News

The use of medical adjuvant therapy for macular holes during vitreous surgery seems to be decreasing in macular hole surgery, said Alain Gaudric, MD, of Lariboisière Hospital, Paris.

New roles for the femtosecond discussed. Subretinal implant disappoints. Genentech defends its actions relating to Avastin decision. Glaucoma pipeline looks very healthy, and much more.

A fourth-generation version of an accommodating IOL (HD-100 crystalens, eyeonics) provides excellent uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) at all distances without degrading contrast acuity, according to the results of an FDA multicenter clinical trial.

Intravitreal therapy for venous occlusive disease is promising in the short term, however, multiple injections are needed, dosing schedules are presently unclear, and rebound has to be evaluated.

Posterior continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (PCCC) with optic capture of a posterior chamber IOL is a safe and effective technique to afford stable IOL fixation and maintain visual axis clarity after cataract surgery in pediatric eyes.

The condition of the ocular surface influences the outcome of cataract and refractive surgery and can also affect recovery following some surgical procedures.

An analysis of visual outcomes in a contemporary series of cataract surgery eyes that underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for retained lens material indicates these complicated cases tend to do well.

The surgical approach chosen by Borja Corcóstegui, MD, to repair vitreous detachments is driven by the classification of the detachment.

Initial experience with intraoperative use of a wavefront analyzer (WaveTec Visions Systems) suggests that it may be a very useful tool for achieving increased accuracy and efficiency in astigmatism correction.

Off-label use of intravitreal drugs may have a promising future in the treatment of patients with diabetic retinopathy, but currently the dosing of these drugs is suboptimal.

Rutledge Ellis-Behnke, PhD, a research scientist in the department of brain and cognitive sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, describes his work as reconnecting disconnected parts of the brain. He has done just that by using nanotechnology restore visual function in a damaged area of the brain in rodents.

Levofloxacin ophthalmic solution 1.5% (Iquix) has been introduced for the treatment of corneal ulcers. It is the only newer-generation fluoroquinolone approved by the FDA for this indication.

The initial clinical results were announced of a continuous study for non-thermal Retina Regeneration Therapy (Ellex 2RT, Ellex Medical Lasers Ltd.). The results showed the therapy's potential to make improvements in and stabilize visual acuity, as well as reduce retinal edema in patients with diabetic maculopathy and macular edema without causing any damage to the photoreceptors.

The drug development pipeline is bursting with new pharmaceutical products that may one day be useful in glaucoma therapy.

Studies provide guidance on MMC use. Going back to the surface with refractive surgery. AMO unveils iLASIK vision correction, and much more.

Keratoectasia can develop after surface ablation in eyes with forme fruste keratoconus (FFKC), and there do not appear to be any identifiable features as protecting against that event.

Topical dorzolamide (Trusopt, Merck) may offer hope for the treatment of macular edema in some patients with retinitis pigmentosa and X-linked retinoschisis.

The incidence of dry eye has been increasing for more than a decade and will continue to do so as the percentage of the population over the age of 50 increases. The impact will be felt on patient quality of life as well as in financial costs directly and indirectly attributable to dry eye, making it all the more urgent for clinicians to become adept at managing this condition.

A proprietary tear-testing platform capable of measuring highly sensitive and specific biomarkers related to ocular physiology, is being developed by an in-vitro diagnostics company (TearLab, OcuSense).

Creation of a pocket for intracorneal riboflavin instillation using the femtosecond laser (IntraLase, Advanced Medical Optics) appears to be a safe and effective method for assisting cornea collagen cross-linking.

Congratulations to Dr Maria Joao Marques from Portugal, winner of Oertli Instruments' CO-MICS competition.

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), the latest generation of the technology, is a breakthrough because it has dramatically cut the time required to obtain images by eliminating the moving mirror that was a component of standard OCT.

Demand for excellent uncorrected distance visual acuity after cataract surgery is increasing, especially with the availability of new presbyopia-correcting IOLs. This phenomenon is opening up a new class of patients to the benefits of laser vision correction.

Topical therapy to treat posterior segment disease is possible despite the limitations of the blood-retinal barrier.

Topography-guided LASIK, used with a comprehensive eye scanner (Pentacam, Oculus), has been very successful in minimizing severe corneal distortions and offers reliable registration in most cases.

The results of the PrONTO Study, an exploratory open-label trial, indicated that intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) produces rapid improvements in visual acuity and findings on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

As the evolution in refractive surgery continues, surgeons can expect to see the journey continuing back to the surface—aided by new strategies to improve the outcomes of sub-Bowman's keratomileusis (SBK) and PRK.

VEGF Trap (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals) has been seen in two studies (CLEAR-IT AMD 1 and CLEAR-IT AMD 2) to be safe, bioefficacious, and tolerated in the eyes of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) continues its commitment to the LASIK industry by reaching out to a generation of nearly 290 million people worldwide who want better everyday vision.

New extended delivery methods are under development and in the future should facilitate more effective administration of numerous types of ocular agents.