In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, in which 49 people were killed and 53 wounded early Sunday after a gunman opened fire in an Orlando gay nightclub, many medical professional organizations have issued multiple statements not only expressing condolences for victims and their families, but also calling on Congress to lift its 20-year ban on the CDC conducting research into gun violence.In a joint statement, leaders from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Physicians (Read more...)
Author: Healio ophthalmology
EV06 ophthalmic solution for presbyopia improves visual outcomes in phase 1/2 study
Presbyopic patients who were treated with EV06 ophthalmic solution showed an improvement in visual outcomes in a phase 1/2 study, Encore Vision announced in a press release. “This clinical trial was designed to confirm or not confirm that topically applied lipoic acid at a concentration of 1.5% could increase the elasticity of the human lens and enhance accommodation,” OSN Chief Medical Editor Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, told Ocular Surgery News.
Ophthalmology Technology Summit to feature keynote with David Pyott
OCTANe announced the agenda for its third Ophthalmology Technology Summit on June 21 at the Center Club in Costa Mesa, California. In addition to panel discussions on groundbreaking technologies, unmet clinical needs and new business opportunities, the…
Eleven Biotherapeutics, Roche enter exclusive license agreement for IL-6 antagonist antibody technology
Eleven Biotherapeutics has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Roche to develop and commercialize EBI-031 and other IL-6 antagonist antibody technology owned by Eleven, according to a press release. Under the terms of the agreement, Eleven…
Several changes announced regarding APAO
The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Secretariat bids farewell to Deputy Administrative Director Florence Chung. Chung had worked at APAO since February 2011 but will now pursue other exciting opportunities as a staff member at the United Nations secretariat office in New York. APAO’s CEO and Secretary-General Clement C.Y. Tham, BM, BCh, FCOphthHK, FRCS, said that although Chung would be greatly missed, he wished her great success in all her future endeavors.For the past several years, the Academy has given out eight named awards and lectures at each annual Congress. These (Read more...)
Concern for myopia progression increases with alarming rise in global prevalence
The prevalence of myopia, one of the most common eye disorders across the world, has alarmingly increased over the years, starting at younger ages than ever before. A systematic review and meta-analysis recently published in Ophthalmology estimated that myopia and high myopia will affect nearly 5 billion people and 1 billion people, respectively, by 2050.Studies of East Asian populations report a two-, three- or even fourfold increase in the number of teenagers and young adults developing the disorder. In Taiwan and Singapore, the prevalence of myopia is 20% to 30% (Read more...)
Treating dry eye in the surgical patient: One doctor’s simple algorithm
Dry eye disease, or DED, has made the ultimate breakthrough into the consciousness of ophthalmology. We are now talking about DED as it relates to surgery. All eye surgery. Even retinal doctors are talking about the challenges that their patients face …
Teenager presents with new onset diplopia, ptosis
A 17-year-old white boy with myopia presented urgently to the pediatric ophthalmology department for new onset diplopia and ptosis of the left upper lid. He had developed binocular diplopia for 4 days before presentation, as well as left upper lid ptos…
Pseudoexfoliation increases risk for glaucoma damage, cataract surgery challenges
Pseudoexfoliation is a systemic disease, not just an ocular finding, being present in many organs outside the eye, including the heart, kidneys, liver and brain. It was first described as exfoliation of the lens capsule by John Lindberg of Finland in 1…
Sealant may help prevent misalignment of toric IOLs
Toric IOLs present a significant advance in the correction of astigmatism and improvement of uncorrected visual acuity. However, the smallest error or misalignment of the lens could cause refractive surprises, affecting positive outcomes and in some cases actually worsening the patient’s vision.As a surgeon, it can be frustrating to perform a beautiful procedure, knowing with certainty the correct axis was identified and the lens placement was spot on during surgery, only to discover a surprise after the procedure. Not uncommonly, a misaligned IOL is the culprit despite correct initial placement.
Ophthalmologists explore causes, consequences of pseudoexfoliation syndrome
Pseudoexfoliation glaucoma is an aggressive, asymmetrical, sneaky, sight-threatening disease.Pseudoexfoliation, also called exfoliation syndrome (XFS), is the most common identifiable cause of open-angle glaucoma worldwide. XFS is characterized by the “production, deposition and progressive accumulation of a white, fibrillary, extracellular material in many ocular tissues, most prominent on the anterior lens surface and pupillary border,” Robert Ritch, MD, wrote in a 2016 review in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology.
New technology allows pursuit of better astigmatism correction
Welcome to another edition of CEDARS/ASPENS Debates. CEDARS/ASPENS is a joint society of cornea, cataract and refractive surgery specialists, here to discuss some of the latest hot topics in ophthalmology.Management of astigmatism during cataract surge…
Cataract surgery more challenging after violation of posterior lens capsule
In routine cataract surgery, the posterior lens capsule plays a pivotal role: It acts as a barrier to separate the anterior segment from the vitreous cavity, it supports the cataract nucleus during phacoemulsification, and it holds the IOL securely at the end of the case. But how can you safely and successfully remove a cataract and implant the IOL when it has been violated?The case presented here is certainly challenging because of the patient’s history. She suffered a retinal detachment that required a pars plana vitrectomy to repair it. The (Read more...)
Bilateral, contralateral multifocal IOLs yield similar distance, intermediate visual acuity
Bilateral implantation of one multifocal IOL power was non-inferior to contralateral implantation of different multifocal IOL powers in improving distance and intermediate visual acuity, according to a study. However, contralateral implantation yielded superior near vision.“Contralateral implantation might be more beneficial for reading than bilateral implantation. Thus, patients demanding spectacle independence when reading would benefit from contralateral implantation,” corresponding author Soraya M.R. Jonker, MD, and colleagues said in the study, published in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
Vision screening for refractive error, early eye disease may help reduce unnecessary vision loss
By 2050, non-Hispanic white individuals are still expected to represent the largest prevalence of vision impairment cases in the United States. Increasing vision screening and intervention for refractive error and early eye disease may help reduce that…
Spark reports $25.6 million net loss in first quarter
Spark Therapeutics reported a net loss applicable to common stockholders of $25.6 million, or $0.95 per basic and diluted share, in the first quarter compared with a net loss of $10.4 million, or $0.58 per basic and diluted share, in the same quarter o…
VIDEO: Microblepharoexfoliation for dry eye patients
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — At the Kiawah Eye meeting, Frank W. Bowden III, MD, FACS, discusses microblepharoexfoliation as an advantageous procedure to prepare the ocular surface for surgery on the dry eye patient.
VIDEO: Surgeon talks about quantification of OCT angiography
At Retina 2016, SriniVas Sadda, MD, discusses the benefits of quantitative OCT angiography along with limitations of this technology.
VIDEO: Surgeon discusses vitreomacular surgery
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — At the Kiawah Eye meeting, Steve Charles, MD, discusses different techniques for performing vitreomacular surgery.
Analysis: Eylea, Lucentis less cost-effective than Avastin for treatment of DME
Aflibercept and ranibizumab were less cost-effective than bevacizumab in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, according to a post hoc analysis of data from the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network Protocol T trial.“These results highlight the challenges that physicians, patients and policymakers face when safety and efficacy results are at odds with cost-effectiveness results,” the study authors said.