MIAMI — A single injection of Kenalog lasts for an average of almost 8.5 months and has average or lower side effects compared with other long-term implantable steroid injection devices, according to a speaker here.“Over 1,000 papers have demonstrated the benefit of Kenalog without a single case of reported retinal toxicity, despite the warnings on this excellent medication. Sterile inflammation has been reported in both the preservative and preservative-free version of this medication, but this is an off-label use of this medication,” Susan M. Malinowski, MD, FACS, said at Angiogenesis, (Read more...)
Author: Healio ophthalmology
L. Jay Katz named chief medical officer of Glaukos
L. Jay Katz, MD, FACS, has joined Glaukos as its chief medical officer, according to a company press release.the glaucoma service at Wills Eye Hospital and professor of ophthalmology at Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, previously served as a medical monitor for Glaukos clinical trials and an investigator for other glaucoma trials, including the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study and the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study.“Glaucoma is an insidious, asymptomatic disease that causes vision loss in millions of people worldwide,” Katz said in the release. “I have long admired (Read more...)
IND active for wet AMD treatment from Regenxbio
An investigational new drug application is now active for a phase 1 trial of the wet age-related macular degeneration treatment RGX-314, according to a press release from Regenxbio.The multicenter, open-label, multiple-cohort, dose-escalation trial is …
Valeant, EyeGate enter licensing agreement
Valeant Pharmaceuticals has entered into a licensing agreement with EyeGate Pharmaceuticals regarding the EyeGate II delivery system and EGP-437 combination product candidate for postoperative pain and inflammation, according to a press release from th…
Anti-VEGF therapy may not have impact on cataract surgery outcomes in DME patients
MIAMI — Anti-VEGF therapy for the treatment of diabetic macular edema does not have a negative impact on patients who undergo cataract surgery, according to a speaker here.“There was no change in best corrected visual acuity observed from baseline to the last visit before surgery despite a decrease in central retinal thickness (CRT). As expected, there was no negative impact on visual acuity as a result of the cataract surgery. In fact, vision improved in both treatment groups after surgery,” Andrew A. Moshfeghi, MD, MBA, said at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and (Read more...)
VIDEO: Measuring keratoconus progression still challenging
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands – At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, David Touboul, MD, PhD, speaks about the challenges of measuring keratoconus progression. A study carried out at the University of Bordeaux has gone further in finding useful parameters, he said.
Glaukos completes enrollment in iStent Supra trial
Enrollment in the investigational device exemption trial for the iStent Supra for treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma and cataracts has been completed, Glaukos announced in a press release. The prospective, randomized clinical trial includes…
Achieving Trump’s health care promises would likely require single payer reform
President Donald J. Trump’s proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act with a health care law that achieves more coverage, better benefits and lower costs could be attained through single-payer reform, according to a commentary published in Annals of Internal Medicine.“President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA),” Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, and David U. Himmelstein, MD, both from the City University of New York at Hunter College, wrote. “Replacing it with ‘something great’ is much trickier. The (Read more...)
Novel protein targets tissue factor involvement in neovascular AMD
MIAMI — Best corrected visual acuity outcomes were comparable at 6 months for the combination of ICON-1, a novel protein, plus ranibizumab compared with ranibizumab alone in patients with newly diagnosed age-related macular degeneration, according to a study presented here.“For vision outcomes, we see equivalent gains for ranibizumab only vs. combination. We’re not seeing superiority, we’re not seeing better vision gains for the combination, at least with that dose through the time period,” Carl D. Regillo, MD, FACS, said at the Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017 annual meeting.
Former Phillies prospect thanks surgeon after life-altering eye injury
In June 2016, Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Matt Imhof was completing a typical postgame stretching routine and workout, using a tension band that was anchored to the clubhouse wall to stretch out his arms. When Imhof brought one of the bands…
VIDEO: Astigmatism affects multifocal IOL models
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands – At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, Francesco Carones, MD, speaks about the impact of residual and induced astigmatism on the performance of multifocal IOLs. In a study, he analyzed how different multifocal IOL models are more or less sensitive to astigmatism, suggesting a “tolerable” threshold for each of these models.
VIDEO: Surgeons present a novel approach to presbyopia laser surgery
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands – At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, Frederic Hehn, MD, and Magda Rau, MD, present Isovision, a novel bilateral approach to presbyLASIK. This treatment is performed in two steps and aims to create a wavefront-optimized corneal profile for near and distance vision.
VIDEO: New technology develops data to create personalized defocus curves
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands – At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, Arthur Cummings, MD, discusses a novel technology being developed by IROCH science. The device, held on spectacles, gathers data on vision in daily activities. That data may be used to create a personal defocus curve and help inform decision-making regarding which IOL technology is best for the patient.
Imprimis begins shipping from FDA-registered outsourcing facility
Imprimis Pharmaceuticals’ New Jersey outsourcing facility has begun shipping sterile ophthalmic medications to select customers without a patient-specific prescription, according to a company press release. The company’s Dropless Therapy injectable and LessDrops topical formulations will also be available in the next few weeks, the release said.
Medicaid expansions improved preventive care, but study finds Americans want changes to ACA
Due to insurance expansions of the Affordable Care Act, Americans were more likely to undertake preventive care, according to data published in Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. However, a recently released survey from NORC at the University of Chicago revealed that although essential components of the health care law are effective and popular, many Americans strongly support changes, but not an immediate repeal.“The U.S. population receives suboptimal levels of preventive care and has a high prevalence of risky health behaviors,” Kosali Simon, PhD, of Indiana University’s School of Public (Read more...)
Study: Novel technique using capsulorrhexis flap to protect endothelium shows good results
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands — A novel technique using the capsulorrhexis flap to protect the endothelium during phacoemulsification cataract surgery proved effective in reducing cell loss and minimizing corneal edema in a study.The technique was first described in 2015 by Giorgio La Rocca, MD, who named it “endothelial protection by closed eye repositioning of anterior capsule,” or EPAC. At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, the group of Oliver Findl, MD, presented preliminary results of their own study to evaluate the benefits, success rate and feasibility of the (Read more...)
Brolucizumab shows noninferiority to aflibercept for treatment of AMD
MIAMI — Two phase 2 studies comparing brolucizumab vs. aflibercept for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration showed comparable efficacy results at 40 weeks of follow-up, according to a speaker here.“There are two phase 2 studies, and their endpoints shows noninferiority to aflibercept and ranibizumab, justifying progression to a phase 3 study of brolucizumab. Brolucizumab has the potential to address a significant unmet clinical need in the treatment of neovascular AMD by reducing treatment burden,” Lawrence J. Singerman, MD, FACS, said at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017.
VIDEO: Most, but not all, refractive procedures safe in relation to endothelial cell loss
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands — At the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting, Massimo Busin, MD, summarizes the content of his keynote lecture on endothelial cell loss following refractive surgery.
Novel cross-linking application for low myopia shows promise
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands — Photorefractive intrastromal cross-linking, or PiXL, is a novel treatment option that appears promising for low-grade myopia, according to one speaker here. This new application of corneal cross-linking, developed by Avedro, is performed with the epithelium on under topical anesthesia. Isotonic riboflavin is applied every 90 seconds for 10 minutes, and a circular 4-mm central zone of the cornea is then irradiated with 30 mW/cm2 for 16:40 minutes, resulting in a total UVA dose of 15 J/cm2.
Good results seen with single-use combination solution for intracameral mydriasis, anesthesia
MAASTRICHT, Netherlands — Mydrane, the first commercially launched intracameral mydriatic and anesthetic combination, proved effective and reliable in a study presented at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons winter meeting. Mydrane (Laboratoires Théa) is prepared into single-use vials containing a combination of 0.02% tropicamide, 0.31% phenylephrine and 1% lidocaine, and it comes in boxes of 20 vials.