Cataract & Refractive

A New Drug Application (NDA) for ganciclovir ophthalmic gel 0.15% against herpetic keratitis, submitted by Sirion Therapeutics, Inc, has been accepted for review by the FDA.

OptiMedica Corp has donated a PASCAL photocoagulator to non-profit organization ORBIS International, under a new partnership between the two companies.

Jay Dermott discusses complications that can ensue during microkeratome and femtosecond flap creation and considers how to apply lessons in clinical practice.

Performing LASIK surgery that is customized for each eye can offer more pleasing outcomes in terms of both patient safety and comfort, claims Kerry K. Assil, MD.

Professor Michael Knorz discusses his experiments on the adhesion strength of flaps, comparing the femtosecond with the microkeratome.

Professor Günther Grabner, MD compares Carl Zeiss Meditec's new XL Stabi ZO with its spherical equivalent, the XL Stabi Sky.

ISTA Pharmaceuticals' dry eye candidate, ecabet sodium, has successfully completed Phase IIb testing and will soon be progressing to Phase III trials taking it a step closer to regulatory approval.

Former US President Jimmy Carter has dedicated a statue representing the "Gift of Sight" to the Lions Clubs International in Oak Brook, Illinois.

The Vision Care for Kids Bill of 2009, legislation to provide vision care to children without health insurance, has been introduced in the US after being approved both by the Senate and by the House of Representatives.

Phacoemulsification can increase visual acuity in uveitis patients, concluded a study published in the January issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

The Tecnis multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) has been approved by the FDA, according to an announcement made by AMO, the manufacturer of the lens.

Use of warfarin or clopidogrel is associated with a significant increase in non-sight-threatening complications during cataract surgery, concluded a study published in the January issue of Eye.

"The Big Eye Test", a programme to provide privately-funded eye examinations to the general public, has been launched in the UK.

The Investigational New Drug (IND) application for NVC-422, a molecule under investigation by NovaBay Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of eye infections, has been cleared by the FDA, triggering a development milestone payment from Alcon to NovaBay of $1 million.

A great variety of fungal agents may cause endophthalmitis, and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment, according to a study published in the November/December 2008 issue of Retina.

As of March 31st this year, Cary Rayment will retire as president and chief executive officer of Alcon, Inc; he will be replaced on April 1st by Kevin Buehler.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has been acquired by Abbott, a global pharmaceutical and medical device company, the companies have announced in a statement.

Cell apoptosis caused by free-radical formation during phacoemulsification can be mediated by the introduction of ascorbic acid, according to a study published in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.

Most candidates for cataract surgery have a degree of corneal astigmatism, which should be considered by intraocular lens (IOL) manufacturers, concluded a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.

It is difficult to determine whether or not cataract surgery is being used more frequently in the UK than is necessary, according to study results published in the January 2009 issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

A long-term course of injections of botulinum toxin ("Botox") offers a viable treatment for complicated strabismus, according to study results published in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Optic or haptic damage has previously accounted for over 14% of intraoperative foldable lens explantations. However, an increasing focus on operating procedure standardization and strict guidelines regarding the reuse of materials have led to a rising trend in the use of disposable materials.

Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% (Bausch & Lomb) has been recommended by the FDA for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.

Rolf Schwind, CEO of Schwind Eye Tech Solutions, has been presented with the Gusi Peace Prize 2008 in a ceremony held on November 24th in Manila, the Philippines.

Xibrom (bromfenac sodium ophthalmic solution) 0.09% (ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) achieved the primary endpoint of its Phase III trial: absence of ocular inflammation 15 days postoperatively.

The BD range of Atomic Edge Limbal Relaxing Incision (LRI) knives for surgical correction of astigmatism has been launched by BD Medical. The knives, which feature a retractable safety shield, use single-crystal silicon, offering high performance at low cost.

Biaxial microincision cataract surgery (B-MICS) is more successful than traditional cataract surgery in improving optical performance and reducing higher order aberrations, according to study results published in the December issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Paediatric strabismus, particularly exotropia, increases the likelihood of psychiatric disease in later life, according to study results published in the November issue of Pediatrics.

I do not believe that safe and effective SBK can be performed with a microkeratome.

There are those who say that blue or violet light actually benefits the eye. If this is true, we must have evolved really badly.