Meeting of the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 2008

ESCRS Congress 200813–17 September | Berlin, Germany

Please click on any of the headlines below to see the full story.

Surgeon controversially shuns multifocal IOLs
Monovision offers a safe and an effective option while multifocals are a high risk strategy, Dr Graham D. Barrett controversially told delegates during a session that discussed whether surgeons should introduce multifocal IOLs (MFIOLs) into their practice. 

Femtosecond to replace microkeratome
Dr Gunther Grabner, professor of ophthalmology at the Paracelsus University of Salzburg, conducted a survey on the advantages and limitations of femtosecond lasers, and concluded that they will come to replace microkeratomes fully. 

Restoring accommodation
Ophthalmology is perhaps two steps closer to a possible clinical application of lens refilling with silicon gel for restoring ocular accommodation thanks to a refined procedure developed by Dr Okihiro Nishi, MD of the Nishi Eye Hospital, Japan. 

Intrastromal presbyopia treatment
In a worldwide first, Dr Luis Ruiz presented the preliminary clinical results of an ongoing pilot study concentrating on the non-invasive intrastromal correction of presbyopia. 

Schwind and Ziemer join up
Schwind and Zeimer are to cooperate to supply an integrated all-laser LASIK solution. 

PhysIOL's new aspheric lenses
PhysIOL used this year's congress as a forum to launch its new aspheric aberration-correcting intraocular lenses - Slim AY 123 in a preloaded system and Micro AY for injection through a 1.8 mm microincision. 

The presbyopia debate
During the "Controversies in Cataract and Refractive Surgery" symposium, Dr Jack Holladay and Dr Theo Seiler debated the relative merits of presbyopia treatments. 

Phakic IOL counters LASIK slowdown
STAAR Surgical's Visian implantable collamer lens (ICL) & toric ICL (TICL) will allow surgeons to differentiate themselves in the slowing LASIK marketplace, according to the firm's president of international operations, David Bailey. 

Next generation ReSTOR
Alcon has launched the +3.0 Add Power AcrySof ReSTOR aspheric intraocular lens (IOL) with natural chromophore. The lens gained its CE mark in late 2007 and has been available throughout the EU since mid-September 2008. 

It's all changing at Zeiss
Recent acquisitions, division restructuring, and management changes prove that Carl Zeiss Meditec is very much committed to change. Ophthalmology Times Europe spoke with new CEO, Dr Michael Kaschke, about the challenges that he faces in an ever-evolving market. 

Bimanual vs coaxial MICS
Bimanual microincision cataract surgery (MICS) and microaxial phacoemulsification provide optically better incisions but bimanual MICS respects corneal prolateness more than microaxial phaco, Professor Jorge Alió told delegates. 

B & L expands offering
Bausch & Lomb has announced a joint venture with femtosecond laser developer 20/10 Perfect Vision, which will allow B&L to offer surgeons the complete 'all laser' refractive solution. 

Biometry of phakic IOLs
As the human eye is not geometrically round, biometry is required for proper sizing of phakic IOLs, Dr Liliana Werner told delegates in a presentation entitled 'Phakic IOLs: a report from the pathology lab'. 

To read OTE's full news coverage of the XXVI congress of the European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, please click here.

For up-to-date news and announcements, please check the latest news section of our website. Alternatively, please sign up for our weekly newsletter.