News

Intravenous methylprednisolone may prevent visual loss and occasionally achieve visual recovery in patients with giant cell arteritis.

The open-label extension RIDE and RISE phase III studies of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) indicated that the beneficial results of the drug for treating diabetic macular edema were maintained over the long-term with less than monthly follow-up or injection treatment.

Maintaining both parents’ and children’s happiness when choosing pediatric eyewear requires a balancing act, supported by the physician and clinic staff.

The first results from a phase I trial of gene therapy for exudative age-related macular degeneration using a subretinal injection suggest that the treatment is safe and well tolerated even in the elderly population and may eliminate the need for frequent reinjection with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is reminding the public that it does not recommend marijuana or other cannabis products for the treatment of glaucoma.

A club drug and aphrodisiac since the 1970s, inhaled ‘poppers,’ have become increasingly linked to eye damage-perhaps due to a new formulation-according to a recent report from the United Kingdom.

A study designed to set an appropriate benchmark for LASIK is generating interesting findings in a preliminary analysis of outcomes at 1 year, said Francis Price Jr., MD.

The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance to Paragon BioTeck’s Comfortear Lacrisolve absorbable punctum plug.

Nicox S.A. has signed an agreement to acquire all of the outstanding equity of Aciex Therapeutics, a private, U.S.-based, ophthalmic development pharmaceutical company with a pipeline of therapeutics addressing the ophthalmic market, including allergy and inflammation.

Ohr Pharmaceutical has announced positive top-line interim results for its double-masked, placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial of Squalamine eye drops in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Aerie Pharmaceuticals has reported successful results for a phase IIb trial for its IOP-lowering therapy-once-daily, quadruple-action Roclatan, a combination of Aerie’s triple-action Rhopressa with latanoprost.

Alimera Sciences' sustained-release intravitreal implant (Iluvien)-its treatment of chronic macular edema-has received a positive outcome of the Repeat-Use Procedure with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency of the United Kingdom serving as the Reference Member State.

To improve morale, managers need to have a pulse on the dynamics of the group and work on the issues that can cause daily frustration.

A healthy, stable tear film is essential for high quality visual function and stable interblink vision. If patients have dry eye disease, it must be successfully resolved before corneal refractive surgery takes place. Similarly, patients who do not have preoperative dry eye but are at high risk of developing the disease postoperatively also need special attention.

Examining the intelligence of the early man through artistic expression

The 1-year results of the inject-and-extend Lucentis Compared to Avastin Study (Lucas) for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) indicated that the two drugs have equivalent effectiveness, said Karina Berg, MD.

The FDA has issued a marketing clearance for Bausch + Lomb’s presbyopia treatment, Biotrue ONEday (nesofilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) daily disposable multifocal contact lenses.

The FDA has approved Allergan’s dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex), as a treatment option for diabetic macular edema (DME) in adult patients who have an artificial lens implant or who are scheduled for cataract surgery.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is requiring Akorn Enterprises’ subsidiary Hi-Tech Pharmacal to sell the marketing rights for five generic drugs to Watson Laboratories to settle federal charges that Akorn’s acquisition of Hi-Tech was anticompetitive.

A mobile laser program eliminates the financial barrier to becoming involved in laser cataract surgery and provides support that enables success.

Assessment for wound leaks should be undertaken in a standardized and quantifiable fashion, and alternative means for wound closure, such as an ocular sealant, should be considered.

A silicone ring-shaped device for assisting continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis creation provides a guide for precisely sizing and positioning the capsular opening.

A novel device for pupil dilation offers several advantages over current devices, including the ability to be inserted through smaller sizes and lesser numbers of incisions in procedures, noted its inventor, Suven Bhattacharjee, MS, DO, DNB, FRF.

Potentially effective new drugs are in the pipeline for treating uveitis, in addition to several promising formulations in clinical trials.

Analyses of refractive prediction error in a study including 262 eyes implanted with a variety of pseudophakic IOLs shows benefit for using intraoperative aberrometry with streaming refractive data (ORA System with VerifEye, WaveTec Vision).

Two patients underwent cataract surgery and implantation of a monofocal IOL with a small aperture corneal inlay (Kamra, AcuFocus) in place. The surgery was uneventful, presented no new technical challenges, and resulted in spectacle-free near, intermediate, and distance vision.

Radiused and non-radiused phacoemulsification tips were equivalent in efficiency for removing lens fragments during micropulse longitudinal and transversal/longitudinal phacoemulsification procedures. Non-radiused tips were more efficient with torsional action.

Intraoperative aberrometry readings can be useful in reducing astigmatism when used with either conventional diamond blade limbal relaxing incisions and femtosecond laser arcuate incisions. In a study of 50 eyes, no statistically significant difference was found between two groups of patients in postoperative mean residual astigmatism.

Examining the intelligence of the early man through artistic expression

In a randomized study including 65 patients undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted or standard phacoemulsification, there were no significant differences between groups in central corneal thickness or endothelial cell loss at 1 week or 1 month postsurgery.