“There is at least one point in the history of any company when you have to change dramatically to rise to the next level of performance. Miss that moment — and you start to decline.” – Andy Grove
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Aetna warned DOJ challenge of Humana merger would result in ACA withdrawal
In a letter issued to the U.S. Department of Justice, Aetna threatened to withdraw from Affordable Care Act exchanges should the company be blocked from acquiring Humana.Last week, the health insurer announced that it would cut its participation in Aff…
STAAR reports record net sales for quarter
STAAR Surgical reported a company record $21 million in quarterly net sales for the second quarter of 2016, a 12% increase from the second quarter of 2015. The sales increase was attributed to revenue generated by the Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) an…
Ocular syphilis cases on the rise
SAN FRANCISCO — Ocular syphilis incidence is increasing worldwide and delays in diagnosis can lead to serious ocular and systemic morbidity and mortality, according to a presentation here. A retrospective case series including 12 eyes of six patients with clinical and serological confirmation of diagnosis was presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
VIDEO: Four steps to better cataract surgery
At Kiawah Eye, Douglas A. Katsev, MD, imparts four steps he takes at his practice for making cataract surgery easier and with better results.
VIDEO: Speaker gives update on dry eye therapies
At Kiawah Eye, Keith A. Walter, MD, gives an update on dry eye therapy, reviewing a survey of 5,000 patients and their complaints of dry eye.
VIDEO: Speaker reviews glaucoma diagnostic tools and therapies
At Kiawah Eye, Savak “Sev” Teymoorian, MD, MBA, reviews the range of both glaucoma imaging modalities and emerging glaucoma therapeutics.
Lower salaries, higher burnout rates discourage primary care residency applications
Specialty medicine fields are 1.5 times more competitive than primary care specialties, but have nearly double the earning potential, according to data published in JAMA Internal Medicine.Researchers suggested that fewer medical students are interested…
West African Ebola survivors at higher risk for blindness, vision complications
SAN FRANCISCO — Ebola survivors in West Africa are at risk for developing uveitis and worsening vision following their recovery from the illness, according to a scientific poster presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting. “The long-term sequelae of this disease is the subject of ongoing investigation throughout West Africa. However, the magnitude of the most recent West African outbreak has led to the observation that many survivors will develop systemic and ophthalmic medical conditions following recovery from acute EVD,” Steven Yeh, MD, and colleagues wrote in the (Read more...)
Solvadi, Nexium, Crestor, Abilify top Medicare spending list
In the Medicare Part D program, more than one million health care providers prescribed nearly $121 billion in prescription drugs in 2014, according to data released by CMS. The data showed a 17% increase over 2013 spending and a 3% increase in the numb…
Steroid implant reduces macular thickness with small vision gain
SAN FRANCISCO — Long-term anatomic outcomes improved but with limited visual improvement in phakic eyes treated for posterior uveitis with repeated dexamethasone intravitreal injections, according to a scientific poster presented here. Dorukcan Akincioglu, MD, and colleagues assessed outcomes in eyes with noninfectious posterior uveitis with cystoid macular edema treated with the dexamethasone 0.7 mg sustained release intravitreal implant Ozurdex (Allergan) over 20 months.
Ocular Therapeutix reports $11.4 million net loss in second quarter
Ocular Therapeutix reported a net loss of approximately $11.4 million, or $0.46 per share, in the second quarter of 2016 compared with a net loss of $10 million, or $0.45 per share, in the same quarter last year, according to a company press release.Sa…
VIDEO: Surgeon relates positive experience with intracameral medications
At Kiawah Eye, Alan Kozarsky, MD, relates his practice’s positive experience using intracameral medication at the end of cataract surgery in lieu of an antibiotic eye drop regimen to prevent postoperative endophthalmitis.
SOE platform for YOs provides a useful tool for looking at fellowship offers in Europe
A platform for young ophthalmologists seeking fellowship opportunities across Europe is now available on the European Society of Ophthalmology website. The platform was set up by a subgroup of the Young Ophthalmologists committee and provides for the f…
Second Sight reports drop in second quarter revenue
Second Sight Medical Products reported $1 million in total revenue in the second quarter, down from $2.7 million in the second quarter of 2015, according to a press release.Eleven Argus II retinal prosthesis systems were implanted during the quarter, d…
Patients with contact lens-related corneal infections report modifiable risk factors
Over the past decade, contact lens wearers with corneal infections reported modifiable risk factors such as overuse and poor contact lens hygiene, according to a review of FDA records.“Continued efforts to educate contact lens wearers about prevention of contact lens-related eye infections are needed,” Jennifer R. Cope, MD, MPH, medical epidemiologist in the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the CDC, and colleagues wrote in MMWR.
Shared care delivery model may improve glaucoma management
Proper optimization of resources, better observation of patients and increased training of employees in a new model of shared care delivery for glaucoma management resulted in increased patient volume and greater patient satisfaction, according to a pr…
Fatty acids from oily fish may reduce sight-threatening DR risk in older patients with diabetes
Regular intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained from oily fish was associated with a reduced risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted in Spain.The study’s finding that consumption of at least 500 mg/d of dietary long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC3PUFAs) decreased the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with diabetes corroborates experimental models and the current theory of DR pathogenesis, according to the report.
Visual outcomes poor after therapeutic pars plana vitrectomy in patients with endophthalmitis
SAN FRANCISCO — In cases of acute endophthalmitis identified in a retrospective study, the most common setting for occurrence was after cataract surgery and the most common infective organism was Streptococcus, according to a scientific poster presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.The retrospective, multicenter study included 97 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) within 14 days of diagnosis of acute infectious endophthalmitis.
VIDEO: Traumatic cataract, zonular loss managed with femtosecond surgery
At Kiawah Eye, Farrell “Toby” Tyson, MD, FACS, demonstrates surgical management in a case of a 52-year-old white man who had been hit in the eye with a tennis ball 1 year earlier, suffering traumatic cataract and zonular loss.