Ophthalmology Times Europe May 2021

Customised myopic LASIK using automated ray tracing optimisation has the potential to offer improved and more predictable outcomes, a study shows.

Studies show that corneal crosslinking could be a beneficial treatment in paediatric patients with keratoconus.

Gene therapies are being investigated for multiple inherited retinal diseases and the progress in this field has implications for patient care.

Topography-guided treatments for irregular corneas can improve patients’ best corrected visual acuity. The technique is easy to plan and perform, supported by software to do the calculations.

A cost-utility analysis found that concurrent phacoemulsification and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery using trabecular microbypass stents is cost-effective for treating mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma, compared with cataract surgery alone.

Many genes and polymorphisms have been identified as being associated with glaucoma, predicting progression, identifying those at increased risk and allowing treatment to be optimised.

The rates of postoperative myopic progression are the lowest with the SMILE procedure compared with PRK and LASIK, regardless of the degree of myopia.

Investigators found that a fluocinolone acetonide implant maintained good real-world vision levels in patients with diabetic macular oedema who had good baseline vision.

In a real-world study of patients with treatment-naïve and previously treated diabetic macular oedema, injection of intravitreal dexamethasone 0.7-mg implant provided effective disease control with initial and repeat injections, regardless of reinjection interval.

Topical eye drop treatments for the posterior segment would offer easier, less invasive options than those currently available. This would reduce the burden on both patients and their caregivers, increasing adherence and improving outcomes.

Ophthalmologists are seeking improved treatment options for uveitis as epidemiological studies demonstrate the scope and sight-stealing burden of the disease.