Angelina Meireles

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major complication of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM). Disease progression can result in visual impairment, primarily due to diabetic macular edema (DME) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Although several ocular treatments are available for DME, a subset of patients fails to respond, reflecting the multifactorial, complex, and systemic nature of DR. Inflammatory biomarkers can be classified according to different characteristics, including imaging biomarkers—most commonly assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT)—and molecular biomarkers, which are defined by their biochemical and biophysical properties. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adipokines, and inflammation-related enzymes are recognized as key inflammatory biomarkers and can be detected in the vitreous humour, aqueous humour, tears, serum, and other biological tissues. The identification and characterization of reliable biomarkers may help determine disease severity, monitor disease progression, and predict the risk of specific outcomes, thereby aiding in the prevention of end-stage disease (prognostic biomarkers). In addition, biomarkers may serve as predictive tools for therapeutic response, guiding personalized treatment strategies and enabling ongoing monitoring. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the role of inflammatory biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of DR and DME.

Purpose: To describe a case of spontaneous closure of a macular microhole induced by an acute posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Methods: Retrospective case report and analysis of patient data. Case Report: We present a case of spontaneous closure of a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) induced macular microhole. In our patient, macular microhole developed a few weeks after acute PVD. The development of macular hole secondarily to acute PVD is rare, and there are reports of spontaneous closure. Reporting this case is important to alert clinicians to the potential self-resolving nature of this pathology. Conclusion: Macular hole is a rare complication of acute PVD. Some cases resolve spontaneously without the need for surgical correction. A conservative approach may be an appropriate setting if no high-risk features are present.

This case presents a minimal invasive alternative for the treatment of subhyaloid hemorrhages. Young, female, 32 years old, with no regular medication and with no personal or ophthalmological history, reports a sudden and profound decrease in visual acuity after an episode of vomiting, with 2 days of evolution. After funduscopic observation and complementary diagnostic tests, subhyaloid hemorrhage was detected and laser hyaloidotomy was performed, with restoration of visual acuity after 1 week. Nd:YAG laser treatment made it possible to quickly restore the visual acuity of the patient after following diagnostic procedures, avoiding other types of treatments, such as pars plana vitrectomy. This case reports a Valsalva retinopathy with clinical presentation in the form of subhyaloid hemorrhage after an episode of self-limited vomiting, effectively treated with Nd: YAG laser.

Purpose: Eye trauma is an important cause of monocular visual loss worldwide. This study aimed to describe the structural and functional characteristics and outcomes of 281 globe ruptures. Methods: Medical records of all patients undergoing surgery for a ruptured globe at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto in the last 17 years were retrospectively reviewed. Results: 281 eyes of 277 patients were included. The majority of them were males (71%) with a mean age of 59.7 ± 20.5. In 38.8% of the cases, the cause was a fall. At the time of admission, 29.5% of the eyes had a visual acuity (VA) greater than 20/200 and 12.5% had no light perception. The median time between trauma and primary repair was less than 8 h (interquartile range 5–12 h). A primary reconstruction was always attempted. Primary evisceration was performed in 14 cases (5%). In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of vision survival were male gender, shorter wound size, and absence of vitreous hemorrhage. Conclusion: In this large, retrospective study on globe ruptures, we identified male gender, short wound length, and the absence of vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment as predictors of improved functional outcome. We found a correlation between the presenting and final VAs. The Ocular Trauma Score predicted the outcome well. Our determination to reconstruct the traumatized eyes as early and as completely as possible was justified by the functional results: despite the severity of the injuries, one out of four eyes reached a final VA greater than 20/200.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to compare changes in ganglion cell layer (GCL) between vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) over a 2-year period following treatment with 0.2 µg/day fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) implant. Methods: Eighteen vitrectomized (group 1) and 8 nonvitrectomized (group 2) eyes were included in this cohort study. Changes in central macula GCL thickness were measured using the Spectralis spectral domain-optical coherence tomography at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months of follow-up. Other parameters analyzed included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT), and intraocular pressure (IOP). Results: Treatment with the FAc implant led to small reductions in mean global GCL thickness versus baseline and contrasts with the control group that was stable or slightly increased versus baseline. FAc therapy also led to improvements in mean BCVA and CFT that were observed at Month 6 and maintained to Month 24. For vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes, no differences were observed between mean global GCL, BCVA, and CFT values during follow-up. Linear correlations revealed that in all groups mean BCVA at Month 24 positively correlated with mean GCL thickness at baseline and at Month 24. IOP remained stable throughout the 24 months. Conclusion: There was no evident retinal neurodegeneration in the 2-year period following treatment with FAc in both groups. GCL thickness may be a useful biomarker for assessing safety and effectiveness in patients with DME.

Background: The main options for intraocular lens (IOL) placement without capsular bag support and/or zonular weakness are iris-fixated IOL and scleral-fixated IOL (SFIOL). Purpose: To describe the surgical technique and the outcomes of intrascleral knotless zigzag suture fixation of Akreos AO60 foldable IOL. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of consecutive cases. Results: Ninety-nine eyes of 92 patients were retrospectively studied. The mean age was 72.1± 15.2 years (range 18– 94), and the median follow-up duration was 19.5 months (range 3– 81). The best-corrected visual acuity improved from a mean±SD of 1.34± 0.70 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units at baseline to 0.49± 0.56 logMAR at the end of follow-up (p< 0.001). The mean±SD final SE was − 1.24± 1.82 diopters. The mean±SD prediction error was − 0.51± 1.16 diopters. The overall perioperative complications rate was 44.4% (n=44). The rate of complications requiring invasive treatment was 19.2% (n=19). The most common perioperative complications were ocular hypertension (OHT, 20.2%, n=20), and cystoid macular edema (CME, 15.2%, n=15). The rate of IOL dislocation was 7% (n=7). Conclusion: This knotless technique avoids the risks of haptics fixation but is more prone to IOL dislocation in cases of suture deterioration. Past ophthalmic history needs to be carefully considered in candidates who underwent SFIOL implantation.

Purpose: This study aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation characteristics, timings, and surgical decisions for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: A historical cohort including all patients who presented to the Surgical Retina Section at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), over a 2-year period, was recruited and divided into 2 groups: pre-COVID and COVID groups. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was recorded as starting on March 18, 2020, the same day the first pandemic-related lockdown came to effect in Portugal. Results: This study enrolled 449 eyes of 443 patients: 272 in the pre-COVID group and 177 in the COVID one. Of the patients, 63.6% were male, and the mean ± SD age was 63.0 ± 13.2 years (range 13–92 years). Of the eyes, 55.5% (n = 151) presented with macular detachment in the pre-COVID group compared with 66.9% (n = 119) in the COVID group (odds ratio [OR] 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–3.86; p = 0.016). The time from symptom onset to hospital admission (p = 0.021) and from admission to surgery (p < 0.001) was longer in the COVID era. In the COVID period, silicone oil (OR 2.03, 95% CI: 1.09–3.79, p = 0.025) and C3F8 gas (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.57–3.71, p < 0.001) were used more often. No differences in anatomical success or final visual acuity were found. Conclusions: The lockdown due to COVID pandemic affected the epidemiology of RRD. The services must adapt to the novel reality and produce backup plans for similar events. Despite the contingencies, the final results were not different between groups.

Aim: Diabetic retinopathy staging system and progression predictors are soon to be considered insufficient for ophthalmologic practice. Given the growing evidence of the role of choroidal dysfunction, our purpose was to assess choroidal vascular changes with intravitreal ranibizumab (RBZ) treatment in diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study. The study included DME eyes, grouped in vitrectomized (group 1) and non-vitrectomized (group 2) eyes, submitted to RBZ in a pro re nata regimen, with 24 weeks of follow-up. Main outcome measures such as central subfield foveal thickness (CFT), choroidal thickness (CT), and choroidal vascular index (CVI) were obtained from structural OCT, and choriocapillaris flow density (CCD) was obtained from OCT angiography and analyzed before and after treatment. Results: Thirty-one patients were included, 10 eyes in group 1 and 24 eyes in group 2. The mean number of injections was 5.18 (range 2– 6). Globally, there was an improvement in BCVA (+4.3 ETDRS letters, p=0.004) and CFT (− 84.6 μm, p< 0.001) with no changes in CT, CVI, or CCD (p> 0.05). When considering only group 2, there was a significant decrease in CT (p=0.033) and a significant increase in CCD (p=0.010) 6 months after treatment, with no differences in CVI (p=0.111). Baseline CVI was correlated with visual acuity at week 24 both globally (r=0.406, p=0.029) and in group 2 (r=0.604, p=0.004). Conclusion: In non-vitrectomized eyes, choriocapillaris blood flow improves with RBZ. Baseline CVI may correlate with visual function after RBZ. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04387604.

Surgical treatment is generally necessary to repair full-thickness macular holes (FTMH). Although vitrectomy with or without internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling remains the standard surgical technique, the inverted ILM flap procedure has increasingly assumed a role in the primary surgical repair of FTMHs. Some vitreoretinal surgeons reserve this technique to treat large or myopic holes, whereas others use it routinely in all cases. This paper is a comprehensive review of the current scientific evidence on the anatomical and functional outcomes of the inverted ILM flap technique in the repair of macular holes, following the International Vitreomacular Traction Study (IVTS) group classification.