RETINA

ATYPICAL FOVEAL AND PARAFOVEAL ABNORMALITIES IN SICKLE CELL DISEASE

imagePurpose:

The primary aim was to describe the patterns of paramacular involvement, not yet reported but that optical coherence tomography angiography can now detect in patients with sickle cell disease. The secondary aim was to search arguments concerning the physiopathogeny of paramacular involvement.

Methods:

This institutional cohort retrospective study was conducted in a Referral Center for Ophthalmological Rare Diseases. Follow-up included an ophthalmologic examination with optical coherent tomography and optical coherent tomography angiography.

Results:

One hundred and thirty-two patients with SCD were included. Typical sickle cell maculopathy was observed in temporal area in 84 eyes (40.0%) of SS patients and eight eyes (14.8%) of SC patients (P

By , ago

MICROVASCULATURE ALTERATIONS OF PERIPAPILLARY RETINA AND MACULA IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS WITHOUT OCULAR INVOLVEMENT BY OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY

imagePurpose:

To evaluate microvasculature alterations of the peripapillary retina and macula and to assess whether the changes can detect preclinical retinopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study of 32 systemic lupus erythematosus patients without retinopathy and 22 normal controls. Optical coherence tomography angiography was used to measure the microvasculature of the peripapillary retina and macula. Vessel densities (VD, %) and fractal dimensions of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus were calculated.

Results:

Compared with controls, macular vessel densities of the whole image SCP (macular vessel density of SCP-wi) and macular vessel density of inferior SCP (macular vessel density of SCP-i) were significantly reduced in systemic lupus erythematosus patients (P 5 years. Macular vessel density of SCP-wi declined with age (β = −0.12; P

By , ago

AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION INJECTION FREQUENCY: Effects of Distance Traveled and Travel Support

imagePurpose:

Although efficacious, intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy regimens for neovascular age-related macular degeneration can prove difficult for patients to adhere to because of high cost and burden of transportation.

Methods:

Analysis of electronic health record data from the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center eye clinic (January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019) was performed, extracting demographic data, anti–vascular endothelial growth factor injection history, and enrollment in the SFVA travel benefit program. Two-tailed P-values were calculated for Poisson regression examining average number of injections per year as the outcome and distance traveled as the primary predictor. Travel benefit was evaluated as a modifying effect on the distance–injection relationship.

Results:

Three hundred and eighteen patients who received intravitreal injection for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration were included in the analysis. Median (interquartile range) distance to clinic was 31.5 miles (7.4–69.4 miles). Driving distance in miles was inversely associated with average number of injections per year. Among all 318 patients, for every additional 100 miles a patient lived from our clinic, the patient received on average 2.5 fewer injections per year (distance = −0.0025, P

By Meer, Elana A.; Targ, Sonia; Zhang, Ning; Hoggatt, Katherine J.; Mehta, Kala M.; Brodie, Frank, ago