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Gerald J. Harris, MD, the recipient of the Wendell L. Hughes Award for 2006, delivered the lecture entitled "Oculofacial Reconstruction after Mohs Surgery" during a symposium on oculoplastic surgery at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting.

"The distribution and causes of vision loss today are vastly different from 100 years ago when Edward Jackson was in practice."

Preliminary results of excimer laser LASIK treatment of hyperopia with the WaveLight Allegretto Wave are encouraging, although longer follow-up is needed, said Daniel S. Durrie, MD, of Durrie Vision, Overland Park, KS.

There have been a number of recent advances in ophthalmology that are leading to improved care and enhanced outcomes for patients undergoing refractive surgery, cataract removal with IOL implantation, and those with ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

Chronic dry eye is highly prevalent and has a significant impact, yet it is simultaneously underdiagnosed, underappreciated, and undertreated, said Christopher J. Rapuano, MD, co-director of the refractive surgery department, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia

Omesh Gupta, MD, MBA, of Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, was named the winner of the fourth annual Ophthalmology Times Resident Writer's Award Program. The program was sponsored by Advanced Medical Optics (AMO).

In a large prospective study of patients with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), researchers found that worsening of vision in dim lighting in this patient population was a strong predictor of subsequent vision loss, according to Janet S. Sunness, MD, medical director of the Richard E. Hoover Rehabilitation Services for Low Vision and Blindness in the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

Online risk calculator will guide in management of ocular hypertension

Study results analyzing data collected with the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA, Reichert) are providing insight into how the parameters may differ in various patient populations and suggesting potential uses of this device in patient evaluation.

In patients undergoing primary pterygium excision with conjunctival autografting, use of a fibrin tissue adhesive (Tisseel VH Fibrin Sealant) to adhere the graft can improve long-term outcomes by lowering recurrence rates, according to the findings of a retrospective case series presented by investigators from the University of California-Irvine.

UVA-induced collagen crosslinking (CCL) followed by surface excimer ablation shows promise as a safe and effective technique for visual rehabilitation in eyes with keratoconus or postLASIK ectasia, said A. John Kanellopoulos, MD.

Special awards recipients advance AAO mission for eye care

Applying new philanthropy to blindness prevention

Gerald J. Harris, MD, the recipient of the Wendell L. Hughes Award for 2006, delivered the lecture entitled "Oculofacial Reconstruction after Mohs Surgery" during a symposium on oculoplastic surgery at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting.

The SOLX Gold Micro-Shunt (GMS, OccuLogix) is a novel approach to treating increased IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma that does not respond to other therapies and is a good alternative to trabeculectomy, according to Shlomo Melamed, MD, an investigator based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

VISX University celebrated its 10th anniversary Friday at the Sands Expo Center with record attendance. More than 400 physicians and practice managers joined the general session and breakout courses.

The new SofPort AO violet-filtering aspheric lens from Bausch & Lomb features innovative technology that blocks high-energy violet light while preserving blue light.

"Physicians must realize that dispensing is a retail business and it's a totally different breed of cat than having a surgical practice," said Phernell C. Walker II, ABOM, Master in Ophthalmic Optics.

"The doctor helps you to see good; the staff helps you to look good."

The Pascal photocoagulator (OptiMedica) offers patients a quicker, less painful way to undergo panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). In addition, the system provides physicians with a less tedious experience while delivering a clinical response that is comparable to conventional photocoagulation, according to several speakers at a OptiMedica-sponsored meeting Saturday evening.

Successful long-term management of glaucoma requires a full spectrum of tools. These may include new technologies and pharmaceutical agents as well as interventional approaches involving laser or surgical therapy.

A pilot study of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech), a vascular endothelial growth factor antagonist, showed that the drug is effective for treating diabetic macular edema, reported Peter Campochiaro, MD, who spoke at the Retina Subspecialty Day.

Ruboxistaurin (Arxxant, Eli Lilly) may be a useful new tool to prevent visual loss from diabetic retinopathy based on the results of the DRS2 Study, reported Lloyd Aiello, MD, PhD, during Retina Subspecialty Day. The study showed a reduction in the sustained vision loss compared with placebo. A total of 685 patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes participated in this multicenter randomized phase III clinical study that was completed late in 2005, according to Dr. Aiello. He is associate professor of ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, and investigator and head of eye research, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston.

Sleep apnea is associated with many eye diseases. While contradictory evidence exists of an association with glaucoma, it cannot be ruled out.

Collagen crosslinking is showing promise as a method for arresting progressive hyperopia after radial keratotomy (RK) and laser ablation, said Brian S. Boxer Wachler, MD, at Refractive Surgery 2006.

With the introduction of the Spectralis HRA+OCT (Heidelberg Engineering), two diagnostic technologies for retinal imaging are available in one instrument, offering a broad range of research and clinical applications, explained Frank Holz, MD, at the Heidelberg Engineering media event prior to the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Patients with symptoms of dry eye make up about 30% of patients in the general ophthalmology practice, yet until lately management of this common condition was difficult due to the complex, multifactorial nature of the disease and the subjective nature of patients' complaints. However, recent breakthroughs in understanding of dry eye are leading to improved diagnostic and treatment approaches.

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