The novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a substantial change in eye care and clinical practice. There has been conflicting information and weak evidence on the virus's transmission through tears. Yet, virus detection on cornea and conjunctiva surface as a gateway for infection is not well-studied. Moreover, there have been no reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through tonometry to date. Thus, this uncertainty has urged this review on evidence-based guidelines and recommendations on tonometer use in the COVID-19 era. The aim of this article is to provide ophthalmologists with recommendations for tonometry practice based on current evidence and best practice guidelines.

PURPOSE: To assess the psychological impact and mental health outcomes including depression, anxiety, and insomnia during COVID-19 crisis among ophthalmologists. METHODS: This was a simple random study in which ophthalmologists practicing in Saudi Arabia were asked to fill in a self-administered online survey during the period from March 28, 2020, to April 04, 2020. Four validated psychiatric assessment tools were used to detect symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress perception. RESULTS: One hundred and seven participants successfully completed the survey with a response rate of 30.6%. Males constituted 56.1% (n = 60). Ophthalmology residents constituted the majority (n = 66, 61.7%). About half of the physicians exhibited symptoms of depression (n = 56, 50.5%), anxiety (n = 50, 46.7%), and insomnia (n = 48, 44.9%). Symptoms of stress ranged between low (28%), moderate (68.2%), and high (3.7%). According to the cutoff values for severe symptoms, 29% were identified as having depression, 38.3% had anxiety, and 15% had insomnia.Depression was found to be more common among female ophthalmologists (P = 0.06), those living with an elderly (P = 0.003), and fellows (P = 0.006). Female ophthalmologists suffering from anxiety were significantly more than male ophthalmologists (P = 0.046). There was a trend toward suffering from anxiety in frontline health-care providers (P = 0.139) and in ophthalmologists who are living with an elderly (P = 0.149). Female participants exhibited significantly more moderate-to-high symptoms of stress (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmologists' psychological needs, females in particular, should be addressed appropriately during the COVID-19 pandemic. Establishing psychological support units, especially for high-risk individuals, should be considered to minimize psychological adverse effects.

PURPOSE: An electronegative electroretinogram (ERG), defined as having a b:a wave ratio ≤1 in the scotopic flash ERG response, indicates relative inner retinal dysfunction. Causes vary depending upon the study population. In the Arabian Gulf, where inherited retinal disease is relatively prevalent, common diagnoses associated with electronegative ERGs have not been described. In this study, we report the frequency and causes of electronegative ERGs in a cohort of Emirati patients with inherited retinal disease. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all full-field ERGs done for Emirati patients in the Ocular Genetics Service of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi from January 2017 to December 2019. Those who had an electronegative ERG in at least one eye were included in the study. RESULTS: Out of 137 patients, 9 probands (6.6%) had an electronegative ERG. The mean age at presentation was 24 years (range 5–48 years), and five patients (55.6%) were male. The final clinical diagnoses were congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) (two TRPM1-related and one Oguchi disease), X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) (one genetically confirmed and two not genetically tested), cone-rod dystrophy (one CRX-related and one not genetically tested), and enhanced S-cone syndrome (ESCS) (one NRL-related). The one patient who did not have bilateral electronegative ERGs was a male with XLRS whose fellow eye had an unrecordable ERG. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of Emirati patients, an electronegative ERG was most commonly associated with the inherited retinal diseases recessive CSNB and XLRS. An electronegative ERG was noted in a case of NRL-related ESCS.

PURPOSE: This study compares a web-based teleophthalmology assessment with a clinical slit lamp examination to screen for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among diabetic patients in a rural East African district. METHODS: Six hundred and twelve eyes from 306 diabetic patients underwent both a clinical slit lamp examination and a teleretina (TR) assessment by an experienced ophthalmologist. Both assessments were compared for any DR and AMD using the early treatment diabetic retinopathy study and age-related eye disease study grading scales, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 612 TR assessment photos, 74 (12%) were deemed ungradable due to media opacities, poor patient cooperation, or unsatisfactory photographs. The ability to detect DR and AMD showed a fair agreement (kappa statistic 0.27 and 0.23, respectively) between the TR and clinical slit lamp examination. Relative to a clinical slit lamp evaluation, a positive TR diagnosis carried a 75.0% positive predictive value when diagnosing DR and a 27.3% positive predictive value when diagnosing AMD. A negative TR diagnosis carried a 97.2% negative predictive value for the diagnosis of DR and a 98.1% negative predictive value for the diagnosis of AMD. CONCLUSION: When comparing TR assessments to clinical slit lamp examinations to diagnose DR and AMD, there was a fair agreement. Although further validation is needed, the TR approach provides a promising method to diagnose DR and AMD, two major causes of ocular impairment worldwide.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the short anatomical and visual outcomes of scleral buckling surgery in relation to the pattern of presentation of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in the presence of different situations and risk factors. METHODS: A total of 206 eyes of 203 patients who underwent scleral buckling surgery for RRD were evaluated in this retrospective study. Information retrieved included patient demographics, duration of symptoms, and presenting vision, lens status, site of a retinal break, extent of retinal detachment, the involvement of the fellow eye, macular involvement, presence of lattice degeneration, and associated refractive errors. Postoperative retinal reattachment, postoperative visual acuity, the need for further surgical intervention, intraoperative, and postoperative complications were also evaluated. Proportions and percentages were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Primary anatomical reattachment was seen in 172 eyes (83.5%) after the complete resolution of the tamponade used. The mean best-corrected visual acuity improved from 2.81 logarithms of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMar) preoperatively to 1.21 LogMar postoperatively, the most important factors that appeared statistically significantly affecting the anatomic and visual outcome were the duration of macular detachment (P = 0.036), the status of the lens; phakic eyes gave better visual outcome than aphakic and pseudophakic eyes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Scleral buckling procedure showed high structural and visual success rates, improvement of visual acuity was found to correlate well with the shorter duration of macular detachment and pseudophakic eyes. We believe that scleral buckling, when done appropriately in the appropriate cases, gives the maximum visual outcome with the least cost and need for consecutive procedures.

PURPOSE: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is becoming a leading cause of preventable blindness. The current study aimed to assess ROP and its risk factors in Tabuk City, Northern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in King Khalid Hospital, Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia. The premature infants' records during the period of January 2016 to April 2018 were approached. One hundred and eight records were eligible; the infants' gestational age, weight, if received oxygen, surfactant use, blood transfusion, intraventricular hemorrhage, and patent ductus arteriosus were reported. Chi-square test was used to compare premature infants and their counterparts regarding various risk factors. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Out of 108 premature infants, 33.3% had ROP (Many were sightthreatening [stages required treatment] and more than twothirds involving both eyes); a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was evident between infants with prematurity, and low birth weight. No significant differences were found regarding other risk factors (P > 0.05). Only 8.3% received interventional therapy. CONCLUSION: ROP is common in King Khalid Hospital, which is the referral tertiary hospital in Tabuk city, KSA . The low birth weight is a significant risk factor to develop ROP. Many of ROP cases were sightthreatening (cases that required treatment) and most cases involving both eyes. Treatment availability at Tabuk city is recommended, instead of referral to another centers especially among those with low weight at birth.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to compare the clinical results of using silk versus nylon sutures for conjunctival autograft suturing in pterygium surgery. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial 50 eyes from 50 patients with primary nasal pterygium were randomized to undergo pterygium surgery with the use of either nylon sutures or silk sutures for conjunctival autograft suturing. Patients were followed up for 6 months. Main outcome measures included recurrence, postoperative discomfort according to a visual analog scale (VAS), graft hyperemia, and graft edema. RESULTS: According to the results, there was no significant difference between groups regarding recurrence rate of pterygium (P = 0.72). A significant decrease in the mean VAS discomfort score from day 1 to day 14 was observed in both groups (P = 0.001); postoperative discomfort during the first 2 weeks, was not significantly different between the two groups. At 2 weeks' postoperatively, significantly greater number of nylon sutures remained on the autograft (P = 0.021), some of which were buried and could not be removed. CONCLUSION: Both silk and nylon are effective suture materials for autograft suturing in pterygium surgery with similar postoperative discomfort and recurrence rate. Significantly greater number of nylon sutures remains buried on the autograft and could not be removed easily.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of myectomy in inferior oblique overaction cases with a vertical deviation angle of <20 and ≥20 prism diopters (PD) in the primary position. METHODS: The medical records of cases with inferior oblique overaction that underwent inferior oblique myectomy for ≥6 PD hypertropia in the primary position and >+1 inferior oblique overaction were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative examination findings and success rates were compared of cases with a deviation angle <20 PD (Group 1) and ≥20 PD (Group 2). RESULTS: The mean age of 35 (58%) female and 25 (42%) men cases of Group 1 (n = 60) were 12.8 ± 9.4 years; the mean age of 25 (58%) female and 18 (42%) male cases of Group 2 (n = 43) were 14.8 years (P = 0.340). The near hypertropia was decreased from 11 to 0.5 PD in Group 1, from 22.1 to 5.1 PD in Group 2 cases (P < 0.001). The distance hypertropia was decreased from 11.3 to 0.5 PD in Group 1 and from 23.3 to 6.1 PD in Group 2 cases (P < 0.001). The mean degree of hypertropia at near and distance was statistically significantly higher both pre- and post-operatively in Group 2 than in Group 1 (P < 0.001), and improved statistically significantly with the initial surgery in both groups (P < 0.001). The rate of the presence of stereopsis of ≥3000 s/arc and fusion, the main criteria of binocular vision (BOV), was not statistically significantly different between the Groups before (P = 0.577) and after the surgery (P = 0.678), but the presence of BOV significantly increased both in Group 1 (P < 0.001) and Group 2 (P = 0.004) postoperatively. The number of cases with surgical success was 57 (95%) and 25 (58%), respectively, in Groups 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Myectomy is an effective surgical procedure that can be easily and quickly performed in inferior oblique overaction cases and has high success rates in cases with a small-to-moderate angle of deviation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate predictive factors for intermittent exotropia (XT) recurrence after bilateral lateral rectus (BLR) recession. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of patients with XT who underwent BLR recession surgery between January 2007 and March 2017 with at least one postsurgical follow-up. Forty-one medical records were reviewed. Information collected included age, gender, systemic diseases, history of prematurity, family history of eye diseases, visual acuity, refraction, ocular alignment and control, stereoacuity, slit-lamp examination, fundoscopy, and amount of BLR recession. Successful alignment was defined as ≤8 prism diopters of esotropia or exotropia postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean age of patients at the time of surgery and follow-up time was 9.2 ± 12.3 years (y) and 23.6 ± 36.5 months (m), respectively. The mean amount of BLR recession was 6.5 ± 1.0 mm. Recurrence rate was 43.9% on the last follow-up. Age at surgery and at the time of last follow-up were significantly higher in the recurring group (P = 0.04 and P = 0.05, respectively). Postoperative angle of misalignment during the first 3 months was correlated with exotropia recurrence. No statistical significance was found among the remaining factors studied. CONCLUSIONS: The recurrence rate of XT in our study was 43.9%; it was increased in patients operated at older age and amid those with significant exotropia detected in the early postoperative period (within 3 months of surgery).

We report two cases with foveal congenital simple hamartoma of the retinal pigment epithelium (CSHRPE), as both patients presented to our retina services complaining of a unilateral decreased vision. Full ophthalmic examination and multimodal imaging were performed including fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and electrophysiological testing. Both patients presented with 20/80 vision in the affected eyes. Foveal CSHRPE was found in both eyes, along with parapapillary hyperpigmented rim, multiple pinpoint macular lesions, and few posterior pole hyperpigmented lesions. Multifocal electroretinogram showed diminished central amplitude in both eyes, with three-dimensional topography map showing blunted foveal peaks in one eye and the absence of a central peak in the other patient. Both patients had a stable vision and clinical examination of the CSHRPE during 5 and 6 years follow up, respectively. Foveal CSHRPE is usually symptomatic and results in a decline in visual acuity. Follow-up of these patients showed stable vision and clinical examination.

The aim was to report a case of central retinal vein prethrombosis (CRVP), responsive to systemic steroids. An 18-year-old male presented with right sudden blurred vision and central scotoma for 2 days. Right best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measured 6/36, and fundoscopy revealed vascular congestion and blurred disc margins. Fluorescein angiography (FA) showed CRVP secondary to retinal vasculitis. Systemic oral prednisone was started. Six months later, right BCVA was 6/6, FA showed reduced vascular congestion, and retinal vasculitis and residual optic disc hyperfluorescence resolved. CRVP should be considered in young patients with sudden central scotoma. Early systemic steroids might be effective in the treatment of “active” retinal vasculitis.

Nodular posterior scleritis represents a small percentage of all cases of posterior scleritis. Because of the scarcity of nodular posterior scleritis, it may be confused or even misdiagnosed as an intraocular tumor or posterior uveitis. Here, we are reporting a case of nodular posterior scleritis in a 25-year-old medically free male. Furthermore, we reviewed previously reported cases of nodular posterior scleritis. Our patient presented with a choroidal mass of about one disc diameter in size. In addition, the patient had exudative retinal detachment and chorioretinal folds. B scan ultrasonography showed subretinal fluid, macular nodular thickening and underlying echolucent area along with medium internal reflectivity on A scan. Fluorescein angiography revealed early pinpoint areas of hyperfluorescence and late pooling under the detached retina. Indocyanine green angiography demonstrated early diffuse hypofluorescence corresponding to the area of detachment and late multiple pinpoint spots of hyperfluorescence. After intravenous methylprednisolone 1 g for 3 days followed by a course of oral prednisolone along with mycophenolate mofetil, the patient experienced rapid recovery with improvement in vision and complete resolution of subretinal fluid. On further follow-up, the patient regained 20/20 vision. Nodular posterior scleritis is a rare unilateral disease with strong female predominance. Multimodal imaging should be employed to confirm the diagnosis. The disease must be diagnosed correctly to avoid any unnecessary diagnostic work-up and aggressive management. Most cases carry excellent prognosis with no recurrence.

Paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) is an optical coherence tomography (OCT) finding seen in patients with retinal capillary ischemia. In this case report, we present a case of PAMM after a transient central retinal artery occlusion and the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) and other multimodal imaging findings. Clinical examination, OCT angiography, OCT en face, fluorescein angiography, and visual fields were performed at the baseline and follow-up examinations. As a result, we identified in this PAMM case evidence of hypoperfusion in both the choriocapillaris as well as the deep capillary plexus. To the best of our knowledge, the involvement of choriocapillaris has not been reported previously in the literature. Moreover, we concluded that mfERG constitutes a useful investigation in PAMM and this is the first mfERG findings to be presented for a PAMM case specifically.

A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a rare complication after orbital surgery. We reported a 49-year-old man who presented with CSF leakage after transcaruncular medial wall decompression for proptosis due to thyroid eye disease. He underwent an endoscopic endonasal approach to surgical repair of the defect with nasoseptal flap. Rhinorrhea was stopped immediately after endoscopic repair.