Global trends and practice patterns in virtual reality simulation training for ophthalmic surgery: an international survey use of virtual reality simulation training around the world.

This global survey investigated the use of virtual reality simulation (VRS) in ophthalmological surgery education. Questionnaires were distributed to authors of publications and directors of centers using VRS for surgical education in ophthalmology, then forwarded to residents and fellows of their team for completion. Out of 1845 questionnaires sent across 36 countries, 170 responses from 26 countries were analyzed, primarily from residents and fellows (75%).

Multimodal Imaging of Genetically Confirmed X-Linked Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.

Purpose: To report clinical features of genetically confirmed x-linked endothelial corneal dystrophies using multimodal corneal imaging.

Methods: Four corneas of a 22-year-old male and a 58-year-old female patient with x-linked endothelial corneal dystrophy were examined with slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Scheimpflug tomography, anterior segment optical coherence tomography, in vivo corneal confocal microscopy, and specular microscopy. Clinical features and multimodal imaging findings were analyzed.

Acanthamoeba Keratitis: What is the Best Time for Keratoplasty in Patients with Resistance to Conservative Therapy?

Acanthamoebic keratitis (AK) is a sight-threatening infectious keratitis caused by Acanthamoeba. Timely and appropriate conservative treatment of AK can lead to a cure of the keratitis with good visual acuity, without the need for keratoplasty in the further course of the disease. In treatment-resistant cases, keratoplasty after intensive anti-amoebic therapy (AAT), so-called "low-load keratoplasty", appears to offer a better overall prognosis and earlier visual and psychological rehabilitation than actively delayed keratoplasty (optical/therapeutic).

Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation for Refractory Intraocular Pressure Elevation After Penetrating Keratoplasty.

Prcis: Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation significantly reduces intraocular pressure and anti-glaucomatous medication use post-penetrating keratoplasty, with low hypotony risk, particularly if delayed. Safe reintervention is feasible for intraocular pressure recurrence.

Purpose: Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) is an established procedure for lowering intraocular pressure (IOP).

Is there a predisposition for developing corneal hydrops in keratoconus?-Tomographic and biomechanical analysis of the fellow eyes.

Aim: Fellow eyes (FE) of 73 keratoconus (KC) patients with acute corneal hydrops (ACH) and 130 KC patients without ACH (total 236 eyes, 110 more severely affected), serving as control groups, were retrospectively analysed to identify potential risk factors associated with the development of ACH.

Methods: Tomographic (Pentacam) and biomechanical analysis (Corvis ST, both Oculus, Germany) were performed. Tomographic parameters are as follows: K-max, thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), Belin/Ambrósio deviation (BAD-D) and the tomographic ABCDE-staging.

Comparison of Keratoconus Progression Rate between Adolescents Aged 19-24 Years and Young Adults: Impact on Indication for Crosslinking.

Purpose: To investigate the keratoconus characteristics and progression rate in a patient group of adolescents aged 19-24 years and to compare the results with young adults aged 25-30 years.

Methods: A total of 158 keratoconic eyes (82 and 76 eyes in the adolescent and young adult groups) of the Homburg Keratoconus Center, which were examined by Scheimpflug tomography at least two times, were included in this retrospective study. The visual characteristics, corneal tomography, and biomechanical measurements were noted at the initial visit, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after the initial visit.

Decoding the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of microbiota using pan-body pan-disease microbiomics.

The human microbiome emerges as a promising reservoir for diagnostic markers and therapeutics. Since host-associated microbiomes at various body sites differ and diseases do not occur in isolation, a comprehensive analysis strategy highlighting the full potential of microbiomes should include diverse specimen types and various diseases. To ensure robust data quality and comparability across specimen types and diseases, we employ standardized protocols to generate sequencing data from 1931 prospectively collected specimens, including from saliva, plaque, skin, throat, eye, and stool, with an average sequencing depth of 5.

A Novel Symptomatic Lecithin-Cholesterol Acyltransferase Gene Mutation With Corneal Amyloidosis.

Purpose: To present ocular clinical, histological, systemic, and genetic findings of a patient with familial lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency caused by a novel genetic variant of the LCAT gene associated with secondary corneal amyloidosis.

Methods: Case report.

Results: A 74-year-old woman presented with decreased visual acuity (VA), sensitivity to light, and progressive whitening of both corneas for approximately 20 years.

Outcomes of manual arcuate keratotomy with compression sutures for high regular postkeratoplasty astigmatism.

Purpose: To report functional and refractive outcomes of manual arcuate keratotomy (AK) with compression sutures for high regular postkeratoplasty astigmatism.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Keratectasia severity staging and progression assessment based on the biomechanical E-staging.

Until recently, corneal topography has been the gold standard in detecting keratectasia and monitoring its progression. The recently introduced ABCD tomographic keratoconus staging system focuses on anterior ("A") and posterior ("B") radius of curvature, thinnest corneal thickness ("C"), best-corrected visual acuity with spectacles ("D") and is supplemented with the introduction of the biomechanical E-staging (BEST, "E"). The need for biomechanical staging arose from the fact of altered biomechanical characteristics of keratectasia in comparison to healthy corneas.

Evaluation of dynamic corneal response parameters and the biomechanical E-staging after Intacs® SK implantation in keratoconus.

Purpose: This retrospective longitudinal study evaluated the biomechanical E-staging in KC corneas before and after intracorneal ring segment (ICRS) implantation (Intacs® SK, Addition Technology, Illinois, United States).

Methods: Biomechanical E-staging for ectatic corneal diseases was applied retrospectively on 49 KC corneas of 41 patients who underwent ICRS implantation. The main outcome parameters included the Corvis Biomechanical Factor (CBiF, the linearized Corvis Biomechanical Index and the biomechanical parameters included), the resulting biomechanical E-staging, the stress-strain index, thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), maximal anterior keratometry (Kmax), and the anterior radius of curvature (ARC).

Simulator-Based Versus Traditional Training of Fundus Biomicroscopy for Medical Students: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Simulation training is an important component of medical education. In former studies, diagnostic simulation training for direct and indirect funduscopy was already proven to be an effective training method. In this prospective controlled trial, we investigated the effect of simulator-based fundus biomicroscopy training.

PCR testing for herpesviruses in aqueous humor samples from patients with and without clinical corneal endothelial graft rejection.

To compare prevalence of positive PCR tests for herpesviruses between patients with and without a history of clinical corneal endothelial allograft rejection (AGR). Retrospective cross-sectional study with two-group comparison. A total of 307 aqueous humor (AH) samples from 235 Patients and 244 eyes who underwent penetrating keratoplasty or Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty or had a diagnostic AH aspiration due to clinical AGR between 2019 and 2023 were tested for DNA of herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Long-Term Follow-Up of Pediatric Excimer Laser-Assisted Penetrating Keratoplasty for Congenital Stromal Corneal Dystrophy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to highlight characteristic clinical and microscopic findings and report the long-term follow-up of pediatric excimer laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty (excimer-PKP) for congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD).

Methods: A 2-year-old Greek child presented with CSCD at our department. Clinical examination showed bilateral flake-like whitish corneal opacities affecting the entire corneal stroma up to the limbus.