News

I recall a case during residency when I was chopping quadrants of a dense cataract in a short eye with poor dilation and pseudoexfoliation. For medical reasons, the anesthesiologist kept the sedation light. That, combined with topical anesthesia, made this patient very awake and very able to move his eye all over the field.

London-Chronic ingestion of aspirin does not seem to have any effect on the intraoperative and postoperative bleeding associated with phacoemulsification, reported Partha Biswas, MS.

Vancouver, British Columbia-iCo Therapeutics Inc. announced that David S. Boyer, MD, will join its strategic advisory team.

Sarasota, FL-RefractivePartners has named Kristen Meister as director, vision correction consulting services.

Leverkusen, Germany, and Tarrytown, NY-Bayer Healthcare and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have entered into a collaboration agreement for the global development of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap for possible treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic eye diseases, and other eye diseases and disorders.

Grand Rapids, MI-Just as the preoperative evaluation of patients about to undergo corneal transplantations involves numerous factors, so does the postoperative management of patients who have undergone these procedures, especially penetrating keratoplasty (PK). David D. Verdier, MD, outlined how to care for these patients with special emphasis on corneal surface problems, which he believes are responsible for a high percentage of graft failures.

Baltimore-Results of a prospective randomized trial conducted in Ethiopia demonstrated that a single dose of oral azithromycin (Zithromax, Pfizer) after trichiasis surgery safely and significantly reduced trichiasis recurrence compared with a 6-week course of topical treatment with tetracycline ointment, reported Sheila K. West, PhD, and colleagues.

Loma Linda, CA-Recovery of full visual function is possible in eyes with stage IV diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) using a novel management paradigm that is based on a new pathophysiologic model of the disorder, said Brian R. Will, MD, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA.

New options for patients, such as multifocal IOLs; refinements in surgery, such as Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratopathy (DSAEK); and encouraging results from technology in the pipeline, such as intracorneal inlays, which would provide another new avenue for patients with presbyopia; as well as high marks received by the femtosecond laser (IntraLase FS, IntraLase Corp.) for cutting flaps-these are but a few of the refractive surgery high points of 2006 cited by ophthalmic surgeons.

If Congress should offer a financial bonus to physicians who participate in a voluntary Medicare physician-reporting program, ophthalmologists will be ready.

New York-Pfizer Inc. has acquired the worldwide license to a novel human gene that could have the potential to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Union City, CA-MacuSight Inc. is beginning a phase I study of its lead product candidate in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Indianapolis, IN-Eli Lilly and Co. said it is "weighing its options" regarding further development of ruboxistaurin mesylate after the FDA requested an additional 3-year, phase III clinical trial of the molecule that could treat severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Cleveland-Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc. has logged its 2,600th installation of the GDx Scanning Laser Polarimeter, this time in the offices of Douglas P. Webb, MD.

San Diego-A world-renowned authority on the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of disease will deliver the Manus C. Kraff Lecture on Science and Medicine at the 2007 Symposium of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in April.

Aliso Viejo, CA-eyeonics Inc. has launched its new crystalens Five-O, an IOL with an increased optic size and parallel plates.

Leverkusen, Germany, and Tarrytown, NY-Bayer Healthcare and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have entered into a collaboration agreement for the global development of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap for possible treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic eye diseases, and other eye diseases and disorders.

San Diego-TargeGen Inc. has initiated a single-site phase I clinical trial involving TG100801, a small molecule, topically applied multi-targeted kinase inhibitor for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other debilitating diseases of the eye.

East Hanover, NJ-The FDA has approved the over-the-counter (OTC) use of ketotifen fumarate ophthalmic solution 0.025% (Zaditor) for the temporary prevention of itchy eyes due to allergic conjunctivitis. The drops treat eye itch associated with pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair, and dander without the potentially negative effects of a decongestant.

Houston-Intestinal surgeries-such as gastric bypass, resections of the large and small bowel, and gallbladder removal-may interfere with the intestine's ability to absorb vitamin A, resulting in the potential for severe deficiencies and compromised vision.

London-A new operating microscope for cataract surgery that uses near-infrared light to illuminate the surgical field offers several advantages compared with the conventional microscope, including possible faster visual recovery and the potential to avoid phototoxic retinopathy.

Novagali Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company specializing in ophthalmology, has completed the enrollment for its phase III study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a potential treatment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). Enrollment for the international study was completed much earlier than expected, the company said, indicating an unmet need for a treatment.

Biovitrum, a Stockholm-based biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a clinical phase II study with the candidate drug BVT.28949, a 5-HT2A antagonist for treating glaucoma.

London- One of the most revolutionary technological changes in corneal transplant surgery in decades is beginning to hit clinics around the world. A software and hardware upgrade for the femtosecond laser (IntraLase FS, IntraLase Corp.) has been released to help surgeons design custom incision shapes that improve surgical precision and promote faster healing.

Clinton, CT- Ophthalmology Resources LLC recently launched Dispensing Ophthalmology online, a virtual tool to help make optical dispensaries more successful and more profitable. Dispensing Ophthalmology, located at www.dispensingophthalmology.com, provides access to and complete details on two new services: optical production tracking and Medicare post-cataract eyewear education.

Fewer than 10 years ago I sat in the audience at the first "Array Familiarization Course" offered in San Francisco at the conclusion of the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting. A highlight of the course for me was I. Howard Fine, MD's response to a question about the best refractive procedure for a 60-year-old patient with 6 D of myopia. The first FDA approvals for excimer laser ablation recently had come through, and LASIK was on everyone's mind. Dr. Fine, however, proposed refractive lens exchange with the Array lens, offering complete spectacle independence. The idea clicked.

Miami-When other possible treatments for ectasia fail, lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty (PK) may be the last resort for these patients.

Minneapolis-Alterations in corneal properties in both keratoconus and Fuchs' corneal dystrophy can affect the accuracy of Goldmann tonometry, highlighting the importance of validating newer methods of measuring IOP and of further studying the metrics of corneal biomechanical properties, according to Jeff Sanderson, MD, an ophthalmologist in private practice in Minneapolis.