News

Fremont, CA-Nidek Inc. has submitted its hyperopia PMA clinical module to the FDA for review and approval of its EC-5000 Excimer Laser System for hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism, and mixed astigmatism. This marks the final step in gaining commercialization approval by the FDA to market and treat indications of hyperopia with the Nidek system.

Sint-Truiden, Belgium-Implantation of the toric Artisan IOL (Ophtec BV, Groningen, the Netherlands) is a safe technique for use in patients with moderate and high levels of astigmatism, according to Camille Budo, MD, an ophthalmologist in Sint-Truiden, Belgium.

Nice, France-Preliminary data suggest that visual outcomes are excellent with the VISX WavePrint ablation method (VISX) for custom laser vision correction. At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting, Douglas D. Koch, MD, described results of the VISX Study Group with 171 patients. He is professor of ophthalmology, The Allen, Mosbacher, and Law Chair in Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Boston-Joan W. Miller, MD, has become the first female physician to be named a full professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.

Fairfax, VA-Mark Packer, MD, and Connie S. McCaa, MD, have been appointed to serve on the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Board of Councilors as representatives of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) membership.

Orlando, FL-Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, a specialist in corneal, cataract, refractive, and laser surgery, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society of Refractive Surgery

Alameda, CA-InSite Vision Inc.'s antibiotic product ISV-401 has proved safe and effective for treating acute bacterial conjunctivitis in a phase II clinical study.

Melville, NY-Nikon Instruments Inc. has formed two new business divisions to streamline its microscope operations.

All Joint Meeting attendees may participate in the PAAO programs that include instruction courses and symposia. All PAAO instruction courses and symposia were selected by the PAAO's Scientific Program Committee.

There's only one chance for a physician to make a first impression and to make that first impression a lasting one.

The desire to save money on legal fees is an autonomic response for lots of physicians. "Let's just keep things simple. We don't need a fancy contract-we trust each other, right?"

Washington, DC-Co-management of cataract and refractive surgery patients may seem like a risky endeavor for ophthalmologists, exposing them to liability under the anti-kickback law. However, this doesn't have to be the case, noted Michael A. Romansky, JD.

"Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom."

Citrus Heights, CA-The LADARVision system (Alcon, Fort Worth, TX) performed well with improved outcomes in the first 90 days in a study conducted to determine the effect on outcomes of incorporation of a new laser platform into a refractive practice.

Alicante, Spain-Wavefront-guided LASIK followed 3 months later with a refinement procedure seems to be an effective method for correcting residual refractive error, according to Jorge Alio, MD, PhD, professor and chairman, department of ophthalmology, University Miguel Hernandez, Alicante, Spain.

Minneapolis-Patients with lower amounts of myopia benefit from LASIK using the Technolas 217A laser (Bausch & Lomb Surgical, San Dimas, CA), according to refractive surgeon Richard L. Lindstrom, MD.

Sydney, Australia-Wavefront-guided ablations using the LADARWave CustomCornea Wavefront System (Alcon Surgical, Fort Worth, TX) produced fewer spherical aberrations than seen in conventionally treated eyes, according to an updated report of the FDA clinical trials at the International Congress of Ophthalmology meeting here.

Vancouver, British Columbia-Bacterial endotoxin is not susceptible to short-cycle (3-minute) sterilization during LASIK, but dry heat or endotoxin-free water during steam sterilization may help prevent diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) when short-cycle sterilization is used, according to Simon P. Holland, MD.

We have been hearing about wavefront technology and its potential for a year or more, with escalating expectations, as well as considerable promotion about the capabilities of this technology-some even rising to the level of hype. Wavefront's true potential, however, is just beginning to be explored.

Chicago-The results of two studies using the VISX PreVue Method (Santa Clara, CA) showed very good visual outcomes after1 year in patients with low myopia andcomparable results in patients with moderate myopia, according to Colman R. Kraff, MD, director of the Kraff Eye Institute, and a clinical instructor at Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago.

Bethesda, MD-Clinicians can feel confident in prescribing nutritional supplements for patients who are at risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to Emily Y. Chew, MD.

The management of refractory and complex glaucoma is a challenging and often humbling undertaking. These difficult-to-treat glaucomas include neovascular, traumatic, uveitic, secondary angle closure, postsurgical, and refractory open-angle glaucoma (OAG).

Rockville Centre, NY-Phacoemulsification can safely be performed through a 1.2-mmincision using WhiteStar technology (Advanced Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA). This new technology delivers bursts of energy hundreds of times per second that disperses rapidly in the eye, according to Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD.

New York-The incidence of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was found to be significantly lower following cataract extraction with the Nd:YAG laser (Dodick photolysis system, ARC Laser Corp.) than with conventional phaco, according to a study performed at the Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital (MEETH), New York.

Los Angeles-Polishing the anterior capsule after phacoemulsification and lens implantation does not appear to reduce the incidence of posterior capsular opacification (PCO). In fact, substantially more eyes that underwent this procedure after cataract surgery needed posterior capsulotomy, a startling finding reported by Kevin M. Miller, MD.

High myopia (HM) is defined as a myopic refractive error of more than 6 D associated with degenerative posterior and peripheral fundus changes. Due to progressive scleral stretching and vitreous degeneration, these eyes develop typical pathologic features at the posterior pole, such as posterior staphyloma, progressive atrophy of choriocapillaris (CC) and choroid, linear ruptures of Bruch's membrane (lacquer cracks), and retinal thinning, and also frequent peripheral rhegmatogenous retinal lesions.

Chennai, India-Phakonit, a cataract extraction technique, accompanied by implantation of rollable IOLs through ultra-small incisions, seems to be an excellent option for cataract extraction that minimizes the induction of astigmatism, according to Amar Agarwal, MD.

Since its introduction in early 1998,the Memory Lens (CIBA Vision) has gained increasing popularity. This is due in large part to its ease of handling and insertion.