News

Iowa City, IA-Investigators here have identified subtle gene defects that underlie some cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), providing clues to the origin and possibly treatment of the condition, but at the same time suggesting a broad molecular-biological diversity.

Los Angeles-Conventional LASIK for the treatment of myopia using the scanning slit excimer laser system (EC-5000, Nidek) affords visual acuity, predictability, and safety outcomes that are comparable to-if not slightly better than-those achieved with Hartmann-Shack aberrometer-driven ablations with other laser systems, according to the preliminary results of a retrospective study performed by Paul J. Dougherty, MD.

Lexington, KY-Mice deficient in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (Ccl-2) or its cognate C-C chemokine receptor-2 (Ccr-2) provide a high-fidelity model of atrophic and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and studies performed with those animals so far implicate a role for macrophage dysfunction in AMD pathogenesis, said Jayakrishna Ambati, MD.

Iowa City, IA-Investigators here have identified subtle gene defects that underlie some cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), providing clues to the origin and possibly treatment of the condition, but at the same time suggesting a broad molecular-biological diversity.

Unless action is taken, resident training and patient care may suffer

San Diego-The WaveScan System (VISX) may be a valuable method to measure refractions accurately and objectively before LASIK.

The fourth-generation fluoroquinolones gatifloxacin 0.3% (Zymar, Allergan) and moxifloxacin 0.5% (Viga- mox, Alcon Laboratories) provide safe, potent, and broad-spectrum coverage against bacterial pathogens that are important in post-refractive surgery infections, and based on that profile should be considered the treatment of choice for antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing excimer laser refractive procedures, agree Daniel S. Durrie, MD, and William Trattler, MD.

How nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) and anti-infective drugs are used during cataract and refractive procedures varies depending with the procedure and the physician performing it. A few high-volume refractive surgeons explained their regimens and why use of the drugs differs.

New York-Aqueous misdirection is "a rare, but serious complication of intraocular surgery" that requires immediate attention to prevent lasting damage, Celso Tello, MD, told participants at the Glaucoma 2004 meeting here.

A fourth-nerve palsy is a common cause of acquired vertical diplopia in the adult. These patients typically complain of vertical diplopia and tilting (torsion) of objects. The history and exam should focus on any other neurologic signs or symptoms, recent head trauma, vasculopathic risk factors, and prior symptoms suggestive of a congenital or long-standing palsy.

Cleveland-Comprehensive ophthalmologists Richard E. Gans, MD, FACS, and Shari Martyn, MD, have joined the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Center.

Santa Barbara, CA-Miravant Medical Technologies will launch an additional clinical trial in an effort to meet the FDA's conditions for final marketing approval of its tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2).

Washington, DC-Pfizer Ophthalmic's patented formulation of latanoprost (Xalatan) is safe from competition for now, after the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has refused to step in and license generic versions.

Miami-Integrin antagonists may offer a potent alternative strategy for the treatment of sight-threatening eye diseases associated with angiogenesis, said Martin Friedlander, MD, PhD, at Angiogenesis 2004.

San Diego-An evaluation of the first group of patients to undergo conductive keratoplasty (CK) performed by Ronald Friedman, MD, indicates that the procedure can be safely used to treat hyperopia and presbyopia and is easily introduced into an average-volume practice with a refractive and cataract base.

Three months after the . . . procedure, there was a substantial reduction in higher-order aberrations, coma, and spherical aberration.

From a patient's perspective, using a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) before and after cataract or refractive surgery can help to ease pain, swelling, and irritation, and accelerate the return of visual acuity. From a surgeon's perspective, using an NSAID reduces surgical complications and makes surgery easier: it keeps the pupils larger, allowing for quicker and less traumatic procedures. It also prevents cystoid macular edema (CME) and reduces the incidence of striae because it suppresses pain and, therefore, the patient's tendency to squeeze/rub the eyes post-surgery. This article will examine the different classes of NSAIDs, compare their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity, and determine the potency of different NSAIDs.

Plymouth Meeting, PA-Genaera Corp. is expanding its third U.S. phase II clinical trial of squalamine, its small-molecule, anti-angiogenic drug for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

San Diego-Cold ultrasound technology [WhiteStar, Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO)] allows the efficient removal of all densities of cataracts and is as safe as a pulsed laser microincision phacoemulsification system. A major advantage of the cold ultrasound system is that it dramatically reduces the phacoemulsification time compared with laser phacoemulsification.