News

CE marked in April of 2006, the KS-3Ai has become the first preloaded aspheric silicone IOL to be approved in Europe for use in cataract surgery. Although the product has yet to gain approval in the US market, it is already available in Japan and will shortly be entering clinics in Europe.

Alcon has added another device to its product portfolio in the form of the LADAR6000 excimer laser with high-speed ablation, which received FDA approval last month.

Swedish ophthalmologic research has a long tradition dating back to the slit lamp of Gullstrand of the early 20th century through later concepts such as the use of sodium hyaluronate in cataract surgery and latanoprost in glaucoma treatment. University departments of ophthalmology are present at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and at the universities of Uppsala, Lund (Lund and Malm?), Link?ping, Gothenburg and Ume?.

Dry eye ? the unknown menopausal symptom

No need for antimetabolites?

Combining benefits in glaucoma

Avastin does it again

Cataract surgery and AMD: there?s no link

DSEK: the pros and cons

Intravitreal triamcinolone will, more often than not, lead to the development of cataracts in eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DME), according to the results of a study published in the March 17, 2006 issue of Eye.

Wound distortion by manipulation of two rigid cannulas during bimanual phaco through tight corneal incisions has been shown to be significant.

Until recently, treatment options for neovascular (wet) AMD have been limited. Thermal laser photocoagulation - a destructive mode of therapy - was indicated in a minority of neovascular cases, including extrafoveal and some cases of juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (PDT) marked a new era in the treatment of exudative AMD, since subfoveal lesions were no longer excluded from treatment. However, it remains that not all lesions are eligible for treatment and the beneficial effect of PDT has only been clearly evident in predominantly classic lesions.

CHMP gives Ganfort thumbs up

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the worldwide leading cause of blindness. The severe form, choroidal neovascularisation (CNV), faces revolutionary times as new treatment modalities are introduced. Whereas one decade ago argon laser coagulation represented the standard treatment method, nowadays different treatments come into our clinical setting: classic CNV responds well to photodynamic therapy (PDT) with "off label" triamcinolone, and now occult CNV can be successfully treated with an array of treatment modalities: PDT, transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), subretinal surgery, macular translocation, or anti-angiogenic therapy.

Spring has finally sprung, although I have a feeling that the pleasant weather associated with this season has decided to give England a miss this year! Indeed, we are already into the month of May and with several big ophthalmology meetings already behind us, we still have many others to look forward to, particularly this month, which sees, amongst others, the DOC, EURETINA, and the Turkish, French and Italian ophthalmology societies taking centre stage for their annual meetings. Hopefully we will get the chance to meet some of you there.

The DOG (Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft) was founded in 1857 when a group of like-minded ophthalmologists, brought together by Albrecht von Greafe, met in Heidelberg to discuss the latest developments in their profession. This first meeting was organized to take place a few days before the international ophthalmology conference in Brussels with the idea that they would then travel on together to attend. In all, twelve people arrived in Heidleberg, where discussion topics ranged from the use of compression bandages to glaucoma treatment. It was considered such a success that they agreed to meet again the following year.

In answer to the question: "What specifically makes SLT different from ALT in its action?" we offer the following response:

What tasks are more important for the ophthalmologist than dealing with a disease that is the second most common cause of blindness overall and the number one blinding disease in the working population?

Research, development, innovation and the quest for excellence go hand in hand with the evolution of the ophthalmology industry. With the new wave of phakic IOLs entering the market, each with its own unique offering and capabilities, it's hard to know which lenses will suit you and your patient best. Furthermore, does the introduction of these new refractive correctors threaten the position of the lasers that we have all come to grow to love? It seems that the laser refractive surgery industry is still going from strength to strength.

With the world's population getting older and the rate of blindness increasing, cataract surgeons worldwide are facing some clinical challenges in the years ahead, according to Stephen A. Obstbaum, MD, of the United States.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has pledged $1 million to support the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery's (ASCRS) foundation sponsored research in the field of refractive lenticular science.

EAB

IOL implantation in older, cataract patients often fails to enhance vision to a level that is greater than that of the average non-cataractous lens of a similar age.

Allergan and Alcon have settled Allergan's patent infringement lawsuit, contending that Alcon's proposed brimonidine 0.15% product infringed two brimonidine-related patents owned by Allergan.

Errors in the measurement of retinal thickness are a frequent occurrence with optical coherence tomography (OCT) segmentation and analysis algorithms, according to a study published in the February 2006 issue of Ophthalmology.

A high dietary intake of vitamin E and zinc reduced the risk of AMD.

We need stronger evidence to support the combination of PDT with anti-VEGF therapy or corticosteroids before combination therapy becomes standard care for many of these lesions.

Earlier this year, Ophthalmology Times Europe caught up with two admirable people: the President of SICR, Roberto Pinelli and his friend and SICR colleague, Paolo Fazio. We spoke about refractive surgery practice, education and patient management and heard how both men plan to change the way that their industry is perceived and the way that it is practiced through their new society. Please go to page 19 to find out exactly what they are planning. Meanwhile, here's a snippet of information on the society to get you started.