Tocilizumab was shown to have a statistically significant inhibiting effect on IL-6, which is known to be elevated in patients with giant cell arteritis, according to the results of a phase 3 study presented at the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society annual meeting. “The results of Genentech’s GiACTA trial are encouraging for GCA patients and the physicians who treat them,” Philip R. Rizzuto, MD, FACS, clinical associate professor of ophthalmic surgery at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, said in correspondence from Genentech. “Long-term, high-dose steroid use can be problematic for (Read more...)
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Good results seen in phase 3 trial of tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis
Tocilizumab was shown to have a statistically significant inhibiting effect on IL-6, which is known to be elevated in patients with giant cell arteritis, according to the results of a phase 3 study presented at the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society annual meeting. “The results of Genentech’s GiACTA trial are encouraging for GCA patients and the physicians who treat them,” Philip R. Rizzuto, MD, FACS, clinical associate professor of ophthalmic surgery at Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School, said in correspondence from Genentech. “Long-term, high-dose steroid use can be problematic for (Read more...)
Esotropia, exotropia oppositely affect need for strabismus surgery in ocular trauma cases
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The presence of any initial esotropia was negatively correlated with the need for strabismus surgery in patients with both ocular trauma and diplopia, whereas initial exotropia correlated positively, according to a poster presented at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting. In a retrospective review of 265 patients at the University of Iowa, Tyler B. Risma, MD, and colleagues assessed ocular misalignment in patients with diplopia after orbital trauma to identify presenting features that predispose patients to needing strabismus surgery and to identify the type (Read more...)
Esotropia, exotropia oppositely affect need for strabismus surgery in ocular trauma cases
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The presence of any initial esotropia was negatively correlated with the need for strabismus surgery in patients with both ocular trauma and diplopia, whereas initial exotropia correlated positively, according to a poster presented at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting. In a retrospective review of 265 patients at the University of Iowa, Tyler B. Risma, MD, and colleagues assessed ocular misalignment in patients with diplopia after orbital trauma to identify presenting features that predispose patients to needing strabismus surgery and to identify the type (Read more...)
Behavior economics principles offer guidelines to health care reform
Following the recent retraction of the American Health Care Act, two researchers propose four general principles from behavioral economics as guidelines for any future attempt at health care reform. The principles may help to keep currently insured individuals and households from discontinuing their insurance.“The behavioral economics approach cannot solve all of the problems facing U.S. health care. But behavioral principles can inform approaches to help ensure that insurance markets do not unravel, which is the first and most important challenge of any ‘repeal and replace’ efforts,” Jonathan S. Skinner, PhD, (Read more...)
Behavior economics principles offer guidelines to health care reform
Following the recent retraction of the American Health Care Act, two researchers propose four general principles from behavioral economics as guidelines for any future attempt at health care reform. The principles may help to keep currently insured individuals and households from discontinuing their insurance.“The behavioral economics approach cannot solve all of the problems facing U.S. health care. But behavioral principles can inform approaches to help ensure that insurance markets do not unravel, which is the first and most important challenge of any ‘repeal and replace’ efforts,” Jonathan S. Skinner, PhD, (Read more...)
Bupivacaine seen as alternative to strabismus surgery
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bupivacaine injection for treatment of the convergence insufficiency type of exotropia may represent a safe, cost-effective alternative to strabismus surgery, according to a speaker.Reporting 6-month and 5-year outcomes of treatment with 0.75% bupivacaine, Stephen A. Mathias, MD, MPH, told colleagues at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting, “Bupivacaine injection is a simple, in-office procedure with low risk and minimal discomfort to the patient.”
Bupivacaine seen as alternative to strabismus surgery
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bupivacaine injection for treatment of the convergence insufficiency type of exotropia may represent a safe, cost-effective alternative to strabismus surgery, according to a speaker.Reporting 6-month and 5-year outcomes of treatment with 0.75% bupivacaine, Stephen A. Mathias, MD, MPH, told colleagues at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting, “Bupivacaine injection is a simple, in-office procedure with low risk and minimal discomfort to the patient.”
BLOG: Triumvirate technique
The triumvirate technique comprises three techniques that are performed sequentially to optimize the visual outcome following a posterior capsular rupture with sinking nuclei in deficient capsular support. It comprises a modified posterior assisted levitation, or PAL, with IOL scaffold and glued IOL fixation. Click here to read the full blog from Priya Narang, MS.
BLOG: Triumvirate technique
The triumvirate technique comprises three techniques that are performed sequentially to optimize the visual outcome following a posterior capsular rupture with sinking nuclei in deficient capsular support. It comprises a modified posterior assisted levitation, or PAL, with IOL scaffold and glued IOL fixation. Click here to read the full blog from Priya Narang, MS.
No greater risk for death seen with anti-VEGF vs. ablation for ROP
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There was no statistically significant difference in mortality in premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity treated with anti-VEGF or with retinal ablative therapy, according to a poster presented at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting. “We undertook this study to address the possibility of increased death rate in premature infants that have been treated with anti-VEGF for ROP,” Iason S. Mantagos, MD, and colleagues from Boston Children’s Hospital wrote.
No greater risk for death seen with anti-VEGF vs. ablation for ROP
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There was no statistically significant difference in mortality in premature infants with retinopathy of prematurity treated with anti-VEGF or with retinal ablative therapy, according to a poster presented at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting. “We undertook this study to address the possibility of increased death rate in premature infants that have been treated with anti-VEGF for ROP,” Iason S. Mantagos, MD, and colleagues from Boston Children’s Hospital wrote.
OCT sessions can help manage retinoblastoma in children
OCT sessions in children with retinoblastoma were informative and helped to direct treatment decisions, according to a study. Researchers included 63 eyes of 44 children newly diagnosed with retinoblastoma in a retrospective, noncomparative, single-ins…
OCT sessions can help manage retinoblastoma in children
OCT sessions in children with retinoblastoma were informative and helped to direct treatment decisions, according to a study. Researchers included 63 eyes of 44 children newly diagnosed with retinoblastoma in a retrospective, noncomparative, single-ins…
Aura Biosciences’ ocular melanoma treatment receives fast track designation
AU-011, an investigational, first-in-class targeted therapy for ocular melanoma treatment, was granted fast track designation by the FDA, according to a press release from Aura Biosciences.In addition, at Wills Eye Hospital, the first patient was enrol…
Aura Biosciences’ ocular melanoma treatment receives fast track designation
AU-011, an investigational, first-in-class targeted therapy for ocular melanoma treatment, was granted fast track designation by the FDA, according to a press release from Aura Biosciences.In addition, at Wills Eye Hospital, the first patient was enrol…
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Woman presents with spontaneous visual field loss
The New England Eye Center was consulted on a 61-year-old woman with a history of recently diagnosed left-sided greater than right-sided internal carotid artery aneurysms when she presented urgently to the Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department with spontaneous inferotemporal visual field loss noticed upon awakening. At the time of consultation, she additionally described a 3- to 4-week history of transient “black spots and flashes” that occurred in both eyes during coughing episodes that lasted roughly 1 minute. Otherwise, she reported neither pain nor diplopia and believed her remaining visual acuity (Read more...)
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Woman presents with spontaneous visual field loss
The New England Eye Center was consulted on a 61-year-old woman with a history of recently diagnosed left-sided greater than right-sided internal carotid artery aneurysms when she presented urgently to the Tufts Medical Center Emergency Department with spontaneous inferotemporal visual field loss noticed upon awakening. At the time of consultation, she additionally described a 3- to 4-week history of transient “black spots and flashes” that occurred in both eyes during coughing episodes that lasted roughly 1 minute. Otherwise, she reported neither pain nor diplopia and believed her remaining visual acuity (Read more...)
PUBLICATION EXCLUSIVE: Surgeons seek criteria for selecting new MIGS options
After years of being at a standstill, glaucoma treatment has entered a new era of microinvasive surgery. A wide choice of techniques and technologies is now offered to patients who historically would have been cuffed to a lifelong sentence of drops. Such a proliferation of options, however, carries the risk of creating information overload and confusion.“I hate to say it, but I think the amount of options and choices can confuse many doctors. ‘What do I do now?’ I hear all the time from my colleagues. People are wondering which (Read more...)
FDA starts 2017 with ophthalmic approvals, NDAs
The first quarter of 2017 saw new developments at the FDA for many ophthalmic drug candidates or technological developments. Here are the top five most-read FDA news stories on Healio.com/OSN this quarter: