AAO 2007

All the news from the meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, held November 10–13 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

DateDay One |  Day Two |  Day Three |  Day Four |  Day Five

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Disclaimer:This information has been independently developed and provided by the editors of Ophthalmology Times Europe.

The sponsors do not endorse and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content or for practices or standards of non-sponsor sources.

These articles may discuss regimens that have not been approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies. For full prescribing information including indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse experiences please see the appropriate manufacturer's product circular.

Day One: 9 November 2007

Topical therapy for CNV on the horizonTopical therapy to treat posterior segment disease is possible despite the limitations of the blood-retinal barrier. The effective route of drug penetrance of topical therapy is either by the transcorneal route or by the transscleral/conjunctival route, said Baruch Kuppermann, MD, PhD. 

Studies provide guidance for MMC useResults of retrospective studies of eyes undergoing surface ablation treatments at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, are suggesting an algorithm for using mitomycin-C (MMC) to prevent haze, said Ronald S. Krueger, MD, MSE. 

VEGF Trap promising for neovascular AMDVEGF 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. 

High expectations in pseudophakes fuelling expansion in laser vision correction baseDemand for excellent uncorrected distance visual acuity after cataract surgery is increasing, especially with the availability of new presbyopia-correcting IOLs. 

Innovations move refractive surgery along path back to the surfaceAs 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, said John Marshall, PhD, in his keynote address at Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day. 

Advances in spectral domain 3-D high-resolution OCTSpectral 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, according to Cynthia Toth, MD. 

OCT-guided treatment of neovascular AMD preserves drug benefitsThe results of the PrONTO Study, an exploratory open-label trial, indicated that intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis) produces rapid improvements in visual acuity and findings on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, said Philip Rosenfeld, MD, PhD. 

Managing highly distorted corneas with topography-guided treatmentTopography-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, according to John Kanellopoulos, MD. 

iLASIK vision correction combines AMO technologiesAdvanced 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 (iLASIK vision correction). 

New developments in posterior segment drug deliveryNew extended delivery methods are under development and in the future should facilitate more effective administration of numerous types of ocular agents, said William F. Mieler, MD. 

Day Two: 10 November 2007

Surface ablation no guarantee for avoiding ectasia in FFKC eyesKeratoectasia 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, said Sheraz M. Daya, MD. 

Femtosecond laser finds new role for assisting cornea collagen cross-linkingCreation 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, said A. John Kanellopoulos, MD. 

New pharmaceutical products for glaucoma in the pipelineThe drug development pipeline is bursting with new pharmaceutical products that may one day be useful in glaucoma therapy. At least 50 novel treatments are under investigation or not yet available in all major markets. 

Topical dorzolamide shows promise for macular oedemaTopical dorzolamide (Trusopt, Merck) may offer hope for the treatment of macular edema in some patients with retinitis pigmentosa and X-linked retinoschisis. Rebound phenomenon after treatment needs to be addressed, Gerald Fishman, MD, reported. 

Long-term management of dry eyeThe 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. 

Tear testing platform to drastically change osmolarity testingA 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). 

Day Three: 11 November 2007

Recent successes of tissue bioengineering in ophthalmology highlightedRutledge 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. 

Intravitreal therapy for vein occlusive disease: promising in the short termIntravitreal 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, said Peter Kaiser, MD, of the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. 

Levofloxacin drop introduced for corneal ulcersLevofloxacin 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, according to the Vistakon Pharmaceuticals LLC. 

Optic capture technique prevents PCO after paediatric cataract surgeryPosterior 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, reported Ye Ying Jia, MD. 

Preliminary results promising for intraoperative wavefront measurement of LRI effectInitial 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, said James E. McDonald II, MD. 

Medical adjuvant therapy may not be beneficial for macular hole surgeryThe 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. 

Clinical results of retina regeneration therapy announcedThe 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 oedema without causing any damage to the photoreceptors. 

Accommodating lens model continues trend of improved outcomes throughout implant evolutionA 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 presented by John A. Hovanesian, MD. 

Intravitreal drugs appear promising for treatment of diabetic retinopathyOff-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, according to one physician. 

Classification of vitreous detachment guides surgical procedureIn addition, use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and small-gauge instruments can be useful in vitreous detachment repair, said Dr. Corcóstegui, of the University of Barcelona, Spain. 

Visual prognosis appears generally good after PPV for retained lens materialAn 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, said Lawrence Y. Ho, MD. 

Advanced techniques to improve surgical outcomes through tear film optimizationThe condition of the ocular surface influences the outcome of cataract and refractive surgery and can also affect recovery following some surgical procedures. The quality of the tear film and corneal epithelium is extremely important in obtaining good outcomes with multifocal and advanced technology IOLs. 

Day Four: 12 November 2007

Ten-year follow-up on LASIK for high myopia reportedIn a study conducted by Juan J. Perez-Santonja, MD, 40% of eyes avoided use of spectacles, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) improved 1 line, and complications were infrequent. 

Routine NSAID use questioned based on multiple factorsTopical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are often used off-label for multiple purposes in cataract surgery, but such treatment is often being administered with limited supporting evidence and carries a high cost along with potential risks, said Walter Stark, MD, at Spotlight on Cataracts 2007. 

CCI unrelated to endophthalmitis riskSpeaking in support of the technique he introduced in 1992 and that is now preferred by the overwhelming majority of cataract surgeons, I. Howard Fine, MD pointed out that the available literature examining the association between clear corneal incision (CCI) and endophthalmitis is contradictory. 

ESCRS postoperative endophthalmitis study results minimally affect US practice patterns so farAccording to the results of an online survey conducted by the ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) Cataract Clinical Committee, the results of the ESCRS (European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons) study of endophthalmitis prophylaxis do not appear to have had a significant impact on the practices of US cataract surgeons, said David F. Chang, MD. 

Concomitant therapy of epiretinal radiation, bevacizumab for neovascular AMD promisingConcomitant delivery of focal radiotherapy and bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) showed promise in a small multicenter feasibility study of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Jeffrey S. Heier, MD. 

Intracameral medication use requires careful consideration of pros and consWhen thinking about administering medications intracamerally during cataract surgery, it is important to consider whether their potential benefits are worth the risk, said Nick Mamalis, MD, at Spotlight on Cataracts 2007. 

Intracameral medication use requires careful consideration of pros and consWhen thinking about administering medications intracamerally during cataract surgery, it is important to consider whether their potential benefits are worth the risk, said Nick Mamalis, MD, at Spotlight on Cataracts 2007. 

Day Five: 13 November 2007

Long-term visual function favourable after optic neuritisThe final report of the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT) showed that the long-term visual outcome is favorable for patients with unilateral acute optic neuritis even in the presence of multiple sclerosis (MS). 

Fractioned radiotherapy safe and effective for optic nerve sheath meningiomasConformal fractionated radiotherapy should be the first choice of treatment for optic nerve sheath meningiomas, according to Silas Wang, MD. 

Transvitreal optic neurotomy improves visual acuity in recent-onset NAIONTransvitreal optic neurotomy (TON) improves the visual acuity and visual fields in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) of recent onset, reported Gholam Peyman, MD. 

Disclaimer:This information has been independently developed and provided by the editors of Ophthalmology Times Europe.

The sponsors do not endorse and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content or for practices or standards of non-sponsor sources.

These articles may discuss regimens that have not been approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies. For full prescribing information including indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse experiences please see the appropriate manufacturer's product circular.