News

As part of its commitment to the field of ophthalmology, Pfizer Inc. has developed and funded several philanthropic programs in the area of eye care.

Salt Lake City-The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL, Calhoun Vision) is an exciting new technology for the future, said Nick A. Mamalis, MD.

Anaheim, CA-An increasing number of IOLs are being developed to achieve improved vision in patients with extreme levels of myopia. One such lens is the Artisan/ Verisyse phakic IOL (Ophtec USA/Advanced Medical Optics), said R. Doyle Stulting, MD, PhD, who reported the results of the FDA clinical study here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Anaheim, CA-The recently approved model AT-45 accommodative IOL (Crystalens, eyeonics inc. [formerly C&C Vision]) is expected to be a very useful practice addition for surgeons in their management of presby-opia, said D. Michael Colvard, MD, at the International Society of Refractive Surgery/ American Academy of Oph-thalmology subspecialty day meeting.

Anaheim, CA-Although longer follow-up is needed to determine whether the pseu-dophakic, blue light-filter-ing IOL (AcrySof Natural, Alcon) reduces the risk of progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), available indirect evidence provides sufficient sup-port to advocate its use in cataract surgery, said Robert J. Cionni, MD.

Kansas City, KS-The new Emerald-Ease Simple Syringe Unfolder (AMO) offers cataract surgeons another alternative for implanting the AR-40E IOL (Sensar with Opti- Edge, AMO) through an unenlarged phaco incision, said John D. Hunkeler, MD.

Eugene, OR-Implantation of the anterior surface modified prolate IOL (Tecnis, Pfizer Ophthalmics) results in improved functional vision for cataract surgery patients compared with a standard spherical IOL, said Mark D. Packer, MD.

Munich, Germany-The AcrySof ReSTOR pseudoaccommodative IOL (Alcon) with its apodized diffractive optic provides patients with excellent near visual acuity without compromising distance vision, signifi- cantly reducing contrast sensitivity, or increasing the incidence of severe visual disturbances compared with monofocal con- trols, said James A. Davison, MD, FACS, at the XXI Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons here.

Kansas City, KS-The foldable acrylic AR-40E IOL (Sensar with OptiEdge, AMO) contin-ues to provide positive results as the number of eyes with implants and duration of follow-up increase, said John D. Hunkeler, MD.

Anaheim, CA-Refractive lens exchange (RLE) will become the dominant refractive procedure for treating hyperopia and myopia, as well as presbyopia, according to cataract/refractive specialist I. Howard Fine, MD, who spoke during the American Academy of Ophthalmology's refractive subspecialty day meeting.

Daniel H. Chang, MD, received his BS degree in chemistry with honors from the California Institute of Technology, where his investigational career began with a summer undergraduate research fellowship. He obtained his MD degree from Duke University, where he served as a research analyst. Dr. Chang is currently chief resident in ophthalmology at Emory University and will pursue a fellowship in cornea and external disease next year. Dr. Chang's research activities have included investigations of the free electron laser and corneal transplantation.

Kansas City, KS-LASIK using the S3 Variable Spot Scanning (VSS) excimer laser with ActiveTrack (VISX) to create an 8-mm ablation diameter effectively, predictably, and safely treats myopia and myopic astigmatism in patients with large scotopic pupils, according to the interim results of a prospective study reported by John F. Doane, MD, FACS.

New York-The software adjustability of optical zone size with the LADARVision 4000 excimer laser (Alcon) provides a benefit for treating patients with large entrance pupil sizes because it is likely to minimize total higher-order aberrations after LASIK, said Barrie D. Soloway, MD.

Houston-Results from a clinical practice study directly comparing wavefront analysis using two different technologies-ray tracing (Visual Function Analyzer version 1.1,VFA, Tracey Technologies) and a Hartmann-Shack-type aberrometer (WaveScan Version 3.01, VISX)-show that the machines are in good agreement in their measurements of refraction and root mean square (RMS) values for both lower-order and total aberrations, but not in their measurement of higher-order aberrations, according to Rahul T. Pandit, MD.

Dorado, Puerto Rico-The 26th annual "Current Concepts in Ophthalmology" meeting, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine/Wilmer Eye Institute and supported by Ophthalmology Times, will be held Feb. 20 to 23 at the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort.

Jacksonville, FL-Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. will begin selling ophthalmic pharmaceuticals for the first time under a distribution and supply deal with Santen Pharmaceutical Group.

Monrovia, CA-Officials at STAAR Surgical Co. are scrambling to answer questions raised by a warning letter from the FDA that criticized the company for failing to review product complaints adequately and ensure quality control of its manufacturing materials.

Anaheim, CA-LASIK can be safe and effective for correcting refractive errors in eyes with previous retinal detachment surgery, although alternative procedures may need to be considered because obtaining adequate microkeratome suction to create the lamellar cut may sometimes be a challenge, said Irina S. Barequet, MD, at the International Society of Refractive Surgery/American Academy of Ophthalmology subspecialty day meeting.

Anaheim, CA-Additive intralamellar corneal refractive surgery is an exciting new area of surgical development that may provide an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for the optical rehabilitation of the keratoconus patient, said David J. Schanzlin, MD, who delivered the Barraquer Lecture at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Anaheim, CA-Research-ers worldwide are focusing efforts on ocular toxoplasmosis in hopes of finding better preventive and treatment strategies for this parasitic disease, which can lead to permanent vision loss, according to Gary N. Holland, MD, who delivered the Jackson Memorial Lecture during the opening session of the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Washington, DC-Ten-year data from the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) show that 60% to 70% of patients initially treated with argon laser trabeculoplasty or trabeculectomy fared well with these treatments. In the 30% to 40% of remaining patients, however, treatment failed to maintain visual field and visual acuity. Baseline risk factors for loss of visual field included worse visual acuity, male gender, and the presence of diabetes mellitus.

Anaheim, CA-Scanning laser imaging is not a complete substitute for stereo disc photography of the optic disc-not right now anyway, according to George H. Tanaka, MD.

Generic brimonidine tartrate (Bausch & Lomb), which is formulated differently from the trade formulation (Alphagan P, Allergan), became widely available during the second half of 2003 and seems to be gaining acceptance with ophthalmologists in many cases because of the drug's lower cost.

Albany, CA-Patients with glaucoma who have had an allergic ocular reaction to brimonidine 0.2% (Alphagan, Allergan) also experience an allergic ocular reaction to brimonidine Purite 0.15% (Alphagan P). In patients with a known allergic response to brimonidine, the likelihood of the same reaction to the reformulation is high.

The fixed combination of timolol-dorzolamide (Cosopt, Merck) can be beneficial in glaucoma therapy for several reasons: prescribed in conjunction with a single agent such as a prostaglandin analog, it may achieve a greater reduction in the patient's IOP than the single agent alone, and it can improve compliance, according to two glaucoma experts.

The Bible is one of the most widely referenced books in the world. This month, we examine what the Bible, in particular, the Old Testament, had to say about eye care.

New Orleans-Ruboxistaurin mesylate, a protein kinase C (PKC) beta inhibitor, reduces loss of vision in patients with moderate-ly severe to very severe nonproliferativediabetic retinopathy, researchers reported at the American Diabetes Association meet-ing here.

Anaheim, CA-Results of a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study point to specific physician-related factors that significantly increase the risk of LASIK/PRK malpractice liability claims and lawsuits, said Richard L. Abbott, MD, at the International Society of Refractive Surgery/American Academy of Ophthalmology subspecialty day meeting.

Anaheim, CA-The quest to achieve perfect vision with wavefront-guided laser surgery began just a few years ago and is still continuing on a path to discovery, said Michael C. Mrochen, PhD, at the International Society of Refractive Surgery/American Academy of Ophthalmology sub- specialty day meeting.

Philadelphia-In about 80% of glaucoma cases, medication is the preferred initial approach for lowering IOP. However, the choice of medication must be made with the cognition of individual patient differences that can affect the tolerability and effectiveness of the drug, noted Marlene Moster, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology, Thomas Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia.