Oxane HD vs silicone oil and scleral buckle in retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy and inferior retinal breaks

BACKGROUND: To compare pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with 1300 cs silicone oil and scleral buckle (SB) vs PPV with Oxane HD tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with inferior retinal breaks (IRB). METHODS: Twenty eyes of 20 consecutive patients with primary inferior RRD and PVR >/=CP2 were alternatively assigned to PPV and 1300 cs silicone oil and segmental SB in the inferior periphery (group 1, n = 10) or PPV with Oxane HD (group 2, n = 10) in order of presentation. Silicone oil/Oxane HD removal was performed 12 weeks after surgery. Subjects were followed up for 6 months from oil removal. RESULTS: Operative time was lower in Oxane HD group (P = 0.012). In both groups, the retina was primary reattached at the third month after oil removal in nine eyes (90%). At the end of follow-up, retina was reattached in nine eyes (90%) in group 1 (including one eye with oil in situ), and in eight eyes (80%) in group 2 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Silicone oil+SB and Oxane HD appear equal for primary RRD with IRB, but a large multi-centre study is required. Oxane HD permitted a reduced operative time.     

Comparison of the effects of bimatoprost and timolol on intraocular pressure and pulsatile ocular blood flow in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma: A prospective, open-label, randomized, two-arm, parallel-group study

Abstract

Background:

The current objective of antiglaucomatous therapy is to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP), and thus to preserve visual function. Many ophthalmologists believe this objective is best achieved by methods that improve ocular blood flow to the optic nerve head. Beta-blockers are effective ocular hypotensive agents, but they can reduce choroidal blood flow. Bimatoprost, a new prostamide analogue, has been shown to have a better IOP-lowering effect compared with the nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor blocker timolol maleate, but little is known about its effects on the vascular bed of the eye.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of bimatoprost and timolol on IOP and choroidal blood flow (as measured using pulsatile ocular blood flow [pOBF]) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods:

This prospective, open-label, randomized, 2-arm, parallel-group study was conducted at the Glaucoma Research Centre, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Bari, Bari, Italy. Patients with POAG having well-controlled IOP (<16 mm Hg) on monotherapy with timolol 0.5% ophthalmic solution (2 drops per affected eye BID) for ≥12 months but with a progressive decrease in pOBF during the same time period were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups. One group continued monotherapy with timolol, 2 drops per affected eye BID. The other group was switched (without washout) to bimatoprost 0.3% ophthalmic solution (2 drops per affected eye QD [9 pm]). Treatment was given for 180 days. IOP and pOBF were assessed at the diagnostic visit (pre-timolol), baseline (day 0), and treatment days 15, 30, 60, 90, and 180. Primary adverse effects (AEs) (ie, conjunctival hyperemia, conjunctival papillae, stinging, burning, foreign body sensation, and pigmentation of periorbital skin) were monitored throughout the study.

Results:

Thirty-eight patients were enrolled (22 men, 16 women; mean [SD] age, 51.7 [4.8] years; 19 patients per treatment group; 38 eligible eyes). At 180-day follow-up in the timolol group, the IOP and the pOBF remained unchanged compared with baseline. In the bimatoprost group the IOP remained unchanged and the pOBF was decreased by 38.9% compared with baseline (P < 0.01). All AEs were mild to moderate and included conjunctival hyperemia and ocular itching (5 patients [26.3%] in the bimatoprost group) and pigmentation of periorbital skin (2 patients [40.0%] in the bimatoprost group). The incidence of each AE was higher in the bimatoprost group than in the timolol group (P = 0.008).

Conclusions:

In this population of patients with POAG, bimatoprost was associated with increased pOBF, and the reduction in pOBF associated with timolol was corrected after patients were switched to bimatoprost. Bimatoprost was associated with increased choroidal blood flow, beyond the levels recorded before timolol treatment. The decreased IOP level achieved in the timolol group seemed to be improved further by bimatoprost. Considering the potential efficacy of bimatoprost on IOP and pOBF, we suggest that this new drug may represent a clinical advance in the medical treatment of POAG.Key words: bimatoprost, timolol, pulsatile ocular blood flow, intraocular pressure, primary open-angle glaucoma     

LDL-apheresis accelerates the recovery of nonarteritic acute anterior ischemic optic neuropathy

Nonarteritic acute anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is a disabling disease which impairs visual function. It is presumed to result from disturbances of microcirculation in the anterior portion of the optic nerve head due to hemodynamic factors derived from excessive blood viscosity, or restriction of the vasal lumen in hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic, diabetic patients. We aimed to determine whether acute reduction of plasma fibrinogen and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is effective for treatment of NAION. We recruited 11 patients (7 females, 4 males) with a mean age of 57.2 +/- 19.6 years. All except one of them presented risk factors for atherosclerosis. The mean values of LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen before treatment were 144 +/- 32 mg/dL and 341 +/- 80 mg/dL, respectively. All were treated with standard therapy (prednisone, salicylate, pentoxiphyllin) and underwent three sessions of LDL-apheresis (HELP system-B Braun) that can reduce plasma LDL-cholesterol and fibrinogen by more than 50% in a very short time. In all patients we observed a drastic reduction of LDL cholesterol and fibrinogen and a clear improvement in the visual functional data. In fact, mean values of corrected vision increased from 3.7/10 +/- 3/10 to 7.9/10 +/- 2.2/10 (P = 0.002) after the third session, while the scotomatous portion of the visual field regressed after the first session, and in 5 patients further regressed after the third session. This improvement had remained stable after 3 months. Thanks to it's effect of antagonizing hemorheologic disorders of the ocular microcirculation, fibrinogen/LDL-apheresis seems to be an efficacious treatment of NAION.