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Author: Healio ophthalmology
Povidone-iodine protocol reduces risk of post-injection endophthalmitis
BOSTON — Additional povidone-iodine given after placement of a lid speculum can significantly decrease the incidence of post-injection endophthalmitis, according to a speaker at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting here.Joshua D. Levinson, MD, and colleagues at the Retina Group of Washington, D.C., concluded that such a measure was helpful after analyzing the effect of different aseptic protocols on the incidence of endophthalmitis following intravitreal injection.
AMA offers tools to help physicians implement MACRA
AMA has developed a Merit-based Incentive Payment System Action Plan that can be personalized for individual health care professionals to help them meet Quality Payment Program requirements, according to a press release. The association also said phys…
Cytogenetic abnormalities correlated with clinical features of uveal melanoma
BOSTON — It takes teamwork to manage uveal melanoma, Carol L. Shields, MD, told colleagues at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting,Citing 8-year experience with personalized prognosis of uveal melanoma based on genetic profile in 1,059 patients, recently published in Ophthalmology, Shields said she and coworkers found the strongest predictor of patient prognosis depends on chromosomal status, particularly chromosomes 3, 6 and 8.
Fovista combined with Eylea, Avastin shows no benefit over anti-VEGF monotherapy
Fovista anti-PDGF therapy combined with Eylea or Avastin anti-VEGF therapies failed to show superiority to anti-VEGF monotherapy in its phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, Ophthotech Corp. announced.Subject…
Central retinal thickness improves with Iluvien implant in previously treated eyes
BOSTON — Central retinal thickness values improved after exposure to fluocinolone acetonide implant in eyes previously treated for diabetic macular edema, according to a study. However, steroid-induced ocular hypertension can occur despite a negative steroid challenge at baseline, with the baseline use of topical glaucoma therapy potentially confounding assessment of the steroid response, Sumit P. Shah, MD, FACS, said in a paper presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
Potential safety concerns of Avastin for ROP considered
BOSTON — There is increasing reason to consider potential safety concerns of Avastin therapy for retinopathy of prematurity, according to a speaker here.Citing accumulating evidence, Robert Avery, MD, told colleagues at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting that studies show there are systemic effects associated with the treatment.
Vitreoretinal surgery improves outcomes in juvenile retinoschisis
BOSTON — Vitreoretinal surgery helped improve visual outcomes in most patients with posterior segment complications of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis, according to a study.“Visual impairment in cases of congenital retinoschisis is usually very often seen because of the early macular involvement, but the surgical intervention is not required in more than 10% to 15% of these cases,” Parveen Sen, MBBS, MS, said at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting. Sen and colleagues conducted a retrospective consecutive case series of 30 eyes of 25 patients with congenital retinoschisis who underwent surgery (Read more...)
Long-term anti-VEGF therapy maintains visual improvements
BOSTON — Long-term treat-and-extend anti-VEGF therapy maintains vision in some patients, even after 8 years and more than 50 injections, according to a study presented here“Consistent use of anti-VEGF therapy can provide long-term maintenance of vision in patients with neovascular AMD in a typical retina practice,” David Adrean, MD, said in a paper presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Triumvirate technique used for sinking nucleus with deficient sulcus support
A posterior capsular tear during phacoemulsification can be surgically challenging, and the surgical difficulty is inversely proportional to the timing of the tear during the phaco procedure. When a tear occurs in the early phases of nuclear sculpting …
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Addressing the ‘you’ve got to go, doctor’ elephant in the room
“The FBI Academy teaches new agents that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”– Ronald KesslerIn boating circles, they say the best 2 days in a sailor’s life are when he buys a boat and when he gets rid of it. This might not be too far off the mark in ophthalmology. Adding a new doctor is always cause for celebration. But about half of the time so, too, is the removal of the same provider for one reason or another.
Open-angle glaucoma may be associated with stroke risk
Open-angle glaucoma was associated with an increase in stroke risk, according to findings from a 10-year retrospective study.In the propensity score-matched cohort study, researchers selected 1,520 individuals from the Korean National Health Insurance …
ASCRS to celebrate National Sight Week in October
National Sight Week will be observed from Oct. 15 to 21, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Foundation announced. The weeklong celebration of volunteerism is meant to encourage members of the ASCRS Foundation’s Operation Sight network to contribute one or more cataract surgeries to assist uninsured or underinsured patients, according to an ASCRS Foundation press release.
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Premium surgeons still turning to femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery
When femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, or FLACS, came to the United States earlier this decade, a host of new clinical and financial challenges were brought upon the premier refractive cataract surgeon. The philosophy of FLACS has changed ov…
Omeros reports $14.4 million loss in second quarter
Omeros reported a $14.4 million net loss, or $0.33 per share, in the second quarter of 2017 compared with a net loss of $12.6 million, or $0.32 per share, in 2016’s second quarter.Total revenues increased from $10 million a year ago to $17.2 million, all related to sales of Omidria, according to a company press release. Omidria revenue increased 40% on a sequential quarter-over-quarter basis.
Stellaris Elite for retina surgery released
Bausch + Lomb has launched its Stellaris Elite system for retina surgery in the United States, according to a company press release. The Stellaris Elite offers vitrectomy cutters operating up to 7,500 cuts per minute and features a 27-gauge BiBlade vit…
AGTC files investigational NDA for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa gene therapy
Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation has filed an investigational new drug application with the FDA to begin a phase 1/2 clinical trial of its gene therapy candidate for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, according to a company press release.X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, caused by mutations in the RPGR gene, is an inherited condition that causes progressive vision loss. In preclinical data, AGTC’s investigational gene therapy has slowed the loss of visual function in canines with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, according to the release.
Esotropia, ductions worsened in patients undergoing decompression surgery
Decompression surgery yielded worsening of both esotropia and ductions, according to a study.The retrospective cohort study aimed to describe post-decompression changes that might affect staging of surgical rehabilitation of thyroid orbitopathy. The an…
Staring at eclipse may cause solar retinopathy
Remember when you were a kid and you used a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun’s energy to burn paper? Solar retinopathy is like that except it is the fovea that is getting burned, according to one expert.“Solar retinopathy occurs when a person looks at the sun for a prolonged period of time, with the light rays focused on the macula,” Sunir J. Garg, MD, told Healio.com/OSN of the effects of sun gazing. “That causes light-related damage to the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium.”
FDA clears Optovue’s epi-mapping software
Optovue’s epithelial thickness mapping software has become the first to be cleared by the FDA for quantitative measurements of the epithelial and stromal layers of the cornea, according to a company press release. Aiding in the diagnosis, documentation and management of ocular health and diseases, epi-mapping provides epithelial thickness information in a fast, non-contact exam, the release said. It is available through the iVue and iFusion OCT systems.