigate vasculogenic circulating progenitor cells (CPCs), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and mature EPCs in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) with or without diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: A case-control study comparing 90 patients with T1DM with and without DR was performed. Patients were studied and staged for retinopathy according to the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) classification.

Optical coherence tomography: limits of the retinal-mapping program in age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: The retinal-mapping program of Stratus optical coherence tomography (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA) calculates the retinal volume of the central region between the retinal surface and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This study evaluates the retinal-mapping program for studies dealing with AMD.

Methods: The scans of both eyes of patients examined from August to October 2006 because of macular degeneration were evaluated retrospectively.

Activity of neovascular lesions treated with bevacizumab: comparison between optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography.

Purpose: To investigate whether examination with the non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) alone is sufficient to ascertain the need of re-treatment with bevacizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or the invasive fluorescein angiography (FA) is needed.

Method: Two independent examiners reviewed FA and OCT images and performed a semi-quantitative assessment from 0=no activity to activity 1-3, mild, moderate and advanced, respectively. Weighted Kappa indices were performed to calculate the concordance between OCT and FA.

Blue light-filter intraocular lenses in vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery: results of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the blue light-filter intraocular lenses (IOLs) in vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery, focusing on the surgeon's ability to perform specific vitreoretinal procedures and on the patients' outcome.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Methods: Sixty patients, recruited from our outpatient department, were assigned randomly to receive an ultraviolet-filter IOL (clear IOL group) or a blue light-filter IOL (yellow IOL group) combined with a vitreoretinal procedure.

Retinal angiomatous proliferation: combined therapy of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and PDT versus PDT alone.

Background: The objective of the study was to investigate whether combined treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) and triamcinolone acetonide intravitreally applied is superior to PDT alone in eyes with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).

Methods: Between July 2004 and June 2005 eyes with RAP in age-related macular degeneration were included in a prospective study and were treated with 4 mg of triamcinolone acetonide followed by PDT (group 1). Eyes with RAP treated with PDT alone before June 2004 were retrospectively reviewed (group 2).