News

Real-world evidence confirms the benefits of intravitreous ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)-regardless of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) status.

Results from a phase I study of KVD001 (KalVista Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of central involved diabetic macular edema (CIDME) show that this plasma kallikrein inhibitor was well-tolerated, not associated with any ophthalmic or systemic safety signals, and led to fairly long-lasting improvements in visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) after a single intravitreous injection.

International thought-leaders in retina education will have a new forum with the inaugural Retina World Congress (RWC), Feb. 23 to 26, 2017, in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Modern combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has transformed the AIDS epidemic and the management of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis.

A retinal exam system improves access for patients with diabetes to detect eye disease early and refers them to an eye-care specialist for further evaluation and treatment.

Though much has been learned about non-arteritic ischemic neuropathy since the earliest studies, no effective treatment is currently available. An update on research progress is highlighted.

Macular degeneration and diabetes appear to be playing smaller roles in sight impairment in England and Wales, according to the National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR).

Experience with en face OCT shows its value for following disease progression in wet and dry age-related macular degeneration and in diseases that disrupt the inner segment/outer segment/ellipsoid zone.

Take-home: Evidence is accumulating documenting that intraoperative OCT improves surgeon decision-making and outcomes of patients undergoing vitreoretinal procedures.

New findings about a genetic mutation could lead to better clinical management and genetic counselling of families susceptible to retinitis pigmentosa, researchers said.

Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema are both increasing in Spain, especially among relatively young people, researchers said.

Diabetes mellitus is a common health problem in developed countries, with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) being a major cause of visual loss. A variety of treatment modalities for DMO are available including laser, steroid and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents.

Kimberly Drenser, MD, PhD, explains that there is hope for treating these patients with the advent of viral-mediated, gene replacement therapy and new synthetic replacement molecules for inherited retinal degenerations.

Surgeons are urged to take a more cautious approach to cataract surgery when a new, pre-existing rupture of the posterior capsule surfaces.

Ensuring correct alignment between the syringe and the cap during silicone oil injection can prevent complications during vitrectomy, said Jay M. Stewart, MD, (San Francisco) presenting during the Retina Subspecialty Day of the 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.

Nutritional supplements continue to be a viable prevention strategy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Emily Chew, MD.

A variety of newer drug delivery approaches may change how patients with age-related macular degeneration are treated.

Treatment with fluocinolone acetonide 0.2 µg/day significantly reduced progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in patients who were part of the FAME trials1,2 and had visual acuity loss due to diabetic macular edema (DME), according to Charles C. Wykoff, MD, PhD.

The advent of smartphone devices and applications is transforming the practice of ophthalmology, especially in regard to ophthalmic diagnosis and monitoring.

Retinal specialists discuss the role of “heads-up” surgery.

Constructing vignettes from retina images and data can serve as a useful low-cost alternative to clinical trials for evaluating different screening approaches, researchers said. The researchers, from seven British medical centres, have taken this approach in a virtual trial to determine whether community optometrists can assess the risk that quiescent neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) lesions can reawaken.

Giant retinal tears pose outsize challenges for physicians, including the risks of hemorrhage, heavy fluid droplets, and macular holes, according to Gerardo Ledesma-Gil, MD, who was challenged with both of these complications in a recent case.

A new fundus perimetry device could provide reduced test-retest variability, increased sensitivity, higher accuracy, and simultaneous structure-function assessment.

Retina surgeons considered 2015 to be an exciting time in the subspecialty in all areas and pointed to the availability and increased use of 27-gauge instrumentation as one of the real highlights of surgical retina.

The topics of special interest to retina specialists during 2015 include optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Important research is taking place to determine the etiology of angiogenesis, possibly leading to targeting therapies in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), ROP, and diabetic retinopathy.

The presence of subretinal fluid following successful macular hole surgery appears to be common, and may be associated with delayed visual recovery, although not with the final result. Smaller holes and vitreofoveal traction are significant risk factors associated with increased rates of postoperative foveal detachment.

Studies of the efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), gene therapies, and slow-release drug delivery systems took center stage among treatments for retinal disorders in 2015. In addition to studies already under way, others are about to begin.