Current Issue

2024. 2. szám

 

The history of the 120 year old Hungarian Ophthalmological Society

doi: 10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.56

Original scientific paper

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Summary

The founding year of the Hungarian Ophthalmological Association is 1904, however it was 1905, when the first statues were accepted and the Executive Committee was elected. The basis to the wording of the statutes was the rules of the Heidelberg Society established by Graefe. The official journal of the Association became the Szemészet. The first elected President of the Association was Professor Emil Grosz. The Secretary was Professor Laszlo Blaskovics. In 1922 the Hungarian Ophthalmological Association was renamed as Hungarian Ophthalmological Society, which was changed during the political course following the WWII. The previous name was give back again in 1967. The annual meetings were organized during the past 65 years without any breaks. Even the COVID-19 pandemia in 2020 was not able to disturb the meetings, a Webinarium was organised solving the problem. The official journal of the Hungarian Ophthalmological Society is the Szemészet, since 2022 it can be reached on-line as well with English abstracts and as an open access journal.

ISSUE: Szemészet 161. évfolyam, 2024; 2. szám 56–61
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New insights into geographic atrophy

doi: 10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.62

Original scientific paper

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Summary

Geographic atrophy (GA) is one of the dry forms of age-related macular degeneration that causes severe visual impairment, which increases social challenges, but is also the subject of intensive research. The purpose of this continuing education review is to present up-to-date results of the state of science in relation to GA. With the development and wider access to multimodal imaging, both early diagnosis and progression monitoring have become possible. Certain microstructural abnormalities of the retina serve as biomarkers in establishing a prognosis. In addition to the traditional visual examination methods, other visual functional tests are also justified in the case of GA to accurately follow the patient's complaints. Effective drugs have already appeared in the therapeutic arsenal of GA, which was untreatable previously, and their continuous expansion is expected.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 62–75.
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The role of biological therapy in the treatment of non-infectious uveitis – The results of the patients treated with adalimumab in the southern Great Plain

doi: 10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.76

Original scientific paper

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Summary

Introduction: Since 2016, only adalimumab has gotten approval among the tumour necrosis factor inhibitors for treating non-infectious, non-anterior uveitis. Adalimumab is the only biologic agent that can be given for the indication of uveitis. We introduce our experiences with adalimumab in the therapy of non-infectious non-anterior uveitis in adulthood in the southern Great Plain. Patients and methods: Retrospective investigation in the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Szeged, between 2017 and 2021. Results: We examined 18 (12 females and 6 males) patients. Their average age was 51 years old at the beginning of the therapy. Seven (39%) patients had intermedier, 3 (17%) patients had posterior, 8 (44%) patients had panuveitis. The causes of uveitis were systemic autoimmune disease in 4 cases, 1 patient had serpiginous chorioretinopathy, and 13 patients had idiopathic uveitis. During adalimumab therapy, the rate of additional local and systemic therapy decreased. The activity of the inflammation, the rate of cystoid macular edema, and glaucoma decreased. There was no progression or worsening in visual acuity. Conclusion: When DMARD therapy doesn’t work, biologic therapy can provide a resolution. Among our patients, the demographic data, the localization of the inflammation, the cause of the inflammation, the effect of adalimumab, and the complications of adalimumab therapy meet the data from the literature.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 76–80.
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Our experiences and results with selective laser trabeculoplasty

doi: 10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.81

Original scientific paper

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Summary

Aim: Selective laser trabeculoplasty is a proven, effective laser treatment for glaucoma. In addition to the initial recommendations, more and more clinical experience is being gathered in other indications. Methods: As a result of several mechanisms, the selective laser increases the permeability of the trabecular meshwork, thus reducing the intraocular pressure. The method is efficient and repeatable, as it does not cause permanent damage to the other parts of the trabecular network. Based on published and personally researched data, the laser is efficient in approximately 60-75% of the treated patients, and an approximately 20-25% decrease in intraocular pressure can be achieved by its application. Results: Since May 2016, we have performed 834 selective laser trabeculoplasty on 433 glaucoma patients at the Ophthalmology Department of the University of Pécs. In 72% of our patients, we achieved an effective 20% decrease in intraocular pressure. In 67% of the patients, the purpose of the laser treatment was complementary to the existing therapy, due to disease progression. Treatment change due to eyedrop intolerance or side effects was the indication in 15% of patients. In certain cases, we can use selective laser trabeculoplasty safely and effectively to reach patients eyedrop-free. Conclusion: Following the results of the LiGHT (Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension) study, selective laser trabeculoplasty has taken its rightful place among antiglaucoma treatments. As a complementary treatment, its effectiveness is a 26% decrease in intraocular pressure. We consider selective laser treatment to be suitable as a replacement for monotherapy, because the intraocular pressure did not rise even after stopping the eye drops for the treated patients. Selective laser use is a cost-effective and reliable method as of primary and even independent therapy and can provide a good quality of life as an alternative to eyedrop treatments. Based on the treatment results so far, our aim is to have selective laser trabeculoplasty be used in as a high proportion as possible in the future, and to have it move forward from the “last chance” category.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 81–87.
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Mycoplsma pneumoniae infection related with intraocular inflammation (case report and review of

doi: https://doi.org/10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.88

Case report

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Summary

Aims To raise the possible causative role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in intraocular inflammation through describing cases.
Case report: A 38-year-old female patient experienced visual impairment in one eye after having upper respiratory infection a month ago. Examinations described vitritis, uveitis with serous retinal detachment (SRD), vasculitis. Serological tests were made which lead us to the suspicion of having recently developed MP infection. After the patient was treated with doxycyclin and metilprednisolon, the vitreous body cleared up, SRD disappeared, but the external retina remianed its disorganised state. In the second case, a 32-year-old man was diagnosed with unilateral papillitis associated sudden visual impairment after a week having upper respiratory complaints. The examination revealed serological result of Myco­plasma pneumonia infection. After patient was treated with 1 mg/kg oral metilprednisolone, he symptoms and visual acuity was markedly improved. In our report we give an overview of the pathogenetics, pathomechanisms, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of MP associated ocular manifestations.
Conclusion:Our two cases confirm that MP is a possible and notable condition that should be included in the differential diagnostic scale for uveitis and papillitis, especially in young, healthy patients developing ophthalmic symptoms after lower or upper respitartory tract infection.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 88–93.
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Management and follow-up of cystoid macular oedema after targeted oncotherapy for disseminated cutaneous melanoma

doi: 10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.94

Original scientific paper

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Summary

Introduction: Medications given during the treatment of malignant melanoma can cause a number of ophthalmic side effects. Timely recognition, ophthalmological treatment, and control of these complications are paramount in the care of patients with cancer.
Case study: A case of a 52-year-old male patient has been reported who developed bilateral macular oedema as an ocular side effect of molecularly targeted oncotherapeutic agents given during the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma. He underwent adjuvant nivolumab immunotherapy after surgical local radiotherapy for malignant metastatic cutaneous melanoma. After two years of remission due to novum brain and cutaneous metastasis, he underwent stereotactic radiotherapy and immunotherapy, and combined molecularly targeted onkotherapy. Due to severe anemia, which developed as a side effects of oncotherapeutic agents, blood transfusions and a change of therapy (dabrafenib/trametinib) were necessary. Subsequently, the patient had a gradual visual loss after 2 months. An ophthalmological examination was performed for bilateral blurred vision, which confirmed cystoid macular oedema and serous retinal detachment. Intravitreal aflibercept therapy was initiated for the treatment of macula oedema. His vision improved steadily with treatment, and macular complications were resolved.
Conclusion: The healing of ophthalmological complications caused by oncotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of malignant melanoma can be accelerated by ophthalmological therapy, in addition to reducing or eliminating the dose of the agents.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 94–98.
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Maculopathy caused by a sex enhancer substance: a case report

doi: https://doi.org/10.55342/szemhungarica.2024.161.2.99

Case report

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Summary

This case report is of a maculopathy that appeared in a young man who had inhaled Rush (Poppers) – a sex enhancer. Habitual use of Poppers (volatile alkyl nitrite) can initiate different visual complaints that are caused by Poppers maculopathy. There is a lack of data about Poppers-related maculopathy in Hungary, although even 10% of Great Britain’s population might be affected by the substance use (3). Our patient came to Saint James Eye Clinic to have a laser vision correction (LVC). During the preexaminations, the patient had blurred vision problems; the best corrected visual acuity was 0.8 for both eyes and 0.37 for near distance. There was no major sign of eye pathology during the fundus examination (with pupil dilation) or on the visual field test. The OCT scans showed bilateral, subfoveal ellipsoid zone disintegration. Furthermore, the multifocal ERG presented additional evidence of retinal damage. According to the literature, the Poppers-liberated nitrogen-monoxide can cause photoreceptor damage, which appears as IS/OS junction anomalies on the OCT scans. These are the most characteristic signs if we know the anamnesis. The widespread use of OCT examinations could potentiate the recognition of Poppers maculopathy in the future. Without an elaborate anamnesis, the diagnosis is almost impossible. To our knowledge, evidence-based therapy or long-term prognosis haven’t been published.

ISSUE: Szemészet 2024; 161. évfolyam, 2. szám, 99–104.
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