Collagen crosslinking helps with stabilizing progressive hyperopia post-RK
June 1st 2007Collagen crosslinking with riboflavin (C3-R) was used to treat six eyes with progressive hyperopia after RK that had experienced further progression after intervention using laser vision correction. Retrospective analyses based on a mean follow-up of 215 days after the C3-R procedure suggests keratometric stabilization.
Periorbital infections secondary to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
June 1st 2007With periorbital soft-tissue infections on the increase due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), physicians must be suspicious of MRSA and aware of local resistance profiles in order to treat these infections effectively.
Retinal problems after LASIK rare
June 1st 2007Although millions of patients worldwide have undergone LASIK to treat myopia, the complication rate is very low. The problems that do arise postoperatively, however, can be serious and include endophthalmitis, retinal tears, retinal detachments, retinal hemorrhages, macular holes, and choroidal neovascularization.
Posterior aspheric surface of lens helps improve image quality
May 15th 2007A newer-generation IOL reduces higher-order, spherical, and trefoil aberrations when compared with the previous-generation lens. This reduction in higher-order aberrations may result in better outcomes for patients, specifically, improved contrast sensitivity, reduction in night vision disturbances, and improved visual performance compared with conventional spherical IOLs.
Fewer complaints with diffractive/refractive lens combo
May 15th 2007A combination of a refractive and a diffractive multifocal IOL for correction of presbyopia virtually eliminates complaints about intermediate vision that are frequent among patients who undergo bilateral implantation of diffractive lenses.
Subjective and objective testing demonstrate accommodative amplitude of lens
May 15th 2007Subjective and objective accommodation in patients with a dual-optic accommodating IOL implanted bilaterally were measured in a pilot study. Accommodation was adequate in subjective testing and significantly greater than in controls with an acrylic foldable monofocal IOL. Objective evaluations demonstrated movement of the anterior optic.
Blue-filtering IOLs: Cataract surgeons debate benefit, risk
May 15th 2007Blue light-filtering IOLs may provide protection against potential blue light toxicity without significantly affecting clinical functioning of recipients, according to one ophthalmologist. Another cataract surgeon, however, contends that blue light filtering is not clinically important for preventing age-related macular degeneration and that further study is needed regarding the potential adverse effect of blue light-filtering implants on melanopsin production and scotopic vision.
Posterior aspheric surface of lens helps improve image quality
May 15th 2007A newer-generation IOL reduces higher-order, spherical, and trefoil aberrations when compared with the previous-generation lens. This reduction in higher-order aberrations may result in better outcomes for patients, specifically, improved contrast sensitivity, reduction in night vision disturbances, and improved visual performance compared with conventional spherical IOLs.
Posterior chamber toric ICL tackles compound myopic astigmatism
May 15th 2007Implantation of a toric implantable contact lens for compound myopic astigmatism seems to be very effective, highly predictable, and relatively safe. A widely dilated pupil is very important, especially in the implantation of a toric lens, to align the axes properly. In the case of improper alignment of axes, repositioning of the lens is easy and safe.
Refractive IOL shows excellent distance, intermediate vision
May 15th 2007A second-generation refractive multifocal IOL provides excellent distance and intermediate vision, with distance, intermediate, and near vision improving over time, according to preliminary results of an ongoing multicenter study.
Improved distance, near vision seen with diffractive lens
May 15th 2007A prospective study of 20 eyes in 20 patients found that implantation of an apodized diffractive IOL in patients with presbyopia and unilateral cataract and a healthy fellow eye resulted in improved distance and near vision, reduced spectacle dependency, and enhanced binocular function, with quality vision in most cases.
Aberration-free lens outperforms two other lenses
May 15th 2007An aberration-free aspheric silicone IOL, performed better in eliminating spherical aberrations than two other silicone IOLs, one a conventional spherical IOL and the other an aspheric IOL with a prolate anterior surface and a spherical posterior surface.
Risk counseling vital for cataract surgery candidates with optic neuropathy (ON) history
May 15th 2007Persons who have unilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) that either is spontaneous or developed after cataract surgery should be cautioned that they are at increased risk for NAION after cataract surgery in the fellow eye.
Intracameral vancomycin safe, effective over long term
May 15th 2007Howard V. Gimbel, MD, MPH, has used intracameral injection of vancomycin to prevent endophthalmitis after cataract surgery since 1990. In an analysis of more than 35,000 eyes operated on over 15 years, the incidence of presumed endopthalmitis was only 0.01% and there was no evidence of complications associated with the antibiotic injection.
The ciliary muscle - the driving force of accommodation
May 6th 2007Accommodation is the result of changes in the optical power of the crystalline lens that results from change in the lens anterior and posterior surface curvatures and thickness. The ciliary muscle is the engine that drives the accommodative process, and the lens capsule and the lens are important components of accommodation, according to Adrian Glasser, MD, from the College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston.
Good ocular surface required for functional visual acuity.
May 1st 2007Patients who complain of poor visual function after LASIK may have unstable tear film, which affects the smoothness of the ocular surface and disturbs vision. With the help of the functional visual acuity meter, clinicians can assess functional vision over 60 seconds and then address any instability of the tear film if necessary.
Risk of thromboembolic events in patients with AMD examined
May 1st 2007Researchers at Wilmer Eye Institute and Genentech collaborated to study retrospectively the incidence of myocardial infarction and strokes in persons with neovascular AMD. The initial results showed the rates increased with increasing levels of comorbidity.
Mixed results seen with anti-VEGF therapy for children's retinal diseases
May 1st 2007Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment of the pediatric retinal diseases-familial exudative vitreoretinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity-using pegaptanib sodium showed mixed results, with a marked decrease in exudation in the former but no effect in preventing retinal detachment in the latter.