Augenklinik

Dynamics of microcyst-like epithelial changes associated with Belantamab mafodotin therapy in a patient with multiple myeloma-a case report

2026-06-26T10:31:39Z

Dynamics of microcyst-like epithelial changes associated with Belantamab mafodotin therapy in a patient with multiple myeloma-a case report Schlößer, Lukas; Löffler, Karin U.; Heine, Annkristin; Holz, Frank G.; Herwig-Carl, Martina C.

Grossing of non-neoplastic globes, including fetal eyes

2026-06-26T10:16:48Z

Grossing of non-neoplastic globes, including fetal eyes Herwig-Carl, Martina C.; Ussem, Leticia; Holz, Frank G.; Müller, Annette M.; Löffler, Karin U. Grossing and sectioning of fetal and adult globes are critical steps in the histopathologic evaluation of ocular diseases. Proper handling of the globe is essential for accurate diagnosis of conditions such as tumors and non-neoplastic changes, including trauma, infections, and previous surgical procedures. Orientation of the globe is followed by external examination, documenting characteristics including size, shape, and any visible lesion or abnormality. Specific attention must be paid to the presence of tumors, infectious or degenerative changes, as well as signs of trauma or prior surgery. Measurements of the globe and associated structures, including the cornea and optic nerve, and – in fetal eyes – anatomical and timely development are recorded. Transillumination is essential to detect a shadow, which may be caused by a mass or hemorrhage as well as increased light transmission in areas of atrophy, such as coloboma.
Fixation of the globe is routinely performed in 4% paraformaldehyde to preserve the tissue. After fixation for 24 h, the globe is sectioned systematically to examine intraocular structures, such as the anterior chamber, lens status, uvea, retina, vitreous, and optic nerve. The adult globe is usually trisected along the horizontal or – depending on the clinical indications – vertical/oblique plane to create a pupil-optic nerve (PO) section. Additional sections of the calottes may be taken to evaluate areas of interest, such as suspicious masses or areas of atrophy. For research purposes, various fixation and sectioning protocols may be considered.
Each gross section is carefully inspected, documented, and processed for microscopic examination to ensure that any pathologic finding is adequately sampled. Accurate grossing and sectioning are critical for correlating clinical and histologic findings, facilitating diagnosis, guiding treatment decisions, and ultimately improving patient outcomes. Standardization of grossing and sectioning ensures a comprehensive evaluation of the eye globe and contributes to the advancement of ophthalmology.

In Vivo Cone Photoreceptor Topography of the Human Foveola

2025-12-29T12:16:41Z

In Vivo Cone Photoreceptor Topography of the Human Foveola Ameln, Julius; Witten, Jenny L.; Gutnikov, Aleksandr; Lukyanova, Veronika; Holz, Frank G.; Harmening, Wolf M. PURPOSE. To study in vivo cone topography of the normal human foveola.
METHODS. The fovea in both eyes of 30 healthy participants was imaged with adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy. High-resolution image montages spanning two degrees of visual angle were created and cone center locations annotated. Continuous cone density maps were computed by a Voronoi cell area approach to also yield the topographical center, the cone density centroid (CDC). Cone density profiles were extracted and fit with a four-parameter decay function, D = D₀ / (1 + (E/a)^b)^c, with D as cone density (cones/mm²), D₀ as cone density at the CDC, and E as eccentricity (µm).
RESULTS. Across eyes, D₀ was 175,474 ± 20,543 cones/mm², on average (range 136,001–216,209 cones/mm²). Density dropped anisotropically along the meridians, shallower horizontally, with average best fit parameters (a, b, c) of 61.95, 2.469, 0.268 for horizontal, and 59.11, 2.012, 0.357, for vertical profiles, respectively. In radially averaged profiles, cone density reached 50% of D₀ at 151 ± 17 µm eccentricity (range 128–193 µm). Temporal cone density was slightly higher than nasal. Most topographical metrics were highly correlated between fellow eyes.
CONCLUSIONS. Despite a 1.6-fold range in absolute cone density, foveolar density profiles could be well described by a sigmoidal decay function across all eyes. This established a normative cone density profile of the healthy foveola. It allowed cone density estimation in cases of only partially available data, which alleviates resolution demands for future studies and renders possible retrospective analyses of foveolar cone topography in suboptimal imagery.

A new generation of patient-reported outcome measures with large language models

2025-10-30T13:46:30Z

A new generation of patient-reported outcome measures with large language models Terheyden, Jan Henrik; Pielka, Maren; Schneider, Tobias; Holz, Frank G.; Sifa, Rafet Background Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are cornerstones of patient-centered clinical medicine and reflect patients' abilities, difficulties, perceptions and behaviors. The highly structured questionnaire format of PROMs currently limits their real-world validity and acceptability to patients, which becomes increasingly relevant with the high clinical interest in PROM data. In this short commentary, we aim to demonstrate the potential use of large language models (LLMs) in the context of PROM data collection and interpretation.
Main body The popularization of LLMs enables the development of a new generation of PROMs generated and administered through digital technology that interact with patients and score their responses in real time based on artificial intelligence. LLM-PROMs will need to be developed with multi-stakeholder input and careful validation against established PROMs. LLM-PROMs could complement traditional PROMs particularly in real-world clinical applications.
Conclusion LLM-PROMs could allow quantifying patient-relevant dimensions based on less structured contents and foster the use of patient-reported data in digital, clinical applications of PROMs.