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Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is not reversible so doctors need to apply their surgical wisdom to identify the most appropriate cases, Jorge Alió of the Instituto Oftalmologico de Alicante, Spain said. Often indications are based on the simplicity of the procedure but that doesn't always balance well with the best patient benefit.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is an effective treatment for glaucoma and offers good long term outlooks, according to Madhu Nagar of the Clayton Eye Centre, UK.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is effective as both a primary and a secondary treatment for patients with ocular hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), according to the results of two studies presented at the Ellex symposium.

The IntraLase femtosecond FS30 laser creates a more predictable and more stable flap thickness than the Hansatome XP microkeratome (Bausch & Lomb) and the IntraLase femtosecond FS2 laser, according to research conducted by Baha Toygar and colleagues from Turkey.

In most eyes, the benefits of refractive lens exchange (RLE) outweigh the risks and it can provide a large improvement in patient quality of life, David Hardten said.

Among the different IOL options for presbyopia, monofocals are probably by far the most practically used ones said Thomas Neuhann. He added that competing options must be able to beat an already high level of success and patient satisfaction.

Instability in the pressure line could explain the pumping phenomena sometimes reported during cataract surgery, according to Carlos Verges, Jorge Cazal and Cosme Lavin of the Department of Ophthalmology, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.

According to Manfred Tetz and colleagues, Germany, dilation and tensioning of Schlemm's canal may be an effective, non-penetrating surgical method for the treatment of open angle glaucoma (OAG).

Mixing and matching diffractive and refractive multifocal lenses increases overall visual performance by enhancing range of vision, according to Angel López Castro of the Laservisión Clínica Oftalmológica in Madrid, Spain.

Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) should be used before alteration of treatment or trabeculectomy, according to the findings of a study conducted by Bharat Kapoor and a team of colleagues from the UK.

Great care and detailed assessment are essential for cataract extractions where another ocular surface disease (OSD) is present, Thomas Neuhann said. Diseases range from dry eye, conjuntivalisation, irregular surfaces and corneal scars.

The use of the ReSTOR intraocular lens (IOL) (Alcon) for patients requiring cataract surgery after prior laser photoablation can result in excellent outcomes if optical results fall near emmetropia, according to Samuel Masket of the USA.

The Zyoptix XP (Bausch & Lomb) microkeratome achieved increased stromal bed quality when compared with both standard and zero compression Hansatome heads (Bausch & Lomb), Thomas Hammer said.

The Tecnis multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) is safe and efficacious for refractive lensectomy in hyperopia and presbyopia, according to Frank Goes, Belgium.

A number of studies have been conducted and presented during a free paper session, supporting Alcon's research into its investigational AcrySof angle-supported phakic intraocular lens (IOL).

There is no current proof that blocking blue wavelengths guarantees retinal protection and, couple this with the fact that blocking this form of light causes an actual loss in visual quality, Alessandro Franchini MD, suggests we concentrate our efforts on blocking UV and violet radiations instead.

An initial clinical evaluation of the new ESIRIS excimer laser with integrated, online, optical coherence pachymetry (Schwind), showed that constant corneal monitoring is an important safety feature for LASIK procedures, Kumar J. Doctor said.

LASIK patients who make complaints symptomatic of dry eye may be suffering not from dry eye but from damaged, aberrantly regenerating nerve cells, said Timo Tervo.

The LADAR 6000 excimer laser with high-speed ablation (Alcon) offers excellent visual outcomes, according to Ángel López Castro of Spain, speaking at the Alcon symposium.

It is mandatory to develop precise , reproducible and accurate methodologies to obtain objective measurements of quality of vision, namely night vision, in order to create surgical techniques that will eliminate post-refractive vision disturbances, Joachim Murta said.

While smooth wavefronts are to be preferred, some abberations may be beneficial and further study is need to identify them, said Jos Rozema, MD, of University Hospital Antwerp, Belgium.

Phacoemulsification procedures consume significantly less fluid using torsional compared with longituinal ultrasound in hard cataract cases, according to Khiun Tjia of the Netherlands.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) announced the launch of the Tecnis CL intraocular lens (IOL) at the XXIV congress of the ESCRS.

The primary function of biomechanical measurements is to improve safety and doctors can readily use these metrics in clinical practice today through the use of proxies, said William J. Dupps, MD.

The age of refractive surgery has introduced new aberrations to the human eye that require a shift in how visual performance is evaluated, said Ray Applegate, MD. Mesopic low contrast acuity best quantifies vision quality; it overcomes the weaknesses of other metrics and it can predict visual function among individuals.

The new MICS lens (Ioltech-Zeiss) is appropriate for the correction of intermediate vision in pseudophakia, according to Carlos Verges, Jorge Cazal and Marc Menezo of the Department of Ophthalmology, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.

The ophthalmic equipment manufacturer, bon optic, has unveiled its new topographer to the ophthalmic community.

Addition Technology Inc. has acquired CooperVision Surgical’s AlphaCor and AlphaSphere and plans to add these products to the Intacs line of corneal implants.