Month: January 2013

HYDERABAD, India — A 0.01% concentration of bimatoprost showed comparable efficacy and significantly improved tolerability compared to the standard 0.03% formulation.“Prostaglandin analogues are first-line therapy for glaucoma, as they have shown the best efficacy in reducing IOP with a single daily administration. However, side effects such as hyperemia and itchy sensation are common complaints,” Barun K. Nayak, MD, said in an industry-sponsored symposium at the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India Ophthalmological Society.

Read more →

BALTIMORE — Early detection and treatment and close long-term surveillance are critical for the management of choroidal nevus and melanoma, two experts told colleagues here.“Prior to about 1970, enucleation was done for almost any lesion, regardless of its size, that was suspected to be possible melanoma,” Jerry A. Shields, MD, said at Macula 2013. “That’s undisputed. It was believed that that saved lives.”

Read more →

HYDERABAD, India — New lamellar techniques have reduced the risk of graft rejection after corneal transplantation, but low-dose steroid therapy should not be discontinued, particularly in patients with African ancestry, pre-existing glaucoma or steroid-induced ocular hypertension, according to a specialist. “A paper published by W. Barry Lee in 2009 reported an average incidence of 10% with DSEK, and a large series published by M.O. Price in the same year estimated a graft rejection probability of 7.6% by 1 year and 12% by 2 years,” Rajesh Fogla, MD, said at the (Read more...)

BALTIMORE — Dietary supplements continued to reduce the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration or neovascular AMD 10 years out, according to a study presented here. At Macula 2013, Emily Y. Chew, MD, elucidated results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, a multicenter, randomized clinical trial that included 4,757 patients with varied AMD severity; 3,549 patients participated in the 10-year follow-up examination.

Read more →

HYDERABAD, India — New imaging technologies have enabled specialists to determine that an interplay of multiple anatomical and physiological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of angle closure. “We have been able to learn quite a lot on angle closure by using imaging technologies, particularly [ultrasound biomicroscopy] and anterior-segment [optical coherence tomography]. We are studying new risk factors such as iris thickness, smaller anterior chamber width area and volume, and greater lens vault,” Tin Aung, MD, said at the joint meeting of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and All India (Read more...)

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Indocyanine green angiography-directed photodynamic therapy provides positive resolution of persistent cases of serous retinal pigment epithelial detachment, a speaker said here.According to Scott W. Cousins, MD, indocyanine green (ICG) angiography with PDT provides approximately 40% resolution of serous retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED).

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Using the effective refractive power in a double-K method can improve outcomes when calculating IOL power for post-RK eyes, a surgeon said here.“We do pretty well with post-RK eyes just using the effective refractive power, which is essentially the central corneal power, which is a number you can get from any state-of-the-art topographer,” Mark Packer, MD, FACS, said at Hawaiian Eye 2013.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Advancements being made to spectral-domain optical coherence tomography will allow for more in-depth imaging of the choroid, a speaker said here.The ability to quantify choroidal thickness in vivo is increasing, Nadia K. Waheed, MD, said at Retina 2013.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Manipulation of seven elements can lead, within 5 years, to the perfect IOL calculation, wherein perfection is measured as one-eighth of a diopter of intended outcomes in every patient, according to a speaker here.According to Jack T. Holladay, MD, MSEE, FACS, speaking at Hawaiian Eye 2013, the seven elements that will make ideal IOL power calculations achievable include the formula, biometers, corneal power, new developments in B-scan, improved precision of femtosecond lasers, intraoperative aberrometry and adjustable IOLs.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Intraoperative optical coherence tomography is becoming increasingly vital to vitreoretinal surgeons, a speaker said here.According to Peter K. Kaiser, MD, OSN Retina/Vitreous Board Member, intraoperative use of OCT imaging offers many benefits.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — The use of femtosecond laser for cataract surgery in the U.S. is changing the way cataracts are managed, a speaker said here. “I definitely don’t think this technology is going away,” Richard S. Davidson, MD, said at Hawaiian Eye 2013, citing the benefits of the laser technology for cataract treatment: more accurate effective lens position, less endothelial cell loss and more precise astigmatism correction.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Autofluorescence is ideal and suitable for clinical diagnostic imaging, according to a speaker here.It is especially helpful in following geographic atrophy, Scott W. Cousins, MD, said at Retina 2013.

Read more →

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — A novel combination of accelerated cross-linking and femtosecond astigmatic keratotomy may significantly enhance the efficacy of the astigmatic keratotomy in a variety of scenarios, a speaker said here. Reporting on behalf of A. John Kanellopoulos, MD, at Hawaiian Eye 2013, presenter Vance M. Thompson, MD, FACS, illustrated the positive effects of the procedure in four situations: after PK, after cataract surgery, as regression enhancement, and in clear cornea incisions. In all cases, accelerated corneal cross-linking enhanced the effect of astigmatic keratotomy, Thompson said.

Read more →