Personal Finance

Alpharetta, GA—When the global management of Novartis decided to shut down its ophthalmic operations in Duluth, GA, in early 2003 and relocate to New Jersey, Dan Myers, then president of Novartis Ophthalmics/North America, thought he would leave the company and have the next 6 months to relax.

Montreal—Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog, Bristol-Myers Squibb) is effective in the treatment of macular diseases but is associated with complications such as ocular hypertension, endophthalmitis, intraocular inflammation, and progression of cataract. While the long-term effects of the drug still need to be determined, the drug appears to be safe for treating macular diseases.

For the last 15 years, the Grandes have been lecturing on retirement planning for the Johns Hopkins Medical University School of Medicine's Current Concepts in Ophthalmology meetings.

It is extremely important to get a sense of confidence in your planning, because it not only affects your future, but has an impact on your life right now.

While many of his colleagues were considering retirement, Mal Krinn, MD, was studying and preparing for a transition to his new role as artisan breadmaker at his son's restaurant.

Do you know your exact retirement goals and what it will take—in cash—to reach them?

Rochester, NY—Increased demand for Bausch & Lomb's PureVision SVS contact lens has the company potentially shifting gears away from its PureVision Toric lens, which was to be introduced in the United States this summer.

Uveal melanoma . . . and most solid tumors partially inactivate RB and the tumors proliferate slowly with a low rate of apoptosis.

Do you remember when you applied to medical school because you thought it would be a great way to help your fellow human beings, and when being a good physician was its own reward? Times have changed, and now doing your utmost to help your patients is not just a sacred trust, but a way to get paid better!

Fort Lauderdale, FL—The phenotype of age-related macular disease provides information about the genes that confer risk or the environmental factors that are involved in risk in a particular individual, according to Alan Bird, MD, who spoke at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

The world of electronic medical records (EMRs) may seem daunting as ophthalmologists try to determine the best way to apply emerging technology to medicine.

The phenotype of age-related macular disease provides information about the genes that confer risk and the environmental factors that are involved in risk in a particular individual.

For some ophthalmologists, group practices offer many benefits over solo practices. But often, one of the biggest challenges is managing physicians' different personalities and styles, especially when it comes to making decisions for the good of the group.

Learn to use the same concepts in your situation that the professionals use in their real estate projects.

Ultimately, both individually managed accounts and mutual funds have their proper place among today's investment alternatives.

Many a person looks forward to retirement when there is time to travel, relax, and enjoy life to its fullest.

As the authors of Wealth Protection, MD and as advisors to numerous physician clients, we are constantly amazed at how few physicians have actually taken the necessary steps to shield their homes from lawsuits. Doctors pay millions in dollars over their careers for medical malpractice insurance coverage and often thousands more to protect some of their assets, yet they still fail to protect their single largest asset. Why is this?

Jena, Germany—Carl Zeiss Meditec has acquired a 62.69% ownership stake in the French company IOLTECH after reaching an agreement with Philippe Tourrette, IOLTECH's main shareholder, in December.

Baltimore—Ongoing programs at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) are having a positive influence on bringing more safe and effective drugs to market, said Wiley A. Chambers, MD.

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ—U.S. MedSys Corp. has formed the PMC Ocular Network, a group of 1,100 ophthalmologists in 14 states that will be presented to healthcare payers concerned with escalating costs of diabetes care.

Aalen, Germany—A division of Carl Zeiss AG is combining with San Diego-based SOLA International in a $1.1 billion merger that will create one of the world's leading providers of ophthalmic lenses.

Managers can beat their benchmark in one of two ways: they can take on more or less risk than the benchmark (beta), or they can simply pick stocks in good sectors (alpha).

Ramsey, MN-BMC Industries Inc. has sold most of the assets of its Vision-Ease Lens business to Insight Equity A.P. X, LP, a Texas-based limited partnership.

The ideal prospect for a defined benefit plan

All defined benefit plan assets are held in one pooled account, as opposed to individual investment accountsfor each participant.

Although the news of Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) buying VISX caught many on Wall Street off guard, several analysts are saying the deal makes sense in retrospect.

New York-For nearly 100 years, Lighthouse International's headquarters in the center of New York City was known simply as "The Lighthouse."