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Myrte B Breukink,1,* Alexander JM Dingemans,1,* Anneke I den Hollander,1,2 Jan EE Keunen,1 Robert E MacLaren,3,4 Sascha Fauser,5 Giuseppe Querques,6 Carel B Hoyng,1 Susan M Downes,3,4 Camiel JF Boon1,7 1Department of Ophthalmology, 2Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; 3Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, 4Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; 5Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; 6Department of Ophthalmology, University Paris Est Creteil, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, Creteil, France; 7Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: To describe the clinical findings and long-term outcome of patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC).Materials and methods: This was a retrospective case series in 52 eyes of 36 patients with a follow-up period of at least 1 year. Extensive ophthalmic examination and a validated questionnaire concerning vision-related quality of life (National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire [NEI-VFQ]-39) were analyzed.Results: Mean visual acuity showed a significant decline over time of 0.16 logarithm of minimum angle of resolution ([logMAR] range: -0.22 to 1.3; P=0.009) after a mean follow-up period of 10.6 years. Also, patients reported lower vision-related quality of life based on the NEI-VFQ-39 for almost all categories compared to healthy controls. Macular atrophy was diagnosed more often on optical coherence tomography compared to other diagnostic entities. Retinal pigment epithelium detachments in the macula were documented on optical coherence tomography in 56% of the patients. A significant thinning of foveal thickness was measured over time compared to unaffected fellow eyes (P=0.002). On long-term follow-up, 13 eyes (37%) showed an increase in number of hot spots on fluorescein angiography.Conclusion: This study indicates that cCSC is a progressive disease in many patients, causing a progressive decline in visual acuity, accompanied by lower reported vision-related quality of life. In deciding whether or not to treat, the progressive nature of cCSC should be taken into account in this relatively young and often still professionally active patient group. Keywords: chronic central serous chorioretinopathy, micropulse laser, NEI-VFQ-39, PDT, vision-related quality of life

Background: Among older people undiagnosed and untreated vision impairment and blindness are common. The leading causes are uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. Vision problems are associated with a lower quality of life, several health problems, and a higher chance of falling accidents and fractures. To eliminate avoidable vision impairment and blindness, targeted eye screening programs are recommended. Older patients, receiving home healthcare, have not yet been considered as a population at risk who could benefit from eye screening., Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial will be conducted to investigate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of online nurse-assisted eye screening in home healthcare, compared to care as usual, in reducing avoidable vision impairment. A healthcare and societal perspective will be used. The study will be performed in collaboration with several home healthcare organizations in the Netherlands. The online eye screening consists of near and distance visual acuity, followed by an Amsler grading test. Measurements in both groups will take place at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of follow-up. A total of 240 participants will be recruited. Older men and women (65 +), who receive home-based nursing and are cognitively able to participate, will be included. The primary outcome will be the change of two lines or more on the Colenbrander-1 M visual acuity chart between baseline and 12-month follow-up., Discussion: An eye screening for populations at risk contributes to the detection of undiagnosed and untreated vision impairment. This may reduce the health-related consequences of vision loss and the high economic burden associated with vision impairment., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06058637. Registered on 27 September 2023., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The art heritage that has survived from medieval and early modern hospitals situated in the north of the Netherlands should be considered in the context of the multifunctional character hospitals had at the time. As a result, the heritage does not compare well with the role and function of visual art in hospitals of the 20th and 21st centuries. However, commissioning art in hospitals and other healthcare facilities is an old and fascinating tradition that, like all good traditions, changes with time. From the second half of the 20th century, many a Dutch hospital built up its own art collection. Initially with the aim of supporting art and artists, later on with the idea to elevate human beings and using art as a healing environment. The latest developments sees hospitals giving art and artists a function in training young doctors. Invariably, art manages to connect people in all ages.

Dr. M.C. Hammer-du Saar (1860-1955) was the first female medical consultant in the Netherlands. In 1891 she established a private practice as ophthalmologist in Amsterdam. Only a handful of women consulted her. Male patients avoided her practice, whereas simultaneously plenty of poor men were treated by her for free in a charity eye clinic. Marie du Saar was finally forced to earn additional money with activities as teaching health education, nutrition and hygiene to woman. These activities were more aligned with the unwritten conventional rules for female doctors at that time. Due to unfavorable social and personal factors, she was finally forced to close her private eye practice in 1898.

Purpose: To investigate the agreement between an online nurse-assisted eye-screening tool and reference tests in older adults receiving home healthcare and to collect user experiences., Methods: Older adults (65+) receiving home healthcare were included. Home healthcare nurses assisted in administering the eye-screening tool at participants' homes. Approximately 2 weeks later, a researcher administered reference tests at participants' homes. Experiences from participants and home healthcare nurses were collected. Agreement in outcomes (distance and near visual acuity, with the latter being measured using two different optotypes, and macular problems) between the eye-screening tool and reference clinical testing was compared. A difference of less than ±0.15 logMAR was considered acceptable., Results: A total of 40 participants were included. Here, we describe the results for the right eye; results for the left eye were similar. The mean difference between the eye-screening tool and reference tests for distance visual acuity was 0.02 logMAR. The mean difference between the eye-screening tool and reference tests using two different optotypes for near visual acuity was 0.06 and 0.03 logMAR, respectively. The majority of the individual data points were within the ±0.15 logMAR threshold (75%, 51% and 58%, respectively). The agreement between tests for macular problems was 75%. Participants and home healthcare nurses were generally satisfied with the eye-screening tool, although remarks for further improvements were made., Conclusions: The eye-screening tool is promising for nurse-assisted eye screening in older adults receiving home healthcare, with the mostly satisfactory agreement. After implementing the eye-screening tool in practice, cost-effectiveness needs to be investigated., (© 2023 The Authors. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of College of Optometrists.)

Purpose: Comparing the effect of half-dose photodynamic therapy and high-density subthreshold micropulse laser treatment on retinal pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy., Methods: This study included data from the PLACE trial, a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing half-dose photodynamic therapy and high-density subthreshold micropulse laser treatment in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. Main outcome measurements were changes in both the foveal PED and the highest PED within the macula at baseline compared with first and final evaluation visit., Results: At baseline, a macular PED was detected in 76.9% of patients (123/160), and a PED within 1,500 µm from the foveal center in 37.5% of patients (60/160). In the half-dose photodynamic therapy arm (61 patients), there was a significantly larger decrease in the highest macular PED compared with the high-density subthreshold micropulse laser treatment arm (62 patients) at both first and final evaluation visits (P < 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively). The decrease of highest foveal PED was significant at first visit (P = 0.025)., Conclusion: Half-dose photodynamic therapy is superior to high-density subthreshold micropulse laser treatment with regard to a statistically significant reduction in the height of macular PEDs in active chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. These findings may also have implications for other diseases within the pachychoroid disease spectrum that can present with PEDs.

Importance: High myopia incidence and prevalence is increasing worldwide, and the visual burden caused by myopia is expected to rise accordingly. Studies investigating the occurrence of myopic complications in individuals of European ancestry with high myopia are scarce, hampering insights into the frequency of myopic retinal complications in European individuals and their visual burden., Objective: To assess the frequency of myopic macular features in individuals of European ancestry with high myopia., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional analysis of the Dutch Myopia Study (MYST) and individuals with high myopia from the Rotterdam Study (RS) included 626 patients with high myopia (spherical equivalent of refractive error [SER] ≤-6 diopters [D] or axial length [AL] ≥26 mm) who underwent an extensive ophthalmic examination including multimodal retinal imaging. In addition to this combination of a population-based cohort study and mix-based high myopia study, a systematic literature review was also performed to compare findings with studies of individuals of Asian ancestry., Exposures: High myopia, age, and AL., Main Outcomes and Measures: Frequency of myopic macular and optic disc features: tessellated fundus, myopic macular degeneration (MMD), staphyloma, peripapillary intrachoroidal cavitation, peripapillary atrophy (PPA), and "plus" lesions (choroidal neovascularization, Fuchs spot, and lacquer cracks)., Results: The mean (SD) SER of the combined study population (MYST and RS) was -9.9 (3.2) D; the mean (SD) age was 51.4 (15.1) years, and 387 (61.8%) were women. The prevalence of MMD was 25.9% and increased with older age (P for trend <.001), lower SER (odds ratio [OR], 0.70; 95% CI, 0.65-0.76; P < .001), and higher AL (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 2.13-3.06; P < .001). Choroidal neovascularization or Fuchs spot was present in 2.7% (n = 17), both lesions in 0.3% (n = 2), and lacquer cracks in 1.4% (n = 9). Staphyloma, PPA, and MMD were highly prevalent in visual impaired and blind eyes (frequency was 73.9% [20 of 27], 90.5% [19 of 21], and 63.0% [17 of 27] of unilateral blind eyes for MMD, staphyloma, and PPA, respectively). Seven previous studies in Asian populations reported a variable MMD frequency ranging from 8.3% to 64%, but frequencies were similar for comparable risk profiles based on age and SER., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of a highly myopic Dutch population of European ancestry, myopic retinal features were frequent; were associated with age, SER, and AL; and occurred in all visually severely impaired eyes. The absence of treatment options for most of these retinal complications emphasizes the need for effective strategies to prevent high myopia.

Purpose: To describe the treatment outcomes and recurrence risk of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) in patients who had complete resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF) after either primary half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) or high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (HSML) in the PLACE trial., Methods: This multicentre prospective follow-up study evaluated cCSC patients at 1 year after completion of the PLACE trial. Outcomes included: complete resolution of SRF on OCT, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters, retinal sensitivity on microperimetry and a visual function questionnaire (NEI-VFQ25)., Results: Twenty-nine out of 37 patients who received half-dose PDT and 15 out of 17 patients who received HSML could be evaluated at final visit. At final visit, 93% of the patients treated with half-dose PDT had complete resolution of SRF, compared with 53% of HSML-treated patients (p = 0.006). At final visit, the mean estimate increase in the PDT group compared with the HSML group was + 2.1 ETDRS letters, +0.15 dB for the retinal sensitivity and + 5.1 NEI-VFQ25 points (p = 0.103, p = 0.784 and p = 0.071, respectively). The mean estimated central retinal thickness in the half-dose PDT group was -7.0 µm compared with the HSML group (p = 0.566). The mean estimated subfoveal choroidal thickness in the half-dose PDT group was -16.6 µm compared with the HSML group (p = 0.359)., Conclusion: At 20 months after treatment, cCSC patients successfully treated with half-dose PDT are less likely to have recurrences of SRF compared with those successfully treated with HSML. However, functional outcomes did not differ., (© 2021 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: To compare the effects of half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) and high-density subthreshold micropulse laser on choroidal dysfunction evaluated by degree and extent of hyperfluorescence on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy., Methods: Data from the multicenter, randomized, controlled PLACE trial were used in this study. Hyperfluorescent and hypofluorescent areas on ICGA, their association with subretinal fluid and visual function were assessed., Results: In total, 146 patients were included (72 in the PDT and 74 in the high-density subthreshold micropulse laser treatment arm). A significantly greater decrease in the size of hyperfluorescent areas on ICGA at first visit after treatment was seen after PDT compared with high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (mean, -1.41 ± 2.40 mm2 vs. -0.04 ± 0.73 mm2, respectively; P < 0.001). A reduction in the degree of hyperfluorescence on ICGA decreased the odds of having persistent subretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography at first visit after treatment (B = 0.295; P = 0.019). There were no significant differences in best-corrected visual acuity and retinal sensitivity between the subgroup with novel hypofluorescence (n = 20, 28%) on ICGA at first visit post PDT, compared with the subgroup without novel hypofluorescence on ICGA after PDT., Conclusion: Choroidal abnormalities in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy can be effectively treated by ICGA-guided half-dose PDT but not with high-density subthreshold micropulse laser application.

Background/aim: To validate a previously developed model for prediction of diabetic retinopathy (DR) for personalised retinopathy screening in persons with type 1 diabetes., Methods: Retrospective medical data of persons with type 1 diabetes treated in an academic hospital setting were used for analysis. Sight-threatening retinopathy (STR) was defined as the presence of severe non-proliferative DR, proliferative DR or macular oedema. The presence and grade of retinopathy, onset of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, and levels of haemoglobin A 1c were used to calculate an individual risk estimate and personalised screening interval. In persons with STR, the occurrence was compared with the calculated date of screening. The model's predictive performance was measured using calibration and discrimination techniques., Results: Of the 268 persons included in our study, 24 (9.0%) developed STR during a mean follow-up of 4.6 years. All incidences of STR occurred after the calculated screening date. By applying the model, the mean calculated screening interval was 30.5 months, which is a reduction in screening frequency of 61% compared with annual screening and 21% compared with biennial screening. The discriminatory ability was good (Harrell's C-statistic=0.82, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.90), and calibration showed an overestimation of risk in persons who were assigned to a higher risk for STR., Conclusion: This validation study suggests that a screening programme based on the previously developed prediction model is safe and efficient. The use of a personalised screening frequency could improve cost-effectiveness of diabetic eye care., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: To study the relatively high effect of the refractive error gene GJD2 in human myopia, and to assess its relationship with refractive error, ocular biometry and lifestyle in various age groups., Methods: The population-based Rotterdam Study (RS), high myopia case-control study MYopia STudy, and the birth-cohort study Generation R were included in this study. Spherical equivalent (SER), axial length (AL), axial length/corneal radius (AL/CR), vitreous depth (VD), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were measured using standard ophthalmologic procedures. Biometric measurements were compared between GJD2 (rs524952) genotype groups; education and environmental risk score (ERS) were calculated to estimate gene-environment interaction effects, using the Synergy index (SI)., Results: RS adults carrying two risk alleles had a lower SER and longer AL, ACD and VD (AA versus TT, 0.23D vs. 0.70D; 23.79 mm vs. 23.52 mm; 2.72 mm vs. 2.65 mm; 16.12 mm vs. 15.87 mm; all P < 0.001). Children carrying two risk alleles had larger AL/CR at ages 6 and 9 years (2.88 vs. 2.87 and 3.00 vs. 2.96; all P < 0.001). Education and ERS both negatively influenced myopia and the biometric outcomes, but gene-environment interactions did not reach statistical significance (SI 1.25 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.85-1.85] and 1.17 [95% CI, 0.55-2.50] in adults and children)., Conclusions: The elongation of the eye caused by the GJD2 risk genotype follows a dose-response pattern already visible at the age of 6 years. These early effects are an example of how a common myopia gene may drive myopia.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a common cause of central vision loss, primarily affecting men 20-60 years of age. To date, no consensus has been reached regarding the classification of CSC, and a wide variety of interventions have been proposed, reflecting the controversy associated with treating this disease. The recent publication of appropriately powered randomised controlled trials such as the PLACE trial, as well as large retrospective, non-randomised treatment studies regarding the treatment of CSC suggest the feasibility of a more evidence-based approach when considering treatment options. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current rationale and evidence with respect to the variety of interventions available for treating CSC, including pharmacology, laser treatment, and photodynamic therapy. In addition, we describe the complexity of CSC, the challenges associated with treating CSC, and currently ongoing studies. Many treatment strategies such as photodynamic therapy using verteporfin, oral mineralocorticoid antagonists, and micropulse laser treatment have been reported as being effective. Currently, however, the available evidence suggests that half-dose (or half-fluence) photodynamic therapy should be the treatment of choice in chronic CSC, whereas observation may be the preferred approach in acute CSC. Nevertheless, exceptions can be considered based upon patient-specific characteristics., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the outcome between high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (HSML) treatment and half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) patients, subdivided based on either focal or diffuse leakage on fluorescein angiography (FA)., Design: Retrospective analysis of multicenter randomized controlled trial data., Methods: Patients were treated with either half-dose PDT or HSML (both indocyanine green angiography-guided) and categorized in 2 groups, based on focal or diffuse leakage on FA. Clinical outcomes were evaluated at baseline and during follow-up., Results: In the focal leakage group (63 patients), both at first evaluation and at final visit, more PDT-treated than HSML-treated patients demonstrated a resolution of subretinal fluid (evaluation visit 1: 57% in the PDT group and 17% in the HSML group, P = .007; final visit: 75% and 38%, P = .012). In the diffuse leakage group (93 patients), both at first evaluation and at final visit, more PDT-treated than HSML-treated patients showed a resolution of subretinal fluid (evaluation visit: 1:48% in the PDT group and 16% in the HSML group, P = .002; final visit: 67% and 21%, P = .002). PDT-treated patients in the focal and diffuse leakage group had a higher retinal sensitivity increase, comparing baseline and final visit (+3.1 ± 3.1 dB vs +1.2 ± 4.0 dB, P = .048, and +2.7 ± 3.3 dB vs +1.0 ± 3.8 dB, P = .036, respectively). Only in the diffuse leakage group, the increase in ETDRS letters was higher in the PDT-treated group when comparing baseline and first evaluation visit (+4.4 ± 6.1 vs +0.9 ± 10.0, P = .049)., Conclusions: Half-dose PDT is superior to HSML treatment in cCSC patients, regardless of the presence of focal or diffuse leakage on FA., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a chorioretinal disease characterized by fluid accumulation between the neuroretina and retinal pigment epithelium with unknown etiology. Family studies have suggested a heritable component for CSC with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. Therefore, exome sequencing was performed on familial cCSC to indentify the genetic components contributing to familial cCSC., Methods: Exome sequencing was performed on 72 individuals of 18 families with CSC. In these families, we determined whether rare genetic variants (minor allele frequency < 1%) were segregated with CSC and also performed familial gene-burden analysis., Results: In total, 11 variants segregated in two out of 18 families. One of these variants, c.4145C>T; p.T1382I (rs61758735) in the PTPRB gene, was also associated with CSC in a large case-control cohort sequenced previously (p = 0.009). Additionally, in 28 genes two or more different heterozygous variants segregated in two or more families, but no gene showed consistent associations in both the family gene-burden results and gene-burden analysis in the case-control cohort., Conclusion: We identified potential candidate genes for familial CSC and managed to exclude Mendelian inheritance of variants in one or a limited number of genes. Instead, familial CSC may be a heterogeneous Mendelian disease caused by variants in many different genes, or alternatively CSC may represent a complex disease to which both environmental factors and genetics contribute., (© 2019 The Authors. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: To assess ophthalmologic characteristics in patients and unaffected individuals in families with multiple members affected by central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), both at presentation and long-term follow-up., Methods: In 103 subjects from 23 families with at least 2 affected patients with CSC per family, prospective extensive ophthalmologic examination was performed, including best-corrected visual acuity, indirect ophthalmoscopy, digital color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, and fluorescein angiography imaging. From these, 24 individuals from 6 families had undergone extensive ophthalmologic examination in either 1994 or 1995 and were followed up in this study., Results: Subretinal fluid accumulation on optical coherence tomography and/or "hot spots" of leakage on fluorescein angiography indicative of CSC were detected in 45 of 103 phenotyped subjects (44%). Findings suggestive of CSC, but without the presence of subretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography and/or "hot spots" of leakage on fluorescein angiography, were observed in an additional 27 family members (26%). In 4 of 17 previously nonaffected subjects (24%) from the 24 individuals that were followed up after more than 20 years, we found more severe abnormalities., Conclusion: Extensive ophthalmologic phenotyping resulted in the detection of (suggestive) CSC in 52% of family members of patients with CSC. Genetic factors may play an important role in these specific CSC cases. Moreover, during follow-up, progressive disease can occur in a noteworthy number of patients.

Purpose: To report a patient with bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) due to a lung carcinoma, who survived 9.5 years with preservation of good visual acuity after cataract surgery and curative chemotherapy with neoadjuvant radiation therapy., Methods: Clinical review of a patient with BDUMP., Results: We report the case of a 64-year-old man presenting with bilateral visual deterioration. Ophthalmological examination showed bilateral cataract, a small elevated non-pigmented tumor in the iris and multiple elevated, diffuse round pigmented choroidal lesions. Based on the clinical presentation, the diagnosis of BDUMP was suspected. After referral to an internal medicine specialist, a poorly differentiated non-small cell lung carcinoma was diagnosed and treated with chemotherapy followed by irradiation. After 3 years, spontaneous depigmentation of the choroidal lesions occurred. According to the literature, the mean survival of patients with BDUMP is 11.6 months. Our patient, however, survived for 9.5 years with preservation of good visual acuity after cataract extraction., Conclusion: This case illustrates that prolonged survival and preservation of useful visual acuity is possible in BDUMP. Cataract surgery should be considered in selected patients, and depigmentation of the lesions may occur during long-term follow-up.

Purpose: To compare the anatomic and functional efficacy and safety of half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) versus high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (HSML) treatment in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC)., Design: Open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial., Participants: Patients with cCSC whose disease had to be confirmed by both clinical characteristics and findings on multimodal imaging., Methods: Eligible patients were randomized in a 1:1 allocation ratio. Treatment was evaluated during a follow-up visit, and the same treatment was repeated in patients who still demonstrated subretinal fluid (SRF)., Main Outcome Measures: The primary end point was the complete disappearance of SRF at the first evaluation visit at 6 to 8 weeks after treatment. As a secondary outcome measure, we assessed this anatomic result at the final evaluation visit at 7 to 8 months after treatment. Other secondary outcomes covered functional improvement and included change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; measured in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] letters), retinal sensitivity (measured using microperimetry), and vision-related quality of life using a validated questionnaire., Results: Between November 2013 and September 2016, 179 patients were included: 89 patients were assigned randomly to half-dose PDT, and 90 were assigned randomly to HSML treatment. At their first evaluation visit, SRF had resolved in 51.2% and 13.8% of patients, respectively (P < 0.001). At their final evaluation visit, a significantly higher percentage of PDT-treated patients demonstrated no SRF (67.2% vs. 28.8%; P < 0.001). Moreover, at the first evaluation visit, the PDT-treated patients showed a significantly higher increase in BCVA (+4.60±6.62 ETDRS letters vs. +1.39±8.99 ETDRS letters; P = 0.011), and a significantly higher increase in retinal sensitivity on microperimetry (+2.01±3.04 dB vs. +0.92±3.65 dB; P = 0.046); however, the improvement in vision-related quality of life was similar (score of +2.87±8.35 vs. +2.56±7.36, respectively; P = 0.800)., Conclusions: Half-dose PDT is superior to HSML for treating cCSC, leading to a significantly higher proportion of patients with complete resolution of SRF and functional improvement., (Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: To date, several targeted genetic studies on chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) have been performed; however, unbiased genome-wide studies into the genetics of cCSC have not been reported. To discover new genetic loci associated with cCSC and to better understand the causative mechanism of this disease, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on patients with cCSC., Objective: To discover new genetic loci and pathways associated with cCSC and to predict the association of genetic variants with gene expression in patients with cCSC., Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control GWAS was completed in the general community, 3 referral university medical centers, and outpatient care on Europeans individuals with cCSC and population-based control participants. Genotype data was collected from May 2013 to August 2017, and data analysis occurred from August 2017 to November 2017., Main Outcomes and Measures: Associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms, haplotypes, genetic pathways, and predicted gene expression with cCSC., Results: A total of 521 patients with cCSC (median age, 51 years; interquartile range [IQR], 44-59 years; 420 [80.6%] male) and 3577 European population-based control participants (median age, 52 years; IQR, 37-71 years; 1630 [45.6%] male) were included. One locus on chromosome 1 at the complement factor H (CFH) gene reached genome-wide significance and was associated with an increased risk of cCSC (rs1329428; odds ratio [OR], 1.57 [95% CI, 1.38-1.80]; P = 3.12 × 10-11). The CFH haplotypes H1 and H3 were protective for cCSC (H1: OR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.53-0.77]; P = 2.18 × 10-6; H3: OR, 0.54 [95% CI, 0.42-0.70]; P = 2.49 × 10-6), whereas haplotypes H2, H4, H5, and the aggregate of rare CFH haplotypes conferred increased risk (H2: OR, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.30-1.89]; P = 2.18 × 10-6; H4: OR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.13-1.80]; P = 2.49 × 10-3; H5: OR, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.36-2.39]; P = 4.61 × 10-5; rare haplotypes: OR, 1.99 [95% CI, 1.43-2.77]; P = 4.59 × 10-5). Pathway analyses showed involvement of the complement cascade and alternative open reading frame (ARF) pathway in cCSC. Using PrediXcan, we identified changes in predicted expression of complement genes CFH, complement factor H related 1 (CFHR1), complement factor related 4 (CFHR4), and membrane cofactor protein (MCP/CD46). Additionally, the potassium sodium-activated channel subfamily T member 2 (KCNT2) and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 10a (TNFRSF10A) genes were differentially expressed in patients with cCSC., Conclusions and Relevance: In this GWAS on cCSC, we identified a locus on chromosome 1 at the CFH gene that was significantly associated with cCSC, and we report protective and risk-conferring haplotypes in this gene. Pathway analyses were enriched for complement genes, and gene expression analysis suggests a role for CFH, CFHR1, CFHR4, CD46, KCNT2, and TNFRSF10A in the disease. Taken together, these results underscore the potential importance of the complement pathway in the causative mechanisms of cCSC.

Objective: To describe the spectrum of retinal abnormalities associated with the m.3243A>G mutation in the mitochondrial MTTL1 gene and to analyze putative correlations among the severity of retinal abnormalities, disease severity in other organ systems, and heteroplasmy levels., Design: Observational, cohort-based, cross-sectional study., Participants: Twenty-nine patients carrying the m.3243A>G mutation., Methods: Extensive clinical examinations, including visual acuity testing, indirect ophthalmoscopy, color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT), and central visual field analysis. In selected patients, Goldmann perimetry, fluorescein angiography, full-field electroretinography (ERG) and electro-oculography (EOG), and color vision testing were performed. Heteroplasmy levels of the m.3243A>G mutation were measured in leukocytes, urinary epithelial cells (UECs), and buccal mucosa. The Newcastle Mitochondrial Disease Adult Scale (NMDAS) score was measured for all patients., Main Outcome Measures: Age at onset, visual acuity, fundus appearance, FAF, OCT findings, systemic disease features, heteroplasmy levels, and NMDAS scores., Results: Twenty-five of the 29 mutation carriers (86%) had retinal abnormalities that could be classified into 4 grades. Six patients (21%) had grade 1 retinal dystrophy with fine pigment abnormalities that were clearly visible with FAF and fluorescein angiography. Eleven patients (38%) had grade 2 abnormalities that were characterized by yellowish or mildly pigmented deposits in the early stage; in advanced grade 2, these pigment changes encompassed the entire macula and often encircled the optic disc. Six patients (21%) had grade 3 disease in which profound chorioretinal atrophy was present outside the fovea. Two patients (7%) with retinal abnormalities had grade 4 disease, in which the fovea was affected by atrophy, with marked loss of visual acuity. The grade of mitochondrial retinal dystrophy correlated significantly with both age (r = -0.483, P = 0.008) and visual acuity (r = -0.614, P < 0.001), whereas no correlation was observed with heteroplasmy level or overall disease involvement., Conclusions: Mitochondrial retinal dystrophy associated with the m.3243A>G mutation has specific characteristics that can be classified into 4 grades based on the findings on ophthalmoscopy, FAF, and OCT. However, because the maternal inheritance pattern can be masked and the systemic disease associations can be variable or even absent, the disease may be misdiagnosed., (Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)