Valeant Pharmaceuticals totaled $8.3 billion in revenue in the fiscal year 2014, a 43% increase from 2013, according to a press release.In the fourth quarter 2014, total revenue was $2.3 billion, a 10% increase from the fourth quarter 2013.
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Oraya receives CE mark extension for IRay to treat choroidal metastases
The Oraya IRay radiotherapy system received a CE mark extension for the treatment of choroidal metastases, expanding on prior approval for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, according to a company press release.Oraya’s IRay radiotherapy system, which noninvasively delivers a precise dose of radiation to the back of the eye, is available in Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Ophthotech posts $98.2 million net loss in 2014
Ophthotech reported a net loss of $98.2 million, or $2.95 per diluted share, in 2014 compared with a net loss of $57 million, or $6.34 per diluted share, in 2013, according to a press release.Net loss in the fourth quarter of 2014 totaled $35.9 million…
Micro-lumen aqueous shunt may prevent persistent hypotony
CORONADO, Calif. — It is easier to put in a small tube than to do a trabeculectomy flap, Paul Palmberg, MD, PhD, said, referring to the use of a transscleral micro-lumen aqueous drainage device for lowering IOP.The InnFocus MicroShunt drainage device is an 8.5 mm long tube with a lumen diameter of 62 µm to 70 µm intended to deliver a predictable lower limit of pressure that should avoid persistent hypotony, once aqueous flow returns to normal, Palmberg said.
Hydrus plus cataract surgery maintains decreased IOP without medications
CORONADO, Calif. — The Hydrus II trial is the first randomized controlled trial to show a microinvasive glaucoma surgery device to lower IOP by more than 20% without medications statistically more often than cataract surgery alone at 2 years, according to a speaker.Furthermore, it is the first MIGS randomized controlled trial to report the effect of a glaucoma device using a “terminal washout” protocol, thus removing the confounding effects of glaucoma medications, Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society.
Zeiss announces launch of Humphrey Field Analyzer 3
CORONADO, Calif. — Carl Zeiss Meditec announced the global launch of the Humphrey Field Analyzer 3, a new iteration of its established perimetry platform, at the American Glaucoma Society meeting here.According to a company press release, the HFA3 features patented liquid lens technology, which is designed to save time and improve efficiency.
VIDEO: Managing astigmatism during cataract surgery
ISTANBUL – At the ESCRS Winter Meeting, Pavel Stodulka talks about management of astigmatism during cataract surgery. Appropriate handling of the main incision, relaxing and arcuate incisions as well as techniques for axis marking and IOL alignment are discussed.
Santen seeks European marketing authorization for intravitreal sirolimus
The European Medicines Agency has accepted a marketing authorization application from Santen Pharmaceutical for the use of intravitreal sirolimus 440 μg for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis of the posterior segment, the company announced in a press release.
NASA looks at visual impairment intracranial pressure risk in astronauts
CORONADO, Calif. — NASA is looking at causes of ocular changes in U.S. astronauts before, during and after 6-month space flights on board the International Space Station.Ocular findings have developed in 22 of 31 astronauts so far, either during or after a 6-month flight, Christian Otto, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society. Those findings include hyperopic shift, choroidal folds, optic nerve sheath distention, optic nerve kinking, globe flattening, disc edema and cotton wool spots. In five of six subjects who underwent post-flight lumbar puncture, cerebrospinal (Read more...)
Shire submits new drug application for lifitegrast
Shire submitted a new drug application with the FDA for the approval of its investigational compound lifitegrast for the treatment of dry eye disease in adults, according to a press release.The submission is based on results from four clinical trials, …
Alcon drug meets primary endpoint of change in BCVA for wet AMD
RTH258 met its primary endpoint of mean change in best corrected visual acuity from baseline to week 12 in a phase 2 study of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, Alcon announced in a press release.RTH258, formerly known as ESBA …
Progressive retinal nerve fiber layer loss associated with quality of life measure changes
CORONADO, Calif. — Progressive retinal nerve fiber layer thickness loss was associated with loss of quality of life in glaucoma patients, even after adjustment for degree of visual field loss as measured by standard perimetry, a speaker said.“These findings suggest that rates of structural change assessed by OCT imaging may be valid markers for the degree of self-reported disability associated with glaucoma,” Carolina P. Gracitelli, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society.
VIDEO: Small pupil issues in femtosecond laser cataract surgery
ISTANBUL – At the ESCRS Winter Meeting, Boris Malyugin, MD, PhD, talks about small pupil issues in femtosecond laser cataract surgery. Laser shots applied to the capsule and nucleus generate prostaglandins in the aqueous humor, leading to pupil contraction. While in most cases this complication can be avoided with a proper medication protocol, 12-30% of patients might be refractory to treatment and require application of mechanical expansion devices.
Fluorometholone treatment faster than cyclosporine A for Sjögren’s syndrome ocular dryness
Successful treatment of ocular dryness with fluorometholone occurred faster than treatment with cyclosporine A in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, according to a recent report.Between January 2013 and September 2013, researchers selected 40 patients with primary or secondary Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) from the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, China, for inclusion in a randomized, open, parallel-group study. Patients included in the study had non-anesthetized Schirmer test results of 5 mm per minute or less, a 1% corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score of three or greater (Read more...)
Early studies examine neuroregeneration in optic neuropathies
CORONADO, Calif. — Whether called neuroprotection, neuroenhancement or regeneration, any of these would be a major step forward in restoring vision in optic neuropathies, a speaker told colleagues.“Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies, at the end of the day, are going to share more similarities as we figure out how to treat them at the level of the optic nerve head,” Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, said at the annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society. “The fundamental problem underlying all of these optic neuropathies, including glaucoma, is that, just like (Read more...)
VIDEO: Utility of ICG angiography in 2015
WAILEA, Hawaii – At Retina 2015, Jay S. Duker, MD, talks about how ICG angiography should be apart of retinal specialists’ diagnostic armamentarium.
VIDEO: Hot topics in Dry eye disease for the cataract and refractive surgeon
WAILEA, Hawaii – At Hawaiian Eye 2015, James P. McCulley, MD, FACS, FRCOphth, discusses background and hot topics of dry eye disease.
Optometrists weigh in on TheDress
On Thursday, a photo of a dress was posted to the blogging site Tumblr and went viral.In the original post, the author said that she and her friends were debating over the color of the dress – some of them saw it as blue and black and some of them saw it as white and gold.
Nikon moves into ophthalmology with purchase of Optos for $400 million
The board of directors of Nikon and Optos have agreed the terms of a recommended cash offer of £259.3 million ($400 million) for the acquisition of Optos, according to an announcement from Nikon.The proposed acquisition of Optos is an important step in Nikon’s initiative to enter the medical sector to leverage its optical technologies into the medical industry, the announcement said.
Patient management individualized by presentation in normal tension glaucoma
CORONADO, Calif. — Work-up in patients with normal tension glaucoma should be individualized according to their presentation, particularly when they are suspected of belonging to certain common subsets with non-IOP-dependent components of the disease, according to a speaker.“If you think that all normal tension glaucoma is the same and you only have one tool to treat it, I don’t think you’re doing the best for your patients,” Martin B. Wax, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American Glaucoma Society in a joint symposium with the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology (Read more...)