News

From potential new therapies for glaucoma and diabetic macular edema to a deeper look at the anterior segment the 2011 meeting of ARVO was, yet again, an industry spectacle.

The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami and the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, have been named to the first and second spots, respectively, in the ophthalmology category of U.S. News and World Report?s 2011?2012 list of best hospitals for the eighth consecutive year.

Pfizer has withdrawn its application to the European Medicines Agency for an extension of the therapeutic indication for 0.3-mg pegaptanib sodium (Macugen) injection to include treatment of visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME).

The FDA has approved the use of incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin, Merz Aesthetics) to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines associated with corrugator and/or procerus muscle activity in adults.

In an effort to assist ophthalmologists in the market for an electronic health record (EHR) system as well as the vendors who make such systems, the Medical Information Technology Committee (MITC) of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has developed a list of features that ophthalmology practices need from EHR systems to deliver quality patient care, enhance physician-to-physician communication, and meet the ?meaningful use? standards required by health care reform policies.

Bausch + Lomb (B + L) is partnering with Mom Central Consulting (www.momcentralconsulting.com) to deliver tips to help mothers have basic ?daily talks? with their children about issues that may affect self-confidence, including the wearing of eyeglasses.

Safilo Group has continued and expanded its support of the Special Olympics, donating more than 80,000 optical frames and sunglasses between 2010 and 2011 for Special Olympics athletes through the Opening Eyes vision care program.

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has launched its Most Beautiful Eyes contest, offering children from across the United States the chance to become the face of the PBA Star Pupils program in 2012 and win a $25,000 scholarship.

A new episode of VSP Vision Care?s EyeFiles Webisode series highlights ways to protect children from computer vision syndrome (CVS) and offers tips on how to combat digital eyestrain.

The Vision Council has launched an iPhone application (PackLists) and Web site to help people protect their eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure.

Cataract surgery pioneer Steven P. Shearing, MD, died July 10 at the age of 76.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Biolase Technology two new patents covering the use of its laser technologies for treating various conditions of the eye, including presbyopia.

The FDA has granted 510(k) clearance to a new multi-directional rolling floor stand (iStand, Optovue) for universal positioning of a compact spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) device (iVue, Optovue).

ABB Concise has changed its www.yourlens.com contact lens Web site to increase eye-care information for patients and add a new doctor locator search engine.

Live Eyewear has donated more than 800 pairs of polarized clip-ons valued nearly $28,000 to the non-profit group RestoringVision.org.

Essilor of America has launched No-Glare.com, a new digital resource for eye-care professionals and patients.

Transitions Optical has introduced an individual version of the Healthy Sight Calculator, a free online tool that allows users to calculate their risk for eye-related diseases and vision problems.

The first dose level of a novel gene-based treatment (RetinoStat, Oxford BioMedica) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is safe and well-tolerated at 1 month following treatment, the company has announced.

Biopharmaceutical development and licensing company Ardeo Health has reached an agreement with Novagali Pharma of Evry, France, to license the latter company?s novel Nova23041 dry eye therapy for over-the-counter sale in the United States and Canada.

Bausch + Lomb (B+L) has voluntarily recalled one lot of a 1% methylcellulose lubricant ophthalmic solution (Murocel) after routine stability testing showed that its preservative was ?out of specification? for efficacy.

The FDA has cleared a proprietary in-office thermal pulsation system (LipiFlow, TearScience) for the treatment of evaporative dry eye caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Welch Allyn has received the annual Henry Schein Medical Equipment Vendor of the Year Award. The award recognizes a supply partner company that provided the highest quality of support, service, and assistance to the Henry Schein sales team throughout the previous year in the form of new product training, communications, follow-up, and in-person assistance.

SynergEyes, Inc., has announced that its proprietary hybrid contact lens for irregular corneas has been prescribed to more than 16,000 patients in 32 countries since it became available in late 2009.

Transitions Optical, Inc. is launching a new, interactive market area profile (MAP) program to provide eye-care professionals with insights about existing and prospective patients.

Nearly one-half of patients who require vision correction are significantly astigmatic in at least one eye, according to a study sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and published in Eye & Contact Lens.

Regeneron PharmaceuticalsInc. and Bayer HealthCare have announced that Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., Osaka, Japan, has submitted an application to Japan?s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for marketing authorization of aflibercept ophthalmic solution (VEGF Trap-Eye) for the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, will become chair of the department of ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill effective October 1. He will replace Travis Meredith, MD, who is stepping down after serving as chair of the department since 2001. Dr. Meredith will continue to work part-time as chairman emeritus and professor of ophthalmology.

Allergan, Inc. announced that the FDA has approved a fully in vitro, cell-based assay for use in the stability and potency testing of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox and Botox Cosmetic, Allergan). The newly-approved assay will be implemented immediately for release of product for sale in the U.S.

Bausch + Lomb (B + L), has announced plans to launch a pharmaceutical business in India through a strategic agreement with Micro Labs, a Indian drug manufacturing organization with 14 production sites. B + L said the partnership will provide it with high-quality manufacturing capabilities in the region that will speed the introduction of new prescription and over-the-counter medicines targeted to a wide range of eye diseases.

The Premier Healthcare Alliance, which includes more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and more than 75,000 other health care sites, has recognized an electronic documentation system (Connex, Welch Allyn) as one of 18 top medical device innovations introduced in 2010.