The European Commission has granted Novartis a new,
broader indication for ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech)
to treat patients with visual impairment due to diabetic
macular edema, according to a company news release.
The approval of Lucentis was based…
Author: Advanced Ocular Care
Inflammation,Improved Visual Acuity in Uveitis With Ozurdex
The Ozurdex dexamethasone intravitreal implant
(Allergan, Inc.) significantly improved intraocular inflammation
and visual acuity in patients with noninfectious intermediate
or posterior uveitis, according to a study in the
Archives of Ophthalmology.1
…
RENÉ LE BERRE, RIVER BLINDNESS PIONEER, DEAD AT 78
René Le Berre, PhD, an entomologist and
pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of
river blindness, died on December 6, 2010,
in L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer, France, at the age of
78. Dr. Le Berre was responsible for preserving
the sight of millions of peopl…
Scorecard Helped Predict Visual Acuity After Cataract Surgery
A team of Spanish researchers has developed a scoring
tool to predict visual acuity and functional changes after
phacoemulsification, according to a report in
Ophthalmology.1
Emilio Perea-Milla, MD, PhD, of the Hospital de Marbella
in Málaga, Spain, a…
Tunneled Scleral Injection Technique May Increase IOP in Patients With AMD
Using a tunneled scleral injection technique may
increase IOP in patients with age-related macular degeneration
(AMD), according to a study published in Graefe’s
Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.
Forty-five eyes (45 patients) with …
Allergan Receives FDA Approval for Lumigan 0.01%
Allergan, Inc. (Irvine, CA), announced that the FDA has
approved Lumigan 0.01% as a first-line therapy to reduce
elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular
hypertension. Lumigan 0.01%, a bimatoprost ophthalmic
solution, is a reformulat…
Laser Capsulotomies More Frequent After Multifocal IOL Implantation
Implantation of multifocal IOLs following cataract
extraction may result in more frequent Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies
than monofocal IOLs, according to a retrospective
study in the Journal of Refractive Surgery.1
Patients underwent cataract extraction a…
Vision and Nerve Growth Restored With Biosynthetic Corneas
Surgical implantation of biosynthetic corneas may
restore vision and promote nerve regeneration in
patients with corneal damage and significant vision loss,
according to results of a 2-year clinical study.1
In the phase 1, investigator-sponsored study,…
Study Examines Visual Outcomes of LASIK-Induced Monovision
LASIK-induced monovision increases spectacle independence
and is a valid option for myopic patients with
presbyopia, according to a study in the American Journal of
Ophthalmology.1
The prospective, observational study examined 37 consecutive
patients o…
Nonviral Gene Therapy Prevents Retinal Degeneration in Mice
Nonviral gene therapy delayed the onset of some degenerative
eye disorders such as retinal degeneration and
helped to preserve vision in an animal model.1
Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the
Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical …
Contact Lenses Improve Vision- Related Quality of Life in Children
Children who wear contact lenses have better visionrelated
quality of life than children who wear eyeglasses,
according to a study published in Optometry and Vision
Science.1
A total of 484 nearsighted children aged 8 to 11 years
were randomly assigned…
Novartis Completes Acquisition of Majority Stake in Alcon
Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) announced that it
has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in
Alcon, Inc. (Huenenberg, Switzerland), even as Alcon’s
minority shareholders continue to lobby for a higher
value on the remaining shares.
In the …
Phase 2 Clinical Trial of Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment Completed
R-Tech Ueno Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) announced it has
completed a phase 2 clinical trial of 0.15% UF-021 isopropyl
unoprostone (Ocuseva), which is under development
as a treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. The
trial investigated the possibility of improving…
Antiviral Therapy Linked to Fewer Recurring HSV-Related Complaints
Taking oral antiviral medications following infection with
the herpes simplex virus (HSV) may be associated with a
reduced risk of recurring ocular manifestations of the disease,
according to a study published in Archives of
Ophthalmology.1
After the i…
Low Levels of Exposure to Tobacco Smoke Affect the Lungs
A single cigarette produces enough smoke to alter genes
in the lungs, according to a study in the American Journal of
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.1 Low levels of tobacco
smoke produce biologic changes in the small airway
epithelium, the site…
Puberty Starting at Younger Age in Girls
Girls are entering puberty at younger ages, according to a
study in Pediatrics.1 The proportion of girls who had breast
development at ages 7 and 8 years, particularly among
white girls, is greater than that reported from studies of girls
who were born…
Excessive Weight Gain During Pregnancy Affects Birth Weight
Maternal weight gain during pregnancy influenced the
baby’s birth weight independently of genetic factors,
according to a study in the Lancet.1
David Ludwig, MD, and Janet Currie, PhD, of Children’s
Hospital Boston studied data from 513,501 women a…
CDC Says Obesity Rates Continue to Rise in the United States
About one-third of people in nine US states were obese
in 2009, a dramatic increase from 2007, when only three
states had obesity rates that high, according to a recent survey
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC).12
The nine states…
Microvascular Decompression Surgery Improved Glucose Control in Patients With Diabetes
Because a vascular compression of the medulla oblongata
is a factor in some patients with type 2 diabetes,
microvascular decompression surgery (MVD) may be an
effective treatment for patients with nonobese type 2
diabetes mellitus, according to a study…
Spinal Fluid Test Predicted Alzheimer’s Disease
A spinal fluid test can be 100% accurate in identifying
patients with significant memory loss who are developing
Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study in the
Archives of Neurology.1
John Trojanowski, MD, PhD, of the University of
Pennsylvania and…