S100 proteins, cytokines, and chemokines as tear biomarkers in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis.

Purpose: Biomarkers for juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIA-U) are needed. We aimed to measure inflammatory biomarkers in tears as a non-invasive method to identify biomarkers of uveitis activity.

Methods: Tears were collected from children with JIA-U (n=20) and pediatric controls (n=20) using Schirmer strips.

Multimodal imaging in pediatric uveitis.

Pediatric uveitis accounts for up to 10% of all uveitis cases, so special attention must be paid to ensure early diagnosis as well as treatment and follow-up of these young patients in order to decrease the risk of possible ocular complications and consequently vision loss. Multimodal imaging has been an effective and important adjunct in the diagnoses and management of uveitis, especially in children. Reviewed here are the currently utilized modalities, advances, as well as their applications in juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis, pars planitis, retinal vasculitis, tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome, Behçet disease, Blau syndrome, and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome.

Prospective, Randomized Trial Comparing Simulator-based versus Traditional Teaching of Direct Ophthalmoscopy for Medical Students.

Objective: To compare results of simulator-based vs traditional training of medical students in direct ophthalmoscopy.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Methods: First-year medical student volunteers completed 1 hour of didactic instruction regarding direct ophthalmoscopes, fundus anatomy, and signs of disease.

Lipofuscin causes atypical necroptosis through lysosomal membrane permeabilization.

Lipofuscin granules enclose mixtures of cross-linked proteins and lipids in proportions that depend on the tissue analyzed. Retinal lipofuscin is unique in that it contains mostly lipids with very little proteins. However, retinal lipofuscin also presents biological and physicochemical characteristics indistinguishable from conventional granules, including indigestibility, tendency to cause lysosome swelling that results in rupture or defective functions, and ability to trigger NLRP3 inflammation, a symptom of low-level disruption of lysosomes.

Eight-year follow-up of excimer laser trabeculostomy alone and combined with phacoemulsification in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Purpose: To describe the 8-year results of excimer laser trabeculostomy (ELT) alone and ELT in conjunction with phacoemulsification (phaco).

Setting: University hospital.

Design: Retrospective review.

Knowledge about juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis: more frequent reminders are associated with higher patient and family uveitis knowledge.

Background: Chronic anterior uveitis is a sight-threatening complication of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and a primary contributor to long-term morbidity in people with JIA. Levels of knowledge about uveitis among JIA patients and their parents are unknown. A survey of JIA patients and parents was conducted to assess knowledge about uveitis complications and recommended screening.

Gene-Based Association Testing of Dichotomous Traits With Generalized Functional Linear Mixed Models Using Extended Pedigrees: Applications to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Genetics plays a role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of blindness in the elderly. There is a need for powerful methods for carrying out region-based association tests between a dichotomous trait like AMD and genetic variants on family data. Here, we apply our new generalized functional linear mixed models (GFLMM) developed to test for gene-based association in a set of AMD families.

Expanding the clinical phenotype in patients with disease causing variants associated with atypical Usher syndrome.

Atypical Usher syndrome (USH) is poorly defined with a broad clinical spectrum. Here, we characterize the clinical phenotype of disease caused by variants in , and .Chart review evaluating demographic, clinical, imaging, and genetic findings of 19 patients from 18 families with a clinical diagnosis of retinal disease and confirmed disease-causing variants in , or .

Characterization of the Spectrum of Ophthalmic Changes in Patients With Alagille Syndrome.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the phenotypic spectrum of ophthalmic findings in patients with Alagille syndrome.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, observational, multicenter, study on 46 eyes of 23 subjects with Alagille syndrome. We reviewed systemic and ophthalmologic data extracted from medical records, color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, visual fields, electrophysiological assessments, and molecular genetic findings.

The Agreement Between an iPad Visual Field App and Humphrey Frequency Doubling Technology in Visual Field Screening at Health Fairs.

Precis: This is the first exploratory study demonstrating the promising potential of app-based visual fields testing in a low-resource health fair setting for community screening of high-risk Latino adults.

Purpose: To compare the "Visual Fields Easy" (VFE) iPad application against the Humphrey Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) N-30-5 in detecting abnormal visual fields in a low-resource health fair setting.

Methods: Latinos aged 40 to 80 years were recruited at a health fair in Los Angeles, California, in November 2017.

Relative Postpartum Retinal Vasoconstriction Detected With Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose: To characterize changes in retinal perfusion during pregnancy and the postpartum period using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods: A nonmydriatic OCTA camera was used to image healthy women who were pregnant or in the postpartum period along with nonpregnant controls. Perfusion density (PD) and vessel length density (VLD) in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were evaluated.

What's trending: a review of social media in ophthalmology.

Purpose Of Review: With social media use continuing to increase in popularity, ophthalmologists use social media daily for interactions with patients, colleagues, and the academic community.

Recent Findings: The potential reach of social media is overwhelmingly encouraging, but academic organizations have much work to do in order to compete for viewership on social media platforms, and users need to remain vigilant of easily spread misinformation. Individual ophthalmology practices can tailor their social media presence to attract and educate patients.

MOG-IgG Among Participants in the Pediatric Optic Neuritis Prospective Outcomes Study.

This study examines the association of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobulin G–associated disorder with pediatric optic neuritis to guide prognosis and treatment.

Population-Based Frequency of Ophthalmic Adverse Events in Melanoma, Other Cancers, and After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment.

Purpose: To examine the frequency of ophthalmic immune-related adverse events (OirAEs) in melanoma, other cancers, and after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment.

Design: Retrospective clinical cohort study.

Methods: This study identified patients diagnosed with OirAEs between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2018, in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California electronic health records.

Evidence of complement dysregulation in outer retina of Stargardt disease donor eyes.

Stargardt macular degeneration (STGD) is a central blinding disease caused by loss of or dysfunctional ABCA4 transporter in both photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Toxic bisretinoid-lipofuscin buildup in the RPE cells is a pathological hallmark of STGD patients and its mouse model, the Abca4. These vitamin A-derived fluorophores have been shown to induce oxidative stress, stimulate complement activity, and cause chronic inflammation of the RPE.

Ocular manifestations of Blau syndrome.

Purpose Of Review: This article summarizes the systemic and ocular manifestations of Blau syndrome, its genetic basis, and reviews recently published literature.

Recent Findings: A large multicenter prospective case series is underway, with 3-year preliminary results indicating the prevalence of uveitis, clinical characteristics and early data on its visual prognosis. Case reports have demonstrated the successful use of newer biologic agents.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-associated Uveitis: Review of Treatments and Outcomes.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs), novel immunotherapy agents employed in the treatment of metastatic melanoma and other solid tumors, are associated with immune-related adverse events, including ocular inflammation. We review the current literature on immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated uveitis (ICIPU). A comprehensive literature review utilizing MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted.

Novel mutation in gene causing autosomal recessive progressive rod-cone dystrophy.

Background: Recent advances in genetic sequencing techniques have improved the overall diagnostic yield for finding genetic causes for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD). Rod-cone dystrophy is the most common IRD and is characterized by the primary involvement of the rod photoreceptors. Over 80 causal genes have been identified so far giving clinicians insight into the pathogenesis.

Evolving consensus for immunomodulatory therapy in non-infectious uveitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) is often considered for systemic treatment of non-infectious uveitis (NIU). During the evolving coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, given the concerns related to IMT and the increased risk of infections, an urgent need for guidance on the management of IMT in patients with uveitis has emerged.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of international uveitis experts was conducted.

Assessing the Demand for Teleophthalmology in Florida Emergency Departments.

Teleophthalmology programs are expanding, but have not been adapted into many emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. Determining the potential demand for teleophthalmology services in the United States. EDs could enable development of new strategies to improve access to eye care in resource-limited regions.

Contralateral Eye Involvement and Retinal Detachment in Patients with Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated with Intravitreous Ganciclovir.

: To determine the incidence of contralateral eye involvement and retinal detachment in HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis treated with repeated intravitreous ganciclovir.: In a prospective cohort study in Northern Thailand, HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis were treated with antiretroviral therapy and intravitreous ganciclovir injections and followed for 3 months for contralateral cytomegalovirus retinitis and retinal detachment.: Of 49 participants with unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis at enrollment, 7 developed contralateral eye involvement (4.

Assessment of the Readability, Availability, and Quality of Online Patient Education Materials Regarding Uveitis Medications.

: To assess the availability, quality, and readability of online patient education materials regarding uveitis medications.: The top 10 Google search results for 10 commonly prescribed uveitis medications (prednisone, azathioprine, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, adalimumab, and infliximab) were analyzed for readability and accountability. Readability was assessed with the Flesch reading ease score, Flesch-Kincaid grade level, Gunning Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index, and Coleman Liau Index.

Telerehabilitation for people with low vision.

Background: Low vision affects over 300 million people worldwide and can compromise both activities of daily living and quality of life. Rehabilitative training and vision assistive equipment (VAE) may help, but some visually impaired people have limited resources to attend in-person visits at rehabilitation clinics to receive training to learn to use VAE. These people may be able to overcome barriers to care through remote, Internet-based consultation (i.