News

Nontraditional marketing includes those efforts that make you slightly uncomfortable, ideas your competitors won't do first, and-most importantly-things that bring patients to your practice, according to Debi Dilling, who is responsible for marketing Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Florida in Fort Myers, FL.

Surgical control in the anterior chamber is essential for performing effective phacoemulsification. The Sovereign system with WhiteStar technology (Advanced Medical Optics Inc.) features an innovative power modulation known as increased control and efficiency (ICE), which adds an initial kick to each millisecond pulse of ultrasound, increasing cutting power without increasing energy utilization.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-An analysis of the correlation between macular thickness and visual acuity supports the concept that measurement of structural changes can provide valuable information about the nature of functional changes in the treatment of macular edema, said Julia A. Haller, MD, who spoke during the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Bevasiranib sodium is the latest approach to treating AMD and, potentially, many other medical diseases.

Jacksonville, FL-Results of the Herpetic Eye Disease Studies (HEDS) have provided some guidance on the treatment of herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis, but questions remain about the management of these infections, said Thomas J. Liesegang, MD.

Recently the French lost out in the World Cup finals, so let's look at their most important early historic contributions to ophthalmology and make them feel better!

Fair Lawn, NJ-Acanthamoeba keratitis, a potentially sight-threatening condition, developed in a patient undergoing orthokeratology for the treatment of myopia. Osher Sebrow, MD, a private practitioner in Fair Lawn, NJ, described this case and the available management options.

New York-The use of a scleral spacing procedure using PreView Scleral Implants (Refocus Group Inc.) appears to improve the technique to correct presbyopia. This revised technique seems to be a safe and effective method of improving near visual acuity without affecting distance visual acuity in emmetropic presbyopia, according to Barrie D. Soloway, MD, FACS.

Seoul, Korea-Intraoperative use of mitomycin-C (MMC) is a safe and effective method for preventing corneal haze in eyes undergoing PRK, said Dongho Lee, MD, PhD, director, Yonsei Eye Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Washington, DC-A congressional briefing held recently at the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health has highlighted the need for research partnerships to fight diabetic retinopathy effectively.

Las Vegas-Leaders of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) touted strength in numbers in remarks at the opening session of the first joint meeting of the two organizations in November.

Philadelphia-After cataract surgery, patients with mild keratoconus may not need rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses for optimal vision, whereas those with moderate or severe disease might require these lenses, according to Nuthida Thebpatiphat, MD.

Coimbra, Portugal-Intracorneal rings (Intacs, Addition Technology) to correct keratoconus appear to produce better results when one ring segment is implanted inferiorly instead of having two segments implanted, one superiorly and one inferiorly, reported Joaquim N. Murta, MD, PhD.

Houston-Detecting corneal ectatic disorders has become easier because of new technology-such as the Pentacam (Oculus)-that removes artefacts and compensates for asphericity, and various topography and tomography maps that better pinpoint cases of keratoconus, according to Jack T. Holladay, MD, MSEE, FACS.

A range of corneal pathologies and their treatment-including Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), Descemet's stripping with endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK), and preventing dislocations after endothelial keratoplasty (EK)-recently has captured the interests of ophthalmologists.

Santa Ana, CA-Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) is voluntarily recalling 18 lots of its Complete MoisturePLUS multipurpose contact lens care solution distributed in the United States after water-borne bacteria were discovered in a small number of bottles, the company said.

OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. officials plan to exit the eye treatment business with the sale of their most recent acquisition, Eyetech Pharmaceuticals.

Santa Ana, CA-Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) has announced a voluntary recall of 18 lots of its 12-ounce Complete MoisturePLUS multipurpose contact lens care solution and Active Packs distributed in the United States, because of an issue on two of four production lines at its manufacturing plant in China, the company said.

Boston-SOLX, the glaucoma division of OccuLogix Inc., has begun an international program to train and certify ophthalmologists in Europe and the Middle East in surgical implantation procedures using the company’s Gold Micro-Shunt (GMS) products to treat patients with glaucoma.

Towson, MD-Eyemaginations Inc. has formed a strategic marketing alliance with eyeonics inc., Aliso Viejo, CA, focusing on education and marketing for patients with cataract.

Vista, CA, and Heidelberg, Germany-The FDA has granted clearance for Heidelberg Engineering GmbH’s Spectralis HRA+OCT, said to be the first commercially available spectral domain (sometimes called Fourier domain) optical coherence tomograph (OCT) combined with laser angiography. The company expects to begin shipping the product in mid-2007.

Monrovia, CA-The FDA Office of Device Evaluation has requested that STAAR Surgical Co. amend its submission for approval of its Visian TICL (toric implantable Collamer lens) to enable the agency to complete its review of the lens’ safety and effectiveness. The FDA indicated Nov. 20 that its evaluation of the amendment could extend the review period by up to 180 days after the information is submitted.

Jersey City, NJ-Now that the 30-day waiting period has ended for the investigational new drug application filed by Lux Biosciences Inc. for the development of LX211 in uveitis, the company will begin three controlled, double-masked clinical trials of the next-generation calcineurin inhibitor in early 2007. The studies collectively will enroll more than 500 patients in North America and Europe.

New York-Pfizer Ophthalmics has awarded an $800,000 grant to EyeCare America’s Glaucoma EyeCare Program, which promotes the early detection and treatment of glaucoma by raising awareness of risk factors and providing free access to glaucoma eye exams. The grant will support the program for 2 years.

Irvine, CA-Allergan Inc. has announced the recipients of its first Allergan Horizon Grant Program awards. The company will contribute $1 million over 2 years to academic medical institutions to support fellows conducting clinical research in the diagnosis or pharmacologic treatment of glaucoma and corneal and retinal diseases.

Rochester, MN-Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) caused small choroidal melanoma tumors to regress in most of the patients who were treated with this diode laser therapy. In a study of 40 patients, almost 80% of patients were successfully treated with one application of TTT. Additional therapy with TTT and other modalities was needed to treat some cases of small choroidal melanomas.

It is clear that there is insufficient evidence to recommend corticosteroids as a 'standard of care' for TON.

Denver-Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) proved to be a successful treatment in a patient with neovascular glaucoma.