News

The expenditures for medical care in our country are “unsustainable,” says the Dallas Morning News, whereas The New York Times, in an editorial entitled “Why we must ration healthcare,” declares the monetary valuation of human life to be immoral. Everybody says we spend too much on healthcare, so they must be right. Right?

IOLs are proving to provide new options for cataract surgeons as well as entryways for more advanced research trials.

Technologies and techniques such as femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and microinvasive glaucoma surgery may be guiding the way for future cataract surgeries.

Although no new drug therapies entered cataract surgeons’ armamentarium in 2015, interest continues to grow in approaches for intraocular administration.

Quantitative techniques are important for researching changes to the anatomy of the anterior chamber angle in primary angle closure spectrum eyes. The authors evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various such techniques: gonioscopy, ultrasound biomicroscopy, Scheimpflug imaging and anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

Accountability comes in many shapes and sizes in a medical clinic. One group of ophthalmic technicians learned a valuable lession in prioritizing to the patient, relates Dianna Graves.

Organizers for Glaucoma 360 say that interest for the upcoming fifth annual installment of this meeting, set for Jan. 28 to 30, 2016, is higher than ever.

‘The irony is that compounding pharmacies were not long ago about as popular as Shkreli is today, related to an outbreak of fungal meningitis complicating the use of specially compounded steroids.’

People over 90 years of age may not benefit from being screened for diabetic retinopathy, researchers say.A review of 200 randomly chosen people in the United Kingdom eligible for screening at this age found that only 2 had been referred for further evaluation of diabetic retinopathy.

Femtosecond laser intrastromal arcuate keratotomy (AK) under a corneal flap is feasible and appears to be safe and effective for reducing high astigmatism, according to the early experience of António Limão, MD.

Hyperopic LASIK (H-LASIK) has limited predictability and declining efficacy during long-term follow-up, but its safety remains good and patient satisfaction stays high, said Reena Mahendra Dave, MD.

Microelectrostimulation of the ciliary body is a promising non-invasive technique for restoring accommodative loss in eyes with early presbyopia, said Luca Gualdi, MD.

Intravenous administration of the anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) agent tocilizumab (Actemra, Genentech) is well-tolerated in patients with non-infectious uveitis involving the posterior segment and showing promising efficacy, according to interim outcomes reported by Quan Dong Nguyen, MD.

Lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5.0% (Shire Pharmaceuticals) administered twice daily for 1 year appeared safe and well-tolerated with no unexpected adverse events in a study.

Ultrathin Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) is associated with faster visual recovery and better visual acuity in a study compared ultrathin with standard DSAEK.

Treatment with red light technology resulted in a significant improvement in the tear break-up time in the vast majority of patients. This may be a future light treatment for the improvement of dry eye disease in patients with meibomian gland dysfunction.

The natural triglyceride form of omega-3 is an excellent treatment option for dry eye disease.

Topometric and tomographic parameters helped researchers detect keratoconus in a study, but the integration of curvature and 3D analysis is needed to identify milder forms of ectatic corneal disease.

Corneal collagen crosslinking with riboflavin works well but requires further exploration to identify the best approach for various types of patients.

Like bevacizumab and ranibizumab, aflibercept has been shown to be effective in treating radiation retinopathy. In a study, patients experienced improved visual acuity and resolution of cystoid macular edema.

Implantation of a silicone oil-filled accommodating IOL (FluidVision, PowerVision) provides 3 to 4 D of accommodation along with excellent distance, intermediate, and near vision-all of which remain stable during follow-up to 2 years, said Louis D. Nichamin, MD.

Use of intraoperative aberrometry to select IOL power results in improved refractive outcomes in eyes that have a history of hyperopic LASIK, according to the results of a retrospective study reported by Dan B. Tran, MD.

The Primary Open-Angle African American Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) study is an ongoing 5-year NIH-funded study designed to elucidate the genetic architecture and comorbidities associated with POAG in African Americans, said Joan M. O’Brien, MD.

Ophthalmology Times is pleased to announce the winner of the 2015 Resident Writers Award Program, sponsored by Allergan.

A review of bilateral, same-day cataract surgery cases performed over a 5-year period at Kaiser Permanente centers in California identified a very low rate of complications, said Neal H. Shorstein, MD.

Retina specialists and comprehensive ophthalmologists should identify full thickness macula holes and, generally, recommend a vitrectomy to close them and improve vision.

A small study of using a new contact lens to treat corneal edema after cataract surgery reported positive results.

Chronic dry eye is underdiagnosed and undertreated, but careful observation, good listening skills, and proven treatment approaches can help patients achieve better vision.

T. L. Dawson, MD, writes about his experiences with enhanced bioavailable and non-irritating testosterone eye drops for the treatment of dry eye disease.