News

A team of scientists reports that it has found a way to isolate retinal pigment epithelium cells from human pluripotent stem cells as early as 14 days following the onset of differentiation.

The Tecnis toric 1-piece IOL (Abbott) has received FDA approval, and the company is launching the lens in the United States for treatment of cataract patients with pre-existing corneal astigmatism.

Three keynote speakers, including two Nobel laureates, will present lectures during the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) May 5 to 9 at the Washington State Convention Center. This year, the ARVO/Alcon Keynote Series will include Oliver Smithies, DPhil, Roger Tsien, PhD, and Christopher Murray, MD, DPhil.

With a change of venue and scenery, the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) hits the road this year, moving from its long-time home in Fort Lauderdale, FL, to Seattle. With a central theme of “Life-changing research,” the 2013 conference will focus on how vision researchers make a difference.

Attendees of the 2013 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) will want to make time for three special sessions at the Washington State Convention Center. These sessions include results from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), Inhibition of VEGF in Age-related Choroidal Neovascularisation 2 (IVAN2) Study, and Groupe d’Evaluation Français Avastin versus Lucentis (GEFAL) Study, as well as the National Eye Institute audacious goals initiative.

Corneal crosslinking using the current technique is safe and effective for stabilizing eyes with progressive corneal ectasia, but new treatment protocols and new indications are emerging.

Cartridges pre-loaded by an eye bank (EndoGlide, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc.) have been successfully used in corneal transplantation.

Edward Peterson, president and chief executive officer of AcuFocus Inc., will resign from the company effective April 30, 2013.

Leica Microsystems and Bausch + Lomb have announced that Bausch + Lomb will distribute Leica ophthalmic surgical microscopes and accessories in select markets.

What is the most effective procedure to remove corneal epithelium? A single metallic blade or hockey-stick knife has been used since the 1980s. Excimer lasers have been used since the 1990s. The initial report on the first 25 patients treated with a new, double-blade device was presented by Matsliah Taieb, MD.

An ocular bandage that has been on the market in Europe for several years is receiving praise from clinicians familiar with the product. Matteo Piovella, MD, has been using the bandage on every eye he has operated on for the past 4 years.

Two-year data on a subconjunctival implant suggest that the device is both safe and effective in lowering IOP in both refractory glaucoma and early stages of the disease. Results from the multicenter, international study were presented by Steven Vold, MD.

Much has been written about the high-tech phenomenon in today's fast-paced world. Just "Google" it on your WiFi-supported tablet or device here at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting and check out the latest statistics on how these devices are permeating our lives.

Limbal relaxing incisions have been recognized as an effective tool in reducing corneal astigmatism at least since the 1990s. Surgeons have also recognized that preoperative measurements and surgical plans do not always provide the best possible results, said Kerry Assil, MD.

Although cataract surgery is already the most-used intervention for glaucoma, a growing number of glaucoma specialists want to see timely glaucoma surgery accepted and reimbursed as an appropriate intervention for the long-term management of glaucoma, said Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, professor and chief of the Glaucoma Service at Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

A new generation of drug delivery devices promises to make eye drops the drug delivery vehicle of the past, according to Ike K. Ahmed, MD, assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

With all the new technology and ideas that will surface here in San Francisco over the next 4 days, Ophthalmology Times has a front row seat to the stage of innovation.

Much of the guesswork about how to manage dry eye disease was clarified by the results of the Dry Eye Workshop, which established a practical, easy-to-use assessment tool and stepwise treatment approach, said Deepinder Dhaliwal, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology and director, Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Early data on an artificial iris implant suggest positive clinical and cosmetic outcomes. Findings from a retrospective non-comparative case series of 74 eyes in 57 patients offered positive results for patients who received a custom flexible silicone prosthesis for iris defects resulting from a variety of different causes, said Michael Snyder, MD, Cincinnati Eye Institute, Blue Ash, OH.

Limbal stem cell deficiency is more common than often recognized, said Edward Holland, MD, director of Cornea Service at the Cincinnati Eye Institute and professor at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati.

New data suggest that it may be time to stop worrying about broad inclusion criteria when evaluating patients with cataracts for potential femtosecond laser surgery. A retrospective review of more than 800 consecutive cases found that the technology provides high precision in the treatment of challenging cases with broad inclusion criteria, said H. Burkhard Dick, MD.

Physicians who wonder if they should make the investment in a new model of surgical system they currently use and like, the answer could be yes. Data presented by Barry Schechter, MD, showed a 22% time savings in uncomplicated cataract procedures with new equipment.

Whether a surgeon uses a laser for cataract surgery or manual methods may not make much of a difference in terms of postoperative inflammation. That at least is the experience of H. Burkhard Dick, MD, professor and chairman of ophthalmology and director of the University Eye Clinic Bochum, Bochum, Germany.

There is more to femtosecond laser LASIK than the laser frequency alone. Flap shape also makes a difference. A recent trial confirmed that elliptical flaps offer the predicted surgical advantages over circular flaps with no change in patient satisfaction or visual performance scores, said Louis Probst, MD,

If one trabecular bypass stent is good for reducing IOP, are two stents better? The answer could be yes, at least for a first-generation device (iStent, Glaukos). Data presented showed that microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) to implant two trabecular micro-bypass stents is safe and effective after 1 year of follow-up.

After 20 years and more than 16 million LASIK procedures, overall patient satisfaction for the procedure is high, but misconceptions and patient education are areas that still need improvement.

It is not always easy to fit the right IOL to the right patient to correct presbyopia. It is not that approved lenses do not work as expected, according to Richard Chu, DO, medical director, Chu Eye Associates, Fort Worth, TX, but that each lens has slightly different optical characteristics. Not every lens is right for every patient.

New clinical data suggest that an improved intraoperative aberrometer can help improve clinical outcomes for patients who receive an aspheric, hydrophobic IOL, said Dee Stephenson, MD, of Stephenson Eye Associates in Venice, FL.