Volume 55 · Issue 03 · 2019

This issue focuses on the research progress of neuroophthalmology diagnosis and treatment. Professor Wei Shihui is the responsible editorial committee responsible for the planning, composition and review of the key contents of this issue.

This article briefly analyzes the advantages and limitations of visual electrophysiology and OCT, and explains the complementarity of visual electrophysiology and OCT and the advantages of combined application in typical optic neuropathy, so as to provide guidance on how to combine the functional and morphological inspections in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of optic neuropathy. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 161-163)

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common cause of acute optic neuropathy in people aged 50 and above. The precise mechanism of NAION remains unclear and no consistently effective treatment, either medical or surgical method, for NAION has been identified. Thus, further study of the pathogenesis, higher research level of the treatment trail and the effective neuroprotective approaches are of significant importance for the treatment of NAION. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 164-168)

At present, transepithelial excimer laser keratectomy (TransPRK) has been widely carried out in China, but there is a lack of relevant operating specifications. There are certain differences in the understanding and application level of this operation among ophthalmologists at all levels, which brings troubles to clinical work. To this end, the Optometry Group of the Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association took the lead in convening experts, referring to foreign clinical practice norms, combining domestic and foreign research results and the actual situation in China, and after full discussion, jointly formulated the TransPRK expert consensus in China, with a view to providing guidance for clinical application.(Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019, 55:169-173)

To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(MOG) antibody-positive optic neuritis (MOG-ON).

Retrospective case series study. A total of 65 patients diagnosed with MOG-ON at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital during January 2016 and October 2017 were selected. The patients underwent examinations including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus color photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patients were tested for serum levels of antibodies for aquaporin 4 and MOG with a cell-based assay. The follow-up duration ranged from 14 to 217 months. Statistical analyses of patients′ clinical features, neuroimaging features and prognosis were conducted. The independent-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variable data and the χ ² test or Fisher exact test for classified variable data and rates were used.

There were 35 children (<18 years) and 30 adults (≥18 years) patients. Thirty-seven patients were female and 28 patients were male. The mean age of onset was (23±16) years (range of 3-61 years). There were 40 unilateral patients and 25 bilateral patients at the first onset. Fifty-five patients (84.6%) suffered from eye pain at the first onset and the incidence in children was significantly lower than that in adult [74.3% (26/35) and 96.7% (29/30),P=0.016]. Abnormal autoimmune antibodies were found in 13 patients (20.0%).And 47.8% (43/90) eyes had optic disc edema. Sixty percent (39/65) were recurrent optic neuritis and 73.8% (48/65) were bilateral diseases at final visit. Orbital MRI scans showed T₂ hyperintensity of optic nerve in 98.4% patients (62/63). Head MRI scans showed demyelinating lesions of the brain in 12/19 patients. Within 2 weeks of onset, 78.9%(71/90) of the affected eyes had BCVA ≤ 0.1. The visual impairment of the children and adult was serious, and there was no significant difference (P=0.650). After treatment with corticosteroid, visual acuity improved in all affect eyes. After the initial attack, 95.6%(86/90) of the affected eyes had BCVA ≥ 0.5. The children and adult had good visual recovery, and there was no significant difference (P=0.061). At the final visit, 86.7%(98/113) of the eyes had BCVA ≥ 0.5, the children had better visual recovery than adult [logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, 0.10±0.35 vs. 0.32±0.53, t=-2.526, P=0.013].Three children (8.6%) were diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The average thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layers (pRNFL) and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layers (mGCIPL) were (69.90±12.49) μm and (59.58±7.91) μm at least 6 months after optic neuritis attack. There were different degrees atrophy and not statistically different in pRNFL and mGCIPL between children and adult ( P=0.606, 0.223).

The clinical characteristics of MOG-ON are diverse. The children patients are more common and have better recovery of visual acuity. Additionally, some patients have demyelinating lesions in the brain. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 174-179)

To observe the effect of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) therapy on the recovery of visual acuity and its influencing factors in patients with the first attack of optic neuritis associated with aquaporin-4(AQP4) antibody seropositive neuromyelitis optica.

Retrospective case series study. A total of 165 eyes of 120 patients diagnosed as optic neuritis related to neuromyelitis optica for the first time in the Neuro-ophthalmology Clinic of Beijing Tongren Hospital from September 2012 to December 2017 were selected in this research. All patients had AQP4 antibody seropositivity and clinical manifestations of acute optic neuritis, excluding other diagnoses. All the patients received the treatment of IVMP 500 mg/d or 1 000 mg/d for 3 days, followed by a slowly tapering course of oral glucocorticoids. The post-treatment and pre-treatment visual acuities were compared. Improving four lines or more was considered as effective markedly, improving two or three lines as effective, and improving one line or no change or a decline as no effect. The onset age, visual acuity before treatment and doses in the acute exacerbation were analyzed. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analyses.

Among the 120 patients, there were 17 males and 103 females, with age ranging from 16 to 80 years (median, 44 years). There were 17.6% (29/165) of the eyes with conspicuous therapy, 33.3% (55/165) of the eyes with effective therapy and 49.1% (81/165) of the eyes with ineffective therapy. The effect of IVMP decreased obviously when the age of onset was over 50 years old [41.1%(23/56) vs. 56.0%(61/109), Z=2.645, P=0.008]. Patients with no light perception and light perception before treatment had better therapeutic effect than those with counting fingers-0.3 before treatment [72.2%(26/36), 72.7%(24/33) vs. 30.1%(25/83), Z=2.726, 2.967; P=0.006, 0.003]. Although the efficacy of patients with visual acuity of onset over 0.3 (9/13) was better than patients with counting fingers-0.3, but the difference was not statistically significant (Z=1.743, P=0.081). Different doses, including IVMP 1 000 mg/d and 500 mg/d, had no significant difference in the effect (Z=1.115, P=0.265).

IVMP therapy is only valid for a half of eyes with optic neuritis associated with AQP4 antibody seropositive neuromyelitis optica. The effect of IVMP treatment at doses of 500 mg/d and 1 000 mg/d is similar. Furthermore, the visual acuity from finger counting to 0.3 and age of onset over 50 years old have an influence on the treatment effect. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 180-185)

To investigate the consequences of the thickness of ganglion cell layer (GCL) and visual field defect of non-functional pituitary adenoma with chiasm compression.

A case control study. The study included 40 (80 eyes) non-functional pituitary adenoma patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from March 2015 to February 2017. Twenty patients (no visual field defect group, 40 eyes) of them were detected to be chiasm compressed or touched by the adenoma with no visual field defect detected, and the other 20 patients (visual field defect group, 40 eyes) were the sex-and-age matched pituitary adenoma patients with bitemporal heminopsia. This study also included 20 (control group, 40 eyes) sex-and-age matched healthy controls. The para-papillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in 6 quadrants including nasal, temporal, nasal superior, temporal superior, nasal inferior and temporal inferior as well as the macular GCL thickness and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness in 4 quadrants including nasal superior, nasal inferior, temporal superior and temporal inferior were measured. The non-parametric test was used to compare the RNFL, GCL and GCIPL thickness among the three groups.

The mean age among the three groups was (46±10) years and the difference among the three groups was not significant (P=0.88). The sex ratio of the three groups was 9∶11 (male∶female) and the difference among the three groups was not significant. The mean axial length among the three groups was (23.22±0.90) mm and the difference among the three groups was not significant (P=0.51). The thickness of para-papillary RNFL of temporal superior, temporal, nasal superior, nasal, nasal inferior quadrants and whole circumference was significantly thinner in the visual field defect group than the control group [(129.88±28.64) μm, (63.63±26.84) μm, (88.08±32.16) μm, (50.68±19.99) μm, (92.48±25.06) μm, and (85.00±20.65) μm vs. (141.10±18.95) μm, (79.12±16.78) μm, (113.68±21.28) μm, (69.67±14.23) μm, (117.80±31.32) μm, and (102.80±9.68) μm, t=2.26, 3.06, 4.14, 4.84, 4.25, 4.88, all P<0.05]. In the nasal quadrant, the para-papillary RNFL of the no visual field defect group was significantly thinner compared with the control group [(61.45±9.83) μm vs. (69.67±14.23) μm, t=2.97, P<0.05]. The total GCL thickness was (30.48±5.42) μm in the visual field defect group, (31.35±2.77) μm in the no visual field defect group, thinner than that in the control group [(33.32±2.92) μm, t=2.92, 3.62; both P<0.05]. The total GCIPL thickness showed no significant difference among the three groups (P=0.07). In the superior and inferior temporal quadrants, the GCL and GCIPL thickness showed no significant difference among the three groups (all P>0.05). In the superior and inferior nasal quadrants, the GCL thickness was (29.41±5.97) μm, and (28.47±5.13) μm in the visual field defect group, (31.15±3.27) μm and (30.61±2.96) μm in the no visual field defect group, and (34.23±3.16) μm and (32.97±2.78) μm in the control group. The GCL thickness in the nasal quadrant was thinner in the visual field defect group ( t=4.45, 4.82)and the no visual field defect group(t=4.23, 3.63) than in the control group (all P<0.01). However, no significant difference in GCL thickness was detected between the visual field defect group and the no visual field defect group (both P>0.05). In the superior and inferior nasal quadrants, the GCIPL thickness was (54.06±10.50) μm and (51.77±9.18) μm in the visual field defect group, (58.03±4.00) μm and (56.23±5.37) μm in the no visual field defect group, and (62.26±7.11) μm and (59.39±6.64) μm in the control group. The GCIPL thickness was thinner in the nasal quadrant in the visual field defect group than in the control group ( t=3.95, 4.20, both P<0.01). Only in the Superior nasal quadrant, the GCIPL was significantly thinner in the no visual field defect group than the control group (t=3.25, P<0.01).

The optic GCL may get thinner in pituitary nonfunctional adenoma with chiasm compression patients without the RNFL layer thinning and visual field defect. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 186-194)

To explore the correlation between the vessel density and the structure and visual function in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in different stages.

This case-control study included 25 NAION patients (28 eyes)of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from November 2017 to May 2018 and 25 healthy controls(HC) (25 eyes) of matched age and gender. General eye examination, visual field examination, and optical coherence tomography angiography were performed to obtain data of blood flow in the macular area and structure such as ganglion cell complex (GCC) and gross loss of volume (GLV), and focal loss of volume (FLV). All affected eyes were divided into the acute group (≤3 weeks), sub-acute group (4 to 12 weeks), and chronic group (>12 weeks) in line with the course of the disease. The group and regional analyses were made to carry out overall differences of blood flows and structures and the correlations with visual function.

There were 25 NAION patients with 28 eyes, 16 males and 9 females, aged (55±9) years. The acute group included 8 patients (8 eyes), and the sub-acute group included 10 patients (10 eyes), while the chronic group comprised 7 patients (10 eyes). The overall macular superficial vessel density of patients with NAION was significantly reduced compared with the HC(42.03%±5.70% vs.49.01%±3.34%, t=-5.546, P<0.01), but the deep vessel density was not significantly reduced (P>0.05). The superficial vessel density of the acute group, sub-acute group, and chronic group was significantly decreased(47.41%±3.51% vs. 41.68%±3.09% vs.38.06%±5.93%, all P<0.05). The GCC thickness in patients with NAION were significantly lower than the HC [(88.5±18.2) μm vs. (102.9±5.4)μm,P<0.05]. The GLV and FLV in patients with NAION were significantly higher than the HC (12.733%±11.216% vs. 0.941%±0.852%, 6.295%±4.291% vs. 0.596%±0.460%, both P<0.05). There was a correlation between the macular superficial vessel density and GCC thickness (r=0.606, P=0.001), FLV(r=-0.552, P=0.002), GLV (r=-0.685, P=0.000) and mean sensitivity (r=0.493, P=0.023).

Compared with healthy controls, the macular superficial vessel density in NAION patients decreas along with the course of the disease, and its correlation with structural and visual function is revealed. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:195-202)

To summarize the clinical manifestation, treatment and prognosis of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(AION) which was the manifestation of optic neuropathy related with Behcet′s disease (BD).

Retrospective series of case studies. The clinical data of 6 cases (9 eyes) of AION associated with BD who were hospitalized at the neurology ward of Beijing Tongren Hospital from February to June in 2016 were collected, the clinical characteristics of these patients were summarized, visual acuity were compared by using Wingerchuk visual grade before and after treatment.

Among the 6 patients with AION associated with BD, there were 4 males and 2 female, aged 38-60 years. All patients were acute onset, 3 cases had the onset of one eye, 2 cases with the onset of both eyes and 1 case with successively onset of both eyes. Optic nerve was damaged in 6 cases (9 eyes), only 1 case felt pain of eyes, the best corrected visual acuity of 4 eyes were less than 0.1, optic disk edema and linear bleeding around optic disk were oberved in all patients, the lower half visual field defect was the most common damage type (5 eyes), P100 latency of visual evoked potential prolonged in all patients, optic nerve MRI showed abnormal signal of optic nerve involvement in 2 patients. All patients were treated with corticosteroids and followed for 3 months, there was significant improvement in 1 eye of which the vision improved above 3 grade, and improvement in 6 eyes of which vision improved for 1-2 grade, while there has been no change in 2 eyes.

BD may be the etiology of AION. Visual impairment of this kind of patients is relatively serious, visual function is expected to improve with early treatment. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:203-207)

To evaluate the influence of Barrett calculator and AcrySof calculator on astigmatism correction effect.

This is a randomized prospective study. A total of 64 cases (81 eyes) who planed to undergo phacoemulsification at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital during January 2017 and March 2018 were enrolled and divided into two groups randomly, including of the Barrett calculator group of 34 cases (41 eyes) and the AcrySof calculator group of 30 cases (40 eyes). Preoperative ocular biological parameters were measured using Lenstar LS900. The Toric intraocular lenses (IOL) plans were determined based on Barrett calculator and the AcrySof calculator for the two groups respectively. Subjective optometry was performed by phoropter and Toric IOL alignment was detected by slitlamp examination at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis was taken with the data of 29 cases (35 eyes) in the Barrett calculator group and 26 cases (35 eyes) in the AcrySof calculator group, there were 20 males (25 eyes) and 35 females (45 eyes) with an average age of (72±10) years. The difference between the predicted residual astigmatism by the two calculators and the residual astigmatism obtained by postoperative optometry is the error of refractive astigmatism (ERA). The magnitude error is the algebraic difference of ERA. Vector error(VE) is a vector difference of ERA. Statistical analysis of magnitude error and VE between the two groups were taken by student′s t test or rank sum test.

At 1 months and 3 months, the magnitude error absolute value of Barrett calculator group were (0.19±0.16)D, (0.28±0.24)D, and those of AcrySof calculator group were (0.36±0.28)D, (0.46±0.41)D, and the differences were statistically significant (t=-3.050, -2.036, both P<0.05). At 1 month postoperatively, the overall, with-the-rule astigmatism, and against-the-rule astigmatism VE of the Barrett calculator group were (0.30±0.21)D, (0.26±0.22)D, (0.37±0.26)D respectively, and those of the AcrySof calculator group were (0.47±0.33)D, (0.51±0.34)D and (0.52±0.38)D respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=-2.533, -2.436, -2.150, all P<0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the overall, with-the-rule astigmatism, and against-the-rule astigmatism VE of the Barrett calculator group were (0.37±0.28)D, (0.29±0.17)D, (0.35±0.27)D respectively, and those of the AcrySof calculator group were (0.59±0.46)D, (0.54±0.37)D, (0.64±0.52)D respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=-2.142, -2.038, -2.481, all P<0.05).The difference of X_EV between the Barrett calculator group and the AcrySof calculator group was statistically significant[-0.13(-0.36-0.80)D vs. 0.19(-1.01-0.71)D, Z=-2.965,P<0.01], and the difference of Y_EV was statistically significant [-0.02(-0.51-0.64)D vs. -0.15(-0.88-1.10)D, Z=-2.076, P<0.05] at 1 months. There was no significant difference in X_EV and Y_EV (both P>0.05) at 3 months.

As compared to AcrySof Toric calculator, the application of Barrett calculator in selecting Toric IOL may reduce ERA and improve Toric IOL correction outcomes. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:208-213)

To investigate the tear film stability after trabeculectomy and its relationship with bleb morphology using Optical Quality Analysis System Ⅱ (OQAS Ⅱ).

A cross-sectional study. Glaucoma patients undergoing trabeculectomy in the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from November 2011 to November 2016 were invited by telephone to perform optical quality, bleb photography, and break-up time examinations, and history of surgeries and medications was collected. Bleb morphology was graded according to the Indiana bleb appearance grading scale. The tear film stability was the average objective scatter index value measured using OQAS Ⅱ for 10 seconds after blinking minus the baseline objective scatter index. The higher the tear film stability value, the worse the stability. The difference in the tear film stability between the surgical eyes and non-surgical eyes was compared by the Mann-Whitney U test, and the relationships between the optical quality, bleb height, extent and vascularity were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis H test.

Sixty-three patients (76 eyes) were enrolled in the study, including 55 surgical eyes and 21 non-surgical eyes. The mean follow-up time was (39.6±26.2) months.In the surgical and non-surgical eyes, the M(Q_R) of tear film stability was 0.46 (0.86) and 0.23 (0.41), respectively. The tear film stability in the surgical eyes was reduced compared to the non-surgical eyes (P=0.044). The trabeculectomy group was divided into three subgroups according to the height of the filtering bleb: H0 (17 eyes), H1 (24 eyes) and H2-3 (14 eyes). The M(Q_R) of tear film stability in the three subgroups was 0.40(0.68), 0.70(1.02) and 0.40(1.24), respectively, with no statistically significant difference detected (P=0.481). According to the bleb extent, the surgical group was divided into two subgroups: E0-1 (36 eyes) and E2-3 (19 eyes). The M(Q_R) of optical quality in the two subgroups was 0.63 (0.78) and 0.26(1.17), respectively, with no significant difference detected (P=0.261). According to the degree of bleb vascularity, the surgical group was divided into three subgroups: V0 (25 eyes), V1 (14 eyes), and V2-3 (16 eyes). The M(Q_R) of optical quality in the three subgroups was 0.39 (0.69), 0.55 (1.18) and 0.63 (1.24), respectively, with no significant difference (P=0.401).

Although tear film stability decrease after trabeculectomy, the decrease is not associated with the bleb morphology. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:214-219)

A patient complaining of repeated paroxysmal blurred vision in the right eye for 2 months went to the ophthalmology department. Six years ago, his left eye was blind due to "optic disc edema". Ocular examination showed congestion and edema of the optic disc in the right eye, obvious bulge, pale optic disc in the left eye, with ciliary vein formation of optic nerve, and cerebrospinal fluid pressure>400 mmH by lumbar puncture₂O (1 mmH₂O =0.009 8 kPa). The patient was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, optic disc edema in the right eye, secondary optic atrophy in the left eye, and the right eye returned to normal after undergoing left transverse sinus stent implantation.(Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019, 55:220-222)

One patient with complaint of right conjunctival black spot for 2 years went to the ophthalmology department, and was diagnosed with malignant melanoma of right conjunctival cornea based on the pathological examination results; The patient requested to preserve his eyeball and vision. After consultation in the hospital, the tumor was resected and ablated by high-frequency radiofrequency surgery system. After six months of follow-up, the lesion healed well, no recurrence was seen, and there was no metastasis in the whole body.(Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019, 55:223-224)

One patient complained of repeated yellow purulent discharge in the left nose for 2 years, recurrent with periorbital swelling of the left eye for 12 days and disappearance of light perception for 1 week. The patient was seen in the ophthalmology department. After eye examination, blood glucose detection and orbital CT examination, the diagnosis was acute attack of left chronic sinusitis, left intraorbital abscess, left eye amaurosis, and type 2 diabetes. Percutaneous incision and drainage of left orbital abscess were performed in the emergency department, and sinus opening + transorbital decompression + optic canal exploration were performed in the whole group 1 week after drainage. Antibiotic application was adjusted according to bacterial culture and drug susceptibility results. Three months after surgery, the patient's sinusitis was cured, the eye movement recovered, and the visual acuity remained without light perception.(Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019, 55:225-227)

The patient was a 13-year-old female. Because of blurred vision in his left eye for 1 year, he went to the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Hospital of Jilin University.

The idiopathic optic neuritis (ION) which is related to neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) is called optic neuritis related to neuromyelitis optica (NMO-ON). Because of the high rates of blindness, disability and fatality of NMO, the heterogeneous clinical presentation, severity of neurologic disability following relapses, and variability of therapeutic responses, reliable and sensitive biomarkers for onset, relapse, and progression in NMO are urgently needed. Currently, detecting aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibodies (AQP4-IgG or NMO-IgG) in serum is employed as the major supporting approach for the diagnosis of seropositive NMO, however, AQP4-IgG seronegativity in 10% to 25% of NMO patients suggests that there are several other factors involved in NMO immunopathogenesis. Collaborative international studies hold great promise for establishing and validating biomarkers of NMO. This article discusses known and potential biomarkers for NMO. The biomarkers of NMO maybe the potential biomarkers of NMO-ON, for ION is the initial presentation and the earliest stage. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:228-233)

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disease (NMOSD) is an antibody-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. As a rare disease, its incidence has differences such as race, sex and age. This paper reviews the epidemiological data of NMOSD in different countries and regions and different ethnicities, and discusses its characteristics in race, gender, age of onset, first symptom, course and recurrence rate, comorbidities, and accompanying autoimmune dysfunction. It is found that NMOSD is a severe inflammatory demyelinating disease of central nervous system with high incidence in Asian people and more vulnerable to young women, which suggests that this disease can cause heavy economic pressure and burden on society and families.(Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, 2019, 55:234-240)