EW Weekly, April 10, 2020

- FDA issues guidance on remote ophthalmic assessment, monitoring devices
- Preliminary safety, efficacy results in model for dry eye disease
- NCX 4251 moves into Phase 2b trial
- Study: Laser cataract surgery
- ASCRS announces 2020 Virtual Meeting
- COVID-19: News You Can Use
- A case report of a 30-year-old patient with COVID-19 described bilateral acute conjunctivitis occurring 13 days after the beginning of the illness, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Reverse transcription PCR detected SARS-CoV-2 in the patient’s conjunctival swabs. Conjunctival swabs remained positive for the virus at day 14 and 17 after illness onset, but on day 19, RT-PCR was negative for the virus. The study authors note that this case shows the potential for viral conjunctivitis at the middle of the COVID-19 illness, necessitating exam precautions throughout the clinical course. The paper was published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
- Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, can inhibit and partially reverse the process leading to fibrotic eye diseases, Nathan Boles, PhD, and coresearchers found. The study found that nicotinamide downregulates transcriptional changes that cause an epithelial to mesenchymal transition in retinal pigment epithelium, which can lead to fibrosis, retinal scar tissue, and retinal detachment. The research signals a potential therapeutic pathway for patients with fibrous epiretinal membrane, macular puckers, and proliferative vitreoretinopathy, Boles et al. wrote. The study is published in Stem Cell Reports.
- A prospective cohort study of 11 male and female astronauts found long-duration spaceflight of 6 months was associated with optic disc edema and peripapillary choroidal thickening bilaterally during flight. Anterior chamber depth and axial length were reduced after spaceflight, and according to the study by Brandon Macias, PhD, and co-researchers, a hyperopic shift can be observed 1 year post-flight. The research published in JAMA Ophthalmology expands upon previous retrospective analysis of ocular changes in astronauts.
- A randomized clinical trial of 52 patients with neovascular AMD receiving anti-VEGF treatment showed topical dorzolamide-timolol did not result in better vision compared to placebo from baseline to 3 months. It did, however, lead to reduced macular edema in those with persistent exudation. The mean change in central subfield thickness from baseline to 3 months in the dorzolamide-timolol group was −36.6 μm (1.7 μm in the placebo group). Change in visual acuity from baseline to 3 months was −2.3 letters in the dorzolamide-timolol group and 0.3 letters in the placebo group (a difference of 2.6 letters; 95% CI, −1.9 to 7.1 letters; P=.78). The study authors suggest the need for a larger sample size to fully determine the role of dorzolamide-timolol for patients with neovascular AMD. The research is published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
- Regular eyeliner use leads to greater tear film instability and meibomian gland dysfunction, according to a cross-sectional study of 42 volunteers without dry eye symptoms. The research by Pinnita Prabhasawat, MD, and coinvestigators evaluated female volunteers 18–40 years old who either used eyeliner regularly (more than 3 days per week for more than 6 months) or didn’t use it regularly. Participants took a questionnaire about ocular symptoms and were examined for conjunctival inflammation, tear breakup time, ocular surface staining, Schirmer I testing, meibomian gland function, Demodex, and other eyelid margin abnormalities. Demodex, Schirmer’s scores, staining, and ocular surface symptoms were not different between the two groups, but tear breakup time was significantly lower in the eyeliner group compared to controls (3.0 ± 1.9 vs. 5.8 ± 2.1 s, P<0.001), and meibomian gland grading was higher with a grade of 2–3 found in 85.7% of eyeliner wearers compared to 47.6% of controls. Telangiectasia was seen in 28.6% of those who wore eyeliner compared to 4.8% of controls. The research is published in Cornea.
This issue of EyeWorld Weekly was edited by Stacy Jablonski and Vanessa Caceres.
EyeWorld Weekly (ISSN 1089-0319), a digital publication of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), is published every Friday, distributed by email, and posted live on Friday.
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