Obstetrics-Gynecology & Women's Health

New York-How do you determine whether a patient identified as having suspected glaucoma has glaucoma or will develop glaucoma? When should you treat a patient? How aggressive should treatment be?

Vancouver, British Columbia-A research chemist from QLT Inc. who helped develop the verteporfin for injection (Visudyne, QLT/Novartis Ophthalmics) treatment for age-related macular degeneration is among 13 chemists from four companies who have been named Heroes of Chemistry by the American Chemical Society.

Map allows clinician to watch early stages, monitor progression and regression

Clinicians need to recognize the fundamental characteristicsof the glaucomatous optic nerve in daily practice. While understanding cup-to-discratio is important, it is also important to recognize other structural characteristics.

When should intraocular lymphoma be considered, and when it is suspected what steps should be taken to make the diagnosis?

Dorado, Puerto Rico-The 26th annual "Current Concepts in Ophthalmology" meeting, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine/Wilmer Eye Institute and supported by Ophthalmology Times, will be held Feb. 20 to 23 at the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Both Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT, Heidelberg Engineering) exams and stereoscopic optic disc photographs can show abnormalities that pre- dict glaucomatous visual-field abnormalities as early as 4 years before visual-field conversion occurs, according to results of an analysis conducted at the University of California San Diego, La Jolla.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-What constitutes glaucoma progression and the relationship between progressive structural and functional injury? These were the main questions researchers set out to answer during a glaucoma mini-symposium at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Vista, CA-John Hawley, vice president of Heidelberg Engineering, served as an expert panelist at the Life Sciences Industry Council program, "Innovations in Eye Disease Technology," in Irvine, CA.

Dayton, OH-Move over a few disc diameters from the optic nerve head to assess the retinal thickness in the para-macular region for early diagnosis and close monitoring of the glaucomatous process. That's the message of Talia Technology Inc., Tampa.

Editor's Note: Anterior uveitis is the most common type of intraocular inflammation. Among patients with inflammation localized primarily to the anterior chamber, 50% or more are HLA-B27 positive. Inaddition, a number of these patients with HLA-B27-associated anterior uveitis have, or will develop, an associated systemicdisorder such as ankylosing spondylitis,reactive arthritis (formerly known asReiter's syndrome), inflammatory bowel disease, or psoriatic arthritis.

Orlando-Optic nerve head (ONH) imaging forms an essential part of the management of suspected glaucoma, as well as in patients with established glaucomatous visual field loss, according to a London glaucoma specialist.

New York-Using a doughnut and its hole in an analogy, David S. Greenfield, MD, said glaucoma specialists are now focusing on the doughnut rather than the hole-and retinal imaging advances have made this possible.

Needham, MA-Ruthanne B. Simmons, MD, who followed in her father's footsteps to make her mark in ophthalmology and laser surgery research, died Nov. 8 of breast cancer. She was 43.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.