Eye Diseases Commons^™

Setdb1 Is Critically Required For Uveal Melanoma Growth And Represents A Promising Therapeutic Target, Imène Krossa, Céline Pisibon, Yann Cheli, Karine Bille, Mélanie Dalmasso, Sabah Hamadat, Chrystel Husser, Marie Irondelle, Julien Cherfils-Vicini, Frédéric Soysouvanh, Sacha Nahon-Esteve, Arnaud Martel, Sandra Lassalle, Jean-Pierre Caujolle, Célia Maschi, Stéphanie Baillif, Dan Hasson, Saul Carcamo, Andrerw E. Aplin, Irwin Davidson, Emily Bernstein, Valeria Naim, Robert Ballotti, Corine Bertolotto, Thomas Strub

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Metastatic uveal melanomas are highly resistant to all existing treatments. To identify actionable vulnerabilities, we conducted a CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screen using a library composed of chromatin regulators. We revealed that the lysine methyltransferase, SETDB1, plays a critical role in metastatic uveal melanoma cell proliferation and survival. Functionally, SETDB1 deficiency induces a DNA damage response, senescence-like state and growth arrest. Knockdown of SETDB1 is associated with a decreased expression of genes related to replication and cell cycle. Moreover, deficiency in CDC6, an essential regulator of DNA replication, phenocopies SETDB1 inhibition. Using a pre-clinical model, we further demonstrated that anti-SETDB1 therapy impairs …

Eye On The Prize: Expanding Student Awareness Of Optometry As A Profession, Lorena Flores-Hernandez

MedEd Teaching Certificate Program

The proposed Doctor of Optometry program at UTRGV has the potential to positively enhance the ocular health of our communities. Implementing an outreach program highlighting a career path in optometry will be essential for the future of eyecare in the Rio Grande Valley.

According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the optometric workforce is projected to grow over the next decade. The increased demand for optometrists is related to multiple factors including an aging population with chronic diseases and a nationwide shortage of ophthalmology practitioners.

Nationally, the Optometry Gives Me Life campaign, launched by the Association of …

Cerebellar Dysfunction In Glaucoma Patients, Anisha Kasi, Ji Won Bang, Vivek Trivedi, Jeannie Au, Ian Conner, Gadi Wollstein, Joel Schuman, Rakie Cham, Kevin Chan

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Glaucoma patients often have higher injurious fall rates compared to healthy older adults. However, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. Recent evidence shows cerebral changes beyond the visual pathway of glaucoma patients, yet it remains unclear whether the cerebellum, which plays an important role in balance and motor control, is involved in glaucoma. In this study, we sought to investigate cerebellar functional connectivity changes in glaucoma by comparing 32 glaucoma subjects and 10 age-matched healthy control subjects who underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla with eyes closed. After conducting both regions-of-interest and seed-to-voxel analyses, we …

Ophthoacr (Ophthalmology Automated Chart Review): An Ai-Powered Tool For Complete Automation Of Ophthalmology Chart Reviews And Cohort Data Analysis, Karen M. Chen, Kevin W. Chen, Vlad Diaconita, Stanley Chang, Leejee H. Suh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose: Retrospective chart reviews in ophthalmology are essential for gaining clinical insights, but they remain labor-intensive and prone to error. Despite digitization through electronic health records, extracting and interpreting lengthy, unstructured patient histories remains challenging, particularly in ophthalmology, which relies heavily on both imaging and text-based reports. We introduce OphthoACR, a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool for automated chart review and cohort analyses in ophthalmology. Methods: OphthoACR was applied to extract 16 variables of increasing task difficulty from the complete chart histories of 91 patients who underwent secondary intraocular lens surgery at the Columbia University …

Digital Quality Measure Of Potentially Avoidable Emergency Presentations Among Patients With Colorectal Cancer, Natalia Khalaf, Basim Ali, Andrew Zimolzak, Yan Liu, Li Wei, Fasiha Kanwal, Hardeep Singh

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: We previously developed a digital quality measure (dQM) of emergency presentations (EPs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and found it to be associated with worse outcomes. Potentially avoidable EPs were common in this cohort, but identifying them required time-intensive chart reviews. We aimed to enhance the existing dQM to automate the detection of potentially avoidable EPs.

Materials and methods: We defined potentially avoidable EPs as those preceded by a CRC red flag (iron-deficiency anaemia or haematochezia ≥60 days prior, or positive stool-based screening test ≥180 days prior). The enhanced dQM was applied to a national cohort of incident CRC cases …

Concurrent Local Therapy Extends Clinical Benefit Of Tebentafusp In Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Patients, Tristan L. Lim, Kamaneh Montazeri, Eric Wehrenberg-Klee, Antoine Desilets, Rino S. Seedor, Marlana Orloff, Takami Sato, Michael Caplan, Mariam El-Ashmawy, Benjamin Izar, Shaheer Khan, Inderjit Mehmi, Aleigha Lawless, Theodore S. Hong, Omid Hamid, Richard D. Carvajal, Alexander Shoushtari, Ryan J. Sullivan

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Tebentafusp has significantly improved overall survival in HLA-A*02:01+ metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) patients even in those with a best objective response of progressive disease. Thus, strategies to maintain tebentafusp therapy are critical. Here, we examine the efficacy and safety of adding concurrent local therapy (CLT) to tebentafusp upon radiological progression with tebentafusp alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study included mUM patients treated with tebentafusp and CLT, consisting of extrahepatic soft tissue irradiation and liver-directed therapies (LDTs). Efficacy of target and nontarget sites were assessed per RECIST version 1.1. PFS with tebentafusp alone (PFS1) was compared to that …

Aging Affects Lipid Homeostasis In Lacrimal Glands By Upregulating Lipogenesis And Changing Its Specificity, Seher Yuksel, Prashant Kumar, Sydney E Krenz, Kaitlin K Scholand, Zhiyuan Yu, Anastasiia Ivanova, Helen P Makarenkova, Sarah F Hamm-Alvarez, Igor A Butovich, Cintia S De Paiva

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: The lacrimal gland (LG) develops age-related alterations. This study investigated the lipid content of the accumulated secretions within the murine aged LG.

Methods: C57BL/6J animals of different ages (3 months, 12 months, and 20-26 months) were used. Published data of bulk RNA sequencing of aged LGs were used to investigate lipid pathways. Exorbital LGs were excised for histology or PCR. Histologic sections were stained with standard histochemical stains or immunostained using anti-adiponectin, anti-perilipin 2 antibodies, and BODIPY dye. LG lipidomes were investigated using unbiased, untargeted high-resolution liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), and the data were processed using unbiased, untargeted principal …

Corneal Sensory Nerve Regulation Of Tear Production Through Stimulation Of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (Trpm8) Channel: A Potential New Approach For Treating Dry Eye Disease, Juana Gallar, Stephen Pflugfelder, Anat Galor, Preeya K Gupta, Pedram Hamrah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The lacrimal functional unit (LFU) tightly controls the secretion of all tear components, thus playing a critical role in maintaining ocular surface homeostasis. Forming an exquisitely sensitive neural network across the ocular surface, corneal sensory nerves detect environmental stimuli (e.g., temperature, chemicals, and mechanical pressure) through transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels. Among these, TRP melastatin 8 (TRPM8) is a key regulator of basal tear production. Stimulated by the small temperature reductions and tear film osmolarity increases that arise due to evaporative cooling, TRPM8 activates the LFU, leading to increased basal tear production. Here, we focus on reviewing the topical …

Permanent Visual Impairment Following A Behçet’S Disease Flare While On Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor Antagonist Therapy: A Case Report, Fawad A. Khan, Alaa Malik, Evan Nelson, Kian Fahimdanesh, Karmveer Kaur, Jasmine Elison, Mohamed Sayed

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Behçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, systemic vasculitis that can involve both arteries and veins. Ocular involvement, including non-granulomatous panuveitis and occlusive retinal vasculitis, is common and a significant cause of morbidity. Erenumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor approved for migraine prevention Although it is generally well tolerated, recent concerns have emerged regarding its vasoconstrictive potential in patients with underlying vascular disorders. Case presentation: We report a case of a 44-year-old woman with a history of BD, well-managed with azathioprine and methotrexate, who developed painless, bilateral subacute visual loss eleven days after …

Economics Of Corneal Cross-Linking For Keratoconus Treatment, Christopher J. Rapuano, Richard L. Lindstrom, Eric Donnenfeld, John P. Berdahl, Vance Thompson, David Kratochvil, John Carter

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

AIM: To optimize the real-world applicability of a health economic model estimating the cost-effectiveness of corneal cross-linking for the treatment of keratoconus in the United States.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A previously reported discrete-event simulation (DES) model was adapted to reassess the cost-effectiveness of corneal cross-linking (CXL) from the US payer perspective. The simulation of keratoconus progression, which is a key driver of model outcomes, was remodeled to more accurately reflect the real-world relationship between age and the rate of disease progression. All costs were updated to reflect 2025 values. We simulated 4,000 eyes of 2,000 patients diagnosed with keratoconus to …

Non-Invasive Detection Of Choroidal Melanoma Via Tear-Derived Protein Corona On Gold Nanoparticles: A Machine Learning Approach, Hakimeh Rakhshandeh, Ahmad Nasiraei, Hamid Riazi-Esfahani, Babak Masoomian, Fariba Ghassemi, Mojtaba Arjmand, Saeed Heidari Keshel, Fatemeh Atyabi, Rassoul Dinarvand

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study investigates the feasibility of using tear sample analysis, based on protein corona formation on gold nanoparticles combined with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and machine learning techniques, as a non-invasive approach for the detection of choroidal melanoma. The aim is to assess whether protein-nanoparticle interactions can support early and reliable identification of this ocular condition. Tear samples were collected using Schirmer strips from six healthy individuals and six patients diagnosed with choroidal melanoma, with subsequent augmentation to 18 samples per group. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, ~ 20 nm) were synthesized via citrate reduction and incubated with tear samples to …

Approach To Ophthalmic Surgery Involving The Anterior Vitreous: A Clinical Practice Update From The American Society Of Retina Specialists, Matthew R Starr, Christina Y Weng, Lejla Vajzovic, Kevin J Blinder, Judy E Kim, J Michael Jumper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

When encountering diseases of the anterior vitreous and peripheral retina (ie, the "middle segment" of the eye), vitreoretinal (VR) surgeons are specifically trained in surgical techniques for managing the vitreous and visualizing the peripheral retina during anterior vitrectomy, and therefore they are well equipped to address the complications of surgery involving the anterior vitreous space. This clinical update reviews and compares the current literature discussing techniques and patient outcomes related to complete pars plana vitrectomy versus incomplete, subtotal pars plana vitrectomy, and addresses the proposition of developing an abridged training curriculum for non-VR surgeons to acquire the knowledge and skills …

The Impact Of Myopia On Regional Visual Field Loss And Progression In Glaucoma, Anagha Lokhande, Luo Song, Yueyin Pang, Yan Luo, Louis R. Pasquale, Sarah R. Wellik, Carlos G. De Moraes, Jonathan S. Myers, Mohammad Eslami, Tobias Elze, Lucy Q. Shen, Nazlee Zebardast, David S. Friedman, Michael V. Boland, Mengyu Wang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of myopia on regional visual field (VF) loss and progression in glaucoma.

METHODS: We included 112,633 24-2 VFs; longitudinal analyses comprised patients with at least 5 reliable VFs over 4 years. The degree of myopia was measured by spherical equivalent (SE) extracted from VF testing. Linear and Cox regressions determined the impact of myopia on regional VF loss and progression, respectively. We calculated three VF progression outcomes: (1) mean deviation (MD) progression: MD slope < 0; (2) total deviation (TD) pointwise progression: at least 3 TD locations with TD slope ≤-1 decibels (dB)/year; (3) MD fast progression: MD slope ≤-1 dB/year (P value < 0.05). Longitudinal analyses were conducted for all subjects and with exclusion of patients with high myopia (SE ≤-6.00 diopters [D]).

RESULTS: More negative SE values were associated with worse TD values in the paracentral VF …

The Microenvironment Of Ocular Surface In Keratoconus: A Systematic Review, Sana Niazi, Farideh Doroodgar, Stephen Pflugfelder, Kia Bayat, Seyed-Farzad Mohammadi, Maedeh Mazloomi, Jorge L Alió Del Barrio, Majid Moshirfar, Jorge L Alió

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Keratoconus is a progressive corneal ectatic disorder characterized by thinning and irregularity of the cornea, significantly impairing visual acuity. Recent studies have explored how non-ectatic conditions, such as dry eye and tear film instability and alteration of the ocular surface microenvironment, contribute to the development and progression of keratoconus. This comprehensive review aims to investigate the complex relationship between keratoconus and ocular surface diseases by examining the microenvironmental changes that occur on the ocular surface throughout the course of keratoconus, as well as the related clinical implications.

Methods: In this PROSPERO-registered study (ID: CRD42025643808), PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web …

Ocular Blood Flow And Retinal Vascular Reactivity In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Systematic Review Of Retinal Images, Tori Sayers, Alexa Nichols, Amin Ibrahim, Igor Zwir, Andrew Tsin, Lorena Flores-Hernandez, Gladys E. Maestre, Jesus D. Melgarejo

Research Colloquium

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States¹. Research efforts aim to identify pathological changes that may help support earlier detection of AD and lead to more accessible tools for monitoring disease progression². The retina is being explored as a potential non-invasive marker of AD, reflecting the shared embryology and microvasculature features between the retina and the brain. Although research has focused on structural changes in retinal vessel diameters and density, few studies have evaluated functional markers of retinal …

Chronic Poppers Maculopathy: Case Report And Literature Comparison Of Chronic And Acute Use, Francesco Cappellani, Caterina Gagliano, Jose S. Pulido

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

RATIONALE: Alkyl nitrites ("poppers") are recreational substances known for their vasodilatory and euphoric effects. Increasing evidence links them to a vision-threatening condition termed poppers maculopathy, characterized by foveal yellow spots and outer retinal changes on optical coherence tomography. While most reports describe acute exposure, little is known about long-term consequences. This case describes one of the longest documented durations of chronic poppers use, combined with a literature review to contextualize the clinical spectrum.

PATIENT CONCERNS: A 68-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and depression presented with progressive central vision loss in both eyes persisting for at …

Systemic Vascular Dysregulation And Retinal Microvascular Alterations In Glaucoma, Amin Ibrahim, Tori Sayers, Alexa Nichols, Igor Zwir, Andrew Tsin, Lorena Flores-Hernandez, Gladys E. Maestre, Jesus D. Melgarejo

Research Colloquium

Background: Glaucoma is a multifactorial, progressive optic neuropathy, for which both mechanical and vascular mechanisms of pathogenesis have been proposed. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) enables noninvasive visualization of the choroidal and retinal vasculature and may be used to quantify vascular changes associated with glaucoma. Systemic risk factors, including variations in blood pressure (BP), whether low or elevated, have been associated with the vascular pathogenesis of glaucoma. This systematic review aims to synthesize the current evidence on the relationship between systemic vascular dysregulation and OCTA-derived retinal vascular markers in glaucomatous eyes.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search …

Zika Virus Impairs Autophagic Flux In Trabecular Meshwork, And Inhibition Of Autophagy Restricts Ocular Viral Transmission And Associated Pathology, Faraz Ahmad, Prince Kumar, Pallav Singh, Trupti Joshi, Pawan Kumar Singh

Biomedical Sciences

Zika virus (ZIKV) is the lone member of Flavivirus family known to cause congenital glaucoma following in utero exposure. The molecular mechanisms of ZIKV-induced glaucoma remain elusive, with no known therapeutic modalities. Autophagy plays a dual role in viral infections and glaucoma pathogenesis. However, how ZIKV  interferes with autophagic pathways in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and whether autophagy contributes to ZIKV-induced ocular complications remains elusive. Here, we investigated the role of autophagy in ZIKV ocular pathogenesis utilizing a primary human trabecular meshwork cells (HTMC) and IFNAR1-/- mouse model of ocular infection. Our results show that ZIKV permissively infects HTMC, elicits …

Generation Of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines (Rfsci003-A, Rfsci004-A) From Monozygotic Twins Discordant For Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Naresh Rajendran, Wendy Runyon, Sam Hu, Ajeet Singh, Rinki Ratnapriya, Ritu Kumar, Karl Csaky, Srinivasa R Sripathi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has significant genetic component, yet monozygotic twins frequently exhibit discordance in disease status, highlighting the role of non-genetic factors. To enable comparative studies of AMD pathogenesis, we generated two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of a monozygotic twin pair discordant for AMD. These iPSC lines offer a unique genetically matched resource to investigate molecular differences between affected and unaffected twins, as well as their responses to genetic, epigenetic, and environmental contributors to AMD development.

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

Post-Traumatic Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody Optic Neuritis: A Case Report, Saif A. Hamdan, Jaime Nassur, Sarah E. Thornton

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) has recently been distinguished as its own disease entity separate from other demyelinating diseases. This case report highlights the possible association of orbital trauma with the development of MOG antibody (MOG-IgG) optic neuritis.

OBSERVATIONS: A 31-year-old male with no significant ocular history presented with blurry vision in the right eye four weeks after a motorcycle crash. Right eye examination was notable for a significant decrease in visual acuity with a relative afferent pupillary defect and circumferential disc elevation on fundoscopy. An extensive workup, including imaging and serology, revealed optic neuritis with a …

Non-Isolated Tetralogy Of Fallot (Tof+): Exome Sequencing Efficacy And Phenotypic Expansions, Julia Volpi, Xiaonan Zhao, Nichole Owen, Tia Evans, Muriel Holder-Espinasse, Nayana Lahiri, Eleanor Sherlock, Gemma Poke, Jeroen Breckpot, Koen Devriendt, Bjorn Cools, Alfredo Brusco, Giovanni Battista Ferrero, Enrico Grosso, Pradeep Vasudevan, Sara Loddo, Antonio Novelli, Maria Cristina Digilio, Aafke Engwerda, Marrit Hitzert, Alison Male, Lucy Bownass, Ruth Newbury-Ecob, Zosia Miedzybrodzka, Ruth Armstrong, Sally Ann Lynch, Gunnar Houge, Shiyi Xiong, Seema R Lalani, Jill A Rosenfeld, Pamela N Luna, Chad A Shaw, Daryl A Scott

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart defect (CHD). TOF may present in isolation or in conjunction with one or more non-cardiac congenital anomalies or neurodevelopmental disorders (TOF+). Uncertainty regarding the efficacy of various genetic testing strategies, and an incomplete understanding of the genetic causes of TOF+, may lead to hesitancy in recommending genetic testing, particularly, clinical exome sequencing (cES). Here, we analyzed cES data from 131 individuals with TOF+. A definitive or probable diagnosis was made for 31 individuals, yielding a diagnostic rate of 23.6% (31/131). One individual received three diagnoses. Commercially available CHD panels …

Integrating Bulk And Single-Cell Transcriptomics To Investigate Intratumor Heterogeneity, Shuai Guo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancers are heterogeneous mixtures of tumor and surrounding cells, where each component comprises multiple distinct sub-types and/or states. Understanding the cell-type-specific contributions is critical for advancing cancer biology, yet high-throughput expression profiles from tumor tissues only represent combined signals from all diverse cellular sources. Bulk deconvolution with single-cell/nucleus (sc/sn) RNA-seq data has emerged as a powerful approach to dissect both cellular composition and cell-type-specific expression patterns, yet the technological discrepancy across sequencing platforms limits accuracy.

To systematically evaluate the impact of platform discrepancies on bulk deconvolution, we first generated a benchmark dataset of 24 healthy retinas with paired bulk and …

Generation Of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines From An Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patient With Hyperreflective Foci Overlying Drusen (Rfsci002-A) And An Unaffected Sibling (Rfsci001-A), Adnin Ashrafi, Wendy Runyon, Sam Hu, Ritu Kumar, Timothy Catchpole, Ajeet Singh, Rinki Ratnapriya, Karl G Csaky, Srinivasa R Sripathi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss, driven by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor degeneration. A key feature is drusen accumulation between the RPE and Bruch's membrane. In intermediate AMD, hyperreflective foci (HRF)-bright intraretinal lesions visible on optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging-serve as biomarkers of disease progression. To study HRF mechanisms, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines from an AMD patient with HRF overlying drusen (RFSC4) and their unaffected sibling (RFSC3). These iPSC models offer a platform to explore disease mechanisms and develop therapies for AMD.

Comparative Efficacy Of Current Topical Treatments For Dry Eye Disease: A Review Of Pivotal Clinical Trials Evaluating Corneal Staining Outcomes, Ahmad Fahmy, Masih Ahmed, Stephen Pflugfelder, Anara Serikbaeva, Fang-Wei Tsao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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The Influence Of Ultra-Wide Field Fluorescein Angiography On The Diagnosis And Management Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Nicole K Scripsema, Tala Al-Khaled, Amy Song, Joelle A Hallak, Rawan Allozi, Aziz A Khanifar, Thanos D Papakostas, Christina Y Weng, Ronald C Gentile, J Peter Campbell, Jessica G Lee, Gennady Landa, Felix Y Chau, William F Mieler, Meenakashi Gupta, Amani A Fawzi, Judy E Kim, Jennifer I Lim, Robison Vernon Paul Chan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: To study the influence of ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (FA) on the diagnosis and management of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: Ten experts in DR completed an online survey in which they were asked to diagnose and manage DR cases using different imaging modalities. Experts independently reviewed 20 cases of DR and provided a diagnosis and management plan for each case, first based on ultra-widefield color-free and red-free images alone and again with the corresponding ultra-widefield FA images. Experts were polled on their diagnostic confidence, use of FA in clinical practice, and opinions on the value of ultra-widefield FA. Based on …

Contribution Of Pannexin Channels To Afterimage Signals In The Amphibian Retina, Yufei Liu, Nick Libian, Zheng Jiang, Wen Shen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) forms large-pore, single-membrane channels that connect the intracellular and extracellular environments, permitting the passage of ions and small molecules such as ATP. Panx1 channels are involved in diverse signaling pathways that contribute to various physiological processes, including sensory processing, although their precise mechanisms of action remain incompletely understood. This study reveals a Panx1-mediated mechanism regulating visual signal processing in the amphibian retina. Using immunolabeling and confocal imaging, we localized Panx1 channels in the cone-dominated On-bipolar cells, specifically at both somas and axon terminals. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that these channels have high permeability to Cl⁻ ions, which …

Infectious Scleritis: A Comprehensive Narrative Review Of Epidemiology, Clinical Characteristics, And Management Strategies, Hamidreza Ghanbari, Masoud Rahimi, Ali Momeni, Kiana Hassanpour, Nikoo Bayan, Karen E. Lee, Alex Hansen, Ali R. Djalilian, Christopher J. Rapuano, Mohammad Soleimani

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

This study aims to provide an update on infectious scleritis (IS). A comprehensive search was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed. IS is a rare but critical condition that presents significant diagnostic challenges and often leads to poor visual outcomes. It accounts for approximately 5%-10% of scleritis cases and warrants significant attention due to its delayed diagnosis. Ocular surgery is the primary contributor to IS, accounting for a substantial proportion of cases ranging from 58% to 83%, followed by trauma contributing to approximately 10% of cases. IS can be caused by various microorganisms, including bacteria (86%-87%), fungi (11%-13%), viruses, …

Amaurosis Fugax Progressing To Retinal Artery Occlusion With Anterior Migration Of A Retrobulbar Embolus On Orbital Color Doppler Imaging, Ari H. August, Turner D. Wibbelsman, Erik Massenzio, Sarah E. Thornton, Danijel J. Peričić

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: Orbital color Doppler imaging (CDI) is useful in the evaluation of sudden monocular vision loss, providing information on etiology which may guide management. We present two cases of amaurosis fugax progressing to retinal artery occlusion (RAO) associated with migration of a hyperechoic particle within the central retinal artery (CRA) and altered vascular dynamics found on CDI.

OBSERVATIONS: Both patients presented with amaurosis fugax, and CDI revealed a hyperechoic particle 2.8 mm from the optic nerve head in both patients. Patient 1 was found to have severe aortic stenosis and a thoracic aortic aneurysm and was managed with dual antiplatelet …

A Whole-Brain Voxel-Based Analysis Of Structural Abnormalities In Ptsd: An Enigma-Pgc Study, Cheryl R Z See, Shuqing Si, C Lexi Baird, Courtney C Haswell, Ahmed Hussain, Miranda Olff, Dick J Veltman, Jessie L Frijling, Mirjam Van Zuiden, Saskia B J Koch, Laura Nawijn, Li Wang, Ye Zhu, Gen Li, Yuval Neria, Xi Zhu, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Amit Lazarov, Jennifer S Stevens, Kerry Ressler, Negar Fani, Tanja Jovanovic, Sanne J H Van Rooij, Milissa L Kaufman, Lauren A M Lebois, Isabelle M Rosso, Elizabeth A Olson, Justin T Baker, Scott R Sponheim, Seth G Disner, Nicholas D Davenport, Amit Etkin, Adi Maron-Katz, Murray B Stein, Martha E Shenton, Dan J Stein, Jonathan Ipser, Sheri-Michelle Koopowitz, Soraya Seedat, Stefan Du Plessis, Leigh L Van Den Heuvel, Shmuel Lissek, Hannah Berg, Thomas Straube, David Hofman, Lee A Baugh, Gina L Forster, Raluca M Simons, Jeffrey S Simons, Vincent A Magnotta, Kelene A Fercho, Xin Wang, Andrew S Cotton, Erin N O'Leary, Hong Xie, Daniel W Grupe, Jack B Nitschke, Richard J Davidson, Christine L Larson, Terri A Deroon-Cassini, Carissa W Tomas, Jacklynn M Fitzgerald, Jennifer Urbano Blackford, Bunmi O Olatunji, Evan M Gordon, Geoffrey May, Steven M Nelson, Ruth Lanius, Jean Théberge, Maria Densmore, Richard W J Neufeld, Chadi G Abdallah, Christopher L Averill, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, Ifat Levy, John H Krystal, Elbert Geuze, Remko Van Lutterveld, Emily L Dennis, David F Tate, David X Cifu, William C Walker, Elisabeth A Wilde, Nic J A Van Der Wee, Robert R J M Vermeiren, Steven J A Van Der Werff, Katie Mclaughlin, Kelly Sambrook, Matthew Peverill, Joaquim Radua, Lauren E Salminen, Neda Jahanshad, Sophia I Thomopoulos, Anthony James, Lucia Valmaggia, Paul M Thompson, Rajendra A Morey, Matthew J Kempton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit smaller regional brain volumes in commonly reported regions including the amygdala and hippocampus, regions associated with fear and memory processing. In the current study, we have conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) meta-analysis using whole-brain statistical maps with neuroimaging data from the ENIGMA-PGC PTSD working group.

Methods: T1-weighted structural neuroimaging scans from 36 cohorts (PTSD n = 1309; controls n = 2198) were processed using a standardized VBM pipeline (ENIGMA-VBM tool). We meta-analyzed the resulting statistical maps for voxel-wise differences in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes between PTSD patients and …