Purpose: Short-term results regarding the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab, dexamethasone implants, and triamcinolonebevacizumab in macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) were compared. Methods: This study included 30 eyes of with BRVO and ME. Patients received the following treatments: 1.25 mg of bevacizumab (group 1, n = 9), 0.7 mg of dexamethasone as an implant (group 2, n = 12), or a combination of 2 mg of triamcinolone acetonide and 1.25 mg of bevacizumab (group 3, n = 9). Measurements of visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT) with optical coherence tomography were performed at baseline, and at 1 and 3 months injection. Results: Compared to baseline, the CMT was significantly decreased in all groups by 326.32 ± 149.32, 311.50 ± 58.54, and 282 ± 28.21, respectively, at 1 month and 407 ± 160, 348 ± 108, and 289 ± 66, respectively, at 3 months, but there was no significant difference within each group. Compared to baseline, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly increased in all groups at 1 month and 3 months. Using post hoc analysis, there was no significant difference in the degrees of BCVA gain, but in degrees of CMT reduction, groups 2 and 3 were significantly higher than group 1 at 1 month and only group 3 was significantly higher than group 1 at 3 months (p < 0.017). Conclusions:The intravitreal injection of bevacizumab, a dexamethasone implant, or a combination of triamcinolone-bevacizumab could be effectively used in the treatment of ME due to BRVO. For ME, steroid treatment showed a greater reduction percentage, and in the case of the triamcinolone-bevacizumab combination, we could cover the short half-life of bevacizumab and the complications of steroid use. In severe cases of ME, an intravitreal dexamethasone implant or a combination of triamcinolone and bevacizumab can be considered as the first-line therapy. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2018;59(9):834-841

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Purpose: To report a case of ischemic optic neuropathy caused by iron deficiency anemia (IDA) accompanied by ethambutol-induced toxic optic neuropathy. Case summary: A 64-year-old female patient presented with declining visual acuity. Four months prior, she had been taking ethambutol daily for tuberculosis. Corrected visual acuity was 0.3 in both eyes and a central visual field defect was revealed in visual field tests. In the color vision test, the right eye scored three and the left eye scored two. Ethambutol was stopped immediately under suspicion of toxic optic neuropathy; however, the corrected visual acuity gradually worsened to 0.05 in the right eye and the finger count was 50 cm in the left eye. The patient's blood test showed signs of IDA. After 5 months of IDA treatment, the blood test results returned to the normal range and corrected visual acuity improved to 0.5 in both eyes. However, focal atrophy of the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer was observed, requiring close monitoring of optical coherence tomography findings. Conclusions: Ischemic optic neuropathy due to IDA may occur in a short period of time and may be difficult to diagnose if accompanied by ethambutol-induced toxic optic neuropathy. In the case of patients with progressive vision loss, prompt diagnosis and careful monitoring in follow-up evaluations are required.

Purpose:To report a successful case of intractable vernal keratoconjunctivitis treated by papillectomy and amniotic membrane transplantation. Case summary: A 20-year-old female patient presented with repeated vernal keratoconjunctivitis in both eyes since the age of 14. Despite medical therapy, she developed severe itching, burning and foreign body sensations, and limbal nodules with mutiple giant papillae of the upper tarsal plate. Surgical resection of the giant papillae and amniotic membrane transplantation in her left eye was performed. One month later, the same procedure was performed in her right eye. The patient's symptoms then improved. Neither recurrence nor serious complication were observed during the 6 months follow up period after surgery. Conclusions: In intractable vernal keratoconjunctivitis, papillectomy with amniotic membrane transplantation may potentially be a good treatment option for better clinical outcome and low recurrence rates. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2017;58(8):986-992