Month: January 2013

NICE issues costing statement on fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema (TA 271)

Source: NICE
Area: News
NICE has published a costing statement to accompany its guidance on fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant (Iluvien) for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema (DMO) considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies (TA 271).
 
Because fluocinolone acetonide is not recommended for routine use within the NHS, NICE do not anticipate a significant impact on NHS resources.
 
See links below for further details.

NICE issues final guidance on fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema (TA 271)

Source: NICE
Area: Evidence > Drug Specific Reviews
NICE has issued final guidance that does not support the use of fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant (Iluvien) for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies (TA 271).
 
The Committee noted that fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implants do not provide enough benefit to patients to justify their high cost.
 
See links below for further details.

Study chair details top 10 findings of CATT

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — The lead author of the Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment Trials presented the top 10 study findings here.“In general, physicians who use a lot of Lucentis tend to look at this data and see differences, and Avastin users tend to look at this data and see similarities,” Daniel F. Martin, MD, said at Retina 2013.

Sustained IOP lowering a main reason to perform phaco in glaucoma patients

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Among the reasons to perform phacoemulsification in patients with glaucoma, sustained lowering of IOP is at the top of the list, according to a speaker.“The IOP-lowering effect has been known for quite some time,” Kuldev Singh, MD, said at Hawaiian Eye 2013, citing literature dating back to 1996. Furthermore, the literature suggests that this pressure-lowering effect also occurs in eyes without glaucoma that undergo phacoemulsification, and the effect is even greater in eyes with exfoliation syndrome.

Simple surgical steps give femtosecond laser accuracy to conventional cataract surgery

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — To improve accuracy of conventional cataract surgery, mark the limbal relaxing incision with the patient upright, mark the capsulotomy, and be compulsive about cleaning up epithelial cells, a speaker said here.In a presentation at Hawaiian Eye 2013, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, presented data on optimizing cataract surgery outcomes to achieve similar accuracy as obtained by femtosecond lasers.

Severity of glaucoma key to choosing surgical approach

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Choosing a surgical option for the patient with both glaucoma and cataract depends on the type and severity of glaucoma, according to a presenter here.Options are cataract surgery alone, a combined phacoemulsification and glaucoma procedure, or a two-stage surgery, with either the glaucoma procedure first and then the cataract extraction later or the cataract extraction first and the glaucoma procedure, if necessary, later.

Cataract surgery not linked to progression of AMD

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Cataract surgery does not appear to increase a patient’s risk of reactivation and/or progression of pre-existing wet age-related macular degeneration, a speaker said here.Citing multiple studies, Jay S. Duker, MD, OSN Retina/Vitreous Board Member, said at Retina 2013 that cataract surgery in patients with previously treated wet AMD does not appear to result in negative alterations in visual acuity or retinal thickness.

Modifiable risk factors may be key to reducing pterygium rate in India

HYDERABAD, India — Focusing on modifiable risk factors, namely ultraviolet light exposure, may help health care providers reduce the incidence of pterygium in India, according to a corneal specialist. Pterygium is a common condition in India, and there is concern that it may be on the increase due to global warming and ozone layer depletion, Radhika Tandon, MD, said at the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India Ophthalmological Society.

Adaptive optics retinal imaging available but limited by high cost

HYDERABAD, India — By combining adaptive optics with the latest techniques in optical coherence tomography, scientists will open the door to visualization of the cellular details of the retina, altering how retinal diseases are diagnosed and managed, according to one speaker here.“In the new era of pharmacologic, molecular and genetics therapies, [adaptive optics] OCT instruments could represent a giant step forward,” SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, said at the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India Ophthalmological Society.