Blink Eye Clinic: Laser Floater Removal update August 2018 — Newsletter:— Laser Floater Removal - YAG vitreolysis Over the past 12 months I have gained more and more experience using YAG vitreolysis for laser floater removal. The results of been even better than I expected with patient satisfaction rates of upto 95% in terms of improvement in symptoms. Not one complication has been recorded. The procedure is painless, fast and visual recovery is almost instant. The symptoms and visual compromise associated with significant floaters are often not trivial. Patients can report very disabling symptoms including difficulty driving and reading and I often hear patients report how their computer work is effected by their floaters. The most suitable candidates are those with localized, condensed floaters which anatomically match the patients description in regards to their visual symptoms. Once you are confident that the floater is clearly visible to both you and the patient, then laser often will yield excellent symptomatic relief. A diffuse net of vitreous syneresis which causes general blurring rather than a specific description of a floater may be less suitable but still potentially worth assessing if associated with significant visual symptoms and decline in acuity. For years the advice given to patients was nothing can be done for persistent floaters but I feel this is not the case anymore and our patients need to know that other options, including laser and core vitrectomy, are potentially available. Dr Richard Barry For more information call the team at Blink Eye Clinic on 02 51040929 or email hello@blink.clinic — Interesting article in Ophthalmology Below is a link to a recent publication in Ophthalmology, the Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Often our patients ask about laser cataract surgery versus manual cataract surgery. Often laser-assisted cataract surgery is more expensive and patients may believe that it is a superior technique. This particular publication was a large single-center retrospective case series. It included over 1800 eyes divided between laser-assisted cataract surgery and manual cataract surgery, looking at the final visual outcome and refractive error. "Postoperatively, there was no statistically significant difference found between eyes undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and eyes undergoing manual cataract surgery with respect to refractive and visual outcomes". August 2018 — Case of the Month:Old becomes new...— History
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OCT: note outer retinal atrophy and reverse shadowing (bright area through outer retina into choroid) from old multifocal choroiditis lesions OCT angiographyOCT angiography reveals neovascular network in the avascular zone, a type II choroidal neovascular membrane. Structural OCT shows subretinal and intraretinal fluid. — InvestigationsBaseline investigations to rule out TB, syphilis and sarcoidosis. — DiagnosisInflammatory choroidal neovascular membrane — DiscussionChoroidal neovascular membrane in the presence of active inflammation or inactive old inflammation [uveitis] can present more difficult management decisions. The neovascular process may be associated with inflammation even if the uveitis otherwise looks quiet. This often means that systemic or peri-orbital steroids along with antiVEGF therapy are required to control the neovascular process. Below are links to recent publications on inflammatory choroidal neovascular membranes. hello@blink.clinic www.blink.clinic |