From our retrospective pilot study, there is a strong indication that the addition of intravitreal bevacizumab is safe and superior to the displacement of submacular hemorrhages alone with rTPA and gas.

Introduction: Optic neuritis leads to degeneration of retinal ganglion cells whose axons form the optic nerve. The standard treatment is a methylprednisolone pulse therapy. This treatment slightly shortens the time of recovery but does not prevent neurodegeneration and persistent visual impairment. In a phase II trial performed in preparation of this study, we have shown that erythropoietin protects global retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT-G) in acute optic neuritis; however, the preparatory trial was not powered to show effects on visual function.

No abstract

Purpose: The primary endpoint results from the comparing alternative ranibizumab dosages for safety and efficacy in retinopathy of prematurity (CARE-ROP) core study identified ranibizumab as an effective treatment to control acute retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). This study reports the 1-and 2-year follow-up data focusing on long-term functional outcomes and safety. Methods:The CARE-ROP trial compared 0.12 mg versus 0.20 mg ranibizumab in 20 infants with ROP in a multicentric, prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study design. Sixteen patients entered the follow-up period. An ophthalmologic assessment at one year postbaseline was acquired from all 16 patients and a neurodevelopmental assessment at two years postbaseline was acquired from 15 patients.Results: Fifteen of 16 infants were able to fixate and follow moving objects at one year postbaseline treatment. One child progressed to stage 5 ROP bilaterally between the end of the core study and the 1-year follow-up (first seen at PMA 75 weeks). Mean spherical equivalents were À1.9 diopters (D) and À0.75 D in the 0.12 mg and the 0.20 mg treatment arms. Strabismus was present in seven and nystagmus in five out of 16 infants. Mental development scores were within normal limits in six out of ten patients with available data. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two treatment arms. Conclusion:Neurodevelopmental and functional ocular outcomes 1 and 2 years after treatment with ranibizumab are reassuring regarding long-term safety. Late reactivation of ROP, however, represents a challenge during the follow-up phase and it is of utmost importance that regular follow-ups are maintained.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) in describing the morphology and outcome of encapsulated filtering blebs after bleb needling. Procedures: Prospective assessment of 9 patients – before, 2 days and 6 months after filtering bleb needling with 5-FU – using slit-lamp examination, Goldmann tonometry and OCT. Results: Before the needling, the average internal height of the cyst was 1.3 ± 0.8 mm. Two days after the needling procedure, the cyst collapsed in 5 patients. After 6 months, the average internal cyst height was 0.7 ± 0.4 mm. All patients with a collapsed cyst at day 2 after needling had controlled regulated IOP without glaucoma medication. Conclusions: The preoperative internal height of the cyst does not correlate with the outcome of the needling. A collapsed cyst at day 2 after needling is an indicator of controlled intraocular pressure, whereas a prominent cyst after 6 months indicates poor function.