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Progressive impairment and degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and nerve fibers in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) usually cause permanent visual loss. Idebenone is currently the only approved treatment. However, its therapeutic potential in different stages of LHON has not been definitely clarified. We aimed to investigate the changes in visual function and correlations with retinal structure in acute and in chronic LHON patients after treatment with idebenone. Twenty-three genetically confirmed LHON patients were followed during treatment using logMAR charts, automated perimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Mean visual acuity improved significantly in acute patients treated within 1 year from onset (-0.52 ± 0.46 logMAR from nadir), in early chronic patients who started after 1-5 years (-0.39 ± 0.27 logMAR from baseline), and in late chronic patients with treatment initiation after >5 years (-0.33 ± 0.28 logMAR from baseline, < 0.001 all groups). In acute and in chronic patients, strong correlations between OCT and visual function parameters were present only after treatment. This and the sustained visual recovery after treatment may indicate a reactivated signal transduction in dysfunctional RGC that survive the acute phase. Our results support previous evidence that idebenone has therapeutic potential in promoting visual recovery in LHON.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is commonly used to diagnose and assess diabetic macular oedema (DME). Swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) promises improved imaging depth and more independence from media opacities. Heidelberg Spectralis full-depth imaging (FDI) combines details at different depths to one representation. The aim of this study was to determine the comparability of the imaging methods concerning DME ultrastructure.

To investigate the short-time effect of intravitreal injections (IVI) of the vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors ranibizumab and aflibercept on retinal arterial and venous oxygen saturation (SO2a and SO2v), arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference (AVD) and vessel diameter (VDa and VDv) in patients with diabetic macular oedema (DME) and patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration.

To examine the prevalence of central retinal atrophy in patients treated for diabetic macular edema (DME) in a clinical setting.

To evaluate the perfusion status of the retina and choriocapillaris in the area of laser scars on swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images of eyes previously treated with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP).

The assessment of cup-disc ratio as a surrogate parameter for the neuroretinal rim width (NRW) of the optic nerve is well established, but prone to human error and imprecision. Objective assessment of the NRW is provided by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). This study is the first to systematically compare NRW measurements acquired with the Carl Zeiss Meditech Cirrus HD-OCT 5000 and the Heidelberg Engineering Spectralis SD-OCT.

Health information exchange (HIE) among care providers who cooperate in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) has been rated as an important aspect of successful care. Patient-sharing relations among care providers permit inferences about corresponding information-sharing relations.

Optic nerve head (ONH) parameters as well as circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness values measured with two different spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) machines (Spectralis and Cirrus OCT) have been compared between two patient groups, primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and healthy controls. A comparison of the performance of the two OCT machines was made.

During extended follow-up (of up to 15 years), approximately fifty percent of patients with choroidal melanoma will develop metastatic disease and eventually die. Thus, continuing research on prognostic factors, early detection and treatment is necessary. Height regression rates both after plaque brachytherapy and proton beam irradiation have been shown to have prognostic value. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of early tumor regression rate after treatment of choroidal melanoma with LINAC stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) as an independent risk factor for metastasis.

To evaluate detailed changes in retinal layer thickness in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images during a 1-year follow-up of patients treated for diabetic macula oedema (DME).

The experts of Medizinischer Dienst der Krankenversicherung (MDK) assess services from different areas of the health care sector, including checks of hospital invoicing. MDK assessors are only employed after being commissioned by a statutory health or nursing insurance. The assessment of intensive medical treatment is made difficult by uncertainties and indistinctness in the regulations, especially the procedure codes for complex intensive care treatment.

Our purpose was to compare the impact in diabetic macula edema (DME) of two intravitreal drugs (0.5 mg ranibizumab vs. 8 mg triamcinolone) on changes in retinal morphology in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) images, color fundus photography (CF) and fluorescein angiography (FA) images during a 1-year follow-up.

Alterations in retinal oxygen metabolism and retinal microcirculation are signs of impending diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, if specific retinal regions are primarily affected is so far unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate if retinal oxygen saturation (SO2) and microvascular hemodynamic parameters follow a distinct regional pattern in patients with diabetes but no DR.

To correlate the area of geographic atrophy (GA) and residual foveal sparing (FS), and to identify the minimum FS and maximum GA area allowing sufficient visual acuity (VA) for daily tasks.

To identify the effects of pan-retinal laser treatment on the integrity of neurosensory retinal layers.

To evaluate changes in the distribution and morphology of intraretinal microexudates and hard exudates (HEs) during intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema.

To analyse a new grading protocol for clinically significant diabetic macular oedema (CSME) based on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fluorescein angiography (FA).

Due to the increasing use of Electronic Health Records by healthcare providers and the trend towards the use of Personal Health Records by patients the potential need to integrate these two types of medical documentation emerged. The introduction of the ELGA (Elektronische Gesundheitsakte, EHR) during the next few years is reason enough to propose possibilities to directly involve the patient into the data acquisition process in form of generating personal health data (e.g. vital signs, etc.) at home. In particular patients with chronic diseases will benefit from this integrated architecture. Furthermore, patients could archive all documents for their own use and responsibility. This article reviews literature about integration possibilities for personal and electronic health records and proposes an architecture which integrates data from patient-side into an affinity domains' XDS document repository.

Two years ago, the Diabetic Retinopathy (DRP) and Traumatology clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology and Optometrics at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria switched from paper-based to electronic health records. A customized electronic health record system (EHR-S) was implemented.

The management of diabetic retinopathy, a frequent ophthalmological manifestation of diabetes mellitus, consists of regular examinations and a standardized, manual classification of disease severity, which is used to recommend re-examination intervals. To evaluate the feasibility and safety of implementing automated, guideline-based diabetic retinopathy (DR) grading into clinical routine by applying established clinical decision support (CDS) technology. We compared manual with automated classification that was generated using medical documentation and an Arden server with a specific medical logic module. Of 7169 included eyes, 47% (n=3373) showed inter-method classification agreement, specifically 29.4% in mild DR, 38.3% in moderate DR, 27.6% in severe DR, and 65.7% in proliferative DR. We demonstrate that the implementation of a CDS system for automated disease severity classification in diabetic retinopathy is feasible but also that, due to the highly individual nature of medical documentation, certain important criteria for the used electronic health record system need to be met in order to achieve reliable results.

Patient adherence is an important component of an efficient therapy. For diabetes patients it may contribute to controlled glucose values and reduction of adverse outcomes.

Significant improvements in the field of diagnostic methods and therapeutic options achieved during the last decade allow the early diagnosis, accurate follow-up and individual indication for the treatment with highly efficacious therapeutic agents in a wide range of ophthalmological pathologies. The burden on health care systems is extremely high, as treatment and diagnostic follow up has to be repeated in a regular manner. Whereas the treatment can only be applied in tertiary care centers (eye clinics), follow-up and management mainly depends on the OCT technology, which is becoming available at many field ophthalmologists' practices. This article describes the OphthalNet project, a network which optimizes collaboration between eye clinics and field ophthalmologists based on medical guidelines, workflow support and the future use of electronic infrastructure.

Retinal layer thickness parameters measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) are emerging biomarkers of neuroaxonal degeneration and inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to evaluate the value of retinal layer thickness for prediction of disability worsening and relapse in a real-world MS cohort.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in adults aged over 50 years in developed countries. Until recently, argon laser photocoagulation and photo-dynamic therapy (PDT) were the only treatments available for the neovascular form of AMD. The introduction of new intravitreally injectable inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) revolutionized the management of the wet form. Pegaptanib was the first anti-VEGF agent to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in neovascular AMD. The VISION study showed that patients receiving pegaptanib lost vision in a smaller rate than those treated with conventional care. Bevacizumab is a full-length recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody which binds to all isoforms of VEGF-A. It is licensed for the intravenous administration for the treatment of malignant solid tumors and is available for off-label use in the treatment of AMD-related CNV. Numerous retrospective studies have shown beneficial effects of bevacizumab in patients with neovascular AMD. Ranibizumab is a recombinant, humanized antibody antigen-binding fragment (Fab) that binds to all known active forms of VEGF-A. The US FDA approved ranibizumab for treatment of all subtypes of choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD. VEGF trap is a pharmacologically engineered protein that binds VEGF with higher affinity than pegaptanib or ranibizumab and thus prevents VEGF binding to its cellular receptor offering a theoretically longer interval between necessary treatments. A number of studies have shown that OCT imaging allows identification of functionally relevant factors like subretinal fluid or retinal thickness, which are important for the establishment of optimized individual dosing regimen during anti-angiogenesis therapies.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology comprises both inflammatory and neurodegenerative characteristics. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis allows for assessment of inflammation while neurofilament light chain can indicate neuroaxonal damage. Retinal thinning is a robust prognostic biomarker for neurodegeneration in MS. To date, an association between CSF parameters upon MS diagnosis and retinal thinning has not been investigated.