After more than a year and a half of negotiations, shareholders
of both Alcon, Inc. (Huenenberg, Switzerland) and
Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) have approved the merger
of the two companies. Alcon will become a newly formed
division within Novartis …
Author: CRST Europe
New Gene Regions Linked to CAD
An international research consortium has identified 13
new gene regions linked to coronary artery disease (CAD)
and has validated 10 previously discovered sites, according
to a study published in Nature Genetics.sup1/sup
The investigators performed a m…
Bausch + Lomb,Technolas to Codistribute Femtosecond Laser
Bausch + Lomb (Rochester, New York) and Technolas
Perfect Vision GmbH (Munich, Germany) announced an
agreement in principle to globally distribute the first femtosecond
laser capable of performing both cataract and
refractive procedures on one platform…
Mononucleosis,Low Sun Exposure May Raise Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Infectious mononucleosis coupled with low levels of
ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation could increase one’s risk of
developing multiple sclerosis (MS).sup1/sup
George C. Ebers, MD, of the University of Oxford, and colleagues
examined hospital admissions …
Visual Acuity Worsened 2 Years After Cataract Surgery
One in eight patients who underwent cataract surgery
lost at least 2 lines of pinhole visual acuity during the 2-year
postoperative period, according to a study in the emBJO/em.sup1/sup
The Cataract Surgery and Age-Related Macular
Degeneration study in…
Visian ICL V4c Receives CE Mark
The Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) V4c (STAAR
Surgical, Monrovia, California) received the Conformité
Européenne (CE) Mark, according to a company news
release. The V4c incorporates a proprietary port in the center
of the ICL optic. The size …
London Eye Hospital Performs First Bifocal LAL Eye Surgery
The London Eye Hospital has completed the world’s first
bifocal Light Adjustable Lens (LAL; Calhoun Vision, Inc.,
Pasadena, California) eye surgery apart from clinical trials,
the hospital announced in a news release. Bobby Qureshi,
BSc, MBBS, FRCS, …
Merck to Acquire Inspire Pharmaceuticals for $430 Million
Merck and Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey),
announced that it will acquire Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Raleigh, North Carolina), for $430 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, Merck, through a subsidiary,
will commence a tender offer …
Toric IOL Reduced Astigmatism After Cataract Surgery
Refractive astigmatism after cataract surgery in patients
with corneal astigmatism was significantly lower when a
toric IOL was implanted compared with a spherical IOL.1
Researchers conducted a retrospective review of clinical
records that included pat…
Schwind Amaris 750S Safe, Effective in LASIK,LASEK
The Schwind Amaris 750S (Schwind eye-tech-solutions,
Kleinostheim, Germany) demonstrated high precision, predictability,
and safety in both LASIK and LASEK treatments,
according to 6-month data published in a news release.
Maria Clara Arbelaez, MD, of …
Rayner Recognized for Profit Growth
Rayner Intraocular Lenses, Ltd. (East Sussex, United
Kingdom), was included in London’s Sunday Times
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Profit Track 100, “Ones to
Recognize,” which lists 10 companies that have either had or
predict good profit growth. In ad…
Calcium Supplements May Increase Risk of Heart Attack in Postmenopausal Women
Calcium supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular
events, namely myocardial infarction, in postmenopausal
women, according to a study in the BMJ.1
Ian R. Reid, MD, of the University of Auckland, New
Zealand, and colleagues reassessed data fro…
Type 2 Diabetes Linked to One Gene Mutation
The presence of functional gene variants in high-mobility
group A1 (HMGA1) was associated with type 2 diabetes
mellitus in individuals of white European ancestry, according
to a study in the emJournal of the American Medical Association/em.sup1/sup
Eus…
Toric IOLs, LRIs Produced Comparable Correction
Toric IOL implantation and limbal relaxing incisions (LRIs)
yielded similar results for the correction of astigmatism during cataract surgery, according to a study in the emJournal of
Refractive Surgery/em.sup1/sup
Jed T. Poll, MD, of the Cullen Eye In…
Mediterranean Diet Reduced Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
Adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with
a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, according to a
meta-analysis in the emJournal of the American College of
Cardiology/em.sup1/sup
Researchers from Italy and Greece analyzed 50 randomized,
contro…
Angle-Supported Phakic IOLs Safe,Effective for Moderate to High Myopia
Angle-supported phakic IOLs provided favorable refractive
correction and predictability as well as acceptable safety
in patients with moderate to high myopia, according to a
study in the emJournal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery/em.sup1/sup
The inte…
Cell Phone Use Affects Brain Activity
Cell phone exposure was associated with increased
brain glucose metabolism in the region closest to the
antenna, according to a study in the emJournal of the
American Medical Association/em.sup1/sup
In the randomized study, Nora D. Volkow, MD, Director…
Corneal Astigmatism After Sutureless Cataract Surgery Showed Astigmatic Change
Corneal astigmatism after sutureless cataract surgery
showed a long-term against-the-rule change with advancing
age, according to a study in the emAmerican Journal of
Ophthalmology/em.sup1/sup
The case-control study compared 153 eyes that underwent
pha…
Wavefront-Guided PRK Safe, Effective in Myopic Eyes
Wavefront-guided PRK was safe and effective for the correction
of myopia, according to a study in the emJournal of
Refractive Surgery/em.sup1/sup
The retrospective study included 174 eyes of 102
patients with low to moderate myopia (-0.125 to less
than…
AMO Introduces Tecnis Toric 1-Piece IOL in Europe
Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (Santa Ana, California) introduced
the Tecnis Toric 1-Piece IOL for cataract patients in
Europe, according to a company news release.
The Tecnis Toric 1-Piece IOL combines wavefrontdesigned
aspheric and toric optic technologi…