News

The jury is still out on the effects of anesthesia in children who undergo surgery at a young age, according to Constance S. Houck, MD. Multiple animal studies have demonstrated neuroapoptosis and long-term learning deficits in young animals after administration of general anesthesia, but population-based studies in humans have been far less clear.

Abbott Medical Optics (AMO) has announced an impending change in leadership with the expected retirement of James V. Mazzo, president and chief executive officer (CEO), by the end of this year. Mazzo will be succeeded by Murthy Simhambhatla, PhD, who currently heads the Ibis Biosciences division of AMO’s parent company, Abbott Laboratories.

A record number of ophthalmologists hit the hallways on Capitol Hill last month to urge their legislators to protect Americans' access to eye care and boost funding for eye research.

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology closed its 2012 annual meeting with more than 12,500 participants – its largest attendance ever.

The corrections following phacoemulsification and IOL implantation that are achievable today are a far cry from those commanded in the 1970s when 20/40 corrected bilaterally was considered an accomplishment following implantation of the early IOLs.

As a rule, the latest and greatest new technology first becomes available to the haves in this world, and only much later, if at all, to the have-nots.

Epimacular brachytherapy was described as "interesting and encouraging" at the 2-year time point for treating exudative age-related macular degeneration that had been previously treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections.

More than 300,000 proprietary implantable contact lenses (ICLs) of collagen-copolymer material (Visian Implantable Collamer Lens, STAAR Surgical Co.) have been implanted in patients around the world. More than 75,000 have been the toric version of these lenses, approved in all major markets in the world, with the exception of the United States.

A new therapy (Retaine MGD, OCuSOFT) is available for those who have dry eye syndrome and meibomian gland dysfunction.

Ophthalmic clinical application specialists Cynthia Kendall, CDOS, ROUB, and Cathy DiBernardo, CDOS, ROUB, have joined the Quantel USA Inc. medical division. They will create new customer clinical education programs and train sales representatives in relation to the diagnostic ocular ultrasound systems and surgical lasers developed and marketed by the company.