News

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.

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.

Leading cataract surgeons speak to recent enhancements to a femtosecond laser and benefits of its integration with an image-guided system.

As the final common pathway in many retinal disorders, macular edema can be considered the leading cause of visual loss in the developed world, and thus has an enormous socioeconomic importance, according to Mark Johnson, MD.

The Italian Medicines Agency has granted marketing authorization to Alimera Sciences’ sustained-release intravitreal implant (Iluvien) for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema (DME).

Sequenom Laboratories’ RetnaGene portfolio of laboratory-developed genetic tests will be nationally launched in the United States by Nicox S.A. subsidiary, Nicox Inc.

After consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, Allergan’s Board of Directors unanimously rejected Valeant Pharmaceuticals international’s unsolicited proposal for the third time.

As the American population ages, the number of those with eye diseases and vision problems will continue to increase. According to a report released Wednesday by Prevent Blindness, the annual costs related to eye disease will reach more than $384 billion in 2032 and $717 billion in 2050.

The statistics concerning herpes zoster (HZ)-also known as shingles-are startling, said Elisabeth Cohen, MD.

Following Allergan’s continued rejection of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International’s hostile takeover bid last week, Pershing Square Capital Management announced it has filed a lawsuit against Allergan.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS) Registry has been recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as an approved vehicle for enhanced federal quality reporting.

Makindus has received orphan designation for its lead product, MI-100, from the FDA’s Office of Orphan Products Development for the treatment of Stargardt’s disease.