David Hutton

home

authors

david-hutton


John A. Hovanesian, MD, clinical instructor, UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, Laguna Hills, CA, discusses the highlights of his presentation titled "The D3 Study: Drug Delivery vs Drops — A Prospective Clinical Study Evaluating Dexycu vs Prednisolone Acetate 1% in Controlling Post-operative Pain and Inflammation in Patients Undergoing Sequential Cataract Surgery," during the virtual 2020 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting. 

Videos

John A. Hovanesian, MD, discusses the highlights of his presentation on a clinical study evaluating dexamethasone vs prednisolone acetate 1% in controlling postop pain/inflammation in sequential cataract surgery patients.

Controlling postop pain, inflammation in cataract patients: drug delivery vs drops

In news from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), in just 2 months, 3 patients at New York’s Northwell Health hospital were diagnosed with keratitis that quickly led to endophthalmitis and vision loss.

In 1 patient, the disease was so severe that an eye had to be removed. All 3 of the patients tested positive for COVID-19.

Results of the retrospective study were released at the AAO’s 2020 virtual annual meeting. Investigators said they hoped their findings would encourage the medical community to consider the eye when evaluating the role of anti-infectious treatment and immunomodulation.

Investigators noted that while the evidence does not show that the virus caused the devastating eye infections, the occurrence of keratitis leading to rapid perforation and endophthalmitis is exceedingly rare.

Moreover, with 3 cases present in the span of 2 months in New York, which has been a COVID-19 epicenter, more study was warranted, according to investigators.

According to Dr Amilia Schrier, a professor of ophthalmology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, the 3 patients, all in their 60s, and from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island, presented to the Northwell Health Ophthalmology Department within a 2-month period. Two were outpatients and 1 was in the hospital at the time of keratitis diagnosis. Each of the patients tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Schrier, each patient had a different organism on culture, including 

While investigators could not say for sure that COVID-19 caused the endophthalmitis, it also could not be ruled out. She also noted that it is unusual for keratitis to progress to endophthalmitis.

“A 2012 study reported only 27 out of 9,934 eyes in a 15-year period experienced endophthalmitis caused by keratitis,” she said.

Schrier also pointed out in a statement that 3 of these cases in a 2-month period with COVID-19 positivity suggests that there may be an association between COVID-19 infection and severe eye disease.

Dr Sonal S. Tuli, a clinical spokesperson for the AAO who was not involved in the study, urged caution in interpreting the results while that while these findings do require further research.

“The findings do not suggest that COVID-19 causes endophthalmitis but that there is some relationship between the two,” she said in a statement.

Tuli explained that there could have been some other underlying health issue in each of the patients that made them more liable to contract COVID-19 as well as a severe infection in their eye. Those health issues could include a compromised immune system or nutritional deficiencies.

“It is also possible that these findings are incidental because of the large numbers of COVID-positive patients presenting to New York hospitals during the peak of the pandemic in New York,” she concluded.

In a separate study, investigators from Tel Aviv, Israel, cautioned recently that patients who wear face masks during the administration of intravitreal injections could be at a higher risk for the development of endophthalmitis.

To date, the only other eye condition linked to COVID-19 has been conjunctivitis.

In June, a team of investigators at the University of Alberta reported that a case of pink eye was being considered as a reason to be tested for COVID-19.

While coughing, fever and difficulty breathing are common symptoms of the illness, a recent case study involving an Edmonton woman and published in the 

 determined that conjunctivitis and keratoconjunctivitis can also be primary symptoms.

Articles

A cluster of COVID-19 positive patients developed endophthalmitis, and investigators are searching for a link.

Study: Identifying link between endophthalmitis, coronavirus

Michael R. Robinson, MD, vice president, Global Therapeutic Area Head, Ophthalmology at Allergan, an AbbVie company, discusses the results from a presentation titled, "Two Phase b Study Results for the Development of a Proprietary Formulation for the Treatment of Presbyopia," presented during the virtual AAO 2020 meeting.

Michael R. Robinson, MD, Allergan, discusses the results from a study analyzing an investigational ophthalmic solution for treatment of symptoms associated with presbyopia presented during the virtual AAO 2020 meeting.

Analysis of an investigational ophthalmic solution for treating presbyopia-related symptoms

Tanner Ferguson, MD, an ophthalmology resident at the Cleveland Clinic's Cole Eye Institute, discusses findings from the study "Trabecular Micro-bypass Stent Implantation (iStent)" + Phacoemulsification in PXG: Six-Year Outcomes," during the virtual AAO 2020 meeting. 


Tanner Ferguson, MD, Cole Eye Institute, discusses findings from the study "Trabecular Micro-bypass Stent Implantation (iStent)" + Phacoemulsification in PXG: Six-Year Outcomes," during the virtual AAO 2020 meeting. 

Author | David Hutton

Articles

Study: Identifying link between endophthalmitis, coronavirus

Analysis of an investigational ophthalmic solution for treating presbyopia-related symptoms

Evaluating long-term safety for micro-bypass implant + phaco in PXG

Controlling postop pain, inflammation in cataract patients: drug delivery vs drops