AMSTERDAM (MedPage Today) — Statins might help prevent dementia and cataracts, according to two studies presented here.
Month: August 2013
Incidence of Endophthalmitis after Corneal Transplant or Cataract Surgery in a Medicare Population – Corrected Proof
Objective: To estimate the incidence of infectious endophthalmitis after corneal transplant or cataract surgery, to evaluate the trend of endophthalmitis during the study period, and to assess demographic risk factors for endophthalmitis after surgerie…
Quantitative Classification of Eyes with and without Intermediate Age-related Macular Degeneration Using Optical Coherence Tomography – Corrected Proof
Objective: To define quantitative indicators for the presence of intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging of older adults.Design: Evaluation of diagnostic test and technology.Participants and Controls: One eye from 115 elderly subjects without AMD and 269 subjects with intermediate AMD from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Ancillary SD-OCT Study.Methods: We semiautomatically delineated the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and RPE drusen complex (RPEDC, the axial distance from the apex of the drusen and RPE layer to Bruch’s membrane) and total retina (TR, the axial distance between the inner limiting and Bruch’s membranes) boundaries. (Read more...)
Eylea approved in EU for visual impairment due to macular edema secondary to CRVO
The European Commission has approved Eylea (aflibercept, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.) for the treatment of visual impairment from macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion, Regeneron announced.”We are pleased with the approval of Eylea in the E.U. in a second indication,” George D. Yancopoulos, MD, PhD, chief scientific officer of Regeneron and president of Regeneron Laboratories, said in a news release from Regeneron. “Our phase 3 studies showed that Eylea improved visual outcomes significantly in macular edema following CRVO. This additional approval of Eylea is great news for patients in Europe (Read more...)
VEGF plasma levels reduced after bevacizumab injection for DME, AMD
TORONTO — There was significant reduction of vascular endothelial growth factor plasma levels at 1 and 4 weeks after bevacizumab injection in patients with age-related macular degeneration and in patients with diabetic macular edema, a presenter said here. However, no change in plasma VEGF level was seen after intravitreal injection of Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech) or Macugen (pegaptanib, Valeant), according to Gerhard Kieselbach, MD, who presented study findings at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
U.S. grants patent to Clarity Medical Systems for intraoperative wavefront aberrometer
Clarity Medical Systems Inc. has received a patent for an intraoperative capture and display system that continuously streams real-time refractive wavefront measurements during vision correction procedures, the company announced in a news release. Additionally, the technology overlays data on a live image of the patient’s eye.The newly patented system is intended to expand Clarity’s Holos product line, and its first use is intended to be used in refractive cataract surgery as the Holos IntraOp, a module that can be attached to a standard surgical microscope, according to the release.
Intraoperative SD-OCT findings predict VA outcomes after PPV for macular hole repair
TORONTO — Intraoperative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography during macula-involving detachment repair reveals persistent subretinal fluid in all patients under perfluoro-n-octane tamponade, a presenter here said.Furthermore, intraoperative predictors of poor visual acuity outcomes included increased retinal thickness, increased outer retinal thickness and disorganized outer retina, but presence of fluid did not result in a statistically significant difference between good and poor visual acuity outcomes, Sunil K. Srivastava, MD, said at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
Surgeon describes first case of Jetrea injection: Video with Allen C. Ho, MD
Allen C. Ho, MD, discusses lessons learned from the first commercial injection of Jetrea (ocriplasmin) for vitreomacular disease at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting held recently in Toronto.
Alcon receives positive recommendation from NICE Appraisal Committee for use of Jetrea® in patients with vitreomacular traction and macular hole
Alcon, the global leader in eye care, is pleased that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee has delivered a positive Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) for Jetrea®, recommending its use to treat adults with vitreomacular traction including macular hole of less than or equal to 400 microns when an epiretinal membrane is absent, or…
Medicare Rates Continue to Fall Behind Practice Expenses
Experts say physicians have pumped up the volume of their services to offset meager increases in Medicare fee schedule rates. Medscape Medical News
Tailored Treatment Best for Neovascular AMD
An individualized approach to treatment offers the best outcomes for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), according to a new review of the literature. Reuters Health Information
Monthly, PRN doses of ranibizumab similarly effective in RVO
TORONTO — As-needed and monthly ranibizumab dosing regimens yielded similar visual acuity gains in patients with retinal vein occlusion who reached a stable disease state, according to results of the SHORE study presented here.The study compared efficacy of monthly and as-needed (PRN) dosing of intravitreal Lucentis (ranibizumab 0.5 mg, Genentech) in patients with retinal vein occlusion. “PRN treatment with ranibizumab in vein occlusion after reaching a stable disease state provides visual acuity gains comparable to monthly dosing over a 15-month period in retinal vein occlusion,” Dennis Marcus, MD, said at the (Read more...)
Pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy: Video with K. Bailey Freund, MD
K. Bailey Freund, MD, discusses pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting in Toronto.
Baseline predictive features of ocriplasmin: Video with Tarek Hassan, MD
Tarek Hassan, MD, program chair for the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting held recently in Toronto, discusses best practices with Jetrea (ocriplasmin) for treating vitreomacular disease.
Study finds little difference in anti-VEGF treatment response of patients with wet AMD grouped by genetic risk profile
TORONTO — Genetic risk profile had no apparent impact on functional and anatomic reaction to anti-VEGF treatment in patients with wet AMD classified into three risk groups, according to a study presented here.“The difference in ETDRS letter gain and macular fluid reduction was not statistically significant between the three risk groups or the individual haplotype groups,” Varun Chaudhary, MD, FRCSC, and colleagues said in a poster presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.The multi-centered, prospective, cohort study included 50 eyes of 50 patients who underwent a cheek swab DNA (Read more...)
Retinal angiomatous proliferation patients may be treated with three consecutive loading doses of intravitreal ranibizumab
TORONTO — Three consecutive loading doses of intravitreal ranibizumab may be a treatment option for patients with retinal angiomatous proliferation, according to a poster presentation.Patients with stage 1 retinal angiomatous proliferation had a lower number of treatments and, therefore, lower recurrence rates than those in stage 2 and stage 3, Young Gun Park, MD, and colleague, said in a poster presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting. Retrospective chart reviews of 41 eyes from 40 patients with a mean age of 67.09 were included in the study.
Technique from astronomy will change the way eye care professionals think about vision correction
Techniques developed by astronomers seeking a clear view of objects in space are coming closer to home, as eye care professionals apply the concept of wavefront optics to understanding – and correcting – subtle visual abnormalities of the human eye, ac…
Sophie is 93 and Reads!
I’ve written about another of my more elderly patients who remains independent and can read despite wet ARMD! She’s 93!
A molecular mechanism of optic nerve regeneration in fish: the retinoid signaling pathway
Publication date: Available online 28 August 2013
Source:Progress in Retinal and Eye Research
Author(s): Satoru Kato , Toru Matsukawa , Yoshiki Koriyama , Kayo Sugitani , Kazuhiro Ogai
The fish optic nerve regeneration process takes more than 100 days after axotomy and comprises four stages: neurite sprouting (1–4 days), (Read more...)
Interferon-Associated Retinopathy During HCV Treatment
Could interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C cause retinopathy? This new study explores the connection. Journal of Viral Hepatitis