Clinical Diagnosis

Editor's Note: This is the final story in a three-part series covering a forum on "Ethnicity and Glaucoma" at Johns Hopkins University to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Baltimore Eye Survey.

New York-Fluctuations in IOP during the day and night can be important for the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, according to Robert N. Weinreb, MD, who spoke during the Glaucoma 2002 meeting here.

Tucson, AZ-Topical beta-blockers have been a mainstay of ongoing treatment for glaucoma for more than 20 years, but a new study adds to the evidence that they may not be the best option for long-term control of IOP for elderly patients.

Editor's note: This is the second story in a three-part series covering a forum on "Ethnicity and Glaucoma" at Johns Hopkins University to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Baltimore Eye Study. The meeting was sponsored by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Ophthalmology Times and supported through an unrestricted educational grant from Alcon Laboratories Inc.

New York-Glaucoma therapy of 10 years ago has no application today, according to Robert D. Fechtner, MD, who opened a session on glaucoma and cataract surgery at the Glaucoma 2002 meeting here.

Los Angeles-Considering the limited availability of published randomized trials, glaucoma surgeons should remain skeptical about the safety and efficacy of viscocanalostomy and deep sclerectomy with collagen wick, said Donald S. Minckler, MD.

Dr. Kornmehl: Thank you all for participating in this discussion about conductive keratoplasty (CK). Ed, what is the mechanism of CK

Baltimore-Race, that ever-sensitive subject in American culture, was the focus of a day-long meeting, "Ethnicity & Glaucoma: The Past, Present, and Future," at Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Estrogen-whether endogenous or from hormone replacement therapy (HRT)-appears to help prevent cataract formation, according to Australian researcher Christine Younan, MD, who reported her findings at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

New York-Certain glaucoma cases present a major challenge to the clinician. Participants in a session at the Glaucoma 2002 meeting here discussed some of these unusual conditions.

New York-The official definition of glaucoma has changed over the years to downplay the role of IOP, although IOP does remain a central issue in the treatment and prevention of the condition. Such was the conclusion drawn from discussions at the Glaucoma 2002 meeting here.

San Antonio, TX-Before prescribing one of the newer medications for glaucoma, clinicians should ask what drugs the patient may be taking for aches and pains-especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), including something as innocuous as aspirin, said William E. Sponsel, MD.

Boston-The incidence of overcorrection following PRK and LASIK is fortunately very small, generally less than 5%. Unfortunately, the incidence of consecutive hyperopia after RK is significantly greater and, over time, becomes higher with a hyperopic shift, said Helen K. Wu, MD.

A genetically engineered molecule designed to kill cancers by destroying their rapidly growing blood vessels offers a new line of attack against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other retinal conditions, said Alan Garen, PhD.

Many physicians wrinkle their noses at the idea of selling products in the office. But what about offering patients educational materials at the time of diagnosis?

New Orleans-A system incorporating a narrow-beam excimer laser with an active tracking system to detect minuscule eye motions is effective in the LASIK correction of myopia and astigmatism, according to Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at Tulane University School of Medicine here.

A 32-year-old woman complained of decreased vision in both eyes upon awakening. She stated that her vision was blurred, with black spots centrally in both eyes. She denied photopsias or pain.

Angiogenesis is a hot topic in medicine these days. It should also be a hot topic in ophthalmology, particularly for retinal specialists.

Bethesda, MD-A newly discovered network of non-rod, non-cone cells in the retina may be the mechanism that controls the body's circadian clock, said Ignacio Provencio, PhD.

San Francisco-Levofloxacin (Quixin, Santen)-the new kid in the fluoroquinolone family-is less likely to encounter resistant strains of bacteria than the two older members of that antibiotic family, ofloxacin (Ocuflox, Allergan) and ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan, Alcon), according to David Hwang, MD.

Seattle-The dry eye that some patients experience after LASIK is a direct, not an indirect, result of damage to the corneal nerves, said Steven E. Wilson, MD.

New York-The short-term elevated IOP that takes place when a microkeratome suction ring is applied to the eye during LASIK does not damage the retinal nerve fiber layer (NFL), according to New York researchers.

Farmington, CT-A newly discovered gene provides at least a partial solution to the puzzle of normal-tension glaucoma, according to Mansoor Sarfarazi, PhD.

A test for the optineurin gene will be available to ophthalmologists soon - possibly this year and certainly by 2003, said S. Kumar Chandrasekaran, PhD, CEO of InSite Vision, Alameda, CA.

Portland, OR-Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) does not appear to alter the incidence of dry eye symptoms or physiologic dry eye in women prior to or during menopause, according to Oregon researchers.