The human sclera accounts for 95% of the surface of the eyeball, providing ample contact area which is suitable for targeted trans-scleral ocular drug delivery. Currently there are several tans-scleral sustained-release strategies, including intra-scleral delivery, episcleral delivery, as well as tans-scleral iontophoresis. Different devices and methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, for example, intra-scleral delivery is somehow invasive, and episcleral delivery device needs to be made thin to prevent erosion of conjunctiva, iontophoresis needs to be frequently repeated as of its short-term effect. With the development of bio-material engineering technology, episcleral microfilm could become an ideal drug delivery route for posterior segment ocular diseases.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of 41G ultramicroneedle subretinal injection of balanced salt solution (BSS) in the treatment of large diameter macular holes (MH). MethodsA prospective clinical intervention study. A total of 22 eyes of 22 large-diameter full-layer MH patients diagnosed by examination in Tianjin Eye Hospital from March to June 2024 were included in the study. The minimum diameter of MH in the affected eyes was all greater than 400 μm. The affected eyes received 25G pars plana vitrectomy combined with internal limiting membrane peeling and 41G ultramicroneedle subretinal injection of BSS. The affected eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), microperimetry, fundus autofluorescence, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations before and 1 and 3 months after surgery. BCVA was measured using the standard logarithmic visual acuity chart and converted to logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity for statistical analysis. The minimum and base diameter of MH were measured using OCT. Microperimetry was performed using a macular integrity assessment device, recording the macular integrity index (MII) and macular threshold (MT) within 10° of the macular. The changes in BCVA, MII, MT, and the closure of MH and the occurrence of complications were compared and analyzed before and after surgery. For the comparison of the same continuous indicators before and after surgery, Student's t-test was used if the data were normally distributed and had equal variances, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used if the data were not normally distributed; the correlation between different indicators was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. ResultsAmong the 22 cases (22 eyes), there were 4 males and 18 females; all were unilaterally affected. The age was 66 (60, 71) years. The duration of the disease was 5 (2.5, 12.0) months. The logMAR BCVA of the affected eyes was 1.24±0.57, and the MII and MT were 100.0 (99.53, 100.00) and 19.0 (13.23, 21.78) dB, respectively. One month after surgery, all MH were closed, with 20 (90.91%, 20/22) and 2 (9.09%, 2/22) eyes classified as typeⅠand Ⅱ closure, respectively. At the last follow-up, the logMAR BCVA was 0.62±0.58, and the MII and MT were 99.9 (59.45, 100.00) and 23.6 (19.33, 26.25) dB, respectively; compared with before surgery, the BCVA (t=3.579), MII (Z=－2.374), and MT (Z=－2.997) were significantly improved, and the differences were all statistically significant (P＜0.05). Correlation analysis showed that postoperative BCVA was significantly positively correlated with preoperative BCVA (r=0.41), the minimum and base diameter of MH (r=0.64, 0.58), disease duration (r=0.63), and age (r=0.50) (P＜0.05). No surgery-related complications occurred in all affected eyes during the follow-up period. Conclusion41G ultramicroneedle subretinal injection of BSS can effectively improve the hole closure rate of large diameter MH-affected eyes in the short term, improve visual function, and has good safety.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common causes of visual impairment and blindness in diabetic patients. It is particularly important to set up simpler, safer, non-invasive and highly effective methods for diagnosis as well as monitoring DR. A variety of new fundus imaging techniques show great advantages in early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of DR in recent years. The main characteristics of wide-field scanning laser imaging system is achieving a large range of retinal image in a single photograph and without mydriasis. It provides several options for color images, FFA and FAF, which satisfy to detect the retina, choroid and vascular structure. Multi spectral fundus imaging system is suitable for DR screening, because it is able to recognize the typical characteristics of DR, such as microaneurysms, hemorrhage and exudation, and is non-invasive and convenient. OCT angiography is a quantitative examination that provides foveal avascular zone area, macular blood flow density, which provides strong evidence for DR diagnosis. The improvement of these new techniques will help us to build up a personalized evaluation system of DR.
Objective To observe the hemodynamic changes in the retina and choroid after scleral buckling surgery in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). MethodsA prospective clinical observational study. A total of 25 eyes of 25 patients with RRD who underwent scleral buckling surgery in Tianjin Eye Hospital from February to April 2024 were included in the study. Among them, 10 were male and 15 were female. Age was 17-68 years old. All cases were monocular. The surgical eye and the contralateral healthy eye were divided into the affected eye group and the contralateral healthy eye group respectively. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), scanning source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA), and axial length (AL) measurements were performed 3 months after surgery. SS-OCTA examination of macular area was performed by VG200 of Visual Microimaging (Henan) Technology Co., LTD. Scanning range 21 mm×26 mm. According to the partitioning method of the early treatment group of glycosuria retinopathy, the retina within 21 mm of the macular fovea was divided into concentric circles with the macular fovea as the center and diameters of 1-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-21 mm, respectively. The built-in software of the device was used to record the central area (12 mm×12 mm in the fovea of the macula) and the peripheral area (12-21 mm range) retinal superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) blood density and choroidal vascular index (CVI), choroidal vascular volume (CVV), and 1-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-21 mm above concentric circles (S), nasal side (N), temporal side (T), and lower side (I) SCP, DCP, and RPC blood flow density. Quantitative data between the two groups were compared by independent sample t test or Wilcoxon signed rank test. The correlation between retinal and choroid blood flow parameters and postoperative BCVA was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. ResultsCompared with the opposite healthy eye group, SCP blood density in the central area (Z=?4.372), DCP blood density in the central area (Z=?2.829), and CVI in the peripheral area (Z=?2.138) were decreased in the affected eye group, and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). SCP: in the affected eye group, the blood flow density in T3-6 mm, T6-12 mm, N6-12 mm and T12-21 mm regions decreased, while the blood flow density in I6-12 mm regions increased, with statistical significance (P＜0.05). DCP: blood flow density in S6-12 mm, I6-12 mm, S12-21 mm and I12-21 mm regions decreased significantly, and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). RPC: blood flow density decreased significantly in T6-12 mm and I12-21 mm, and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). CVI: T6-12 mm, S12-21 mm, T12-21 mm, I12-21 mm significantly decreased, and T1-3 mm, S12-21 mm significantly increased, the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Correlation analysis showed that AL growth was positively correlated with CVV in central region (r=0.408, P=0.040) . The number of pad pressure was negatively correlated with the blood density of central DCP (r=?0.422, P=0.030). ConclusionsAfter scleral buckling operation, the blood flow density and choroidal blood flow parameters in RRD affected eyes are lower than those in contralateral healthy eyes in some areas. The increase of AL is positively correlated with CVV in the central region, and the wider the range of pad pressure, the worse the recovery of DCP blood density.
Objective To observe the efficacy of intravitreal injection of conbercept (IVC) combined with suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (SCTA) in the treatment of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO-ME). MethodsA prospective clinical study. Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients with RVO-ME diagnosed at Tianjin Eye Hospital from January to October 2025 were included in the study. Among them, there were 13 eyes of 13 males and 15 eyes of 15 females; all were monocular. The age was (62.9±9.4) years. All affected eyes underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), eye pressure, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) examinations. BCVA was examined using the international standard visual acuity chart, and the results were converted to logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity for statistical analysis. The OCT instrument was used to measure central macular thickness (CMT) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). The patients were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group using a random number table, with 14 eyes in each group. The control group received IVC 0.05 ml (containing conbercept 0.5 mg); the experimental group received suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide 0.1 ml (containing triamcinolone acetonide 4.0 mg) combined with IVC, with the same dose as the control group. Relevant examinations were performed using the same equipment and methods as before treatment at 1-3 and 6 months after treatment. Changes in BCVA, eye pressure, CMT, and SFCT were compared between the two groups; the occurrence of complications such as cataract progression, endophthalmitis, vitreous hemorrhage, and retinal detachment was also observed. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the two independent samples t test, and intragroup comparisons before and after treatment were performed using the paired t test. ResultsCompared with baseline, BCVA was significantly improved, and CMT and SFCT were significantly decreased in both the control and experimental groups at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after treatment, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). Intergroup comparison showed that at 1 month after treatment, the improvement in BCVA (Z=?2.262) and the reduction in CMT (Z=?2.482) in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05); at 2 months after treatment, the reduction in SFCT in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (Z=?1.977, P＜0.05). At 3 and 6 months after treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in the increase in BCVA and the decreases in CMT and SFCT between the two groups (P＞0.05). The number of injections in the control group was (3.36±0.63) times, which was significantly higher than that in the experimental group, with a statistically significant difference (t=2.110, P＜0.05). At 1 month after treatment, one eye in the experimental group showed a transient mild increase in eye pressure; no significant cataract progression was observed in any affected eye, and no complications such as vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, or endophthalmitis occurred. ConclusionIVC combined with SCTA can rapidly improve visual acuity and anatomical structure in eyes with RVO-ME, reduce the need for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections, and has no significant adverse reactions.
ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in the treatment of different types of chorioretinal coloboma with retinal detachment (RD). MethodsA single-center, retrospective clinical study. From April 2021 to March 2023, 24 eyes of 23 patients who were diagnosed as chorioretinal coloboma with RD in Henan Provincial Eye Hospital were included in this study. There were 11 males with 12 eyes and 12 females with 12 eyes. The mean age was (33.3±13.7) years old. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral domain optical coherence tomography were performed. The BCVA examination was performed using a international standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, which was converted into logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity during statistics. According to the types of chorioretinal coloboma, the affected eyes were divided into the coloboma involved the optic disc group and the coloboma not involved the optic disc group, with 15 eyes and 9 eyes. According to whether the RD containing the coloboma area, the affected eyes were divided into RD containing the coloboma area group and the RD not containing the coloboma area group, with 15 eyes and 9 eyes. All eyes underwent standard pars plana three-channel 25G PPV, retinal laser photocoagulation combined with silicone oil tamponade. The follow-up time after surgery was (19.5±16.3) months. The last follow-up was the time point for efficacy determination. The retinal reattachment, BCVA recovery and postoperative complications were observed. Paired t-test or t test was performed for comparison of quantitative data. Fisher's exact test was performed for comparison of qualitative data. ResultsAt the last follow-up, retinal reattachment was achieved in 20 eyes (83.3%, 20/24). The logMAR BCVA of the coloboma involved the optic disc group before and after surgery were 1.85±0.62 and 1.71±0.71, the difference was no significant (t=0.845, P=0.412). The logMAR BCVA of the coloboma not involved the optic disc group before and after surgery were 1.75±0.45 and 0.84±0.26, the difference was statistically significant (t=6.153, P＜0.001). The improvement of BCVA in the coloboma not involved the optic disc group was significantly higher than that in the coloboma involved the optic disc group after surgery, with statistically significant differences (t=3.024, P=0.006). There was no significant difference in the retinal reattachment rate between the two groups (P=0.615). There was no significant difference in the retinal reattachment rate between the RD containing the coloboma area group and the RD not containing the coloboma area group (P=0.259). Postoperative complications included elevated intraocular pressure in five eyes, cataract progression in ten eyes, recurrent RD in two eyes, bullous keratopathy in one eye and band-shaped keratopathy in one eye. ConclusionPPV combined with silicone oil tamponade is safe and effective in the treatment of chorioretinal coloboma with RD, the improvement of visual acuity in the coloboma not involved the optic disc group is better than that in the coloboma involved the optic disc group after surgery.