On Feb. 6, the House Ways and Means, the Energy and Commerce, and the Senate Finance committees released the bipartisan, bicameral SGR Repeal and Medicare Payment Modernization Act of 2014. The negotiated bill would repeal the current SGR formula, whic…
Month: February 2014
Cataract surgery linked to changes in choroidal thickness, study finds
Cataract surgery was associated with changes in choroidal thickness, with axial length and IOP being critical in evaluating those changes, according to a study. “The choroid may be involved in the pathogenesis of various ocular diseases,” the study authors said. “It has been suggested that cataract surgery is associated with the onset of AMD.” The prospective study included 100 eyes of 100 patients with a mean age of 72.5 years and no other ocular disease who underwent cataract surgery. A control group included 20 eyes of 20 age-matched subjects.
Alcon’s annual operating income falls 16%
Operating income for Alcon in 2013 was $1.2 billion, a decline of 16% over the previous year, according to a press release from Novartis. The decline was attributed to integration and restructuring costs and was partially offset by sales growth — 3% over the previous year — and productivity gains. The Alcon surgical franchise increased by 4% in 2013 over 2012. This was driven by procedure growth, market share gains and demand for LenSx and Centurion equipment.
Cross-linking round table, part 2: Epi-on vs. epi-off and measures of success
At the 2013 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting, Ocular Surgery News convened a round table of international experts to discuss the current state of corneal cross-linking. The second part of that wide-ranging discussion, moderated by Roy S. Rubinfeld, MD, is featured in this issue of OSN. Roy S. Rubinfeld, MD: Let’s talk about epi-on vs. epi-off in terms of safety. At this conference, there are numerous abstracts and presentations showing some proprietary new epi-on cross-linking techniques to have efficacy similar to older epi-off techniques, but when there (Read more...)
BLOG: Monthly department check-ups for a healthy practice, part 1— billing
Managing an ophthalmic practice includes many complex processes. It is as important to streamline administrative tasks as it is in the clinic. A quick way to assess how each department in your practice is functioning is to monitor key benchmarks on a m…
Jackson Laboratory Assistant Professor wins 2013 Lewis Rudin Glaucoma Prize from NYAM
Jackson Laboratory Assistant Professor Gareth Howell, Ph.D., is one of two winners of the 2013 Lewis Rudin Glaucoma Prize from The New York Academy of Medicine.
Bowman Layer Graft Strengthens Eyes With Keratoconus
Surgeons say they were able to lengthen the time that patients with keratoconus could wear contact lenses by grafting donor Bowman layers into the patients’ corneas. Medscape Medical News
Topcon launches auto refractor, online training program
Topcon Medical Systems has announced the launch of the KR-800S, an auto refractor with glare testing, according to a company press release.The KR-800S incorporates existing rotary prism technology and adds subjective visual tests, including a visual ac…
SalutarisMD begins enrollment in wet AMD study
Salutaris Medical Devices has begun enrollment in a sponsored observational study to advance the research and development of a novel medical device for use in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, according to a company press release.
Research roundup: Palliative care And acos; employers and Supreme Court case on contraception
In preparation for the new ACO environment, leaders recognized the contribution palliative care can make to health care “value,” especially in the care of our sickest (and most expensive) patients …
Pathologic myopia associated with higher OSDI scores, lower TBUT
Patients with pathologic myopia experienced more severe Ocular Surface Disease Index symptoms and faster tear film breakup times than controls, according to a study. The study compared 45 patients with pathologic myopia with 44 healthy individuals. Researchers defined pathologic myopia as spherical equivalent (SE) refractive errors greater than 6 D and axial globe length (AL) of more than 26.5 mm. No statistically significant difference between groups was seen in corneal staining or in Schirmer’s 1 test scores, both with and without anesthesia, but SE, keratometry, AL, tear breakup time (TBUT) (Read more...)
Color vision abnormalities found in 40 percent of older adults
Abnormal color vision increases significantly with aging – affecting one-half or more of people in the oldest age groups, reports a study in Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
Brain-training game improves vision and success of baseball players
In baseball, vision can play a key role in a player’s success. If they have trouble seeing the ball, chances are they could be out after three strikes. But new research from the University of California, Riverside, suggests that a brain-training video …
2015 Cuts for Medicare Advantage Smaller Than Expected
The funding level for next year is being carefully watched by physicians who could find themselves ejected from Medicare Advantage provider networks in the name of cost control. Medscape Medical News
CMS Promises More Thorough Testing of ICD-10 Codes
The ‘end-to-end’ testing sought by organized medicine will show whether Medicare claims incorporating the new and controversial ICD-10 codes actually get paid. Medscape Medical News
Corneal Refractive Surgery-related Dry Eye
Dry eye is common after corneal refractive surgery. What are the possible interventions clinicians can consider to avoid, prevent, and treat this complication? Expert Review of Ophthalmology
Daily multivitamin use could reduce cataract risk for men
New research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, MA, has found that long-term daily use of multivitamin supplements could reduce the risk of cataract for men.The study findings were recently published in the jo…
ICD-10 Coding for Ophthalmology
ICD-10 is just months away. Here’s a brief review of the changes to coding in ophthalmology. Medscape Business of Medicine
Geographic Atrophy
Geographic atrophy is an advanced form of dry ARMD. Severe vision loss can occur, but it will do so slowly. Treatments are on the horizon.
Multivitamin use markedly reduces cataract risk in men aged 50 and older
Long-term multivitamin use decreased the risk of cataract in middle-aged men but had an insignificant impact on age-related macular degeneration, according to a large study. “Given that an estimated 10 million adults in the United States have impaired vision due to cataract, even a modest reduction in risk of cataract has potential to improve public health outcomes,” the study authors said.