Emilie Agard

Aim: To assess the efficacy of focal photocoagulation of capillary macroaneurysms (CMA) to reduce the burden of intravitreal injections (IVI) in patients with macular edema (ME). Materials and Methods: Retrospective multicenter study in patients with diabetic ME or ME secondary to retinal vein occlusion (ME-RVO). CMA associated with ME were selectively photocoagulated. Patients were followed for one year after photocoagulation. Results: 93 eyes of 76 patients were included in this study. At 6 months after the laser (n = 93), there was a significant decrease in mean macular thickness (from 354 µm to 314 µm, p < 0.001) and in mean IVI number (from 2.52 to 1.52 at 6 months, p < 0.001). The mean BCVA remained stable (0.32 and 0.31 logMAR at baseline and 6 months, p = 0.95). At 12 months (n = 81/93), there was a significant decrease in mean macular thickness (from 354 µm to 314 µm, p < 0.001) and in mean IVI number (from 4.44 to 2.95 at 12 months, p < 0.001), while the mean BCVA remained stable (0.32 and 0.30 logMAR at baseline and 12 months, p = 0.16). Conclusion: Focal laser photocoagulation of CMA seems to be effective and safe for reducing the burden of IVI in patients with ME. Their screening during the follow-up should be considered closely.

Purpose: To assess the impact of intravitreal injections (IVTI) on ocular surface of patients treated with multiple injections.Methods: Prospective, tricentric study conducted in patients treated with unilateral IVTI. An asepsis protocol with povidone‐iodine was used for all patients during IVTI. The primary endpoint was the difference between the pre‐IVTI Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI 1) score and that measured on day one (D1) post‐IVTI (OSDI 2). Secondary endpoints were the evaluation of predictive factors for OSDI scores, pain assessment on D1, and the Lacrydiag® analysis of tears from the injected eye versus contralateral eye before IVTI.Results: Two hundred and nineteen patients with a mean age of 75.9 ± 10 years were included. The mean OSDI2‐OSDI1 difference was 19.2 ± 20.6 (p < 0.001). The mean noninvasive tear break‐up time was 6.41 ± 4.59 seconds in the injected eye versus 7.36 ± 4.36 seconds in the contralateral eye (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with the OSDI 2 score were the OSDI 1 score (p < 0.001), the pain score on D1 (p < 0.001) the number of instilled glaucoma eye drop (p = 0.01) and a centre effect (centres 2 and 3 versus centre 1, p < 0.001).Conclusion: Our results confirm the impairment of the ocular surface and quality of life immediately after an IVTI. These results suggest 3 levels of action to improve the immediate tolerance: improving the basal status of the ocular surface, reducing the contact time with povidone‐iodine that might be toxic to the surface, and improving immediate post‐IVTI treatment.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether choroidal thickness (CT) increases at the time of exudative recurrence in diabetic patients with unilateral diabetic macular oedema (DME) treated with intravitreal injections of anti‐VEGF or dexamethasone.Methods: A real‐life, prospective, two‐centre study was conducted over a 9‐month period investigating diabetic patients presenting with unilateral DME treated with anti‐VEGF or dexamethasone intravitreal injections, and CT was measured manually, using the enhanced depth imaging module of the spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Choroidal thickness (CT) was measured in the morning, in both the affected and healthy eye of each patient at two timepoints: when the macula was ‘dry’ (T0) and at the time of exudative recurrence (T1).Results: A total of 51 patients with unilateral DME were included. Mean CT in the affected eye was significantly thicker at the time of exudative recurrence (210.8 ± 44.1 μm at T0 versus 238.0 ± 49.0 μm at T1, p < 0.001). There was no significant variation in CT in the fellow eye (214.4 ± 52.3 µm at T0 versus 218.9 ± 53.4 µm at T1, p = 0.53). The type of intravitreal injection, the number of injections and the CT at T0 had no influence on the change in CT.Conclusion: This study found that CT increased significantly in the affected eye at the time of recurrence of DME treated with anti‐VEGF or dexamethasone injections. Choroidal thickness (CT) could constitute an interesting new indicator for monitoring patients with DME.

Purpose: Evaluate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO).Methods: A prospective and controlled study including 114 patients from January to September 2016, who were divided into two groups: 69 patients with RVO (RVO+) and 45 controls (RVO−), matched for age, sex and disease. All the patients completed a simple questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and underwent a RUSleeping^® (portable monitoring device and then continuously monitored the subject's respiration to detect respiratory events). In addition, all patients with RVO were administered OSA screening with a polysomnography (PSG) during an overnight stay in the hospital, which was analysed by a single sleep apnea specialist.Results: Sleep apnea was suspected in 73.9% in the RVO group and 63% in the control group based on the simple questionnaire; 22% in the RVO group and 4.3% in the control group according to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale; 82.6% in the RVO group and 55.6% in the control group (p = 0.005) according to RUSleeping^®. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (based on RUsleeping^®) confirmed that RVO was associated with OSA (adjusted odds ratio, 5.65, [1.60–19.92], p = 0.007). All patients in the RVO group were confirmed by PSG, and finally, 91.5% were diagnosed with moderate‐to‐severe OSA. Among the RVO+ patients, the mean apnea–hypopnoea index (AHI) was 42.2 events per hour (7.7–96.5). OSA was moderate in 22% patients and severe in 69.5% patients. There was no significant relationship between RVO severity and the PSG data variables.Conclusion: The systematic screening of OSA with the gold standard PSG found a high prevalence of OSA in patients with RVO. The OSA is probably a risk factor associated with RVO. Polysomnography remains the gold standard method; nevertheless, the RUsleeping^® RTS portable monitoring device can assess the presence and severity of sleep apnea with a low failure rate and a single use, prior to PSG, which is less available in clinical practice. Further studies with larger samples are needed to clarify the association.

The objective of this study was to assess the intraocular pressure (IOP) as well as the anatomical modifications of the anterior segment following an aflibercept injection. Patients underwent an aflibercept intravitreal injection (IVI) (0.05 ml) with a 30.5-gauge needle and an antireflux system. IOP was assessed before injection (T0), immediately after (T1), and 5 min (T5), 15 min (T15), and 45 min (T45) after the IVI. Before the IVI and immediately after the T1 measurement, a PENTACAM® acquisition was used to evaluate the anterior chamber parameters (anterior chamber volume, depth and measure of the iridocorneal angle). At T0, IOP was 12.9 ± 1.3 mm Hg. IOP significantly increased after IVI (42.7 ± 3 mm Hg, p < 0.001). IOP returned to baseline at T45 (13.0 ± 1.2 mm Hg, p = 0.877). Anterior chamber volume decreased after IVI (160.6 vs. 168.3 mm3, p = 0.002). No significant changes were found for iridocorneal angle and anterior chamber depth. Aflibercept IVI causes an acute increase in IOP over a short period without iridocorneal angle closure.