Cheryl Guttman Krader, BS, Pharm

Leading refractive surgeons agree wavefront-guided ablation is a significant advance in laser vision correction, but have different opinions about its role in treating myopic eyes with low higher-order aberrations.

As outgoing president of the ASCRS, Edward J. Holland, MD, can be recognized for a number of accomplishments and the introduction of several new initiatives.

Many agents have been investigated in clinical trials for neuroprotection in glaucoma, but none has proven efficacy, and so IOP control continues to be the mainstay strategy for preventing glaucoma progression.

Results from randomized controlled clinical trials investigating populations covering the spectrum from ocular hypertension to advanced glaucoma provide clear evidence that for most patients, glaucoma is an IOP-sensitive optic neuropathy for which lowering IOP is effective in slowing or arresting progression.

The world of glaucoma management in 2012 is feeling the impact of not only a variety of challenges, but also new opportunities.

Ophthalmologists using a proprietary confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope with a fundus autofluorescence module can now quantify and track progression of geographic atrophy over time, thanks to the release of new software.

Results from an integrated analysis of data from 12 months of follow-up in the two similarly designed prospective, randomized studies comparing aflibercept and ranibizumab indicate that intravitreal injection of aflibercept every 2 months is safe, predictably effective therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and comparable to monthly ranibizumab 0.5 mg.

New software (version 6.0) introduced for a proprietary high-definition ocular coherence tomography platform provides researchers and clinicians an expanded set of diagnostic tools to use in the evaluation and management of patients with AMD and glaucoma.

On Feb. 13, Merck announced that it received approval from the FDA to market its one-of-a-kind, preservative-free, prostaglandin analog, tafluprost ophthalmic solution 0.0015%, for lowering IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Severe halos/glare was the issue most feared most by surgeons implanting diffractive multifocal IOLs, according to a survey.

Analyses of data from baseline structural imaging studies performed in two large prospective, observational glaucoma cohort trials suggest inter-eye asymmetry in optic disc topography parameters and average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness may provide an additional tool to identify eyes with early signs of glaucoma.

A review of the current landscape and look to the future identifies multiple reasons why contact lens fitting should be part of a comprehensive ophthalmology practice.

A new paradigm of aqueous outflow positing that it is a dynamic, pump-like process regulated through pulsatile mechanisms provides a conceptual framework unifying structure and function throughout the entire trabecular meshwork in both health and disease.

Results of a preclinical pilot study demonstrate ocular iontophoresis accelerates transfer of topically applied riboflavin into the cornea.

Intraoperative application of a proprietary in situ gel-forming hydrogel to the sutured conjunctival-limbal incision is safe and shows promise as an effective "bandage" for preventing early postoperative wound leaks in eyes undergoing fornix-based trabeculectomy surgery.

Findings from various patient surveys of satisfaction with medical care show that many of the commonly cited complaints can be mitigated by appropriate patient education.

Rayner Intraocular Lenses Ltd. Received approval from the FDA in December 2011 to market the C-flex Aspheric 970C IOL in the United States.

Results from the prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled Dutch Lamellar Corneal Transplantation Study support performing deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty instead of penetrating keratoplasty in eyes needing corneal transplantation for stromal pathology not affecting the endothelium.

Using a femtosecond laser to create the capsulotomy results in an incremental, but statistically significant, improvement in the accuracy of refractive outcomes after cataract surgery.

Refractive lenticule extraction performed using a proprietary femtosecond laser platform is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique for correcting myopia and astigmatism.

Accumulating data are demonstrating that use of the femtosecond laser improves the efficacy and safety of cataract surgery.

Use of a femtosecond laser with its FDA-approved IntraLaser Enabled Keratoplasty software appears safe and effective for creating clear corneal and arcuate incisions, therefore enabling bladeless cataract surgery.

Early experience with sub-1-mm cataract surgery performed using a currently available femtosecond laser platform demonstrates the feasibility of the procedure.

Femtosecond laser-assisted procedures continue to be a focus of attention in cataract surgery as manufacturers and surgeons aim to elevate efficacy and safety outcomes to a higher level.

Results of a comparative study investigating capsulotomy features and ease of cataract extraction demonstrate clear benefits for using a femtosecond laser to create the capsular opening and fragment the nucleus.

Findings from a prospective study demonstrate that capsulotomy creation using a proprietary femtosecond laser system improves the predictability of effective lens position to deliver increased refractive accuracy and better visual acuity outcomes.

New surgical procedures and advances in structural imaging were once again the focus of interest in glaucoma during 2011.

As leading cataract surgeons reflect on the newest advances in the field over the past year, the femtosecond laser maintained its place in the spotlight.

Most eye-care practitioners are unlikely to read any journal cover to cover, and perhaps they may consider meibomian gland dysfunction underwhelming as a topic at a time when there are a number of exciting developments in vision research.

Results from a phase III study investigating intravitreal ranibizumab for the treatment of DME show that the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent was well-tolerated and met its primary efficacy endpoint.