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Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced and irreversible form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Chronic low grade inflammation is thought to act as an initiator of this degenerative process, resulting in loss of photoreceptors (PRs), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the underlying choriocapillaris. This review examined the challenges of clinical trials to date which have sought to treat GA, with particular reference to the successful outcome of C3 complement inhibition. Currently, optical coherence tomography (OCT) seems to be the most suitable method to detect GA and monitor the effect of treatment. In addition, the merits of using novel anatomical endpoints in detecting GA expansion are discussed. Although best-corrected visual acuity is commonly used to monitor disease in GA, other tests to determine visual function are explored. Although not widely available, microperimetry enables quantification of retinal sensitivity (RS) and macular fixation behaviour related to fundus characteristics. There is a spatial correlation between OCT/fundus autofluorescence evaluation of PR damage outside the area of RPE loss and RS on microperimetry, showing important associations with visual function. Standardisation of testing by microperimetry is necessary to enable this modality to detect AMD progression. Artificial intelligence (AI) analysis has shown PR layers integrity precedes and exceeds GA loss. Loss of the ellipsoid zone has been recognised as a primary outcome parameter in therapeutic trials for GA. The integrity of the PR layers imaged by OCT at baseline has been shown to be an important prognostic indicator. AI has the potential to be invaluable in personalising care and justifying treatment intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aims To describe baseline characteristics and 12-month outcomes with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors of treatment-naïve hemiretinal vein occlusion (HRVO) compared with branch (BRVO) and central (CRVO) variants in routine clinical care. Methods A database observational study recruited 79 HRVO eyes, 590 BRVO eyes and 344 CRVO eyes that initiated therapy over 10 years. The primary outcome was mean change in visual acuity (VA--letters read on a logarithm of minimal angle of resolution chart) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included mean change in central subfield thickness (CST), injections and visits. Results At baseline, mean VA in HRVO (53.8) was similar to CRVO (51.9; p=0.40) but lower than BRVO (59.4; p=0.009). HRVO eyes improved to match BRVO eyes from soon after treatment started through 12 months. Mean change in VA was greater in HRVO (+16.4) than both BRVO (+11.4; p=0.006) and CRVO (+8.5; p<0.001). Mean change in CST in HRVO (-231 µm) was similar to CRVO (-259 µm; p=0.33) but greater than BRVO eyes (-151 µm; p=0.003). The groups had similar median burdens of eight injections and nine visits. Conclusions HRVO generally experienced the greatest mean change in VA of the three types of RVO when treated with VEGF inhibitors, ending with similar 12-month VA and CST to BRVO despite starting closer to CRVO. Inclusion of HRVO in BRVO or CRVO cohorts of clinical trials would be expected to proportionally inflate and skew the visual and anatomic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/rationale Artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision support tools, being developed across multiple fields in medicine, need to be evaluated for their impact on the treatment and outcomes of patients as well as optimisation of the clinical workflow. The RAZORBILL study will investigate the impact of advanced AI segmentation algorithms on the disease activity assessment in patients with neovascular agerelated macular degeneration (nAMD) by enriching three-dimensional (3D) retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans with automated fluid and layer quantification measurements. Methods RAZORBILL is an observational, multicentre, multinational, open-label study, comprising two phases: (a) clinical data collection (phase I): an observational study design, which enforces neither strict visit schedule nor mandated treatment regimen was chosen as an appropriate design to collect data in a real-world clinical setting to enable evaluation in phase II and (b) OCT enrichment analysis (phase II): de-identified 3D OCT scans will be evaluated for disease activity. Within this evaluation, investigators will review the scans once enriched with segmentation results (i.e., highlighted and quantified pathological fluid volumes) and once in its original (i.e., non-enriched) state. This review will be performed using an integrated crossover design, where investigators are used as their own controls allowing the analysis to account for differences in expertise and individual disease activity definitions. Conclusions In order to apply novel AI tools to routine clinical care, their benefit as well as operational feasibility need to be carefully investigated. RAZORBILL will inform on the value of AI-based clinical decision support tools. It will clarify if these can be implemented in clinical treatment of patients with nAMD and whether it allows for optimisation of individualised treatment in routine clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims To compare the efficacy of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) with aflibercept (2 mg) in the treatment of cystoid macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) over 12 months. Methods A multicentre, international, database observational study recruited 322 eyes initiating therapy in real-world practice over 5 years. The main outcome measure was mean change in EDTRS letter scores of visual acuity (VA). Secondary outcomes included anatomic outcomes, percentage of eyes with VA >6/12 (70 letters), number of injections and visits, time to first inactivity, switching or non-completion. Results Generalised mixed effect models demonstrated that mean (95% CI) adjusted 12-month VA changes for ranibizumab and aflibercept were similar (+10.8 (8.2 to 13.4) vs +10.9 (8.3 to 13.5) letters, respectively, p=0.59). The mean adjusted change in central subfield thickness (CST) was greater for aflibercept than ranibizumab (-170 (-153 to -187) µm vs -147 (-130 to -164) µm, respectively, p=0.001). The overall median (Q1, Q3) of 7 (4, 8) injections and 9 (7, 11) visits was similar between treatment groups. First grading of inactivity occurred sooner with aflibercept (p=0.01). Switching was more common from ranibizumab (37 eyes, 23%) than from aflibercept (17 eyes, 11%; p=0.002). Conclusion Visual outcomes at 12 months in this direct comparison of ranibizumab and aflibercept for BRVO in real-world practice were generally good and similar for the 2 drugs, despite a greater effect of aflibercept on CST and time to first grading of inactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study the uptake of annual diabetic retinopathy screening and study the 5-year trends in the detection of screen-positive diabetic retinopathy and non-diabetes- related eye disease in a cohort of annually screened individuals. Design Retrospective retinopathy screening attendance and retinopathy grading analysis. Setting Community-based retinopathy screening centres for the Diabetic RetinaScreen Programme. Participants 171 557 were identified by the screening programme to be eligible for annual diabetic retinopathy screening. 120 048 individuals over the age of 12 consented to and attended at least one screening appointment between February 2013 to December 2018. Main Outcome Measures Detection rate per 100 000 of any retinopathy, screen-positive referrable retinopathy and nondiabetic eye disease. Results Uptake of screening had reached 67.2% in the fifth round of screening. Detection rate of screen-positive retinopathy reduced from 13 229 to 4237 per 100 000 screened over five rounds. Detection of proliferative disease had reduced from 2898 to 713 per 100 000 screened. Non-diabetic eye disease detection and referral to treatment centres increased almost eightfold from 393 in round 1 to 3225 per 100 000 screened. The majority of individuals referred to treatment centres for ophthalmologist assessment are over the age of 50 years. Conclusions Screening programme has seen a reduced detection rate both screen-positive retinopathy referral in Ireland over five rounds of screening. Management of nondiabetic eye diseases poses a significant challenge in improving visual outcomes of people living with diabetes in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]