The clinical manifestations of infectious retinal diseases are complicated, especially these result from serious infectious diseases such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis and syphilis infections. It is an important issue to differentiate infectious retinal disease from noninfectious intraocular inflammation in the clinic. It is, therefore, highly desirable to follow a proper steps to reach the correct diagnosis. Complete history review and comprehensive ocular examination remains the first step in diagnosing infectious retinal diseases. Although an array of laboratory and serological tests are available to assist in the diagnosis, some situations may require a diagnostic therapy or a tissue biopsy. Identification of the pathogen and histopathologic examination of the ocular specimen remain to be the gold standard of diagnosis. Initiation a specific and appropriate antimicrobial therapy needs multidisciplinary collaborations including ophthalmologists and infectious specialists. Updated knowledge of general medicine and management of infectious diseases, interdisciplinary collaborations and optimization of treatment processes will improve the diagnosis and treatment of retinal infectious diseases in the future.
Objective To observe the clinical features and treatment outcomes of presumed tubercular retinal vasculitis. Methods This is a retrospective non-comparative interventional clinical research. A total of nine patients (11 eyes) with major presentation of retinal vasculitis were included in this study. Patients first consulted the eye clinic and were diagnosed presumed tubercular retinal vasculitis. The patients, seven males and two females, aged from 19 to 66 years, with an average of 43.89 years. The time interval from symptoms to diagnosis ranged from two weeks to six months with an average of 76.27 days. Visual acuity, slit lamp ophthalmoscopy, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), hematological and tuberculosis related investigations were examined and analyzed. All patients had standard anti-tuberculosis treatment. Treatment outcomes were followed for six to 37 months with an average of 14.11 months. Results Baseline visual acuity ranged from hand movement to 0.8 with an average of 0.28. Among 11 eyes, six presented mild to moderate vitritis, five presented as retinal vein occlusion with no obvious vitirits. Fundus examination showed six cases with retinal hemorrhage, four cases with macular edema, two with macular epiretinal membrane, and two with vitreous hemorrhage. FFA revealed 11 cases with leakage of vessels, 11 with nonperfusion area, four with macular edema, three with retinal neovascularization, and two with choroidal lesions. OCT of nine eyes suggested six eyes with retinal edema, three with macular edema, three with macular epiretinal membrane. TST of seven patients were all b positive. T-SPOT.TB of four patients were all positive. Three of eight patients who had chest X-ray or chest CT were suggested tuberculosis infection. Four to six weeks after the start of anti-tuberculosis treatment, vitritis, exudates, retinal and macular edema subsided. During follow up, inflammation was stable with no recurrence observed. The visual acuity of last follow-up ranged from 0.15 to 0.8 with an average of 0.51. Conclusions The main presentations of presumed tubercular retinal vasculitis are vitritis, retinal vein occlusion, and retinal hemorrhage. Standard anti-tuberculosis treatment can improve inflammation and retinal hemorrhage.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and security of intravitreous injection with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for macular edema.MethodsA total of 41 eyes in 37 patients with macular edema who measured up were collected, including 21 eyes of 21 cases in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) group, 17 eyes of 13 cases in diabetic retinopathy (DR) group, and 3 eyes of 3 cases in the other-causes group. Before the treatment, the average visual acuity was 0.07, 0.06, and 0.08 in the 3 groups respectively, and the mean thickness of macular fovea detected by optic coherence tomography (OCT) was (974±394) and (873±213) in RVO and DR group, respectively. Intravitreous injection with 0.1 ml TA (40 mg/ml) was performed on each patient. The average follow-up duration was 8 months after the treatment. The visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), changes of lens and ocular fundus, and retinal thichness at macular area before and after the treatment was observed and compared.ResultsAll eyes except one had improved visual acuity. The mean visual acuity improved to 0.25, 0.20, and 0.35 in the 3 groups respectively 6 months after the treatment. Alleviated or reducing macular edema was found in all of the patients. The average retinal thickness at macular fovea was (173±41) and (204±76) in RVO and DR group respectively 1 month after the treatment, which had statistical significance compared with that before the treatment (t =8.323, 6.842; P＜0.01). The intraocular pressure was ＞21 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) in 6 eyes (14.6%), which mostly happened 1 week to 2 months after the injection, and was controlled to normal level after partially treated with βreceptor retarder. The cataract developed in 1 eye, and another patient with macular edema after vitrectomy due to diabetes had macular hole 2 months after the injection. There were 2 eyes underwent intravitreous injection with 0.1 ml TA 4-5 months after the first treatment due to the recurrence of macular edema in RVO and DR group respectively.ConclusionsIntravitreous injection with TA is a promising therapeutic method for macular edema that fails to respond to conventional treatment. Transient elevation of ocular pressure is the most common side effect. Further study is needed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005,21:209-212)
ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to observe the clinical characteristics and surgical effects of macular hole retinal detachment in high myopia patients with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and secondary internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling. MethodsThis was a retrospective study. The clinical data of 15 patients (15 eyes)with macular hole retinal detachment and high myopia, who underwent primary PPV and secondary ILM peeling, were analyzed, including disease history, refraction diopter, ocular axis length, posterior scleral staphyloma, BCVA, macular reattachment and macular hole heeling. There were 3 males (3 eyes) and 12 female (12 eyes), the average age was (60.80±5.85)years. All patients were examined by best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp microscopy with 90D pre-lens, indirect ophthalmoscopy, A scan and optical coherence tomography (OCT). After the first PPV and silicone oil tamponade, a shallow retinal detachment around the macular hole, especially around the scleral staphyloma was detected by OCT. During the 2nd surgery to remove the silicone oil, ILM peeling and C3F8 tamponade were performed. ResultsThe average refraction diopter was (-12.6±1.86) D, the average ocular axial length (29.82±0.993) mm and the average disease duration was (5.20±1.24) months. All eyes had total retinal detachment of all four quadrants, choroid detachment and macular choroidal atrophy, and type Ⅱ Curtin posterior scleral staphyloma. After the second surgery, all had retina attached by fundus examination. OCT examination indicated that macular hole closure in 7 eye, macular hole attached and retinal attached in 8 eyes. Their BCVA improved after both the first and second surgery (P=0.000), the BCVA after second surgery was better than that after first surgery (P=0.038). ConclusionsThe clinical characteristic of our series of patients were as follows: long history, with choroidal detachment and type Ⅱ Curtin posterior scleral staphyloma. All 15 eyes showed retinal attached after secondary ILM peeling. The secondary ILM peeling and C3F8 tamponade may improve the visual outcome and retinal reattachment rate.
Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, non-coding RNA are reversible, heritable alterations which are induced by environmental stimuli. Major risk factors of diabetes and diabetic complications including hyperglycemia, oxidative stress and advanced glycation end products, can lead to abnormal epigenetic modifications in retinal vascular endothelial cells and retinal pigment epithelium cells. Epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of macular edema and neovascularization of diabetic retinopathy (DR), as well as diabetic metabolic memory. The heritable nature of epigenetic marks also playsakey role in familial diabetes mellitus. Further elucidation of epigenetic mechanisms in DR can open the way for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets to prevent DR progression.
Primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL) is a rare and aggressive high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma. PVRL always with non-specific symptoms and has therefore been called as masquerade syndrome. Thus, the early and correct diagnosis of PVRL is a difficulty. For PVRL, the imaging findings can be specific but variety, histological diagnosis is still the gold standard. Its diagnosis needs to be combined with clinical manifestations, imaging features, pathological diagnosis and molecular biology. With the advancement of technology, especially in the field of the cytokines detection and the gene expression profiling research, molecular biology diagnosis of PVRL is becoming a research hotspot and an important auxiliary diagnostic method.
The etiology of uveitis is complex and the clinical manifestations are varied. Diagnosis and treatment are often very difficult. Detailed medical history, thorough ocular examination and laboratory examination are important basis for diagnosis. In recent years, with the appearance of microincision vitrectomy surgery, it has been applied widely in the diagnosis and treatment of uveitis. It can confirm diagnosis, manage the fundus complications of uveitis, and has certain therapeutic effects. But it is worth emphasizing that the indications of vitrectomy must be strictly controlled. Suitable indications and surgical timing are the key to the effective diagnosis and treatment of uveitis.