Evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy in China (2022) is based on evidences in recent clinical trials and a system of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation of evidence quality and strength of recommendations. The main key points around why the diabetic macular edema (DME) changes the classification, what thresholds for initiating anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug therapy; eyes with center-involved DME (CI-DME) and good vision for clinical significant macular edema still treated by focal laser even with good vision, the clinical pathway for CI-DME changes first-line treatment from laser to anti-VEGF, loading dose of anti-VEGF for CI-DME in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (DR) from 3 injections up to 4-5 injections is recommended; severe non-proliferative DR and proliferative DR with vision impairment but without hemorrhages and retinal traction could be considered first treatment of anti-VEGF comparing to initiate pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP) (weakly recommended), PRP is still gold-standard for progressive non-perfusion area of retina. With the rapid development of DR evaluation devices such as optical coherence tomography, wide-angle optical coherence tomography angiography and wide-angle fluorescein fundus angiography, imaging biomarkers have been provided for the degree of DR lesion, treatment response and prognosis. It is believed that the clinical practice will be promoted a new height by the 2022 edition of Chinese DR guideline.
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a closely related disease of ophthalmology and systemic diseases. The Expert consensus on clinical diagnosis and treatment path of retinal vein occlusion in China (consensus) emphasizes that etiological diagnosis and treatment should be paid primary attention to, and etiological exploration should be placed in an important position in the diagnosis and treatment path. In addition to etiological treatment, the consensus emphasizes that clinical attention should be paid to the management of anterior segment neovascularization, neovascular glaucoma and macular edema. Especially for patients with short course of central retinal vein occlusion, the occurrence of 100-day glaucoma should be vigilant, and active anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, laser photocoagulation and intraocular pressure treatment should be taken. For the treatment of macular edema, the consensus points out that anti-VEGF drugs and intraocular glucocorticoid sustained-release agents are effective, but the latter should be used cautiously to avoid problems such as high intraocular pressure glaucoma and accelerated cataract formation. For deficient RVO, the consensus defines its concept, defines the time point of treatment when combined with macular edema, and clarifies the applicable conditions of laser therapy.
The data related signs of ocular fundus associated with COVID-19 published in this journal collected from December 2022, while the pandemic of COVID-19 was in a clustering occurrence. The signs of ocular fundus including acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN), cotton wool spots or Purtscher-like retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and macular edema of unknown etiology. The different lesions can be concurrent existence in some cases is one of the clinical characteristics of COVID-19, other characteristics including both eye involved, predominated affected more women, aged from 13 to 56 years. AMN was mentioned recently in most papers on COVID-19, it has been known as deep capillary ischemia. Cotton wool spots is sign infarct in superficial capillary. Retina dots indicated retinal infarct in the outer plexiform layer. CRVO was demonstrated that the blood clot blocks the flow of blood at the level of the lamina cribro, optic disc edema with macular subretinal fluid showed the retina tissue as well as optic head affected. Eye is part of the body, lesions of ocular fundus are identical with body system. Several study proposed different hypothesis for these alterations in acute phase of COVID-19: direct viral endothelial injury, activation of the immune response by a cytokine storm leading to a procoagulant state or transient hypercoagulability. Retina lesions demonstrated a vasculature impairment in several layers of retina and edema in retina and optic disk. We should monitor in the acute phase of COVID-19 the prothrombotic markers and the treatment should consider anti-virus and preventing thrombosis formation.
Prevention and treatment of infants and young children can avoid blindness, effectively reduce the incidence of children's blindness and vision loss. Eye diseases causing blindness in infants and young children mainly include retinopathy of prematurity, retinoblastoma, familial exudative retinopathy, persistent embryonic blood vessels, vitreous hemorrhage, congenital cataract, etc. Most of them are preventable and controllable, however, many diseases have strict requirements for the effective treatment time window. The basic form and path to carry out the prevention and control of blinding eye diseases in infants and young children are building a prevention and control system with a combination of multi-party medical forces, referral to pediatric eye disease institutions with relevant technical resources for further diagnosis and treatment, so as to achieve early detection, standardized treatment and visual training.
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second visual threatening retinal disorders followed by diabetic retinopathy in the elderly. In the past decades, increasing knowledge of the natural history, aetiology and risk factors, medical management investigation, together with the support of high level evidence-based medical evidence and the results of real-world clinical trials play key roles in guiding the clinical practice. However, without understanding the pathogenesis and pathogeny of the disease, it is difficult to implement a comprehensive, precise and personalized treatment strategy for the RVO patients. It is of significance in the clinic to discuss the pathological process of RVO, analyze the etiological characteristics of the disease, reveal the clinical outcomes, which aim to facility the optimal treatment and follow-up procedure for the patients.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (CMVR) is a common opportunistic infection of the eye after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with hematological diseases. It often occurs within 3 months after the operation, with CMV activation and high blood CMV peaks. It often occurs on patients with long-term CMV viremia, human leukocyte antigen incompatible transplantation, unrelated donor transplantation, haploid transplantation, childhood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, delayed lymphocyte engraftment, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease after surgery. The visual prognosis of patients is related to the area of CMVR lesions on the retina, the number of quadrants involved, whether the macula is involved, and the CMV load of the vitreous body is involved, and it is not related to whether the Epstein-Barr virus infection is combined with blood and vitreous humor. The incidence of CMVR is increasing year by year. It is helpful that paying attention to systemic risk factors and epidemiology can provide more effective guidance for ophthalmologists during diagnosis and treatment, help patients improve the prognosis of vision, and reduce or even avoid the occurrence of blindness caused by CMVR.
Intravitreal drug injection is a treatment for common chronic fundus diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The “14th Five-Year” National Eye Health Plan (2021-2025) recommends focusing on fundus diseases and improve the management mode of patients with chronic eye diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to explore how to further optimize the service process of intravitreal injection under the premise of guaranteeing patients' medical safety, to promote medical service efficiency and standardized management level and improve the medical experience of patients. Based on the quality control standard of vitreous cavity injection for retinopathy in China, Chinese fundus disease and related field experts developed the present expert consensus on the establishment of a one-stop intravitreal injection model and the management of its organization after a serious, comprehensive, and complete discussion, focusing on a standardized operation process, quality control, and safety management, providing more references for establishing a suitable intravitreal injection management model for ophthalmology and promoting the development of diagnostic and treatment models for fundus disease in China.
Objective To observe the imaging features of fundus lesions associated with COVID-19. MethodsA observational case series study. Twenty eyes of 10 patients with fundus lesions associated with COVID-19 at Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University from December 10, 2022 to January 20, 2023 were included in this study. There were 1 males and 9 females, aged from 17 to 49 years, with the median age of 26 years. The time of ocular symptoms after the diagnosis of COVID-19 was 0-2 days. The time from the onset of ocular symptoms to seeing a doctor was 1-14 days. All patients were examined by best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, color fundus photography, infra-red fundus photography (IR), optical coherence tomography (OCT). Serum D-dimer examination was performed in 3 patients. The median BCVA was 0.4. There was no abnormalities in intraocular pressure and anterior segment examination. Among 20 eyes of 10 patients, there were 10 eyes of 5 patients with acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN), 6 eyes of 3 patients with Purtscher-like retinopathy (PLR), 4 eyes of 2 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). The imaging features of fundus were observed and analyzed. ResultsRetinal lesions included AMN, paramacular central medial retinopathy (PAMM), PLR, cotton wool spots, hemorrhage, optic disc edema, macular edema. AMN was found in 10 eyes, with reddish-brown and wedge-shaped lesion in the fovea, dark area in IR and hyper reflectivity in outer nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer by OCT. The cotton wool spot showed hyper reflectivity on retinal nerve fiber layer whereas PAMM showed band-shape hyper reflectivity in inner nuclear layer by OCT. The Purtscher spot was seen at the posterior pole and/or peripapillary in 6 eyes of PLR. By OCT examination, the retinal nerve fiber layer corresponding to Purtscher flecken was significantly thickened and the reflex was enhanced. Among 6 eyes of PLR, there were 4 eyes combined with AMN, 1 eye with PAMM and macular edema. In 4 eyes of CRVO, vitreous cells, optic disc edema, retinal flame, spot hemorrhage, and atypical cotton wool spots were seen in 2 eyes. ConclusionsThe manifestations of fundus lesions associated with COVID-19 are varied. The multilayer structure of retina is involved, and the microvessels of retina and choroidal capillary layer are damaged.
Objective To observe the effects of intravitreal injection of conbercept for aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (AP-ROP). Methods It is a retrospective case study. Twenty-one patients (40 eyes) with AP-ROP were enrolled in this study. There were 9 males (18 eyes) and 12 females (22 eyes), with the mean gestational age of (28.30±1.79) weeks and the mean birth weight of (1 021.40±316.70) g. All the lesions of 40 eyes were located in posterior zone, with 24 eyes in zone I and 16 eyes in zone II. All the eyes were treated with intravitreal injection of conbercept 0.025 ml (0.25 mg). During follow-up, nonresponders or patients with deterioration were retreated with intravitreal injection of conbercept or photocoagulation; patients with progressive deterioration to stage 4 had received vitrectomy. At the 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 weeks after treatments, the disappearance or decrease of retinal vessel tortuosity and neovascularization, and the growth of the normal retinal vessels toward the peripheral retina were evaluated. Results Thirty-six eyes were cured for only one injection, the cured rate was 90.00%. However, 2 eyes (5.00%) had progressed to stage 4 with contractive retinal detachment, which underwent vitrectomy. Two eyes (5.00%) had received twice injections, whose remaining avascular zone area treated by photocoagulation. No major systemic or ocular complications after injection appeared. All lens remained transparent and no iatrogenic retinal hole was occurred during the follow-up. Conclusion Intravitreal injection of conbercept is effective in the treatment of AP-ROP.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the microvascular complications of diabetes and a major cause of blindness in adults. Early screening is an effective way to reduce blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy. The diabetic retinopathy is one of the chronic retinal diseases highlighted in the “14th Five-Year” National Eye Health Plan (2021-2025). The establishment of effective and practical community screening model is a powerful guarantee to complete early screening. It is of great significance to standardize screening methods, screening personnel duties, equipment allocation, referral conditions and screening sustainability. Chinese fundus disease and related field experts developed the consensus through a serious, comprehensive, and complete discussion, to provide more reference for establishing a suitable community screening model of diabetic retinopathy and increasing the screening rate of diabetic retinopathy.