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Combination treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using verteporfin photodynamic therapy (Visudyne PDT, Novartis/QLT Inc.) plus intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide appears to improve visual outcomes and reduce the number of re-treatments necessary to achieve lesion regression compared with standard PDT alone, albeit with the recognized steroid-associated risks of cataract progression and IOP elevation, said Albert J. Augustin, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists.

Coaxial microphacoemulsification performed through a 2.2 mm incision is a new technique available to cataract surgeons skilled in phacoemulsification. The technique affords patients the combined benefits of ultra-small incision surgery and conventional foldable IOLs, announced Robert H. Osher, MD, professor of ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and medical director emeritus, Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

Having read, written and reviewed a number of papers and manuscripts on corneal transplantation, I have found that, in certain cases, conclusions that are drawn relating to the best trephination/suturing technique or concerning the best concept to avoid immunologic graft rejections, are not adequately supported by the study results. This often leads me to question the validity and value of these reports.

Approved by the FDA in March 2005 for use in cataract patients with or without presbyopia, Alcon's AcrySof ReSTOR lens is the first apodized diffractive intraocular lens (IOL) to be made available. The approval was granted based on clinical trials which found that patients experienced the highest level of freedom from glasses ever achieved in IOL clinical trials.

"Smoking increases your risk of developing blindness" is the shocking message being transmitted across the UK in a bid to raise awareness.

Major advances have been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) post-cataract surgery, and improvements in surgical technique and lens biocompatibility and design have reduced the rates of opacification in recent years. Nonetheless, opacification remains an important complication in patients undergoing phacoemulsification or extracapsular cataract extraction combined with intraocular lens (IOL) placement, with approximately up to 25% of patients developing visually significant PCO during the first five years post surgery.

Epi-LASIK combines the advantages of both LASEK and LASIK while minimizing the disadvantages of each

Coaxial microphacoemulsification performed through a 2.2 mm incision is a new technique available to cataract surgeons skilled in phacoemulsification. The technique affords patients the combined benefits of ultra-small incision surgery and conventional foldable IOLs, announced Robert H. Osher, MD, professor of ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and medical director emeritus, Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

Investigators caused a stir at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) in Montreal, Canada, when they hinted at a potential use of bevacizumab (Avastin) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (neovascular AMD).

The FDA has given its approval for Advanced Medical Optics' (AMO) Tecnis foldable acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) for reduced spherical aberration and improved functional vision in cataract patients.

The fundamental issue of wound integrity has dissuaded me from pursuing further research and development of this technique

The formation of Elschnig pearls is a highly dynamic process and is detectable even over very short time intervals. Elschnig pearls can appear or disappear within one day, according to Oliver Findl, MD, from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

Surgery vs conservative management of strabismus

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In a night-driving simulation, fog and glare separately reduced sign recognition distances but when combined paradoxically increased performance relative to either factor alone. However, fog and glare reduced object recognition both separately and when paired, said Bruce A. Drum, PhD, Division of Ophthalmic and ENT Devices, FDA, Rockville, MD.