Gaze-Evoked Vision Changes

We describe an atypical presentation of aberrant regeneration of the 3^rd cranial nerve causing vision changes with ocular motility. Abnormal communication between axons destined for the medial rectus and those destined for muscles involved in the accommodative response resulted in simultaneous pupil constriction and myopic shift of approximately 2.5 diopters with adduction. While there have been several reports of this pupillary response (Czarnecki sign), no cases have documented the change in refraction from ciliary muscle involvement.

Combined phaco-vitrectomy provides lower costs and greater area under the curve vision gains than sequential vitrectomy and phacoemulsification

PURPOSE

A majority of phakic patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane or macular hole require subsequent cataract surgery within 1-2 years. Combined phaco-vitrectomy eliminates the need for a second surgery and may enable patients to attain their best vision sooner. This study aims to compare the visual outcomes, complication rates, and costs of combined phaco-vitrectomy versus sequential vitrectomy followed by cataract surgery.

METHODS

Records were searched by CPT® codes to identify patients with both cataract and vitrectomy surgery at our institution over a 5-year period (2013-2018). Chart review included medical history, demographics, exam findings, operating room records, visual acuity (VA), and clinical outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS v19 (IBM). Area under the curve for visual acuity was calculated as the trapezoidal mean of the change in Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters.

RESULTS

After exclusion, 81 eyes of 78 patients underwent both cataract and vitrectomy surgeries at our institution. Thirty-four eyes underwent separate, sequential vitrectomy then phacoemulsification surgery, and 47 eyes had combined phaco-vitrectomy surgery. Total operating room times (120.81 ± 3.41 vs 161.03 ± 5.45 min; p < 0.0001) and associated costs were significantly lower in the combined surgery compared with those in the sequential surgery group. Baseline and final visual acuity were similar between the two groups. Baseline VA was 35.53 letters (~ 20/200) and 32.81 letters (~ 20/220) and increased to final VA of 63.74 (~ 20/53) and 60.91 letters (~ 20/61), in the sequential and combined groups respectively. Area under the curve for vision was greater in the combined surgery group, with subjects gaining an average of + 9.11 ± 3.32 letters from sequential surgery, and + 19.53 ± 3.53 letters in the combined surgery group (p = 0.04). Additionally, patients in the combined group attained their best visual acuity 449 days (15 months) sooner than those receiving sequential surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined phaco-vitrectomy surgery resulted in greater area under the curve visual acuity benefit and attainment of best visual acuity 15 months sooner compared with conventional sequential surgeries. There were no significant differences in complication rates or clinical outcomes between the groups, but operative times and costs were lower for combined surgery, supporting a favorable cost-benefit ratio. Graphical abstract.

Guiding Residency Program Educational Goals Using Institutional Keyword Reports from the Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program Examination

Introduction Residency programs receive an institutional keyword report following the annual Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) examination containing the raw number of incorrectly answered questions. Programs would benefit from a method to compare relative performance between subspecialty sections. We propose a technique of normalizing the keyword report to determine relative subspecialty strengths and weaknesses in trainee performance.

Methods We retrospectively reviewed our institutional keyword reports from 2017 to 2019. We normalized the percentage of correctly answered questions for each postgraduate year (PGY) level by dividing the percent of correctly answered questions for each subspecialty by the percent correct across all subsections for that PGY level. We repeated this calculation for each PGY level in each subsection for each calendar year of analysis.

Results There was a statistically significant difference in mean performance between the subspecialty sections (p = 0.038). We found above average performance in the Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation section (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.18) and high variability of performance in the Clinical Optics section (95% CI: 0.76–1.34).

Discussion The OKAP institutional keyword reports are extremely valuable for residency program self-evaluation. Performance normalized for PGY level and test year can reveal insightful trends into the relative strengths and weaknesses of trainee knowledge and guide data-driven curriculum improvement.

Completing the Basic and Clinical Science Course as a First-Year Ophthalmology Resident

Background The Basic and Clinical Science Course (BCSC) is the primary educational curriculum for ophthalmology resident physicians in the United States. The Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) examination is an annual evaluation completed by residents that is based primarily on the BCSC curriculum. First-year ophthalmology residents are encouraged to complete the 13 volume BCSC series in preparation for the OKAP examination while balancing a steep clinical learning curve and substantial call schedule. By calculating the daily time commitment necessary to read each volume in the series, we hope to help residents create a realistic study plan to compete the entire BSCS series before the OKAP examination.

Methods We determine the word counts of each volume using an electronic copy of the 2018–2019 BCSC series. We include all text sections and legends, and we exclude all figures and tables. We calculate the time per day of dedicated reading required to complete a goal number of BCSC books between the start of ophthalmology residency (postgraduate year 2 [PGY2]) and the OKAP examination by developing a formula that is a function of self-assessed reading speed.

Results A first-year ophthalmology (PGY2) resident with an average reading speed of 250 words per minute must read for 25.0 minutes per day to complete the entire BCSC series before the OKAP examination. If studying is initiated at the beginning of intern (PGY1) year, the resident must read for 10.2 minutes per day. We introduce a formula and provide a table to guide residents on the amount of time needed to dedicate to reading the BCSC each day as a function of self-assessed reading speed.

Discussion Completion of all volumes of the BCSC requires a daily commitment with little room for missed sessions. The commitment is substantially more realistic if initiated during the PGY1 year; thus, residency programs should encourage an early start to OKAP preparation. We hope with a better understanding of the daily time commitment involved in completing the BCSC series, ophthalmology residents will be able to develop more successful study plans.

Bilateral Macular Choroidal Infarction as a Manifestation of Giant Cell Arteritis

The authors present an unusual case of bilateral macular choroidal infarction as a manifestation of giant cell arteritis (GCA). Due to sequential bilateral presentation, multimodal imaging with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography allows for simultaneous evaluation of progressive stages of outer retinal damage caused by choroidal hypoperfusion seen on fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. This case report demonstrates that GCA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of placoid maculopathies. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:540-543.].

The role of intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of acute retinal necrosis

PURPOSE

To describe a case of successful treatment of acute retinal necrosis with a combination of antivirals and intravenous immunoglobulin.

METHODS

This is a case report of a 77-year-old white man diagnosed with unilateral acute retinal necrosis.

RESULTS

Combination therapy with systemic antivirals, prophylactic laser retinopexy, and intravenous immunoglobulin halted progression of retinitis and preserved visual acuity.

CONCLUSION

Acute retinal necrosis is an aggressive disease with significant risk of vision loss even when treated with appropriate therapy. In this report, the authors describe a case of successful treatment with a combination of systemic antivirals and intravenous immunoglobulin. Intraocular antiviral injection plus systemic treatment remain to be a more cost-effective option.