Six-month outcomes of half-fluence photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal Aflibercept injection for pachychoroid neovasculopathy.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the six-month outcomes of patients with pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) treated with half-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) along with a single intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA) and to identify factors linked to persistent or recurrent subretinal fluid (SRF).

Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive treatment-naïve PNV patients who received initial treatment with IVA and half-fluence PDT and were followed up for more than six months. Patient data, including sex, age, and baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and imaging data, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, and fundus autofluorescence (FAF), were retrospectively collected.

Switching to faricimab alleviates persistent subretinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate structural outcomes, including subretinal fluid (SRF) and fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (fvPED) volume changes, after switching from aflibercept 2 mg to faricimab in Japanese patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Study Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Methods: Patients with nAMD who were switched from aflibercept 2 mg to faricimab were enrolled.

Intravenous Sodium Iodate Administration Induces Macula-Specific RPE Damage and Rod-Dominant Apoptosis in the Cynomolgus Monkey.

Purpose: Although sodium-iodate (SI)-induced retinal degeneration has been extensively studied in rodent models, its macular pathology and cone/rod vulnerability difference remains elusive. This study aims to characterize SI-induced macular pathology in cynomolgus monkeys.

Methods: Intravenous injections of SI were performed on four male cynomolgus monkeys including three young adults (Animal No.

Two-year treatment outcomes after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in age-related macular degeneration with type 2 macular neovascularization in Japanese patients.

Purpose: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) with type 2 macular neovascularization (MNV) has a relatively good responsiveness to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy compared to type 1 MNV. This study aimed to analyze the treatment outcomes of nAMD patients with type 2 MNV and identify factors associated with fluid recurrence.

Study Design: Retrospective observational study.

Fluid Aspiration From Intraretinal Cysts for Refractory Diabetic Macular Edema.

Purpose: To report the surgical outcome of fluid aspiration in intraretinal cysts as a novel treatment approach for the refractory cystoid macular edema associated with diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: This retrospective consecutive case series examined eight patients with refractory cystoid macular edema who underwent intraretinal cyst fluid aspiration using a 38-gauge subretinal infusion needle during pars plana vitrectomy. This study reviewed changes in central retinal thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, and central sensitivity among patients followed up for 12 months postsurgery.

Lamp2 Deficiency Enhances Susceptibility to Oxidative Stress-Induced RPE Degeneration.

Purpose: Autophagy and lysosomal degradation are vital processes that protect cells from oxidative stress. This study investigated the role of lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 (Lamp2), a lysosomal protein essential for autophagosome maturation and lysosome biogenesis, in maintaining retinal health under oxidative stress.

Methods: To induce oxidative stress, young Lamp2 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice received an intravenous injection of a low dose (10 mg/kg) of sodium iodate (NaIO3).

Altered fatty acid distribution in lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 deficient mice.

Lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP2) deficiency causes the human Danon disease and represents a lysosomal dysfunction because of its pivotal role in regulating autophagy and lysosome biogenesis. LAMP2-deficient mice exhibit a spectrum of phenotypes, including cardioskeletal myopathy, mental retardation, and retinopathy, similar to those observed in patients with Danon disease. Its pathology is thought to involve altered energy metabolism and lipid dysregulation; however, the lipidomic profiles of LAMP2-deficient animals have not been investigated.

A Recurrent Case of Full-Thickness Macular Hole After Successful Closure With Primary Vitrectomy and Epiretinal Proliferation Embedding.

Epiretinal proliferation (EP) is thought to be glial cell proliferation arising from the inner retina, seen in cases of lamellar or full-thickness macular holes (FTMH). Embedding EP within the macular hole is considered supportive for FTMH closure and functional recovery. We report a recurrent case of FTMH that was successfully closed after primary vitrectomy with the EP embedding technique.

Postoperative Proliferation Detection in Eyes Treated for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment by WideField OCT Angiography.

Purpose: Proliferative retinal changes may occur postsurgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), possibly preceding recurrent detachment. This study aims to establish the groundwork for an imaging system capable of discerning changes in retinal vessel tortuosity after RRD repair, analyzing widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (WF-OCTA) images.

Methods: Eighty-eight eyes of 86 patients with RRD who underwent surgical procedures and had repeated imaging with clear widefield optical coherence tomography (WF-OCT) and WF-OCTA on different postoperative days were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Three-month outcomes of treatment with faricimab or aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a propensity score matching study in a Japanese population.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) who initially received faricimab or aflibercept treatment using propensity score matching (PSM) to align patient backgrounds.

Methods: Patients with treatment-naïve nAMD who received either faricimab or aflibercept for three consecutive monthly injections as the loading phase were enrolled in this study. In the 1:1 PSM, sex, age, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and AMD subtypes in the pre-treatment state were selected as covariates.

Intraocular kinetics of pathological ATP after photoreceptor damage in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Purpose: Extracellular Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) released by dying cells may cause a secondary cell death in neighboring cells in retinal degeneration. We investigated intraocular ATP kinetics to gain mechanical insights into the pathology in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Study Design: Retrospective clinical study.

The factors associated with retinal pigment epithelium tear development in the early phase after treatment initiation for age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear development in the early phase after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug initiation in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED).

Methods: Treatment-naive eyes with nAMD and PED for which anti-VEGF drug injections had been initiated and followed up for at least 3 months after the 1st anti-VEGF drug injection, were retrospectively investigated. Baseline characteristics of the PEDs, including type, height, and area, were evaluated using fundus photographs, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography images.

Wide-Field Choroidal Thickness Analysis after Half-Fluence Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection in Pachychoroid Neovasculopathy.

: Pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) is a pachychoroid-spectrum disease. As blood circulation throughout the choroid may be involved in PNV pathogenesis, analysis using ultra-wide-field (UWF) fundus imaging is crucial. We evaluated choroidal thickness after half-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with intravitreal aflibercept injection for PNV using UWF swept-source optical coherence tomography.

Clinical Characteristics of Eyes with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Retinal Pigment Epithelium Tears.

Background: Although anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy is the first choice of treatment for eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), it sometimes results in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tears. This study presents the detailed clinical characteristics of RPE tears to help predict their occurrence before anti-VEGF therapy initiation.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients who visited the Kyushu University Hospital and started anti-VEGF therapy between April 2013 and June 2020.

Differences in Central and Peripheral Choroidal Thickness among the Subtypes of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in an Asian Population.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes visual impairment in individuals who are >50 years of age. However, no study has investigated AMD when using ultra-wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography (UWF SS-OCT). We aimed to evaluate central and peripheral choroidal thicknesses using UWF SS-OCT, and to compare these across the AMD subtypes.

SPATIAL PATTERN OF RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM TEAR DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION AFTER ANTIVASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR THERAPY FOR NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the spatial pattern of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear development and progression after antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed six eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration that showed RPE tears after administration of intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor agents and were followed up for 12 months. The patterns of RPE tear development and progression were evaluated by analyzing positional relationships among the locations of the choroidal neovascularization membrane and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) area at baseline and the tear area using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, color photography, fluorescein angiography, and fundus autofluorescence images.

Characteristics of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Elevations Preceding Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Japanese.

Introduction: Drusen and pigmentary abnormality are found as the hallmark to predict progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In Asian populations, exudative AMD often appears in the absence of drusen but is rather accompanied by pigmentary abnormality. Recently, shallow irregular retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) elevations (SIRE) have been shown as a sign of subclinical nonexudative macular neovascularization.

A Case of Bullous Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Treated with Surgical Removal of Submacular Fibrin and Subsequent Photodynamic Therapy under Silicone Oil.

Bullous retinal detachment is a rare complication in the chronic phase of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Only a small subset of eyes with chronic CSC develops into the bullous variant of CSC (bCSC). In patients with bCSC, the elevated concentration of fibrin in the subretinal space leads to persistent retinal detachment and eventually, severe vision loss.

Circulating inflammatory monocytes oppose microglia and contribute to cone cell death in retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an intractable inherited disease that primarily affects the rods through gene mutations followed by secondary cone degeneration. This cone-related dysfunction can lead to impairment of daily life activities, and ultimately blindness in patients with RP. Paradoxically, microglial neuroinflammation contributes to both protection against and progression of RP, but it is unclear which population(s) - tissue-resident microglia and/or peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages (mφ) - are implicated in the progression of the disease.

Increased vitreous levels of B cell activation factor (BAFF) and soluble interleukin-6 receptor in patients with macular edema due to uveitis related to Behçet's disease and sarcoidosis.

Purpose: Uveitis accounts for 10-15% of all cases of blindness in the developed world. Uveitic macular edema (UME) is a primary cause of permanent visual impairment in patients with uveitis. Because proinflammatory mediators elicit inflammation and lead to UME, we determined the profiles of proinflammatory mediators associated with complications, such as ME, in the vitreous humor of patients with panuveitis related to Behçet's disease (BD) and sarcoidosis.

TNFRSF10A downregulation induces retinal pigment epithelium degeneration during the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration and central serous chorioretinopathy.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) are common diseases that can cause vision loss in older and younger populations. These diseases share pathophysiological conditions derived from retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction. Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 10A (TNFRSF10A)-LOC389641 with the same lead single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs13278062) is the only overlapped susceptibility locus found in both AMD and CSC through genome-wide association studies.