No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

This study aimed to assess the changes experienced by patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) after bariatric surgery (BS). Methods: This retrospective observational study includes 37 eyes of 21 patients with PDR who underwent BS at a tertiary university hospital over the period of 2014-2018. The control group (CG) comprised 37 eyes of 27 patients with PDR who attended the same research hospital for diabetes care without undergoing BS. Preoperative and postoperative glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, weight and diabetic retinopathy screening results were collected from the medical records of the patients. Patients who had undergone preoperative retinal screening and at least one postoperative retinal screening were included in the analysis. Results: Both groups exhibited statistically significant visual acuity (VA) loss at 6 months and 1 year (p < 0.001). At postoperative 6 months the VA loss experienced by the control BS group was significantly more severe than that experienced by the CG (p = 0.03). The first-year HbA1c levels of the BS group were significantly lower than those of the CG (p = 0.02). The BS group had significantly higher intraocular haemorrhage (p = 0.04), neovascular glaucoma (p = 0.04) and retinal vein occlusion (p = 0.04) rates than the CG group. All complications occurred at different patients. Conclusion: Patients with PDR who received BS showed more severe retinopathy than patients who were matched for age, sex, HbA1c levels and follow-up duration and who did not receive BS.

Introduction. Experimental animal models of acute uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease, can be established via endotoxin-induced inflammation. Propolis, a natural substance collected by honeybees from buds and tree exudates, has antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the effects of propolis, obtained from the Sakarya province of Turkey, on endotoxin-induced uveitis using immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and biochemical approaches. Material and methods. Male Wistar albino rats (n = 6/group) received intraperitoneal (ip) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin (150 µg/kg) followed by aqueous extract of propolis (50 mg/kg ip) or vehicle; two additional groups received either saline (control) or propolis only. After 24 h, aqueous humor (AH) was collected from both eyes of each animal for analysis of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a). Right eyeballs were paraffin-embedded for immunohistochemical staining of nuclear factor kB (NF-kB)/p65 and left eyeballs were araldite-embedded for ultrastructural analysis. Results. Treatment of LPS-induced uveitis with propolis significantly reduced ciliary body NF-kB/p65 immunoreactivity and AH levels of HIF-1a and TNF-a. Ultrastructural analysis showed fewer vacuoles and reduced mitochondrial degeneration in the retinal pigment epithelium, as compared to the uveitis group. The intercellular spaces of the inner nuclear layer and outer limiting membrane were comparable with those of the control group; no polymorphonuclear cells or stasis was observed in intravascular or extravascular spaces. Conclusions. This is the first report demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect of Turkish propolis in a rat model of LPS-induced acute uveitis, suggesting a therapeutic potential of propolis for the treatment of inflammatory ophthalmic diseases.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of initial intravitreal ranibizumab injection on visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT) for the treatment of macular edema (ME) with and without serous retinal detachment (SRD) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).Materials and methodsFifty-two BRVO eyes, treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection for ME with and without SRD, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection at first month was assessed by analyzing the change in best-corrected VA and reduction in CMT with SD-OCT.ResultsThere were 21 patients with SRD and 31 patients with only CME (no-SRD). CMT was significantly greater in the SRD group than in the CME group (451±62.2 µm vs 383.5±37.2 µm, respectively, P<0.05). After initial intravitreal ranibizumab injection, mean VA improved from 0.87±0.26 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) to 0.54±0.27 LogMAR (P<0.01) and CMT decreased from 451±62.2 µm to 379.3±58.6 µm (P<0.001) in the SRD group. In the no-SRD group, mean VA improved from 0.69±0.25 LogMAR to 0.44±0.25 LogMAR (P<0.001) and the CMT decreased from 383.5±37.2 µm to 337.7±39.4 µm (P<0.001) at the first month visit. Eyes with SRD revealed better anatomic results and greater reduction of CMT after intravitreal ranibizumab injection (P<0.01).ConclusionVA and CMT can be improved by intravitreal ranibizumab injection in BRVO patients with and without SRD. However, more marked improvement in macular morphology was achieved in patients with SRD than those without SRD.

AimTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of high-speed (5,000 cuts per minute) 23 G transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy (TSV) in severe diabetic fibrovascular proliferation (DFVP).Patients and methodsIn this retrospective consecutive case series, patients who underwent 23 G TSV for severe DFVP between October 2011 and March 2014 at our institution were evaluated. 23 G TSV was performed with a high-speed (5,000 cuts per minute) cutter without a chandelier light.ResultsThe mean follow-up period was 8 months (range: 4–23 months). Of the 27 eyes of 27 patients, 14 eyes (52%) underwent concomitant phacoemulsification with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation, nine eyes (33%) were pseudophakic, and four eyes were phakic (15%). DFVP was removed with ease in all, and visual acuity was improved in 18 (67%) eyes. Iatrogenic retinal tear was observed in four eyes (15%) and treated successfully during surgery. Suture placement to a single sclerotomy was performed in eight eyes (30%). Postoperative intraocular hemorrhage was observed in five eyes (18%). Cataract formation was observed in two of the four phakic eyes. Three (11%) patients had postoperative intraocular pressure rise. Postoperative hypotony (≤6 mmHg) and endophthalmitis were not observed in any eye.ConclusionThe segmentation and removal of fibrovascular membranes with high-speed 23 G TSV seems to be a safe and easy method in severe diabetic eye disease.