What do the latest treatment guidelines say about managing diabetic retinopathy? Are there any new drug therapies on the market, for example? Expert Review of Ophthalmology
Month: December 2012
Babies’ Vision Improves With Fatty Acid Formula Supplements
Improvements observed in the first year of life are independent of dose, timing, or birth status. Medscape Medical News
Safety Info for Generic Drugs Often Differs From Brand Label
Bioequivalent drugs often differ from brand name drugs in their safety labeling. Medscape Medical News
Regular Aspirin May Damage Eyes (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Using aspirin long term may raise the risk of developing late age-related macular degeneration (AMD), researchers found.
Small risk of AMD with regular aspirin use: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Taking aspirin regularly for at least a decade was associated with a small
but statistically significant increased risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the
long-running population-based Beave…
Effects of Light Exposure, pH, Osmolarity, and Solvent on the Retinal Pigment Epithelial Toxicity of Vital Dyes
Purpose: To investigate the in vitro effect of pH, osmolarity, solvent, and light interaction on currently used and novel dyes to minimize dye-related retinal toxicity.Design: Laboratory investigation.Methods: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) human cells (ARPE-19) were exposed for 10 minutes to different pH solutions (4, 5, 6, 7, 7.5, 8, and 9) and glucose solutions (2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and 50%) with osmolarity from 142 to 2530 mOsm, with and without 0.5 mg/mL trypan blue. R28 cells were also incubated with glucose (150, 310, and 1000 mOsm) and mannitol used as an osmotic control agent in both experiments. Dye-light interaction was assessed by (Read more...)
Combined Depth Imaging Technique on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography
Purpose: To describe a technique to obtain combined images of vitreoretinal and choroidal structures using spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to evaluate applicability in normal eyes and limitations in eyes with cataract.Design: Prospective, observational case series.Methods: Three different foveal scans, including conventional SD OCT, enhanced depth imaging OCT and the novel method called combined depth imaging (CDI) OCT, were obtained in 42 eyes of healthy volunteers and in 26 eyes with cataract using the Heidelberg Spectralis HRA (Heidelberg Engineering). The CDI OCT images were obtained manually using an image modification process that enhances the vitreoretinal interface first and (Read more...)
EHR Rankings Suggest ‘Epic’ Shakeout
Epic dominates the EHR ratings, with Athenahealth doing the same with practice management software, in the 2012 Best of KLAS Awards. Medscape Medical News
Ranibizumab vs Bevacizumab: Findings From the IVAN Trial
One-year results are in for the IVAN trial comparing ranibizumab with bevacizumab for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Medscape Ophthalmology
An Infant With Seizures and Blisters on the Skin
What condition do you suspect is present in this 3-week-old girl with seizures, blisters on the skin, and a family history of abnormal skin findings? Medscape Ophthalmology
Change to injection needle supplied with ranibizumab (Lucentis®)
Source: Personal communication (Novartis)
Area: News
Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited is advising customers of a forthcoming change to the injection needle supplied in packs of ranibizumab (Lucentis®).
The needle supplier is bein…
Change to injection needle supplied with ranibizumab (Lucentis®)
Source: Personal communication (Novartis)
Area: News
Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited is advising customers of a forthcoming change to the injection needle supplied in packs of ranibizumab (Lucentis®).
The needle supplier is being switched from Becton & Dickinson to B.Braun at the end of December 2012. Customers may therefore notice a difference in the appearance of the injection needle and the outer packaging of the needle. Novartis has stressed that the rest of the pack will remain the same, including the filter needle.
Older Adults With Vision Problems May Suffer Social Isolation Due To Fear Of Falls
A new study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science found that between 40 to 50 percent of older adults with visually impairing eye disease limit their activities due to a fear of falling. Vision scientists warn that this protective s…
Stem Cells in Ophthalmology Update 24: Current Tables Now Online
I finally figured out how to put my current stem cell/cell therapy tables online for anyone interested to access. So, here is a brief description of what is available and how to access them:Stem Cell/Cell Therapy Companies/Institutions Active in Ophtha…
EMA issues Questions and Answers on the use of phosphates in eye drops
Source: European Medicines Agency
Area: News
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has completed an assessment of the use of phosphate buffers in medicinal products given as eye drops and examined whether these can cause corneal calcification. The Agen…
Bioabsorbable Electrospun Disks for Delivery of Stem Cell Therapy to Eyes (VIDEO)
Stem cells hold the promise of treating a variety of diseases because of their ability to transform into different tissue types. While a seemingly universal technology, stem cell therapy requires unique techniques for delivery of cells to treatment sit…
K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive surgical program
No matter what age you are, surgery can be a scary thing. Knowing you are in good hands, though, can help soothe fears. K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center offers a comprehensive child-friendly, family-oriented pr…
Children With Special Needs Improve Language And Social Skills Through Mobile App
This application – named Picaa – can be used on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and has been translated into several languages (English, Galician, Arab, etc.). This application has topped the 20,000 downloads from App Store – mainly from Spain and the USA …
EMA issues Questions and Answers on the use of phosphates in eye drops
Source: European Medicines Agency
Area: News
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has completed an assessment of the use of phosphate buffers in medicinal products given as eye drops and examined whether these can cause corneal calcification. The Agen…
Emergency, Elective and Cosmetic Surgery
The difference between emergency surgery and elective surgery is only the immediacy of the surgery. Loss of function can occur in both types and both are covered by insurance.