Factors Affecting Ophthalmology Trainees to Pursue Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship.

 The aim of this study was to understand the factors that ophthalmology trainees consider in pursuing vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) fellowship training.  This is a prospective observational survey study. Survey invitations were disseminated to postgraduate year 4 (PGY)-4 ophthalmology residents at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited residency programs and surgical retina fellows at Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Fellowship Compliance Committee-compliant fellowship programs in the United States.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress as a novel target to inhibit transdifferentiation of human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Background: The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is a critical event in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, which are the leading causes of severe vision loss. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in the EMT of many cell types and various ocular diseases. However, the relationship between ER stress and EMT in RPE cells remains unknown.

Factors associated with diabetic macular edema in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To identify factors associated with diabetic macular edema (DME) and to characterize the types of DME present in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods: Observational, retrospective case series of PDR patients reviewed for demographic information, general medical history, ophthalmologic history, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiogram image characteristics. DME and vitreomacular interface (VMI) status were determined using OCT images.

Ischemic index and distribution of retinal capillary non-perfusion in neovascular glaucoma.

Introduction: Neovascular Glaucoma (NVG) is a condition normally caused by hypoxic posterior ocular disease, which produces angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that stimulate new vessel proliferation of the anterior segment and angle, eventually leading to angle closure, reduced outflow of aqueous humor and increased intraocular pressure. Without treatment elevated intraocular pressure can rapidly progress to loss of vision. Treatment includes addressing the intraocular pressure and reducing the ischemic drive with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) of the ischemic retina.

Wedge Defects on Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of the Peripapillary Retina in Glaucoma: Prevalence and Associated Clinical Factors.

Prcis: Among subjects with glaucoma, wedge-shaped defects on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were associated with disc hemorrhages (DH), paracentral visual field (VF) defects, increased cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), and thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL).

Purpose: To examine determinants of wedge defects on peripapillary OCTA in glaucoma.

Materials And Methods: A total of 278 eyes of 186 subjects with mild to severe primary open-angle glaucoma underwent 6×6 spectral-domain OCTA imaging of the superficial peripapillary retina from 2016 to 2020 at an academic practice.

Blocking Ocular Sympathetic Activity Inhibits Choroidal Neovascularization.

To investigate how modulating ocular sympathetic activity affects progression of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a hallmark feature of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In the first of two studies, Brown Norway rats underwent laser-induced CNV and were assigned to one of the following groups: daily eye drops of artificial tears ( = 10; control group); daily eye drops of the β-adrenoreceptor agonist isoproterenol ( = 10); daily eye drops of the β-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol ( = 10); sympathetic internal carotid nerve (ICN) transection 6 weeks prior to laser-induced CNV ( = 10). In the second study, rats underwent laser-induced CNV followed by ICN transection at different time points: immediately after the laser injury ( = 6), 7 days after the laser injury ( = 6), and sham surgery 7 days after the laser injury ( = 6; control group).

Capillary density and caliber as assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography may be significant predictors of diabetic retinopathy severity.

Purpose: To validate retinal capillary density and caliber associations with diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity in different clinical settings.

Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed retinal capillary density and caliber in the superficial retinal layer of 3-mm OCTA scans centered on the fovea. Images were collected from non-diabetic controls and subjects with mild or referable DR (defined DR worse than mild DR) between February 2016 and December 2019 at secondary and tertiary eye care centers.

Family History and Risk of Bladder Cancer: An Analysis Accounting for First- and Second-degree Relatives.

Unlabelled: Although evidence suggests that a positive family history of bladder cancer in first-degree relatives is an important risk factor for bladder cancer occurrence, results remain unclear. The influence of family history of nonbladder cancers and more distant relatives on bladder cancer risk is inconsistent. This research, therefore, aims to increase the understanding of the association between family history and bladder cancer risk based on worldwide case-control studies.

Perioperative Considerations for Antithrombotic Therapy in Oculofacial Surgery: A Review of Current Evidence and Practice Guidelines.

Purpose: Recent survey studies have demonstrated wide variability in practice patterns regarding the management of antithrombotic medications in oculofacial plastic surgery. Current evidence and consensus guidelines are reviewed to guide perioperative management of antithrombotic medications.

Methods: Comprehensive literature review of PubMed database on perioperative use of antithrombotic medication.

Photoacoustic imaging of 3D-printed vascular networks.

Thrombosis in the circulation system can lead to major myocardial infarction and cardiovascular deaths. Understanding thrombosis formation is necessary for developing safe and effective treatments. In this work, using digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing, we fabricated sophisticatedmodels of blood vessels with internal microchannels that can be used for thrombosis studies.

PACK-CXL vs. antimicrobial therapy for bacterial, fungal, and mixed infectious keratitis: a prospective randomized phase 3 trial.

Background: Infectious keratitis is a major cause of global blindness. We tested whether standalone photoactivated chromophore corneal cross-linking (PACK-CXL) may be an effective first-line treatment in early to moderate infectious keratitis, compared with standard antimicrobial treatment.

Methods: This is a randomized, controlled, multinational phase 3 clinical trial.

Mechanisms of RPE senescence and potential role of αB crystallin peptide as a senolytic agent in experimental AMD.

Oxidative stress in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) can cause mitochondrial dysfunction and is likely a causative factor in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Under oxidative stress conditions, some of the RPE cells become senescent and a contributory role for RPE senescence in AMD pathology has been proposed. The purpose of this study is to 1) characterize senescence in human RPE; 2) investigate the effect of an αB Crystallin chaperone peptide (mini Cry) in controlling senescence, in particular by regulating mitochondrial function and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) production and 3) develop mouse models for studying the role of RPE senescence in dry and nAMD.

Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Study of Plasma Kallikrein Inhibitor THR-149 for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of a single intravitreal injection of 3 dose levels of THR-149 in adults with center-involved diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: A phase 1, open-label, multicenter 3 + 3 dose-esclation study with 3-month follow-up. The primary endpoint was the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) up to and including the Day 14 visit.

EFFECT OF RETINAL THICKNESS VARIABILITY ON VISUAL OUTCOMES AND FLUID PERSISTENCE IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: A Post Hoc Analysis of the HAWK and HARRIER Studies.

Purpose: To determine the association between central subfield thickness (CST) variability and visual outcomes in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies.

Methods: In this post hoc, treatment-agnostic analysis, patients (N = 1,752) were grouped into quartiles of increasing CST variation. The association between CST variability and best-corrected visual acuity was measured from baseline, or from the end of the loading phase, until the end of the study using a multilevel modeling for repeated-measures model.

Clusterin, other extracellular chaperones, and eye disease.

Proteostasis refers to all the processes that maintain the correct expression level, location, folding and turnover of proteins, essential to organismal survival. Both inside cells and in body fluids, molecular chaperones play key roles in maintaining proteostasis. In this article, we focus on clusterin, the first-recognized extracellular mammalian chaperone, and its role in diseases of the eye.

The association between bariatric surgery and cataract: a propensity score-matched cohort study.

Background: Obesity is considered a risk factor for cataracts. The association between weight loss and a cataract among patients with obesity has not been assessed to date.

Objectives: To assess the association between weight loss following bariatric surgery and cataracts.

DDX17 is an essential mediator of sterile NLRC4 inflammasome activation by retrotransposon RNAs.

Detection of microbial products by multiprotein complexes known as inflammasomes is pivotal to host defense against pathogens. Nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat (NLR) CARD domain containing 4 (NLRC4) forms an inflammasome in response to bacterial products; this requires their detection by NLR family apoptosis inhibitory proteins (NAIPs), with which NLRC4 physically associates. However, the mechanisms underlying sterile NLRC4 inflammasome activation, which is implicated in chronic noninfectious diseases, remain unknown.

Acquired Vitelliform Macular Degeneration: Characteristics and Challenges of Managing Subretinal Fluid.

Purpose: To highlight diagnostic challenges in patients with acquired vitelliform macular degeneration (AVMD) with subretinal fluid (SRF) and to examine the characteristics of image findings in patients with AVMD.

Methods: In this retrospective review, the electronic medical record of 22 eyes of 16 patients with AVMD was studied. The rates of SRF, drusen, pigment epithelial detachment (PED), and patient clinical information such as age, length of follow-up, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were assessed.

Long-Term Transplant Effects of iPSC-RPE Monolayer in Immunodeficient RCS Rats.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) replacement therapy is evolving as a feasible approach to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In many preclinical studies, RPE cells are transplanted as a cell suspension into immunosuppressed animal eyes and transplant effects have been monitored only short-term. We investigated the long-term effects of human Induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived RPE (iPSC-RPE) transplants in an immunodeficient Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat model, in which RPE dysfunction led to photoreceptor degeneration.

Evolution of corneal epithelial remodeling after myopic laser keratomileusis surgery measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography combined with Placido disk.

Purpose: To investigate patterns of short- and long-term variations in corneal epithelial thickness (CET) after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) combined with Placido disk-based topography.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 36 subjects (72 eyes) who underwent LASIK myopic surgery and 53 healthy subjects (106 eyes) who served as controls were enrolled. AS-OCT (MS-39) was performed in all patients before, 1 day, 1 month, and 6 months after surgery.

Co-grafts of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Retina Organoids and Retinal Pigment Epithelium for Retinal Reconstruction in Immunodeficient Retinal Degenerate Royal College of Surgeons Rats.

End-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are two major retinal degenerative (RD) conditions that result in irreversible vision loss. Permanent eye damage can also occur in battlefields or due to accidents. This suggests there is an unmet need for developing effective strategies for treating permanent retinal damages.