Cataract & Refractive

Methods of attempting to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis vary widely across the United Kingdom, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of Eye.

Study of the use of collagen crosslinking with riboflavin has been limited. Early experience with this technique, however, suggests it safely increases corneal rigidity and limits ectasia progression.

Phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) have failed to live up to their promise, according to an opinion expressed at this year's meeting of the French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO).

Extraction of cataracts lowers intraocular pressure (IOP) to normal levels in glaucoma patients, and may in fact be a better treatment option than combined surgery, according to a study presented at this year's meeting of the Italian Society of Ophthalmology.

Wavefront-guided LASIK is safe and effective in correcting residual refractive error after diffractive multifocal IOL implantation, according to a study published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Refractive Surgery.

Diagnoses using digital slit-lamp images are comparable to diagnoses using 35 mm photographic slides for some anterior segment abnormalities, according to a study published online ahead of print in Eye.

The incidence of capsular block syndrome (CBS), although rare, can be increased by design features of lenses implanted during cataract surgery, according to a study published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.

Refractive surgery in children with severe anisometropia or ametropia produces relatively stable results, according to a study published in the American Orthoptic Journal.

The FDA has cleared the iFS Advanced Femtosecond Laser (AMO), which is now available for order.

Vitamin E supplements do not help to prevent cataract, according to a study published in the May 2008 issue of Ophthalmology.

A hybrid contact lens designed for eyes that have suffered corneal trauma or undergone either refractive surgery or penetrating keratoplasty has been launched by SynergEyes Inc, US. The SynergEyes PS lens can also be used in eyes with degenerative corneal conditions.

Levofloxacin is a viable treatment for endophthalmitis, according to a study published online ahead of print by the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

On April 28, a meeting of the FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel confirmed that a study investigating patient satisfaction and quality of life post-LASIK is to be conducted in the US by a Joint LASIK Study Task Force.

Gebauer has launched an extension to its single-use SL Keratome, enabling surgeons to perform corneal transplantation surgery with its new, combined single-use DSAEK/ALK set and reusable artificial anterior chamber.

Cataractogenesis may be the result of the interaction of crystallin-derived peptides with intact crystallins in the lens, according to a study published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) survey results for 2008 pointed out some changing trends in infectious keratitis after LASIK and PRK compared with previous surveys conducted in 2002 and 2005, said Terry Kim, MD.

The author proposes a new method for the correction of refractive residual defects for eye with monofocal pseudophakia in order to achieve spectacle independence.

With the increasing number of multifocal and accommodative intraocular lens (IOL) implantations being carried out, cataract surgery is fast becoming another form of refractive surgery.

Outcomes in a cohort including more than 5000 eyes support the conclusion that an implantable collamer lens (Visian ICL; STAAR Surgical) is a safe, predictable, and very effective method for correcting high-to-moderate myopia, said John R. Moran, MD, PhD.

Hypoesthesia is not the origin of post-LASIK punctuate epithelial keratopathy or the so-called dry eye syndrome. Rather, these sequelae may represent a phototoxic effect of treatment with the ultraviolet excimer laser, said Carmen Barraquer-Coll, MD.

Highlights from the ASCRS meeting, held 4–8 April 2008, Chicago, US.

Early experience from a pilot study shows that spherocylindrical error after cataract surgery can be corrected with a proprietary light-adjustable lens (LAL; Calhoun Vision) to improve uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), said Arturo S. Chayet, MD.

A new lubricating eye drop (blink Tears, Advanced Medical Optics) with the active ingredient polyethylene glycol is designed to provide a balance between viscosity and retention without sacrificing a patient's visual quality. It can help optimize the ocular surface before and after refractive surgery, aiding postoperative visual outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Refractive surgeons should be aware of the possibility that a surgical marker pen (Codman; Johnson & Johnson) could be a cause of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after LASIK, said Wei-Han Chua, MD.

Canaloplasty with tensioning suture placement is growing in popularity owing to a combination of factors, including a successful training programme, an improved reimbursement picture, and favourable long-term data, said Richard A. Lewis, MD.