Surgery

Los Angeles—Wayne L. Hubbell, PhD, the Jules Stein Professor of Ophthalmology and professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

Objectives remain the same, as surgical techniques continue to evolve.

The choice of prophylactic antibiotic after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is extremely important because it affects the rate of corneal epithelial wound healing.

Cleveland—Comprehensive ophthalmologists who understand the mechanism of botulinum toxin type A (Botox, Allergan) and the underlying anatomy can find many functional and cosmetic uses for botulinum toxin in their practices, said Julian D. Perry, MD.

Washington, DC—A new ultra-small sleeve is making sub-2-mm coaxial phacoemulsification possible.

Washington, DC—The three-piece square-edge design of the Tecnis IOL platform (AMO) seems to protect the eye against development of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) by preventing migration of epithelial cells for at least 3 years after implantation, reported Michael Colvard, MD, FACS, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Washington, DC—Researchers focusing on developing a tissue-engineered (TE) cornea for use in transplantation or refractive correction have made significant progress, although a number of challenges still lie ahead, said May Griffith, PhD, at World Cornea Congress V.

Atlanta—CIBA Vision Corp. has reached an agreement with CooperVision to settle a patent infringement lawsuit over the color technology used to create CIBA Vision's FreshLook and CooperVision's Biomedics Colors contact lenses.

Sarasota, FL—Wavefront measurements may be useful in quantifying visual changes after upper blepharoplasty surgery, said William J. Lahners, MD, in private practice with the Center for Sight, Sarasota, FL. Dr. Lahners conducted a small study of this hypothesis in his practice.

Advances in instrumentation have fueled the expanded scope of 25-gauge surgical possibilities.

Fairfax, VA—Three physicians noted for their contributions to ophthalmology have earned positions in the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery's Ophthalmology Hall of Fame.

Fremont, CA—Nidek Inc. has launched two new lasers to the U.S. market: its fifth-generation Nd:YAG laser solution—the YC-1800 ophthalmic YAG laser system—and the MC-300 multicolor laser photocoagulator system.

On April 11, Bausch & Lomb announced that it had received FDA approval to market its intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide implant 0.59 mg (Retisert) for the treatment of chronic noninfectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment of the eye.

With regard to the Implantable Contact Lens, STAAR Surgical hopes the success it has enjoyed abroad will bode well for its future domestically.

The Form Fit intracanalicular punctum plug (Oasis Medical) is a new option for patients who need long-term relief from dry eye problems, offering advantages such as patient tolerability, uniform sizing, and easy insertion and removal, according to several specialists familiar with the recently approved product.

Rather than jumping immediately to an aggressive management approach, clinicians should consider the simpler and less-invasive procedures described here.

In a 24/7 world, the availability of the PureVision Toric Contact Lens (Bausch & Lomb) that incorporates an aspheric design is welcome news. The FDA approval in early April of the silicone hydrogel contact lens will offer patients who wear their lenses for long periods—even overnight—a healthy and more comfortable alternative to traditional hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) contact lenses.

Although trabeculectomy and deep sclerectomy provide long-term IOP reduction in patients with open-angle glaucoma, trabeculectomy is more effective than deep sclerectomy in achieving IOP less than or equal to 16 mm Hg with or without goniopuncture, reported Stefano A. Gandolfi, MD.

Bausch & Lomb's PureVision contact lenses are available in the United States once again, following the recent successful resolution of a patent dispute.

You can help influence the reimbursement level for specific CPT codes by participating in the Five-Year Review of Work Values, a comprehensive review of all physician relative work values conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Better accommodating IOLs are also needed, and ideally, the new technology will be so sophisticated that it allows accommodation to be under the patient's control.

Washington, DC &#8212 Circular lamellar keratomileusis (CLK) is a new surgical procedure that offers a potentially safer alternative to LASIK for the treatment of low myopia (up to -5 D), myopic presbyopia, and emmetropic presbyopes, said Gholam Peyman, MD, at the Innovators Session.

Washington, DC &#8212 Nidek Inc. has received FDA marketing clearance for commercial release of its new MC-300 multicolor laser photocoagulator system. The company also announced that its new state-of-the-art YC-1800 ophthalmic YAG laser system is available for sale to the U.S. market.

Washington, DC &#8212 Clear lens replacement is considered a good option for patients who are well-educated about the risk factors pertaining to retinal detachment, explained J. Pitzer Gills III, MD, who spoke during a cataract/refractive symposium on refractive lens exchange, bioptics, and intracorneal lenses during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

Austin, TX—Volume loss is an important aspect of post-enucleation socket syndrome (PESS), resulting from the inability of the prosthetic orbital implant to replace all of the volume lost from an enucleated or eviscerated socket. Fortunately, there are a number of effective techniques for volume augmentation in PESS, said John Shore, MD, FACS, who is in practice with Texas Oculoplastic Consultants, Austin, TX.