Cornea

The TearLab Osmolarity System is intended to measure the osmolarity of human tears to aid in the diagnosis of patients with signs or symptoms of Dry Eye Disease (DED) in conjunction with other methods of clinical evaluation. It is now in a position to be marketed to clinincal facilities in the United States, having received its FDA 510(k) clearance.

The world's largest eye bank, The Tampa Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research, Inc. in Florida, which has supplied over 30,000 corneas for transplant and 50,000 eyes for research worldwide over the past 30 years, is to open a state-of-the-art research facility.

An OTEurope story we ran a couple of weeks ago clearly resonated with reader, Peter Raus in Belgium. Read on to see what he thought.

Significant improvement in signs and symptoms in patients suffering from moderate-to-severe dry eye syndrome have been found following the Phase II trial of Cyclokat, the formulation of cyclosporine by French pharmaceutical ophthalmic company Novagali Pharma.

The side effects of an experimental 'gene-silencing' treatment that is currently being investigated for a variety of diseases could be useful in corneal transplantation, where growth of new blood and lymph vessels is believed to be a major cause of graft failure.

The first ophthalmic surgery in Europe using the CE mark approved I-SIPxAE Adherent Ocular Bandage was conducted in the UK by Dr Daniel Calladine and Mr Richard Packard.

A new method for corneal transplantation developed by Dr Cesar Carriazo, Centro Oftalmológico Carriazo, Colombia was presented at the recent ASCRS 2009 in San Francisco.

Dr Sami El Hage outlines a technique for early detection of corneal ectasia using four different displays: the normal average cornea, Zernike polynomials, Fourier harmonics and elevation plots.

BD OcuSeal Liquid Ocular Bandage, a fully synthetic protective barrier to be used for post-surgical, post-traumatic and non-traumatic ocular conditions, has been launched in Europe by BD Medical?Ophthalmic Systems.

Lux Biosciences has just completed its enrolment in the company's Phase III LUCIDA (LUx Corneal Transplant Implant Development and Advancement of Therapy) clinical trial programme for LUMITECT (LX201), a silicone matrix ocular (episcleral) implant designed to provide the continuous release for one year of therapeutic levels of cyclosporine A locally to the eye to prevent corneal transplant rejection.

The TearLab Osmolarity Core Validation Study, a multicentre international clinical study assessing the efficacy of the TearLab Osmolarity System for the diagnosis of dry eye disease, has been launched by the system's maker, OccuLogix Inc, and sponsored by Alcon.

There is an association between uveal and a variety of skin melanomas, according to study results published in the March issue of Ophthalmology.

Aylin Kilic Ertan explores which keratoconus patients are most suitable for treatment with Intacs intracorneal rings.

Sirion Therapeutics Inc and Advanced Vision Research Inc (AVR) have agreed to co-promote AVR's MacuTrition (a nutritional supplement promoting retinal health) and NutiDox Convenience Kit (a meibomian gland therapy) in the US.

Insights gained from research into keratoconus using extremely intense x-rays could refine laser surgeries, including LASIK, and may one day even lead to the development of an artificial cornea, according to researchers at Cardiff University, UK.

Prolacria (diquafosol tetrasodium ophthalmic solution) 2% has entered a Phase III trial for the treatment of dry eye disease, according to an announcement from the solution's developer, Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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.

A team in the Philippines has defined criteria that need to be met in order to obtain an optimum tissue quality for corneal grafts.

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.

The Pascal dynamic contour tonometer (DCT) and Reichert ocular response analyser (ORA) are the best tools for measuring corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc) in patients with keratoconus (KC), according to study results published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, December.

Dr Alberto Villarrubia gives an overview of the new Artifical Anterior Chamber for the Amadeus II machine as a way to extract donor lamellae.

New techniques are better than traditional cross-linking, according to Dr Massimo Lombardi

You can leave the epithelium intact, say Dr Roberto Pinelli and Dr Tarek El Beltagi

Corneal crosslinking showed remarkable stability in a recent rabbit study, Dr Gregor Wollensak told delegates during the session on New Surgical Approaches to Keratoconus.

Patients with thicker corneas are less likely to progress to primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) from ocular hypertension (OHT), according to a study published in the June 2008 issue of Contact Lens and Anterior Eye.

A hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic insert (Lacrisert, Aton Pharma) is a preservative-free product recommended for once-daily insertion in the inferior cul-de-sac. Its convenience, efficacy, and safety make it a valuable option for the management of dry eye disease.

In instances of repeated corneal transplantation, ulcers and persistent epithelial defects are relatively commonplace, according to a study published in the August 2008 issue of Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.

The fourth-generation Crystalens HD (Bausch & Lomb) accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) has received FDA marketing approval, five years after the lens was initially launched on the market.

Corneas from donors up to the age of 75 are suitable for transplantation, according to a study published in the April 2008 issue of Ophthalmology.

Corneal grafts obtained from cancer patients may be associated with an increased risk of infection for the recipient, according to a study published in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.