Talking Euretina

Episode 6: Exciting developments in the treatment of metastatic melanoma

In this episode, Professors Heinrich Heimann (Liverpool University Hospital) and Jens Kiilgaard (Copenhagen University Hospital) chair a conversation about metastatic disease in uveal melanoma and a newly approved treatment, Tebentafusp. They’re joined by Dr Joseph Sacco (Liverpool University Hospital) and Dr Mette Bagger (Copenhagen University Hospital)

Episode 5: Inherited Retinal Diseases

In this episode on inherited retinal diseases, we explore issues related to genetic testing: when it's needed, how access differs globally and when to refer patients to super specialist IRD centres. The discussion is chaired by Professor Bart LeRoy (Belgium) and Professor Isabelle Audo (Sorbonne France) with Dr Rola Ba-Abbad (Saudi Arabia) and Prof Graeme Black (UK).

Episode 4: Journal Club - Retinal Imaging & AI

In this Journal Club episode, Tunde Peto from Queen’s University, Belfast and Sebastian Wolf from Inselspital in Bern chair a discussion on key papers in retinal imaging and AI. First, Pearse Keane of University College London presents work on the use of AI in the detection of papilledema (1). Tariq Aslam from Manchester University then explores the issues arising from a 2021 paper comparing different algorithms in diabetic retinopathy screening (2).

 

(1): https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1917130

 

(2): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33402366

Episode 3: Hot Topics in Diabetic Retinopathy

In this episode, Professors Edoardo Midena (Padua University Hospital) and Reinier Schlingemann (Amsterdam UMC) chair a discussion around some of the hot topics in the subspecialty field of diabetic retinopathy. Joined by Professors Jennifer Sun (Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School) and Jakob Grauslund (University of Southern Denmark), they discuss:

 

- The treatment of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections

 

- Faricimab, a new drug for the treatment of diabetic macular edema. The rationale and preliminary data

 

- Artificial intelligence in the screening of diabetic retinopathy: pearls and pitfalls

Episode 2: Journal Club - VR Surgery

In the first of our monthly Journal Clubs, Ferdinando Bottoni and Carsten Meyer present their publications on optic disc pit maculopathy and a retinal expansion technique for persistent macular holes respectively. A short synopisis of each paper is given below.

The papers were discussed with the authors by a panel chaired by David Steel, Grazia Pertile and Marta Figueroa.

Bottoni F, Cereda M, Secondi R, Bochicchio S, Staurenghi G. Vitrectomy for optic disc pit maculopathy: a long-term follow-up study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2018 Apr;256(4):675-682.

Synopsis: In a retrospective non-comparative study of patients with optic disc pit maculopathy treated with vitrectomy alone, complete resolution of fluid in and under the fovea was achieved in 8 of 10 eyes (80%) without additional treatment.  One additional patient experienced a retinal detachment requiring further surgery. In the successful cases macular detachment resolved in a mean of 14 months after surgery. Postoperative BCVA improved significantly from a mean of 0.63 logMAR compared to a preoperative mean of 0.27 logMAR.  Nine eyes (82%) had a postoperative BCVA of 0.5 or better.

The authors concluded that vitrectomy with induction of alone was a safe and successful therapeutic option for the treatment of optic disc pit maculopathy.

Vitrectomy for optic disc pit maculopathy: a long-term follow-up study - PubMed (nih.gov)

 

Meyer CH, Szurman P, Haritoglou C, Maier M, Wolf A, Lytvynchuk L, Priglinger S, Hillenkamp J, Wachtlin J, Becker M, Mennel S, Koss MJ. Application of subretinal fluid to close refractory full thickness macular holes: treatment strategies and primary outcome: APOSTEL study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2020 Oct;258(10):2151-2161.

In a retrospective non-comparative study by 12 surgeons on 41 eyes with persistent macular holes, the authors reported on their initial surgical, anatomical and functional experience with a technique of retinal expansion by applying balanced saline solution underneath the edges of the holes to free up subretinal adhesions which they postulated had inhibited primary closure. The PMH were closed with this technique in 35 out of the 41 eyes (85%) at 6 weeks after surgery. The postoperative BCVA improved to 0.22 from 0.1 pre op. The application of SR-fluid was not associated with major intraoperative adverse effects. The authors concluded that the technique could achieve a fast and immediate anatomical closure in many cases without serious adverse events.

Application of subretinal fluid to close refractory full thickness macular holes: treatment strategies and primary outcome: APOSTEL study - PubMed (nih.gov)

Episode 1: The Next Four Years

In this first episode, Euretina’s new president Alistair Laidlaw discusses the future strategy and vision of the society with president-elect Ramin Tadayoni and General Secretary Professor Anat Loewenstein.