A retrospective review identified all patients fitted with the EyePrintPRO (EPP) scleral contact lens (SCL) between December 2013 and March 2018, to report indications for wear, visual outcomes and complications of use. Baseline demographics, wear indication and contact lens history were determined. Habitual-corrected visual acuity was measured at baseline and follow-up. Adverse wear symptoms and signs, reprinting and device cessation were tracked.

Ninety-five eyes from 69 patients were followed for a median of 12.1 months (interquartile range 4.4 to 19.6). Indications for wear included vision improvement and/or ocular surface stabilization in the setting of irregular corneal shape (n=68 eyes, 72%), ocular surface disease (n=17, 18%), exposure keratopathy (n=7, 7%), neurotrophic keratitis (n=5, 5%) and extracorneal topographical abnormalities preventing non-custom lens fitting such as glaucoma drainage devices (n=8, 8%). Median habitual-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.67 to 0.08. One-third of eyes (33.1%) developed adverse wear symptoms. Fifteen of 95 eyes (16%) developed adverse wear signs. Device cessation occurred in 10 eyes (10.5%), and reprinting occurred in 14 eyes (14.7%) unrelated to prior lens wear or indication. In eyes that previously failed SCLs (n=56), 12 eyes required reprinting, and 49 eyes continued use.

Researchers wrote that indications for EPP wear include irregular corneal shape, ocular surface disease and extracorneal topographic abnormalities. They added that visual acuity improves with the use of EPP. Furthermore, researchers advised, clinicians and patients should be aware of potential adverse wear symptoms/signs and device cessation that may occur with EPP use. EPP is a viable salvage therapy in eyes that previously failed SCLs.

Timolol maleate has been reported to be a safer intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering treatment than latanoprost. The US FDA approved latanoprostene bunod, a nitric oxide-donating prodrug of latanoprost, for lowering IOP. This study compared the safety and efficacy of latanoprost, latanoprostene bunod and timolol maleate in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Patients who received latanoprost eye drops once daily in the evening were included in the latanoprost ophthalmic solutions (LP) cohort (n=104). Those who received latanoprostene bunod eye drops once daily in the evening were included in the latanoprostene bunod (LB) cohort (n=94). Those who received timolol eye drops twice daily were included in the timolol maleate (TM) cohort (n=115). All treatments were administered to the affected eye(s) for three months. Informed consent was taken from each participant before the trial.

At the end of three months of treatment, latanoprost, latanoprostene bunod and timolol were all successful in reducing IOP. The LB cohort had the highest reduction in IOP, compared with the LP and TM cohorts. All treatments had some common adverse ocular effects.

Investigators wrote that latanoprostene bunod was superior to latanoprost and timolol for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma.

Researchers evaluated the ocular effects of proton beam therapy (PBT) at a single institution in Korea, and identified factors contributing to decreasing visual acuity (VA) after PBT. A total of 40 patients who received PBT for choroidal melanoma (2009 to 2016) were reviewed. Dose fractionation was 60 to 70 cobalt gray equivalents (CGEs) over five fractions. Complete ophthalmic examinations including funduscopy and ultrasonography were performed at baseline and at three, six and 12 months after PBT, then annually thereafter. Only patients with at least 12 months follow-up were included. During the follow-up, consecutive best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes were determined, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for VA loss.

The median follow-up duration was 32 months (range: 12 to 82 months). The final BCVA of nine patients was >20/40. The main cause of vision loss was intraocular bleeding, such as neovascular glaucoma or retinal hemorrhage. Vision loss was correlated with the tumor size, tumor distance to the optic disc or fovea, maculae receiving 30 CGEs, optic discs receiving 30 CGEs and retinas receiving 30 CGEs. Approximately one-third of PBT-treated choroidal melanoma patients with good pretreatment BCVA maintained their VA. The patients who finally lost vision (VA
Researchers found that tumor size, tumor distance to the optic disc or fovea, volume of the macula, and optic discs or retinas receiving 30 CGEs affected the final VA.