Autoantibodies Against Trisulfated Heparin Disaccharide and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-3 May Play a Role in the Pathogenesis of Neuropathic Corneal Pain

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to describe cases of patients with presumable dysimmune small-fiber neuropathy (SFN)-related neuropathic corneal pain (NCP), presenting with autoantibodies against trisulfated heparin disaccharide (TS-HDS) or fibr…

Double-Scroll Formation by Fluid Column Manipulation in Preloaded DMEK Grafts Prepared From Younger and Older Donor Tissue

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether manipulation of preloaded single-scroll Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) grafts within the fluid column of an injector can safely and reliably result in formation of double-scroll DMEK grafts and whether there are differential effects on younger versus older donor tissue.

Methods:

Pairs of DMEK grafts prepared from older (65–80 years) and younger (48–64 years) donors were preloaded into a Straiko modified Jones tube. One member of the pair was manipulated within the fluid column to form a double-scroll graft, and the other remained unmanipulated. Outcomes measured include success rate for double-scroll formation, endothelial cell loss (ECL), and relative scroll width.

Results:

Older donor grafts formed double scrolls with a 100% success rate. ECL of older donor manipulated grafts was statistically higher than that of unmanipulated mate grafts (17.4% ± 3.5% vs. 13.0% ± 4.2%, P = 0.03), but was still within the acceptable range for transplant. Younger donor grafts were successfully manipulated into double scrolls with a 67% success rate, and there was no difference in the ECL of manipulated and unmanipulated grafts (15.5% ± 4.4% vs. 13.0% ± 4.5%, P = 0.24). For all grafts and conformations, there was a significant relationship between relative scroll width and ECL (P

Prediction of Visual Acuity in Patients With Microbial Keratitis

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this study was to predict visual acuity (VA) 90 days after presentation for patients with microbial keratitis (MK) from data at the initial clinical ophthalmic encounter.

Methods:

Patients with MK were identified in the electronic health record between August 2012 and February 2021. Random forest (RF) models were used to predict 90-day VA

Mediators of the Effect of Corneal Cross-Linking on Visual Acuity for Fungal Ulcers: A Prespecified Secondary Analysis From the Cross-Linking–Assisted Infection Reduction Trial

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether astigmatism or corneal scarring is mediating the reduced visual acuity among patients with fungal keratitis randomized to corneal cross-linking (CXL).

Design:

This was a prespecified exploratory outcome from an outcome-masked, 2 × 2 factorial design, randomized controlled clinical trial.

Study Participants:

Consecutive patients presented with moderate vision loss from a smear-positive fungal ulcer at Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India.

Intervention:

Study eyes were randomized to one of 4 treatment combinations using an adaptive randomization protocol. The treatment arms included (1) topical natamycin 5% alone, (2) topical natamycin 5% plus CXL, (3) topical amphotericin B 0.15% alone, and (4) topical amphotericin 0.15% plus CXL. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), contact lens over-refraction, and scar size and depth as measured by a masked study ophthalmologist using a standardized protocol were recorded at 3 months. Pentacam Scheimpflug imaging was also obtained at 3 months.

Main Outcome Measures:

BSCVA and contact lens over-refraction, infiltrate and/or scar size and depth, total astigmatism of the front and back of the cornea, total lower-order and higher-order aberrations of the anterior and posterior cornea, and total densitometry of the anterior, central, and posterior stroma were recorded. We performed a mediation analysis looking at the proportion of the effect of CXL on BSCVA that was mediated through scar size, scar depth, astigmatism and density.

Results:

BSCVA at 3 months was available for 99 of 111 patients (89%) who had a mean of 0.82-LogMAR (SD 0.68). Three-month infiltrate and/or scar size (P

ONSET-1 Phase 2b Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of OC-01 (Varenicline Solution) Nasal Spray on Signs and Symptoms of Dry Eye Disease

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of OC-01 (varenicline solution), a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist nasal spray, on signs and symptoms of dry eye disease.

Methods:

A phase 2b, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled trial (ONSET-1; NCT03636061) was performed. Patients were aged 22 years or older with a physician’s diagnosis of dry eye disease and previous use of artificial tears were randomized 1:1:1:1 to control (vehicle nasal spray twice daily [BID]), OC-01 0.006 mg BID, OC-01 0.03 mg BID, and OC-01 0.06 mg BID. The primary end point was the change in the anesthetized Schirmer test score from baseline to day 28 in the study eye. The secondary end points included the change in the eye dryness score from baseline to day 28.

Results:

One hundred eighty-two patients were randomized. After 28 days, patients who received OC-01 0.03 or 0.06 mg showed a statistically significant improvement in tear film production relative to vehicle, with least squares mean differences from vehicle of 7.7 mm [95% confidence interval, 3.8–11.7; P

Effects of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Smoking on Changes in Corneal Endothelial Morphology and Cell Density

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this study was to compare the corneal endothelial morphology and cell density of diabetic smokers and nonsmokers with 50 to 70 age-matched healthy subjects and to determine whether smoking increases the effects of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) on these corneal parameters.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study included 200 patients who were assigned to 4 groups, including smokers with type 2 DM (group 1), nonsmokers with type 2 DM (group 2), healthy smokers (group 3), and healthy nonsmokers (control group, group 4). Noncontact specular microscopy was used to measure central endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation of cell area, percentage of hexagonal cells, and central corneal pachymetry (CCT).

Results:

According to the ECD and CCT values (P

DescePrep Significantly Increases Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty Processing Efficiency and Success Rate in Diabetic Human Donor Corneas in Comparison With Manual Dissection

imagePurpose:

The purpose of this study was to compare the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of a Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) graft processing device, DescePrep, with a manual dissection technique through the measurement of tissue yield, processing time, and graft viability in nondiabetic and diabetic donor corneas.

Methods:

Nondiabetic (n = 20) and diabetic (n = 20) donor corneas were processed using DescePrep, which standardizes the liquid bubble technique. Nondiabetic (n = 20) and diabetic (n = 24) donor corneas were also processed through manual dissection. Corneas were stained, processed, and then evaluated for processing success rate and time. Randomly selected corneas (n = 5, each) were evaluated for cell viability using live/dead staining.

Results:

One hundred percent of nondiabetic and 95% of diabetic corneas were processed successfully with DescePrep in an average of 3.37 minutes. Ninety percent of nondiabetic and 50% of diabetic corneas were processed successfully with manual dissection in an average of 9.87 minutes. DescePrep had a significantly lower processing time (P