Use of electronic devices by people attending vision rehabilitation services in Italy: A study based on the device and aids registry (D.A.Re)

PURPOSE

To investigate the characteristics of electronic device users, specifically smartphones and tablets, in the Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re), from several low-vision rehabilitation services in Italy.

METHODS

We collected general and clinical information about ocular and systemic diseases, visual function, reading speed and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) questionnaire score. Technological details of each optical and electronic device, (including screen size, touch-screen and OCR functions, text-to-speech function) were also collected.

RESULTS

1218 patients (752 females and 466 males) were included in our analysis, mean age 71.5 (±18.8) years. Users of electronic aids (n.237) were slightly younger (67 vs 72 years, p < 0.001) than non-users (n.981), had a worse reading speed (38 vs 65 words/minute), critical print size (43 vs 28 print size, p < 0.001), poorer visual acuity (VA)(1.0 logMAR or less: 30% non-users vs 73% users, p < 0.001) and more commonly visual field restriction within 10° (23% vs 14%, p = 0.001). A similar proportion of users and non-users were retired (about 70%) and about 16-17% were employed. The use of portable electronic devices (5″or less, p < 0.001; 6″ to 18″ screen size, p = 0.017) was associated with better IADL scores, and the use of stand devices with worse IADL score (p < 0.001); Furthermore, using smartphones and tablets (193 subjects) was strongly associated with better IADL scores.

CONCLUSION

We found that using electronic devices, and especially smartphone and tablets, were associated with better vision-related quality of life in low-vision people attending rehabilitation services. While this association does not mean causality, these findings seemed robust to confounder adjustment.

Chorioretinal biomarkers in hypothalamic amenorrhea

PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to evaluate changes in the retinal and choriocapillaris circulations in patients with hypothalamic amenorrhea.

METHODS

Prospective, cross-sectional observational study on 25 patients (50 eyes) diagnosed with hypothalamic amenorrhea and 25 age-matched healthy women. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to evaluate the vessel density (VD) of superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris VD layers in whole 6.4 × 6.4-mm image and in fovea grid-based image. In patients' group, systemic parameters were collected: body mass index (BMI), endometrial rhyme thickness, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, insulin, and cortisol.

RESULTS

SCP and DCP did not show any statistical difference when comparing patients and controls (all p > 0.05). Differently, choriocapillaris VD in the whole region showed a non-significant tendency toward higher values in the patients group in both eyes (p = 0.038 for right eye [RE], p = 0.044 for left eye [LE]). Foveal choriocapillaris VD was higher in hypothalamic amenorrhea women vs. healthy controls (66.0 ± 2.4 vs. 63.7 ± 6.6%, p = 0.136 for RE; 65.0 ± 2.4 vs. 61.6 ± 7.0%, p = 0.005 for LE). Focusing on correlation with systemic parameters, SCP and DCP foveal density had a medium/high effect size with endometrial rhyme, along with DCP in the fovea area vs. cortisol and SCP in the whole area vs. FSH.

CONCLUSION

When comparing hypothalamic amenorrhea patients to healthy subjects, OCTA detected changes in the choriocapillaris layer, showing increased VD in the early stage of the systemic pathology, suggesting that microvascular "compaction" could be a first phase of hypoestrogenism adaptation.

Ocular Biomarkers for Alzheimer Disease Dementia: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses

Importance

Several ocular biomarkers have been proposed for the early detection of Alzheimer disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), particularly fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and OCT angiography (OCTA).

Objective

To perform an umbrella review of systematic reviews to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ocular biomarkers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

Data Sources

MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched from January 2000 to November 2021. The references of included reviews were also searched.

Study Selection

Systematic reviews investigating the diagnostic accuracy of ocular biomarkers to detect AD and MCI, in secondary care or memory clinics, against established clinical criteria or clinical judgment.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline checklist was followed and the Risk Of Bias in Systematic reviews tool was used to assess review quality.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The prespecified outcome was the accuracy of ocular biomarkers for diagnosing AD and MCI. The area under the curve (AUC) was derived from standardized mean difference.

Results

From the 591 titles, 14 systematic reviews were included (median [range] number of studies in each review, 14 [5-126]). Only 4 reviews were at low risk of bias on all Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews domains. The imaging-derived parameters with the most evidence for detecting AD compared with healthy controls were OCT peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (38 studies including 1883 patients with AD and 2510 controls; AUC = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.53-0.79); OCTA foveal avascular zone (5 studies including 177 patients with AD and 371 controls; AUC = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.50-0.89); and saccadic eye movements prosaccade latency (30 studies including 651 patients with AD/MCI and 771 controls; AUC = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.58-0.69). Antisaccade error was investigated in fewer studies (12 studies including 424 patients with AD/MCI and 382 controls) and yielded the best accuracy (AUC = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.88).

Conclusions and Relevance

This umbrella review has highlighted limitations in design and reporting of the existing research on ocular biomarkers for diagnosing AD. Parameters with the best evidence showed poor to moderate diagnostic accuracy in cross-sectional studies. Future longitudinal studies should investigate whether changes in OCT and OCTA measurements over time can yield accurate predictions of AD onset.

Low-vision rehabilitation in Italy: Cross-sectional data from the Device and Aids Registry (D.A.Re)

OBJECTIVES

We are reporting on the characteristics of low-vision adults attending large rehabilitation services which provide data to D.A.Re (Devices & Aids REgister) in Italy. D.A.Re aims to gather information about low-vision aids owned by Italian patients with visual impairment.

METHODS

We included consecutive patients attending low-vision rehabilitation centres providing data to D.A.Re from 2019 to July 2021. Demographic features, self-reported use of technology and aids, vision performance, and the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) score were collected.

RESULTS

720 patients were included in the D.A.Re. About half of the patients were affected by Age-related Macular Degeneration (389, 54.9%). Patients reported a long interval between onset of vision disability and access to low-vision rehabilitation, which was over two years in almost 30% of cases. Blindness registration status was almost complete when reported, but almost 40% were unable to report on this. IADL scores were higher for younger people and those with better visual acuity and critical print size (CPS), and lower for visual field restriction (p < 0.01 for all predictors). Of interest, better IADL scores were recorded for those with computer knowledge who used optical aids and software in univariate analyses and multivariate analyses, adjusting for level of visual disability and employment status (p < 0.01 for all predictors).

CONCLUSIONS

We report on the profile of low-vision patients using rehabilitation services in Italy. Longitudinal data during and after vision rehabilitation were collected. Our results support the validity of the D.A.Re to monitor the use of low-vision devices in Italy.

The Impact of Hyperopia on Academic Performance Among Children: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of uncorrected hyperopia and hyperopic spectacle correction on children's academic performance.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched 9 electronic databases from inception to July 26, 2021, for studies assessing associations between hyperopia and academic performance. There were no restrictions on language, publication date, or geographic location. A quality checklist was applied. Random-effects models estimated pooled effect size as a standardized mean difference (SMD) in 4 outcome domains: cognitive skills, educational performance, reading skills, and reading speed. (PROSPERO registration: CRD-42021268972).

RESULTS

Twenty-five studies (21 observational and 4 interventional) out of 3415 met the inclusion criteria. No full-scale randomized trials were identified. Meta-analyses of the 5 studies revealed a small but significant adverse effect on educational performance in uncorrected hyperopic compared to emmetropic children {SMD -0.18 [95% confidence interval (CI), -0.27 to -0.09]; P < 0.001, 4 studies} and a moderate negative effect on reading skills in uncorrected hyperopic compared to emmetropic children [SMD -0.46 (95% CI, -0.90 to -0.03); P = 0.036, 3 studies]. Reading skills were significantly worse in hyperopic than myopic children [SMD -0.29 (95% CI, -0.43 to -0.15); P < 0.001, 1 study]. Qualitative analysis on 10 (52.6%) of 19 studies excluded from meta-analysis found a significant (P < 0.05) association between uncorrected hyperopia and impaired academic performance. Two interventional studies found hyperopic spectacle correction significantly improved reading speed (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence indicates that uncorrected hyperopia is associated with poor academic performance. Given the limitations of current methodologies, further research is needed to evaluate the impact on academic performance of providing hyperopic correction.

One week of levofloxacin plus dexamethasone eye drops for cataract surgery: an innovative and rational therapeutic strategy

BACKGROUND

Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed worldwide. A fixed topical corticosteroid-antibiotic combination is usually prescribed in clinical practice for 2 or more weeks to treat post surgical inflammation and prevent infection. However, this protracted schedule may increase the incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events and notably promote antibiotic resistance.

METHODS

This International, multicentre, randomized, blinded-assessor, parallel-group clinical study evaluated the non-inferiority of 1-week levofloxacin/dexamethasone eye drops, followed by 1-week dexamethasone alone, vs. 2-week gold-standard tobramycin/dexamethasone (one drop QID for all schedules) to prevent and treat ocular inflammation and prevent infection after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Non-inferiority was defined as the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) around a treatment difference >-10%. The study randomized 808 patients enrolled in 53 centres (Italy, Germany, Spain and Russia). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without anterior chamber inflammation on day 15 defined as the end of treatment. Endophthalmitis was the key secondary endpoint. This study is registered with EudraCT code: 2018-000286-36.

RESULTS

After the end of treatment, 95.2% of the patients in the test arm vs. 94.9% of the control arm had no signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber (difference between proportions of patients = 0.028; 95% CI: -0.0275/0.0331). No case of endophthalmitis was reported. No statistically significant difference was evident in any of the other secondary endpoints. Both treatments were well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-inferiority of the new short pharmacological strategy was proven. One week of levofloxacin/dexamethasone prevents infection, ensures complete control of inflammation in almost all patients and may contain antibiotic resistance.

Aflibercept in Serous Foveal Detachment in Dome-Shaped Macula: Short-Term Results in a Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To evaluate short-term efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept (Eylea; Regeneron, Tarrytown, NY) in serous foveal detachment (SFD) in dome-shaped macula (DSM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective, noncomparative case series. Three monthly aflibercept injections were administered. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography central subfield thickness (CST), and subretinal fluid (SRF) at baseline and at 2 months and 4 months after the last injection were considered for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The authors reviewed nine eyes affected by SFD in DSM. Mean BCVA improved from 0.42 LogMAR at baseline to 0.33 LogMAR at final follow-up (P = .06), and mean CST and SRF reduced from 347 μm to 295 μm (P = .09) and from 146 μm to 99 μm (P < .01), respectively. None of the considered eyes had resolution of the SRF.

CONCLUSIONS

Three monthly aflibercept injections may improve BCVA and reduce CST and SRF in SFD of DSM. Further prospective studies are necessary to state the real efficacy of this approach. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:822-828.].

Two Orthoptic Treatments in Dragged-Fovea Diplopia Syndrome

BACKGROUND

"Dragged-fovea diplopia syndrome" is a type of central binocular diplopia that is secondary to a foveal displacement, caused by epiretinal membranes (ERMs) or other macular diseases. Its management is difficult, because prisms are not effective.

CASE REPORTS

Two cases of dragged-fovea diplopia syndrome were presented. Both patients were affected with a unilateral epiretinal membrane. Therefore, the pathophysiology underlying their diplopia was the conflict between central and peripheral fusion mechanisms.

CONCLUSIONS

Diplopia caused by ERM "shift" deserves a complex management. We suggest to be careful about subjective symptoms and to optimize the residual visual function to customize the orthoptic management. A strict cooperation between ophthalmologists and orthoptists could lead to a successful outcome.