Macular Degeneration: Han DP

Chaudhry NA, Mieler WF, Han DP, Alfaro VD, Liggett PE. · Department of Ophthalmology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. · Ophthalmic Surg Lasers. · Pubmed #10100249 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA) has been used as an adjunct in the surgical removal of submacular hemorrhage. It is usually used intraoperatively, but may not provide enough time for effective fibrinolysis, especially for a large hemorrhage. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency and safety of preoperative use of TPA for large submacular hemorrhages. METHODS: Five eyes with large submacular hemorrhage secondary to age-related macular degeneration underwent subretinal injection of TPA in the office 24 hours before surgery. All hemorrhages were less than seven days old and at least 3 mm thick. RESULTS: Preoperative visual acuity ranged from counting fingers to hand motion (HM). Patient follow-up ranged from 3 months to 24 months (mean, 11 months). Final visual acuity ranged from 20/30 to HM. Four of the five eyes (80%) showed improved visual acuity after surgery and 3/5 (60%) attained visual acuity of 20/200 or better. CONCLUSION: Preoperative use of TPA for drainage of large submacular hemorrhage appears to be safe and may result in efficient clot removal. The true efficacy of TPA in the treatment of submacular hemorrhage can only be proven by a prospective randomized trial.

Anonymous00133, Fong DS, Strauber SF, Aiello LP, Beck RW, Callanan DG, Danis RP, Davis MD, Feman SS, Ferris F, Friedman SM, Garcia CA, Glassman AR, Han DP, Le D, Kollman C, Lauer AK, Recchia FM, Solomon SD. · No affiliation provided · Arch Ophthalmol. · Pubmed #17420366 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare 2 laser photocoagulation techniques for treatment of diabetic macular edema: the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) direct/grid photocoagulation technique and a potentially milder (but potentially more extensive) mild macular grid (MMG) laser technique in which microaneurysms are not treated directly and small mild burns are placed throughout the macula, whether or not edema is present. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-three subjects (mean age, 59 years) with previously untreated diabetic macular edema were randomly assigned to receive laser photocoagulation by either the modified ETDRS (162 eyes) or MMG (161 eyes) technique. Visual acuity, fundus photographs, and optical coherence tomography measurements were obtained at baseline and at 3.5, 8, and 12 months. Treatment was repeated if diabetic macular edema persisted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in optical coherence tomography measurements at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Among eyes with a baseline central subfield thickness of 250 microm or greater, central subfield thickening decreased by an average of 88 microm in the modified ETDRS group and by 49 microm in the MMG group at 12-month follow-up (adjusted mean difference, 33 microm; 95% confidence interval, 5-61 microm; P = .02). Weighted inner zone thickening by optical coherence tomography decreased by 42 microm in the modified ETDRS group and by 28 microm in the MMG group (adjusted mean difference, 14 microm; 95% confidence interval, 1-27 microm; P = .04); maximum retinal thickening (maximum thickening of the central and 4 inner subfields) decreased by 66 and 39 microm, respectively (adjusted mean difference, 27 microm; 95% confidence interval, 6-47 microm; P = .01), and retinal volume decreased by 0.8 and 0.4 mm3, respectively (adjusted mean difference, 0.3 mm3; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.53 mm3; P = .03). At 12 months, the mean change in visual acuity was 0 letters in the modified ETDRS group and 2 letters worse in the MMG group (adjusted mean difference, 2 letters; 95% confidence interval, -0.5 to 5 letters; P = .10). CONCLUSIONS: At 12 months after treatment, the MMG technique was less effective at reducing optical coherence tomography-measured retinal thickening than the more extensively evaluated current modified ETDRS laser photocoagulation approach. However, the visual acuity outcome with both approaches is not substantially different. Given these findings, a larger long-term trial of the MMG technique is not justified. APPLICATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Modified ETDRS focal photocoagulation should continue to be a standard approach for treating diabetic macular edema. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00071773.

Kim JE, Shah KB, Han DP, Connor TB. · The Eye Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA. · Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. · Pubmed #16898386 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) with indocyanine green (ICG) dye enhancement (TTT+) and TTT alone were compared for safety and effectiveness as a treatment of occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients were randomized to receive TTT (12 eyes) or TTT+ (9 eyes) and observed for at least 6 months. ETDRS visual acuity and fluorescein and ICG angiography were obtained every 3 months. RESULTS: The median initial visual acuity was 20/80 in the TTT group and 20/100 in the TTT+ group. At 6 months, loss of less than 3 lines of visual acuity was present in 7 of 12 eyes (58%) in the TTT group and 5 of 9 eyes (56%) in the TTT+ group. At the final examination, there was no active choroidal neovascularization exudation in 6 of 12 eyes (50%) in the TTT group and 5 of 9 eyes (56%) in the TTT+ group. The median final visual acuity was 20/125 in the TTT group and 20/160 in the TTT+ group. Ocular or systemic complications were not encountered in either group. CONCLUSION: TTT with ICG dye enhancement was as safe and effective as TTT alone in this study. However, modifications of treatment protocol would be needed to see whether there is any advantage to using ICG dye enhancement.

Ryan EH, Han DP, Ramsay RC, Cantrill HL, Bennett SR, Dev S, Williams DF. · VitreoRetinal Surgery, PA, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. · Retina. · Pubmed #16770264 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To describe diabetic macular edema (DME) in patients who developed fluid retention as a consequence of glitazone use. METHODS: A chart review identified 30 patients who used pioglitazone or rosiglitazone and had both lower extremity edema and macular edema. Clinical reports, photographs, and fluorescein angiograms were reviewed. Patients followed for >3 months were analyzed separately. RESULTS: Seventeen patients took oral pioglitazone, 11 took rosiglitazone, and 2 took both drugs at different times. Eleven patients were observed for >3 months after cessation of glitazones. Mean weight gain during drug administration in this group was 30 lb, and mean weight loss after drug discontinuation was 19 lb. Rapid reduction in macular edema off drug occurred in only 4 of 11 patients, but 8 of 11 had reduced edema over 2 years. Mean visual acuity in this group at the initial visit was 20/60, and at the final visit, it was 20/85. Four eyes of three patients had resolution of diffuse macular edema with improved vision after cessation of glitazones without laser treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Fluid retention occurs in 5% to 15% of patients taking glitazones. In some of these patients, glitazone use appears to be a cause of macular edema, and drug cessation appears to result in rapid resolution of both peripheral and macular edema. Fluid retention associated with glitazone use should be considered when assessing treatment options for patients with DME, especially those with concomitant peripheral edema.

Kim JE, Perkins SL, Schwiesow T, Connor TB, Han DP. · Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA. · Semin Ophthalmol. · Pubmed #15491009 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) in management of occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of eyes that were treated with TTT and had at least 12 weeks of follow-up. Base-line and final ETDRS visual acuity and fluorescein angiography (FA) were compared. RESULTS: For the 48 eyes which met inclusion criteria, mean pre-operative visual acuity was 20/128 (range: 20/50-20/500). Average follow-up was 27 weeks (range: 12 weeks-55 weeks). At 3 months after treatment, 12 eyes (25%) improved 2 lines or more, 18 eyes (37.5%) had no change or 1 line of visual improvement, and 18 eyes (37.5%) worsened 1 or more lines. No significant adverse event was noted during treatment. Three eyes developed large submacular hemorrhage within 2 months of treatment. Based on clinical examination and FA, 61% of the eyes appeared to have reduction of subretinal fluid compared to pre-operative evaluations. CONCLUSION: Visual acuity was stable or improved in 62.5% of eyes in our series and the treatment was well tolerated. Longer follow up and larger number of patients would be required to evaluate the ultimate benefit of TTT in management of occult CNV due to AMD.

Han DP, Bennett SR, Williams DF, Dev S. · Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. · Retina. · Pubmed #12707591 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE: To evaluate visual outcome after arteriovenous (AV) crossing dissection for the treatment of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and secondary macular dysfunction in which difficulty separating the retinal vessels was experienced. METHODS: A pars plana vitrectomy and dissection of the involved AV crossing site were performed consecutively in 20 eyes of 20 patients with BRVO and vision loss. The overlying retinal artery was dissected free from the retinal surface, and separation of the artery and vein at the crossing site was attempted. RESULTS: In 19 of 20 eyes, the retinal artery was dissected around the crossing site, but a marked adhesion between the artery and vein precluded separation. After a mean follow-up of 10.5 months, VA improved by at least two lines in 16 eyes (80%), remained unchanged in three eyes (10%), and worsened by at least two lines in three eyes (10%). Mean change (+/- SE) in logMAR acuity was -0.28 +/- 0.11 (two or three lines of improvement, P = 0.016) at 1 to 2 months' follow-up and -0.44 +/- 0.14 (three or four lines of improvement, P = 0.008) at the final follow-up. Cataract formation or progression occurred in 88%. CONCLUSIONS: A surgically important adhesion between the retinal artery and vein at proximal AV crossings was encountered in all eyes undergoing AV crossing dissection, correlating with previous histologic and cadaver eye studies. Cataract formation or worsening was a frequent complication. Visual improvement may occur after vitrectomy and AV crossing dissection without separation of the retinal vessels.