News

Las Vegas-As outlandish as it may sound now, in the future, refractive surgery may be the best treatment for severe aniso-metropia and severe bilateral amblyopia, said Evelyn A. Paysse, MD, here during a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Louisville, KY-Monotherapy with latano-prost (Xalatan, Pfizer) provides more days of controlled IOP compared with bimatoprost (Lumigan, Allergan) and travoprost (Travatan, Alcon Laboratories) in patients undergoing treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), according to Thom J. Zimmerman, MD, PhD, and colleagues.

Las Vegas-Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is comparable to medical treatment as the initial therapy for open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension, according to results of a study reported by L. Jay Katz, MD, and colleagues here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Indianapolis-Bimatoprost (Lumigan, Allergan) seems to lower IOP more effectively in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension compared with travoprost (Travatan, Alcon Laboratories), according to Louis B. Cantor, MD, lead author of the study. The authors published their results in the British Journal of Ophthalmology (2006; 90:1370-1373).

Baltimore-Beta blockers continue to play an important role as an ocular hypotensive agent for both primary and adjunctive treatment, and when a beta blocker is indicated, the novel formulation of timolol maleate 0.5% ophthalmic solution with potassium sorbate (Istalol, ISTA Pharmaceuticals) is a good choice, said Alan L. Robin, MD.

Las Vegas-In pediatric eyes with uncontrolled aphakic glaucoma and no history of previous surgical intervention, trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C (MMC) and placement of an Ahmed glaucoma implant (AGI, New World Medical) result in comparable outcomes with respect to successful IOP control and rate of complications, according to the findings of a prospective, randomized study undertaken at the Shaheed Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran.

Las Vegas-Results of a cross-sectional study demonstrate there is good agreement (~85%) between the evaluation of the optic nerve head structure using the Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph (HRT II, Heidelberg Engineering) and results of multifocal visual evoked potential testing (mfVEP; AccuMap, ObjectiVision, Sydney, Australia) in identifying normal and glaucomatous eyes as well as statistically significant topographic associations between many HRT parameters and the amplitudes of mfVEP waves on the corresponding opposite hemisphere, reported Omar S. Punjabi, MBBS, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Las Vegas–Relatively little evidence exists that imaging technologies can detect change over time, although based on the resolution and reproducibility, they probably can do so, said Christopher Bowd, PhD, during a Glaucoma Subspecialty Day presentation here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

New York-In a controlled trial, endocyclophotocoagulation (ECP) combined with phacoemulsification showed significant benefits in treating cataract patients who also have glaucoma, according to Stanley J. Berke, MD.

The president of my university, William Brody, MD, PhD, says we take too long to train the current generation of physicians and biomedical scientists. I agree.

Las Vegas-A study evaluating IOP measurement performed with Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT), the digital handheld Tono-Pen XL applanation tonometer (Medtronic Ophthalmics), the Pascal Dynamic Contour Tonometer (PDCT, SMT Swiss Microtechnology AG), and the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA, Reichert Inc.) indicates that the results obtained with all of those devices may be affected by central corneal thickness (CCT). IOP measurements using the PDCT and ORA, however, appear to be influenced the least, reported Maged Nessim, MD, and coauthors here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Accurate diagnosis of ocular surface disease (OSD) is essential in patients with glaucoma who complain of burning, itching, foreign body sensation, or a dry, gritty sensation often in concert with paradoxical tearing.

Ocular surface disease (OSD) in patients with glaucoma is surprisingly common, yet it remains an under-recognized condition by eye-care specialists. Among patients with severe OSD, approximately two-thirds concurrently are afflicted with glaucoma (range, 42.9% to 88.4%).1 OSD encompasses a myriad of ocular conditions, including keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

Editor's Note: During the time I was a resident at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (1969-1972), I had the good fortune to work with Byron Capleese Smith, MD. Those who knew him will never forget him, and those who were not able to know him will gain a small glimpse of his persona and his contributions, as written by Christopher Teng, MD. -Norman Medow, MD

New Haven, CT-Glaucoma specialist James C. Tsai, MD, MBA, has been named chairman of the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

San Diego-TargeGen has begun a phase I trial of a topical drug to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Roanoke, VA-OcuCure Therapeutics Inc. has received $1.5 million in seed financing to develop a topical eye drop for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and dry AMD prophylaxis.

Redwood City, CA-The first of 15 patients has received CGC-11047, a novel poly-amine analog that targets choroidal neovascularization associated with age-related macular degeneration.

Dublin, CA-Carl Zeiss Meditec is donating a Visante OCT to the National Eye Bank Center for evaluating corneal tissue for transplant surgery.

Las Vegas-Primary acquired melanosis (PAM) of the conjunctiva is an uncommon but important disease. Although some studies have suggested that it occurs in as much as one-third of the population, most cases do not need treatment. The disease is potentially malignant, however, and arguments can be made for early treatment if risk factors are present, said Jerry A. Shields, MD, in his delivery of the Lorenz E. Zimmerman Lecture here at a combined meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association of Ocular Pathologists.

Las Vegas-A new, validated glaucoma risk estimator developed using data from two large, prospective clinical trials provides a foundation for guiding a reasonable approach to the management of patients with ocular hypertension, said Mich?l A. Kass, MD, in his delivery of the 27th Robert N. Shaffer Lecture at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Vancouver, British Columbia-QLT Inc. has entered into a 2-year research collaboration and option agreement with investigators at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, to study and develop potential treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Exton, PA-Othera Pharmaceuticals Inc. has begun enrollment for a phase II clinical trial of its topical eye drop OT-551 in patients with bilateral geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Irvine, CA-ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc. has submitted an investigational new drug application with the FDA for its eye-drop formulation of bepotastine to treat allergic conjunctivitis.

Rochester, NY-Bausch & Lomb has purchased the over-the-counter (OTC) allergy franchise of Alimera Sciences Inc., a privately held company based in Atlanta.

Washington, DC-The FDA has issued an approvable letter for brimonidine tartrate/timolol maleate ophthalmic solution (Combigan, Allergan Inc.), outlining the remaining conditions that the company must meet to obtain final marketing approval from the agency.

Santa Ana, CA-Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) will acquire IntraLase Corp. for approximately $808 million in cash, adding IntraLase’s femtosecond laser technology for LASIK to its portfolio of refractive technologies.

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