News

The FDA has approved an expansion of the Phase III CABERNET (CNV Secondary to AMD Treated with BEta RadiatioN Epiretinal Therapy) trial, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of NeoVista's epiretinal brachytherapy in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The P200C, a retinal imaging device designed for advanced ocular disease, has been launched by Optos plc.

The Akreos AO microincision lens (model MI60; Bausch and Lomb) and the Amaris excimer laser (Schwind) have been named amongst 33 winners at the 2008 Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA).

Cases of intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) encompass a wide spectrum of severity, so it is important for surgeons to master several different strategies to increase the likelihood of achieving a safe outcome in these eyes.

A surgical microscope designed specifically for cataract and anterior segment surgery - the OMS-710 Operation Microscope - has been launched by Topcon Medical Systems, Inc.

Cationorm, a cationic emulsion to treat dry eye, has been launched in France by Novagali Pharma.

As the Asian eyecare market begins to explode, Alcon is preparing to be close to the action by adding a manufacturing plant in Singapore.

Reichert, Inc.'s applanation tonometer, the Tono-Pen Avia, was one of 33 products named winner of a 2008 Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA).

Bottles of infected eye drops are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria at the bottle tip and not within the solution, according to a study presented at this year's American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) meeting.

The Tube versus Trabeculectomy (TVT) Study found that nonvalved tube shunt surgery was more likely to maintain IOP control and avoid persistent hypotony and reoperation for glaucoma than trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) during the first year of follow-up.

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Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co., Inc. has announced that the FDA has granted tentative approval to the company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for dorzolamide hydrochloride with timolol maleate ophthalmic solution, the generic equivalent of Merck's Cosopt.

Regeneration of damaged retinal cells with the aid of stem cells may offer hope for the treatment of retinal degeneration conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a report published by the National Academy of Sciences (Volume 103).

Vitreoretinal Technologies, Inc has begun to enrol and treat diabetic retinopathy patients in the clinical trial for its pharmaceutical treatment Vitreosolve.

Intravitreal medical therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is dominated by the two anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, ranibizumab and bevacizumab (Lucentis and Avastin, respectively, Genentech).

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may be a useful indicator for predicting death from stroke or cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online ahead of print by the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Novartis is to purchase 25% of Alcon from majority stakeholder Nestlé, with an option to purchase Nestlé's remaining shares, which currently amount to approximately 52% of Alcon.

A new study assessing the quality of life after LASIK is to be conducted by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the FDA and the National Eye Institute, it was announced at this year's ASCRS meeting in Chicago, US.

A clinical trial of Xibrom (bromfenac sodium ophthalmic solution; ISTA Pharmaceuticals) has demonstrated equivalence of end-point achievement between the 0.18% and the 0.09% formulations, according to topline results published by ISTA Pharmaceuticals.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) rises significantly and rapidly in eyes that have received an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA), according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Ophthalmology.

Which is better at detecting glaucomatous progression: the physician's judgment, based on skills such as interpreting optic disk photographs, or new technologies?

Nonpenetrating glaucoma surgery has little potential to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) values, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Ophthalmology.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering drugs are more effective in eyes with low central corneal thickness (CCT) than those with high CCT, according to a study published in the March issue of Journal of Glaucoma.

NeoVista Inc?s epiretinal brachytherapy for wet AMD in combination with Avastin (bevacizumab) has been shown to improve mean visual acuity (VA) in patients, with adverse events restricted to vitrectomy-related problems and not to radiation toxicity, according to results of a Phase II trial presented at the 31st Annual Macula Society Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, US.

Lucentis (ranibizumab; Novartis) is to be made available to all patients of the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales, according to a report from the BBC. The final appraisal document (FAD) has been published ahead of final guidance, expected in June 2008.

A low rate of endophthalmitis can be achieved after intravitreal triamcinolone injection without the use of antibiotic prophylaxis on the pretreatment days, said Abdhish R. Bhavsar, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists.

Following designation of New Technology Intraocular Lens (NTIOL) status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), AMO has introduced the Tecnis 1-Piece IOL to the US market.

Swiss researchers have identified the defect in the coding region of the gene responsible for childhood cataract by assessing family members who suffered from autosomal dominant juvenile cataract, according to a study published in the March 2008 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.