Articles

Drugs which slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease may also protect patients at risk of eye damage from glaucoma, according to researchers at the University College London (UCL), UK.

Gene therapy is not a new concept; scientists have worked tirelessly over the years to try and identify genes that encode particular diseases, with a view to designing therapies that could, one day, eradicate certain debilitating or even fatal conditions.

In industrialized countries, ocular trauma is the second leading cause of blindness among the over 50s population and the leading cause of monocular blindness among the general population; thus representing an important social health problem.

The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England is to delay issuing guidance on Lucentis and Macugen after an unprecedented patient outcry over its decision to block access to them.

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority has approved publication of Alcon's tender offer document for WaveLight AG. This tender offer marks the second step in the completion of Alcon's acquisition of WaveLight.

As with all medical disciplines, the goal of every surgeon is to perform surgery that is minimally invasive, in order to reduce the risk of unwanted complications and a poor postoperative appearance, and to increase patient comfort and satisfaction.

AMO is voluntarily recalling its Complete MoisturePlus contact lens solutions after receiving data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) linking the solution with an increase in the occurrence of the eye infection, acanthamoeba keratitis.

Bausch & Lomb is suing Alcon, claiming that it made false advertising claims about Bausch & Lomb's contact lens solution, ReNu MultiPlus.

Alcon has announced its intention to acquire WaveLight AG by means of a friendly takeover, with both parties entering into a business combination agreement.

Insertion of a SmartPlug (Medennium) can be an effective management tool for severe dry eye syndrome.

Angle-supported phakic IOLs can no longer be sold or implanted in France because of their association with significant endothelial cell loss, which was discovered in patients two to three years after implantation.

Topcon Medical Systems has received FDA approval for its 3D OCT-1000. Meanwhile, the firm has also announced that it is to become the sole European distributor of OptiMedica's Pascal Photocoagulator.

Optos has launched a new version of its proprietary retinal imaging software, V2 Vantage.

Results from Phase II continuation studies of pegaptanib sodium (Macugen) for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO), found that the relative benefits of the treatment were maintained throughout the continuation period with no new safety signals to report.

Opko Health has entered into an agreement to acquire the Canadian company, Ophthalmic Technologies.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has submitted a proposal to acquire Bausch & Lomb for $75 per share in cash and AMO stock.

The FDA has sent Allergan a warning letter relating to misleading information printed in a professional journal advertisement for its ophthalmic solution, Acular LS.

Ellex has launched a website that is to become the primary online resource for the company's selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) users.

AMO has received FDA approval for the Advanced CustomVue Monovision procedure, the first wavefront-guided procedure for the correction of myopic prebyopes, with or without astigmatism.

The FDA has approved an import license application for the iCare tonometer, produced by Finnish firm Tiolat Oy.

A unique nanoparticle has been developed that could prove to be an effective drug delivery device for the treatment of glaucoma.

A 3-D computer automated threshold Amsler grid test is able to identify abnormalities characteristic of glaucoma in glaucoma suspects whose achromatic Humphrey visual field test was normal.

A new gene has been discovered which, when mutated, causes Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA), a common form of inherited blindness in babies.

A potential new treatment approach for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may be possible now that insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) has been found to play an important role in promoting the development of retinal blood vessels.

Community optometrists trained in glaucoma can provide satisfactory decisions regarding diagnosis and initiation of treatment.

People who drink coffee are less likely to develop primary late onset blepharospasm.

Five of the largest European ophthalmic societies have founded a new supranational society — The Federation of European Ophthalmology.

High-tension open angle glaucoma (htOAG) is associated with high pulse pressure, increased carotid arterial stiffness and, in people treated for systemic hypertension, low diastolic perfusion pressure.

Researchers from University College London (UCL), Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University of Sheffield, UK are launching a pioneering project that plans to use stem cells to cure blindness resulting from age-related macular degeneration.

The European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE) celebrated its 50th anniversary at its 2007 Jubilee Congress, held in June, in partnership with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.