Meeting of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 2008

Highlights from this year's ASCRS meeting, held April 4–8 2008 in Chicago, US.

Canaloplasty: popularity growingCanaloplasty with tensioning suture placement is growing in popularity owing to a combination of factors, including a successful training programme, an improved reimbursement picture, and favourable long-term data, said Richard A. Lewis, MD.

Surgical marker pen linked to DLK outbreakRefractive surgeons should be aware of the possibility that a surgical marker pen (Codman; Johnson & Johnson) could be a cause of diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) after LASIK, said Wei-Han Chua, MD.

Infection incidence increasing despite improving diagnosesThe American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) survey results for 2008 pointed out some changing trends in infectious keratitis after LASIK and PRK compared with previous surveys conducted in 2002 and 2005, said Terry Kim, MD.

Can DNA injections restore sight?The injection of DNA into the optic nerve resulted in light perception vision in patients with no light perception and very low vision, according to Sunita Agarwal, MD.

UV toxicity culprit in post-LASIK dry eyeHypoesthesia is not the origin of post-LASIK punctuate epithelial keratopathy or the so-called dry eye syndrome. Rather, these sequelae may represent a phototoxic effect of treatment with the ultraviolet excimer laser, said Carmen Barraquer-Coll, MD.

Aspheric IOLs no. 1 choice for glaucoma patientsAn aspheric IOL may be considered the implant design of choice for most patients with glaucoma who require cataract surgery, said Richard L. Lindstrom, MD.

Visian ICL "impressive" for myopic correctionOutcomes in a cohort including more than 5000 eyes support the conclusion that an implantable collamer lens (Visian ICL; STAAR Surgical) is a safe, predictable, and very effective method for correcting high-to-moderate myopia, said John R. Moran, MD, PhD.

Light-adjustable lens continues to impressEarly experience from a pilot study shows that spherocylindrical error after cataract surgery can be corrected with a proprietary light-adjustable lens (LAL; Calhoun Vision) to improve uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), said Arturo S. Chayet, MD.

Should tear dysfunction be treated with nutritional supplements?Nutritional supplements seem to make sense as a treatment of tear dysfunction, according to Marian Macsai, MD.

Flying eye hospital gets new aeroplaneOrbis International, an international nonprofit humanitarian organization which operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, is to upgrade from a DC-10-10 to a DC-10 Series 30 freighter airline, giving the project an extra 20 years of flying time.