News

A day in the life

A day in the life of a retinal specialist

A day in the life

By 2012 the market for optical coherence tomography (OCT) is predicted to hit the $800 million mark.

Prostaglandin analogues preserved with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) can cause more extensive loss of goblet cells and a breakdown of cell-cell adhesions, which could increase the risk of ocular surface disease, according to findings from a pair of studies conducted in rabbits.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) are pleased to report that a solution has been found that addresses Genentech's decision to no longer allow compounding pharmacies to purchase Avastin (bevacizumab) directly from authorized wholesale distributors.

Ophthotech, Biogen and PDL BioPharma have entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement for an anti-angiogenesis antibody to treat age-related macular degeneration.

Fovea Pharmaceuticals has received designation as Orphan Medicinal Product from the European Commission for rh-RdCVF, its treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

Performing cataract surgery using a fluid-based method of phacoemulsification results in less corneal endothelial cell loss compared with conventional ultrasound phacoemulsification.

A new online database of retinal topography maps has been launched by the Optometrists Association of Australia.

A company in the US, Chakshu Research, claims that it has developed an eye drop that can remove cataracts and restore vision.

A research report published in the December issue of the FASEB Journal, describes a new experimental drug, endostatin, which can significantly reduce or eliminate abnormal blood vessel growth within the eye.

It has long been noticed that one side effect of the glaucoma drug Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution; Allergan) is increased eyelash growth, however, nobody could have predicted that cosmetic companies would start using small quantities of prostaglandins in products specifically designed for the "beauty" market.

Treatment with bimatoprost (Lumigan; Allergan) alone is as effective at lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) as a fixed combination of latanoprost and timolol.

NicOx and Pfizer have initiated a dose-ranging Phase II clinical study of PF-03187207, a treatment for glaucoma, in Japan.

Call for papers

January/February's product news

The pros and cons of surface ablation procedures were reviewed at the opening session of the refractive surgery subspecialty day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

In our experience so far, PML is a very successful procedure that has been well-accepted by patients and is in high demand at our centre. Currently, about 50% of our patients are PML candidates

SLT presents a safe and efficacious treatment option for pseudoexfoliative glaucoma patients.

January/February research news

An overall spectacle independence of 90% was achieved, however, I have found that some patients do still require glasses when using a computer for intermediate vision

PresbyLASIK treatment uses the principles of LASIK surgery to create a multifocal corneal surface aimed at reducing near vision spectacle dependence in presbyopic patients. This treatment constitutes the next step in the correction of presbyopia after monovision LASIK.1-3 Among the presbyLASIK techniques, central presbyLASIK 4 creates a central area, which is hyperpositive for near vision leaving the midperipheral cornea for far vision. 5 Positive clinical results of this surgical technique have been recently reported 4 and also tested objectively with a light propagation algorithm. 6

The development of the excimer laser has allowed more and more refractive surgical procedures to be developed, treating ever-expanding indications. As such, LASIK remains the most popular procedure for surgeons seeking to correct myopia. But what about hyperopia, which is traditionally thought to be more difficult to treat?

Applying a specific number of FS-induced cuts to the crystalline lens could restore accommodation.

Ophthalmic surgeons have been implanting multifocal lenses for several years, not only in cataract surgery, but also to offset the accommodation lost as a consequence of age. With the newest generation of lenses, more than 80% of refractive and cataract patients can now enjoy life without glasses.

I recently attended a party where I was drawn into a conversation by some people who had one thing in common – LASIK. Somebody amongst the group had undergone the procedure six years ago (incidentally, that was my sister) whilst another underwent wavefront-guided LASIK just weeks prior. Each of the four people had a story to tell about their experience with the procedure but, overall, each claimed they were happy with the end result.

23-gauge instruments offer numerous advantages over other instruments, such as less irritation, no induction of astigmatism, shorter operation time and lower costs.

The first generation Crystalens accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) (eyeonics) was approved by the FDA in November 2003 and has since undergone two revisions. The first involved modification of the lens optic to a "square" rather than smooth edge in order to reduce the incidence of asymmetric capsular fibrosis, which could cause capsular contraction and IOL tilt

It has been discovered that the equatorial diameter of a lens directly influences accommodation and thus presents a sound target for presbyopia treatment interventions