Articles

Corneal epithelial thickness mapping may become an easy and objective tool in the diagnosis of biomechanically unstable corneas and perhaps a multitude of anterior segment disorders.

As another year comes to an end, five members of Ophthalmology Times Europe’s Editorial Advisory Board reflect and share their perspectives on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for ophthalmologists in 2018, whilst also considering the potential challenges.

A combination of a topical corticosteroid and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is more effective than either one alone in reducing the risk of cystoid macular oedema (CME) after cataract surgery in nondiabetic patients, researchers say.

Children in Tel Aviv have been treated with nightly atropine drops, significantly slowing the progression of myopia.

Long-term observation of SMILE reveals high stability at various degrees of correction of myopia. This allows surgeons who apply this method of treatment to give patients a long-term prognosis.

After spending a few months testing for dry eye and treating the tear film before doing preoperative measurements, the re-treatment rate dropped from 11% to 3%.

A multidiagnostic device is able to provide consistent measurements of refraction and ocular aberrations in healthy eyes. The consistency of refractive measurements is not dependent on the magnitude of the refractive error, with the same precision ability for moderate to high myopia and for hyperopia.

Micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation utilises a different delivery modality than its predecessor, continuous-wave laser cycloablation, to produce a biological reaction without the lethal effects caused by thermal buildup.

During the past two decades, an incredible number of imaging technologies have been developed for eye diseases, both for diagnosis and follow-up.

Roughly 300 million people are visually impaired-38 million of whom are blind and most of whom live in so-called developing countries. However, there are many institutions with specific campaigns aimed at eliminating preventable blindness.

One source of error in IOL power calculation is the use of the classical keratometric approach for the characterisation of the corneal optics. This approach is based on the assumption of only one corneal surface and a fictitious index of refraction (keratometric index, nk) for obtaining an estimation of the corneal power (Pk).

Every ophthalmologist requires precise surgical tools with which he or she can perform surgery safely and accurately in order to ensure optimal outcomes. The availability of high-quality microsurgical instruments has increased over the past decade with manufacturers continually modifying and optimising existing instruments.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for cenegermin eye drops (Oxervate, Dompé) for the treatment of moderate to severe neurotrophic keratitis.

A three-day exhibition that shows how people with visual impairments can appreciate a wide range of art forms was unveiled at the Science Museum on 8th August 2017.

Today, a visit to the commercial exhibitions of major meetings is a real show, with companies’ booths offering amazing high-tech devices that promise to address the specific needs we have in our practices. Although such technology impresses us, we seldom receive information on the evidence-based data surrounding its effectiveness, its cost-benefit analysis and the potential for obsolescence.

Adding objective point-of-care dry eye diagnostics to your practice has deep, measurable effects, including more accurate and consistent IOL power calculations.

High-intensity focused ultrasound cyclocoagulation is safe and effective in most refractory glaucomatous eyes. Complete success was achieved in 80% (24/30) of treated eyes that had undergone the maximum of three procedures.

Two questionnaires used to measure quality of life in people with strabismus overlap but differ in important areas, according to researchers.

This case study presents the results and advantages of phacoemulsification, which Dr Dieter W Klass and his team applied after previous implantation of an iris-fixated phakic IOL (pIOL) (Artisan, Ophtec) for the correction of high myopia without explantation of the pIOL.

A pioneering dye-based technique that enables aqueous humour outflow to be studied has the potential to improve glaucoma angle-based procedures and surgery outcomes.

An implantable glaucoma sensor has received CE mark approval for marketing in the European Union. The sensor (Eyemate, Implandata Ophthalmic Products) can provide frequent IOP readings, informing patients and their physicians about how the pressure changes by time of day and from one day to another.

A committee of the European Medicines Agency has recommended approval of cenegermin (Oxervate, Dompé) eye drops for neurotrophic keratitis.

Mooren’s ulcers completely healed in 5 patients treated with rituximab after conventional treatment failed, according to researchers.

An aircraft that houses an ophthalmic teaching hospital, containing an on-board operating theatre, training and broadcasting facilities, and treatment rooms, recently visited London Stansted Airport in the UK.

Most ocular structures become luminescent for a short time when exposed to a light source of appropriate wavelength; this phenomenon is known as autofluorescence (AF). AF is due to the presence of fluorescent substances called fluorophores.

The IC-8 IOL (AcuFocus) is one of the new class of extended-depth-of-focus (EDOF) IOLs that is definitively altering the landscape of cataract surgery in Europe and around the world. Whereas monofocal and multifocal lenses have one or two distinct focal points, an EDOF-IOL creates one elongated focal point, though each lens does so in a different way.

Researchers have injected their first patient with a virus engineered to remodel the gene responsible for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP).

Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose--a line written (1913) by Gertrude Stein and its variations in a famous quotation are often interpreted as meaning “things are what they are--makes a statement of the law of identity, and in the post-factum age is ever more meaningful. An ophthalmologist could as well write: “Cataract is a cataract is a cataract is a cataract,” ICD-10 Code H25.0 for the diagnosis “Cataracta senilis incipiens” in its earliest stage and notably with a surgical history of more than 2,500 years.

Failure to follow-up after ophthalmology appointments can damage patients’ health, a new study suggests. “In our view, national consideration should be given to create targets for reporting how well providers are managing follow-up patients,” reported A Davis and colleagues in the journal Eye.