News

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Dry eye management may be one of the most prevalent, yet overlooked, aspects in ophthalmology.

A new generation of dry eye therapy is artificial tears offering both lubricating and osmoprotective components that protect the eye at the surface and the cellular level.

Nocturnal lagophthalmos frequently is missed by ophthalmologists. A three-level classification may help ophthalmologists spot the disorder in patients whose condition might otherwise be overlooked.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox Cosmetic, Allergan) injected into the periocular region for the treatment of lateral canthal rhytids, usually does not suppress tear production. However, surgeons should warn patients that temporary dry eye is a possibility, although a rare occurrence.

Hormone fluctuations and the aging process combine to make dry eye syndrome a risk for perimenopausal women. For this age group, aggressive therapy that includes an anti-inflammatory agent is usually necessary.

Canalicular injuries must be repaired in a timely fashion for the patients to achieve the best outcomes. Even seemingly small lacerations require careful examination because when the eyelid is everted and a laceration is noted medial to the punctum, the laceration can have an impact on the canaliculus.

Manufacturers of punctum plug technology continue to improve their offerings, making their products easier to insert with better retention. This overview highlights new punctum plugs or plugs modified over the past year.

Dry eye symptoms and fluctuating or decreased visual acuity due to ocular surface disease puts individuals at increased risk for refractive surgery-related dry eye.

Patients 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.

No evidence exists that refractive surgery causes chronic dry eye. In many cases, patients seeking refractive surgery already may have dry eye symptoms. It is the surgeon's responsibility to identify and treat dry eye prior to surgery, ensuring that the patient has a healthy ocular surface.

Treatment of contact lens-related dry eye is based on disease severity and frequently results in discontinuation of contact lens use.

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Vision health advocates convened here to review data and the effectiveness of various state policy models to provide children's vision care in what is touted as the first "Vision Summit."

Aliso Viejo, CA-First-quarter 2007 revenues for eyeonics inc., the developer of the crystalens accommodating IOL, have increased 36% over the same period last year, the company said.

The Lincy Foundation has given the first installment of a 4-year, $4.75 million grant to the Oregon Retinal Degeneration Center at Oregon Health & Science (OHSU) Casey Eye Institute.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is enrolling patients in a study to test the long-term safety and effectiveness of intraocular injections of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME)

A federal appellate court has blocked the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company from manufacturing and selling a generic version of Allergan's ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution 0.5% (Acular).

Preventing ocular injuries during war by using protective devices may reduce the incidence of these injuries, which currently hold the number four slot for highest incidence after amputation, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Robert H. Osher, MD, has received numerous accolades over his lifetime as an innovative surgeon, video producer, athletic coach, professor, and medical director of a large practice. But, he said, the Charles Kelman Award he received recently from the Hellenic Society of Intraocular Implant & Refractive Surgery is among his most treasured.

Ophthalmologists and epidemiologists around the country are growing concerned about an apparent increase in the number of Acanthamoeba keratitis cases they are seeing.

Canaloplasty could be an effective approach to rejuvenating the outflow system in glaucoma patients without creating a bleb.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) causes a cascade of events in the eye that ultimately leads to glaucomatous damage of the optic nerve head and visual deterioration.

A study using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy supports a previous report that breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen have a significantly smaller optic cup volume compared with healthy controls.

Researchers 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.

A U.S. FDA clinical trial is now under way to explore the potential of intracorneal inlay technology to correct presbyopia in emmetropic patients.

A new speculum (Brown Triple-Post Speculum, Rhein Medical) can help make cataract and refractive surgery easier and safer to perform, said Reay H. Brown, MD, designer of the instrument.

A U.S. FDA clinical trial is now under way to explore the potential of intracorneal inlay technology to correct presbyopia in emmetropic patients.