Month: March 2013

Comparison and Repeatability of Keratometric and Corneal Power Measurements Obtained by Orbscan II, Pentacam, and Galilei Corneal Tomography Systems – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To assess the repeatability and comparability of corneal power and central corneal thickness (CCT) measurements obtained using Orbscan II (Bausch & Lomb), Pentacam (Oculus), and Galilei (Ziemer) tomographers.Design: Prospective, comparative study.Methods: setting: Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland and Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand. study population: Thirty eyes of 30 healthy participants. observations. CCT and corneal power measured using Orbscan II, Pentacam, and Galilei tomography. main outcome measures: Degree of agreement in and repeatability of CCT and corneal power measures.Results: Orbscan II measured significantly lower CCT compared with Pentacam (20 μm; P < .0005) and Galilei (18 μm; P (Read more...)

Partial Lamellar Sclerouvectomy of Ciliary Body Tumors in a Korean Population – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics of ciliary body tumors, surgical outcomes, and factors associated with poor visual outcome and metastasis.Design: Retrospective case series.Methods: Medical records of 27 patients with ciliary body tumors who underwent partial lamellar sclerouvectomy in a single-center setting (Seoul, South Korea) were reviewed. Surgical outcomes were reviewed, and clinical characteristics were analyzed with respect to visual prognosis and globe retention rate.Results: Tumors were diagnosed histopathologically as benign in 8 (30%) cases and as melanoma in 19 (70%) cases. Patients had a median age of 48 years. The median follow-up was 3.5 years (range, 0.5 to 6 (Read more...)

Optical Quality Comparison of Conventional and Hole-Visian Implantable Collamer Lens at Different Degrees of Decentering – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To compare the optical quality of implantable Collamer lens (ICL) with and without central hole (Hole ICL and conventional ICL) at different degrees of decentering.Design: Experimental laboratory investigation.Methods: Wavefront aberrations of the −3, −6, and −12 diopter (D) V4b and −3, −6, and −12 D V4c ICLs were measured in 3 conditions—centered and decentered 0.3 and 0.6 mm—at 3-mm and 4.5-mm pupils. The root mean square of total higher order aberrations, trefoil, coma, tetrafoil, secondary astigmatism, and spherical aberration were evaluated. In addition, point spread function and simulated retinal images of ICLs were calculated from the wavefront aberrations for each ICL and all conditions of decentering (Read more...)

BLOG: In treating glaucoma, don’t forget old-fashioned clinical skill

The cover story in the current issue of Ocular Surgery News focuses on the progression of glaucoma, one of our field’s most perplexing mysteries. The longer I practice ophthalmology, the less certain I have become that we really understand glaucoma. Sure, I can follow accepted standards of care, setting target pressures and assessing regularly for compliance and efficacy, but I feel less and less like we really know what’s going on, especially with the enigmas we call low-tension glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Stakes enormous as Supreme Court weighs ‘pay-to-delay’ generic drug deals

From international law firm Arnold & Porter LLP comes timely views on current regulatory and legislative topics that weigh on the minds of today’s physicians and health care executives.The Supreme Court is poised to resolve a long-running debate regarding the legality of so-called “reverse payment” patent litigation settlements between brand drug and generic drug companies. The court heard oral argument on March 25 in FTC v. Actavis, a case that focuses on these settlements, in which (1) the brand company licenses the generic product to enter the market on a (Read more...)

Are You a Great Diagnostician?

Some physicians seem to always nail the correct diagnosis, even when the case is complex. What is it that enables them to get that result? Can everyone learn those diagnostic skills? Medscape Business of Medicine