Surgery

While fluorescein angiograms and optical coherence tomography can assess structure, the retinal acuity meter looks at function.

Pleasanton, CA—MLI (formerly Massie Laboratories) has appointed Keith L. Mullowney as president, chief executive officer, and board chairman of the advanced diagnostic and data capture systems company.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan), originally approved by the FDA as an orphan drug for the treatment of strabismus and blepharospasm, has been found to be effective for the treatment of hemifacial spasm, Meige syndrome, nystagmus, and lid retraction in Graves? disease, according to Matthew Dean Kay, MD, adjunct clinical associate professor, Nova Southeastern University, Pompano Beach, FL.

Retinal detachment is a significant risk in refractive lens exchange surgery, said Emanuel S. Rosen, MD, at the refractive surgery subspecialty day meeting sponsored by the International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Reading, MA—Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is safer than argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) as a treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and offers the considerable advantage of not causing structural damage to the trabecular meshwork, said Mark A. Latina, MD.

With the instrumentation enhancements, it is easier for the surgeon to deal with peripheral pathology.

Doubts and concerns regarding efficacy and safety often accompany the introduction of technologies in IOLs. Recent concerns with a wavefront-corrected IOL (Tecnis, Advanced Medical Optics [AMO]) with regard to tilt and decentration are no exception to this rule.

Adelaide, Australia—Ophthalmic laser manufacturer Laserex has appointed Simon Luscombe as vice president of sales, Asia, in an effort to increase its Asian market share. Luscombe previously was in product management and sales management positions at Alcon and Advanced Medical Optics.

Tampa—Toric IOLs are a valuable tool in the cataract surgeon's armamentarium for correcting all levels of astigmatism, said James P. Gills Sr., MD, at the Current Concepts in Ophthalmology meeting.

Baltimore—Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) chelation offers a low-tech, low-cost, effective treatment for calcific band keratopathy associated with chronic uveitis and other disorders, said James P. Dunn, MD, at the Current Concepts in Ophthalmology meeting, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Ophthalmology Times.

Eyeonics has developed the crystalens SE System (Square Edge System), a modified design of the original crystalens accommodating IOL, which offers a 360? square-edge optic to help prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO).

Edina, MN—When IOL piggybacking is needed, combining the modified prolate anterior surface IOL (Tecnis, AMO) with a conventional spherical IOL is a good option because it provides patients the added benefit of improved optical performance and better quality of vision, said Y. Ralph Chu, MD.

Edina, MN—When IOL piggybacking is needed, combining the modified prolate anterior surface IOL (Tecnis, AMO) with a conventional spherical IOL is a good option because it provides patients the added benefit of improved optical performance and better quality of vision, said Y. Ralph Chu, MD.

Washington, DC—A continuing rapid evolution in technology brings promise for the future availability of better surgical methods for correcting presbyopia, said W. Bruce Jackson, MD, at World Cornea Congress V.

San Francisco - A panel of glaucoma experts from across the United States highlighted the latest advances in understanding glaucoma and caring for these patients at “Glaucoma 2005: Mastering Tools and Techniques for the 21st Century,” on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. Now in its 5th year, the program included lectures, panel discussions, and a mini-symposium covering a variety of glaucoma issues with a distinguished faculty.

Atlanta—Eye-care professionals are shifting their business from HEMA to silicone hydrogel lenses, according to data from Health Products Research.

Lisbon, Portugal - The results of the 7th annual survey on foldable IOLs indicate that dislocation and decentration are by far the most common reasons for lens explantation, with incorrect lens power the next most important factor. Nick Mamalis, MD, reported the results of the survey - conducted by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) - Monday morning at ESCRS’ annual meeting.

Lisbon, Portugal - MLI (formerly Massie Laboratories), of Pleasanton, CA, United States, and manufacturers of diagnostic and data capture system for the eye-care market, has named Keith Mullowney as the company’s new president, chief executive officer, and board chairman. The company also changed its name to Clarity Medical Systems.

Lisbon, Portugal – Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery is an evolving process, Oliver Findl, MD, from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, explained Saturday at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Follow-up in the first 10 patients with the Artificial Silicon Retina microchip (ASR, Optobionics) implanted now ranges between 2 and 4.5 years.

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.

Atlanta—CIBA Vision Corp. said it is asking a federal judge in Florida to block Johnson & Johnson's Vistakon division from making, selling, and distributing silicone hydrogel contact lenses that it claims infringe upon its patents.

Miami—Cataract surgeons performing standard ultrasound phacoemulsification will find the AquaLase liquefaction device (Alcon Laboratories) is an easy technique to transition to and is one that offers multiple advantages for enhancing the safety of lens removal, said Sonia H. Yoo, MD.

Frankfurt, Germany—The design of the optic edge seems to be one of the most important factors in the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). IOLs with a sharp edge have less PCO regardless of the lens material, according to Thomas Kohnen, MD.

Reposition the IOL first before performing a YAG capsulotomy in instances of symptomatic IOL decentration with concomitant PCO.