Articles

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has announced that Saflutan (tafluprost) has been accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Advanced Cell Technology has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase I/II multicenter study using embryonic-stem-cell-derived retinal cells to treat patients with Stargardt?s Macular Dystrophy (SMD).

A study into the process of retinal cell death could hold the key to stopping a variety of eye diseases that cause blindness, according to a report from a team of researchers from the Yale School of Medicine reported in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

Poor communication is leading to a high number of mistakes in ophthalmic surgeries, according to a study published in the November issue of Archives of Surgery.

NeoVista has announced that treatment for neovascular AMD using the company?s VIDON ANV Therapy System has begun in Europe. The new system replaces the current course of eye injections with a surgical vitrectomy and a single dose of beta radiation.

Oertli?s new surgical platform Faros, has received its CE mark after meeting EU consumer safety, health or environmental requirements. This important step for the platform keeps it on schedule for an expected March 2010 release.

The IOPtiMate laser-based system, from the Bio-Light Group, used for the non-invasive filtration treatment of glaucoma has received European Patent Office approval.

The NAVILAS laser system, as reported on in the OTE Digest back in May this year ( What is Retinal Navigation? ) has been given FDA approval.

Lumenis is to undertake a clinical study into the efficacy of selective retina therapy (SRT) in diabetic macular oedema (DME).

Ellex Medical Lasers Ltd. unveiled the latest version of its diagnostic ultrasound system (Eye Cubed) at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Adrienne Graves, CEO of Santen Inc., has been appointed to the Glaucoma Research Foundation?s board of directors.

The German-based company VRmagic has introduced an augmented reality simulator for the training of binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy.

Reports presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) conference suggest that doctors may be able to assist in predicting Alzheimer's disease.

“It is time for paediatric ophthalmologists to reassess how best to screen and treat their smallest, frailest patients,” said Dr. John Flynn of Columbia University School of Medicine, speaking at the Paediatric Ophthalmology symposium, being held alongside the AAO in San Francisco.

Allergan Inc. has won a ruling in federal court that its patents on Alphagan, which lowers pressure in the eye in patients with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension, were infringed.

STAAR Surgical Company has reported that the Collamer Accommodating Study Team (CAST) formed by the company in late 2008 has provided very promising initial patient vision assessments from the first phase of the project.

Real-time biomedical studies of factors leading to vision impairment are now possible through one of the world's largest ocular research centre at Lions Eye Institute for Transplant & Research.

In Ophthalmology V Borderie et al., analyze graft survival and the outcome of the corneal endothelium after corneal transplantation in a single model to predict the long-term prognosis of these grafts

Two Phase III studies of Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) in macular oedema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO), have shown, on average, patients given either of two doses of Lucentis had a clinically and statistically significant improvement in vision as measured by the primary endpoint of mean change from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at six months compared to patients receiving sham injections. Results from both trials were presented at the Retina Congress 2009 meeting.

According to M Rekas et al., in The Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery torsional phacoemulsification was found to be more effective than longitudinal phacoemulsification in the amount of applied fluid and the quantity of US energy expended.

Investigators from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the VA Boston Healthcare System have shown, at 6 months in a small group of patients, that there is no difference in efficacy between Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

According to the Review of OphthalmologyRefinements in tools and technique are leading to better outcomes, fewer complications and promising new versions of the surgery.

Bausch & Lomb, has acquired the commercial assets of Italian ophthalmic pharmaceuticals business, Tubilux Pharma S.p.A, which markets proprietary, over-the-counter and branded generic products.

Following intrastromal corneal ring sement implantation five years ago for the management of keratoconus, The Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery has published long-term follow up results.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) comes under the spotlight in a new book by Professor Gabriel Coscas.

LX214, a topical mixed nanomicellar formulation of voclosporin, has completed its Phase 1 human safety and an open-label pilot efficacy study and is being heralded by its maker Lux Biosciences as a promising treatment for dry eye.

Dr Jorge Alio, a valued member of Ophthalmology Times Europe?s Editorial Advisory Board, has been acknowledged by The Cornea Research Foundation of America (CRFA) for his technique using Yag laser treatments to eliminate epithelial ingrowth after Lasik.

Bromfenac ophthalmic solution will come to Europe when it comes to market thanks to a co-promotion between Bausch & Lomb and CROMA Pharma.

This is the first ESCRS congress for 9-month old company, Technolas, which was formed out of a joint venture between Bausch and Lomb's refractive surgery unit and 20/10 Perfect Vision. The new business was founded to innovate in excimer and femtosecond laser technologies, focusing primarily on the correction of presbyopia.