Refractive

Advances in presbyopia, dry eye and allergy, and age-related macular degeneration filled this year’s meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

A preliminary analysis of a dataset containing more than 300,000 eyes treated with LASIK between 6 to 10 years ago is beginning to quantify some of the risks for ectasia.

When considering premium surgeries and high expectations from patients along with an unrelenting quest for vision exceeding 20/20, the tolerance of residual astigmatism must be zero. Like bespoke tailors, ophthalmologists need to be bespoke surgeons who tailor vision in each eye to the highest level possible. We cannot claim to design the best suit using the best technology and tailoring materials, and yet, in our minds, find it “acceptable” to have the suit length within a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch too short or wide.

A review of 800 cases of small incision lenticule extraction for treatment of myopia and myopic astigmatism shows an evolution in surgical indications and technique with consistently positive outcomes.

The UK Federation of (Ophthalmic and Dispensing) Opticians (FODO) is calling for a mediation service to handle disputes over refractive surgery.

The 2017 meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) will be held May 5 to 9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but at least one guest speaker will be sharing his “out-of-this-world” experiences.

A third system upgrade for a femtosecond laser system for refractive cataract surgery (Streamline III, LENSAR) will enhance the efficiency of the procedure, according to Jonathan Solomon, MD.

All of these cases scenarios, which are an everyday occurrence in my practice, demonstrate my desire to take every patient to emmetropia despite the “so-called” complexity of the cases.

Poor regeneration of the epithelial basement accounts for most 'late haze' associated with PRK, LASIK, infections, or corneal transplants. Proper excimer laser maintenance may reduce irregularities.

A transepithelial PRK (TransPRK) procedure (SmartSurface, Schwind eye-tech-solutions) provides the benefits of one-step, no-touch surface ablation plus rapid visual recovery, said Diego de Ortueta, MD.

Using dysfunctional lens syndrome stages, physicians can discuss a range of treatment options with patients, based on clinical findings and refractive error.

Use of a handheld circular polarizing filter to intercept afferent and efferent light from a slit lamp or operating microscope highlights corneal structures that are otherwise invisible or barely seen.

The approved use of wavefront-guided technology for mixed astigmatism may help ophthalmologists to reach another potential groupof patients.

Ophthalmologists must be prepared to perform corneal refractive surgery enhancements after cataract surgery-and LASIK is often the optimal choice, according to Robert K. Maloney, MD.

America may face a public health crisis in coming years unless drastic changes are not made to the public perception of eye health, according to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Taking steps to create a public conversation about the matter, Allergan has launched a public awareness campaign, See America, to improve this awareness of and access to comprehensive eye exams.

Here is your roundup of what made top news in 2016!

LENSAR Inc. announced its filing of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on Dec. 19 to reduce its debt, strengthen its balance sheet, and strengthen its platform for future growth, according to a press release from the company.

Laser techniques have fundamentally changed the cataract surgery landscape. New, versatile platforms have made surgery safer and provided superior clinical outcomes precisely, consistently and predictably.

Trifocal IOLs can provide good uncorrected vision at near, intermediate, and far. Outcomes in a series of 30 patients show that a toric version of a trifocal IOL (AT Lisa tri 939MP, Carl Zeiss Meditec) delivers those benefits for patients with > 1 D of corneal astigmatism.

In a timely talk at Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day 2016, Sunil Shah, MD, made a case for why refractive surgeons might want to consider this minimally-invasive corneal refractive procedure.

An implantable corneal inlay recently approved by the FDA gives ophthalmologists a new choice in treating presbyopia.

It has been a history-making week for the ophthalmic world, and the FDA approval of the first IOL with extended range of vision (Tecnis Symfony IOL, Abbott) has only added one more reason for celebration.

The U.S. IDE clinical trial of the investigational extended range of vision IOL (Model ZXR00; Tecnis Symfony Extended Range of Vision IOL, Abbott Medical Optics) found that the implant delivered a full range of uncorrected vision and minimized or eliminated the need for spectacle wear in most patients.

A topical treatment that breaks apart disulfide bonds between crystalline lens proteins was shown to increase accommodative amplitude and improve near visual acuity in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Selective two-photon collagen crosslinking has been shown to stiffen any three-dimensional region inside corneal tissue without damaging surrounding tissues.