DENVER —The largest global, prospective, noninterventional study of faricimab demonstrated “robust, rapid” anatomical improvements in patients with diabetic macular edema, according to a speaker.The VOYAGER study included real-world data from more than…
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Over half of Americans unable to afford health care if needed
A record number of Americans are unable to consistently afford health care visits and medications if they need them, according to a new West Health and Gallup report.The findings indicate that “affordability challenges are becoming more widespread,” an…
New restriction on glaucoma care deserves closer look
A proposed Medicare policy threatens to reshape how ophthalmologists treat glaucoma.At issue is the anterior segment intraocular nonbiodegradable drug-eluting system, more commonly known as iDose TR (travoprost intracameral implant, Glaukos). The polic…
HHS proposes plan to speed up clinical trials
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants to speed up clinical trials in the United States.“A recent study found that China conducts more early-stage clinical trials than the United States,” Kennedy wrote in an editorial published online by Fox News. “…
Older woman presents with insidious visual disturbances
A 93-year-old woman presented with sequential bilateral decreased vision within 2 weeks.Symptoms initially began in the right eye and were characterized by intermittent perception of a blue ribbon and missing letters while reading and distortion of str…
Embrace next-generation IOL optics to expand patient vision
The historical paradigm of cataract surgery forced an absolute compromise: pristine distance vision with absolute spectacle dependence or an expanded range of vision at the cost of contrast sensitivity and night dysphotopsia.Today, next-generation nond…
Updates on prior authorization: What’s changed and will it make a difference?
Last year, HHS and dozens of health insurers announced an industry pledge to streamline and reduce prior authorization.According to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), that pledge has led to an 11% reduction in prior authorizations “across a range…
Managing serious illness conversations in blood cancers
Patients with serious illness may gradually develop a form of “double awareness” — the ability to hold hope for continued living while also preparing for the possibility of dying.Optimistic prognostic discussions could result in hopeful perspectives, b…
Anti-VEGF treatment for wet AMD declines over 7 years
DENVER — A real-world analysis showed increased rates of undertreatment and attrition with anti-VEGF injections in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration over time, resulting in worse visual outcomes.According to a poster presented at the A…
Are ‘looksmaxxing’ men really hitting their jaws with hammers?
Every day, millions of people scroll through transformation videos on social media in pursuit of becoming the most attractive version of themselves. But for some young men, this goal has taken a dark turn.Combining the terms “looks” and “maximizing,” a…
Millions of people in US live in areas without grocery stores
Approximately 5 million people in the U.S. lived in communities with no access to grocery stores in 2023.The number of food deserts in the country remained almost unchanged during the past 2 decades, whereas the number of areas with substantially more …
Is MAHA ready for the health challenges of rural America?
This month’s Healio Exclusive focuses on one of the most complex — and frankly saddest — realities in American health care: the profound unmet needs of rural populations, particularly with respect to access to care.We also explore whether HHS Secretary…
AI-based DR screening tool comparable to human reading centers
LAS VEGAS — Ocula360, an AI-based tool for diabetic retinopathy lesion detection, showed efficacy in detecting DR across multiple levels of severity, according to a speaker at Clinical Trials at the Summit.While several automated DR assessment tools ha…
Best practices for meibomian gland dysfunction, part 1
Recent data suggest that 85% of dry eye disease in the U.S. is partially or completely evaporative dry eye.This means that 85% of dry eye disease (DED) likely originates in the meibomian glands of affected patients. Now is as good a time as any to revi…
Best practices for meibomian gland dysfunction, part 1
Recent data suggest that 85% of dry eye disease in the U.S. is partially or completely evaporative dry eye.This means that 85% of dry eye disease (DED) likely originates in the meibomian glands of affected patients. Now is as good a time as any to revi…
Physicians should remember ‘do no harm’ when using compound drugs
Compounded medications currently represent an estimated 1% to 3% of all prescriptions written in the United States, according to a recent 2025-2026 report issued by the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding.“There’s a good chance you know someone who has b…
Cyclodialysis shows ‘remarkably high’ success across 120 years
WASHINGTON — Cyclodialysis performed with modern ab interno approaches should not be discounted as a treatment option for glaucoma, according to a speaker.“The original surgery was abandoned when trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage devices came in, in…
How the RISE rule will impact medical students
A new rule will dramatically change how medical students can pay for their education, according to an expert.On May 1, the U.S. Department of Education released the Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulati…
Ocular allergy treatment may require collaboration
Click here to read the Healio Exclusive, “Rising rate of ocular allergies calls for collaborative, eco-conscious interventions.”The most common forms of ocular allergy are seasonal allergic conjunctivitis and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. They can…
Ocular allergy treatment may require collaboration
Click here to read the Healio Exclusive, “Rising rate of ocular allergies calls for collaborative, eco-conscious interventions.”The most common forms of ocular allergy are seasonal allergic conjunctivitis and perennial allergic conjunctivitis. They can…