Postcataract surgery endophthalmitis rates in the U.S. declined slightly between 2003 and 2004, but there is still room for improvement. Reuters Health Information
Month: February 2012
Review: Managing retinal vein occlusion
Source: BMJ
Area: News
This review in the BMJ discusses the diagnosis and management of retinal vein occlusion and examines the evidence for the effectiveness of the newly licensed drugs. Questions addressed include:
. How and where do…
Ocular safety of chronic use of sildenafil citrate in treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: data from phase III study and open label extension
Source: BMJ
Area: News
Selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are capable of crossing the blood-retina barrier. Concerns have been raised about potential ocular side effects of sildenafil; the most common visual disturbance reported is a dose d…
Verteporfin photodynamic therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: UK cohort study
Source: National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.
Area: News
Infusion of verteporfin followed by infrared laser exposure is called (verteporfin photodynamic therapy -VPDT), and is used to treat neovascular age-rela…
Review: Lichen Planus
Source: N Engl J Med
Area: News
Lichen planus is a mucocutaneous inflammatory disease of unknown origin. The skin and oral mucosa are the most frequently involved areas. Other mucous membranes (including the genitalia, oesophagus, and conjunctiva) and…
New Drug Induces Posterior Vitreous Detachment (PVD)
A potential new drug, ocriplasmin (microplasmin) may soon be available to chemically induce a PVD thus avoiding surgery for many retinal conditions.
Eylea Has Already Begun to Be Used by U.S. Retinal Specialists One Month Post-Launch, According to a Recent BioTrends Report
The LaunchTrends: Eylea Wave 1 report, which measures product uptake and commercial effectiveness at one month post launch, finds that 40% of surveyed retinal specialists have initiated trial on Regenerons Eylea, the newest treatment for wet age-relate…
The Molecular Basis Of Touch Sensation
A gene known to control lens development in mice and humans is also crucial for the development of neurons responsible for mechanosensory function, as neurobiologists of the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have now discover…
AMD Update 17: Dame Judi Dench Has Macular Degeneration
Over the weekend, several articles appeared in the British press and also here in the States, about Dame Judi Dench announcing that she has macular degeneration – dry in one eye and wet in the other – and that she was going blind, although she was …
Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial.
By: rdesouza
Keeping Up With the Progress of Progressive Lenses
Progressive lenses made their commercial debut in the middle of the last century. Also known as progressive addition lenses (PAL), the lenses enable eyeglass wearers to transition from distance to near vision without the image jumping when the eyes shi…
Braille-Like Texting App Eliminates Need To Look At Mobile Screen
Imagine if smartphone and tablet users could text a note under the table during a meeting without anyone being the wiser. Mobile gadget users might also be enabled to text while walking, watching TV or socializing without taking their eyes off what the…
CXL Using UVA Light and Riboflavin for Keratoconus
Does corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) help to treat progressive keratoconus? This new study describes the procedure and discusses the results. Expert Review of Ophthalmology
Stem Cells in Ophthalmology Update 17: Recent ACT Updates
While I was out of the country on vacation, Advanced Cell Technology issued four news releases about their ongoing human embryonic stem cell trials. Here is a compilation of what transpired during my absence.Jan. 25, 2012 — ACT Announces that Addition…
New Easy-to-Use Device Enhances Ocular Drug Delivery
A device that employs an electric field enhances the delivery of dexamethasone to the anterior chamber of the eye. Medscape Medical News
Carotenoid intakes and risk of breast cancer defined by estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status: a pooled analysis of 18 prospective cohort studies
By: zhang
Video Games Improve Eyesight
How we perceive the world tells us a lot about how the brain processes sensory information. At the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver, McMaster University psychologist Daphne Maurer reported on how vi…
Effect of breastfeeding compared with formula feeding on infant body composition: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
By: chris.gale
Dame Judi Dench Determined To Beat Macular Degeneration
Actor of film and stage, Dame Judi Dench, now filming her seventh James Bond film, Skyfall, where she plays 007’s MI5 boss M, has given a moving interview where she talks about her determination to beat macular degeneration, an eye condition that is…
Current Resources: The Use of Stem Cells and Gene Therapy in Ophthalmology
As many of you are aware, over the past couple of years, I’ve been tracking and reporting on the companies and institutions involved in research and clinical trials using both stem cells and gene therapy in ophthalmology. With the help of several ind…