Cataract & Refractive

Four industry leaders discern what the biggest opportunities and challenges were of 2013 and what we should be excited about for the coming year.

Corneal crosslinking is a hot topic at the moment, but according to Dr Cummings, it is important to do some due diligence about the available technology.

The availability of newer presbyopia solutions such as corneal inlays has changed the landscape of presbyopia treatment and is now allowing us to offer our patients a better quality of vision.

Ophthalmologists from 76 countries discussed the latest findings in diagnostics and therapy, and also issues of promoting the next generation of young ophthalmologists.

Advancements in cataract surgery have always been surrounded by passionate debate with arguments for and against new technologies and techniques. In this article, the authors discuss their recent study in which they examined the evolution of cataract surgery and controversy surrounding it.

Nicox has launched Sjö, an advanced diagnostic panel for the early detection of Sjögren's syndrome, and has formed a partnership with the Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation to raise aware of this disease among eye care professionals.

ML7 has the potential to bring an effective, targeted therapeutic response in patients who suffer from dry eye syndromes. Preclinical trials of the eye-drop formulation of Neuroptis Biotech's ML7 product have yielded positive results, and have recently been published.

The most common indications for IOL exchange are IOL dislocation and incorrect IOL power, according to study results in press for the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Patient requests for IOL exchange due to dissatisfaction have also increased, and this is especially true for patients who achieve undesired visual acuity even without photic symptoms.

Phacoemulsification done after trabeculectomy may significantly increase the rates of bleb failure in the following 12 months, but not at 24 months, according to a recently published study.

Traditionally, corneal astigmatism in cataract patients has been addressed through corneal correction by means of corneal incisional relaxing techniques, excimer laser keratectomy and, most recently, by means of femtosecond laser astigmatic keratotomy.

In this article, the authors describe the IOL in detail and discuss a feasibility study, concluding that the concept of a multi-component IOL can help overcome any refractive problem that may arise at any time after cataract surgery.

Preliminary results suggest that the PresVIEW ScleraI Implant, a two-part clear plastic locking implant designed to provide secure placement in the eye, is safe and effective for presbyopic emmetropes and has demonstrated interesting intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction capabailities.

Dr Hirnschall described a recent prospective, multicentre study performed in Vienna (Austria), Castrop-Rauxel (Germany) and London (UK), in which the insufficient astigmatism reduction after toric lens implantation was assessed.

In a recent study, Dr Henry and colleagues looked at a series of patients with delayed-onset endophthalmitis associated with corneal suture infections, finding that removal of loose or elevated sutures should be considered when the wound is stable to help prevent serious complications.

Dr Monaco and colleagues performed a comparative study on two different toric lenses using wavefront technology for analysis. Here, he presents the findings.

The authors previously reported a case of a patient with a history of radial keratotomy (RK) who developed acute postoperative endophthalmitis without keratitis shortly after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) surgery. In this article, the authors present the case study, highlighting the importance of understanding surgical complications.

Nepafenac can be used to prevent the onset of cystoid macular oedema and as an alternative to cortisone to control the inflammatory effects of cataract surgery; this drug can be used to similar effect regardless of the experience of the surgeon, according to Dr Elisa Tosco.

A new +2.5 D add version of a multifocal IOL features a redesigned optic that enhances visual function at intermediate and distance and delivers excellent visual quality.

Dr Kanellopoulos describes a study in which the quantitative differences in the presence and extent of opaque bubble layer in flaps created with a femtosecond laser with a wider venting canal design and its predecessor design have been compared.

The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, fellow eye comparative study to evaluate the difference in PCO performance between two aspheric hydrophilic acrylic microincision IOLs and these results were further compared with those of a conventional spherical hydrophobic acrylic non-microincision IOL.

Combined topical and intracameral anesthesia without sedatives is well tolerated by most phacoemulsification patients, according to results of a large, population-based series of small-incision phacoemulsification surgery. In addition, this anesthetic regimen was also effective in cases where complications or adverse events occurred.

In this article, Dr Cummings describes his patients involved in the RT-guided LASIK trial, revealing the safety, efficacy and predictability of the procedure to treat moderate to high myopia.

Dr Artal looks at the available options for treating presbyopia and highlights study results involving a new alternative, the KAMRA inlay, which he believes is a promising option for presbyopes without compromising stereopsis.

Dr Gulani introduces the concept of Corneoplastique, a new super-speciality of LASIK, which combines all levels of anterior segment surgery, striving to attain the goal of unaided emmetropia or best vision potential in every eye.

Because patient expectations of post-surgery outcomes have, inevitably, increased, there is a requirement now for surgeons to offer optimized techniques to ensure patient satisfaction.

Results from 2 years of follow-up demonstrate the efficacy of a bifocal corneal inlay for correcting presbyopia in emmetropic patients.

Data, presented by Prof. Grabner, reveals a corneal inlay has provided safe, effective and stable improvement of near and intermediate vision in emmetropic presbyopes over 5 years.

Prof. Steinert highlights a study that he believes may prove instructive to ophthalmic surgeons trying to find the best treatment modality for their presbyopic patients.

In this article, Dr Barragan discusses his experiences of this simultaneous procedure.

Dr Gatinel assesses presbyopia-correcting techniques.