News

When Kevin Buehler takes the reins as chief executive officer of Alcon Inc. after the March 31 retirement of Cary Rayment, one of his goals will be to increase the pace of innovation at the company, to drive growth, he tells Ophthalmology Times in an exclusive interview.

Advanced Medical Optics Inc., the Allergan spin-off that went on to become one of the leading publicly traded companies in ophthalmology, will become part of Abbott Laboratories Inc. in a $2.8 billion deal expected to close before the end of the first quarter.

Amid adding partners, opening new offices, and managing unprecedented growth, Mid Atlantic Retina turned to a consulting firm (Advantage Administration Inc.) to develop a strategic plan for the ensuing years.

Spending 2 to 3 hours a day outdoors can significantly lower a child's risk of developing myopia, according to a new study.

To increase the safety and effectiveness of contact lenses and lens-care products for consumers, the American Optometric Association cosponsored a workshop with the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

A new drug application (NDA) has been accepted for review by the FDA for the approval of a treatment (ganciclovir, Sirion Therapeutics) for herpetic keratitis.

A clinical trial has begun that will assess the safety and efficacy of a glaucoma shunt (Aquashunt, Opko Health) designed to lower IOP in patients with refractory open-angle glaucoma.

Bausch & Lomb announced the appointment of a new president, Peter Valenti, to oversee the company's North America vision care division.

During their 31st anniversary benefit Jan. 28, the Glaucoma Research Foundation will honor two physicians for their contributions to glaucoma research.

The FDA Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee has unanimously voted to recommend approval of Bausch & Lomb's besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6%, according to prepared statements by Bausch & Lomb and InSite Vision.

Topcon Medical Systems has received FDA clearance for its enhanced 3D optical coherence tomography measurement software (OCT-1000 TrueMap) as an addition to its previously cleared OCT system (3D OCT-1000), according to a prepared statement.

ISTA Pharmaceuticals' new drug application for bepotastine ophthalmic solution (Bepreve) has been accepted for review by the FDA, the company announced in a prepared statement.

Researchers are studying the use of a NASA device to reveal the development of cataracts before a patient's vision clouds over.

Advanced Medical Optics has received FDA approval for a multifocal IOL (Tecnis) for patients with cataracts.

A clinical trial will be conducted by Johns Hopkins University's Wilmer Eye Institute on patient adherence and clinical outcomes for people with glaucoma using technology (Memotext).

The FDA has recalled one lot of an ophthalmic viscosurgical device ([OVD] Healon D, Advanced Medical Optics [AMO]) following a voluntary recall by the manufacturer. The lot number, UD30654, is displayed on the side panel of each unit.

If polled, a majority of optical eye-care professionals (ECPs) likely would report that in addition to their primary pair of eyeglasses, they also own prescription sunwear or quality plano sunwear. Patients also should enjoy the lifestyle and protection that additional sunwear provides. The percentage of prescription sunwear actually dispensed, however, is drastically lower than those worn by ECPs.

Carl Zeiss Vision announces a new strategy for the development, production, and promotion of customized lenses for 2009.

Live Eyewear, a privately held corporation that manufactures OveRx (designed to be worn over prescription) sunglasses, was purchased by the company's president, Kieran Hardy.

A scanning laser polarimetry device, which examines the retinal nerve fiber layer, is a beneficial diagnostic tool for glaucoma suspects because it targets the area where the earliest damage from glaucoma is likely to be seen. It also is valuable in monitoring stability or progression in patients with established disease.

Safety data from a multicenter, double-masked, randomized clinical trial comparing the three commercially available prostaglandin analogue IOP-lowering medications containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK) were analyzed to investigate a possible relationship between BAK content and incidence of ocular adverse events. Latanoprost 0.005% (Xalatan, Pfizer), which exposes patients to the highest daily BAK dose, was associated with significantly lower rates of both ocular adverse events and study medication-related adverse events compared with bimatoprost 0.03% (Lumigan, Allergan) and travoprost 0.004% (Travatan, Alcon Laboratories).

The fixed combination of brimonidine and timolol (Combigan, Allergan) provided greater overall patient comfort, and IOP decreased significantly, compared with the fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol (Cosopt, Merck & Co.) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Whether opting for an anterior or posterior approach when placing a glaucoma valve, both procedures appear to have similar success in lowering IOP and similar complication profiles, according to the results of a recent study. Nevertheless, some experts believe that the anterior approach may be more advantageous.

Frequency-doubling technology (FDT) has a role as a diagnostic and monitoring instrument for glaucoma, although it may be best used to complement the use of other testing methods, particularly with the newer version of this technology. Studies suggest that the FDT may detect early glaucoma in a different subgroup of patients than other testing devices, and long-term studies will be needed to confirm its effectiveness in detection of progression.

A recent study shows that although the Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) is considered to be the standard in detecting eyes with elevated IOP and, therefore, glaucoma, a newer tonometer (Ocular Response Analyzer [ORA], Reichert) appears to be more effective. It also is suggested that glaucoma screening threshold pressure should be lowered from the current 21 mm Hg to 18 mm Hg, which may allow ophthalmologists to more effectively detect glaucoma in their patients.

Due to the frequent coexistence of ocular surface disease and glaucoma in older patients, clinicians should take steps to reduce the potentially damaging effects on the ocular surface of long-term use of glaucoma medication. Reducing the number of medications when possible and choosing those that do not contain the preservative benzalkonium chloride is an approach that may be beneficial in some patients.

Normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) is a form of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in which there is no known history of statistically elevated IOP; however, the definition of an upper limit of normal IOP is arbitrary. POAG is a multifactorial disease process with pressure-dependent and pressure-independent etiologic factors. In NTG, the pressure-independent factors likely play a more substantial role.

The retinal tomographer, a quantitative imaging instrument, is useful in both diagnosis and monitoring of ocular hypertension, suspected glaucoma, and early glaucoma.