LONDON — Centervue announced it will launch two new products at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting here. The two new products are Eidon, a true-color confocal scanner, and Compass, a fundus perimeter with the capability of performing standard 24-2 visual field testing while delivering true color confocal images, according to a company press release.
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Clinical exam first step in dry eye diagnosis
LONDON — Innovative methods for diagnosing dry eye are emerging, but there is no ideal test, a speaker said here. The first step to diagnosis is a thorough clinical exam.
Multiple medical options available for dry eye
LONDON — Clinical assessment is “critically important” in evaluating dry eye syndrome, according to a speaker here.“Most of our patients do not have a clearly defined cause for their dry eye syndrome,” Peter McCluskey, MD, said at the EuCornea Congress. “There is an enormous disconnect between the patient’s symptoms and the signs that we see.”
Inflammation may link chronic ocular discomfort, mental health disorders
LONDON — Inflammatory conditions may be a factor relating chronic ocular discomfort with mental health disorders, according to a speaker here. “The relationship between chronic ocular discomfort and psychiatric disorders has been well-documented,” Juan A. Durán, MD, told colleagues at the EuCornea Congress.
Dermatological ointment effective for refractive allergic eye disease
LONDON — Off-label use of skin ointment containing tacrolimus has achieved some success in alleviating signs and symptoms in patients with refractory allergic eye disease, according to a speaker at EuCornea.“We were able to achieve remission in 30 patients,” Muhammad A. Ahad, MBBS, FRCS, PhD, said of 33 patients with either atopic or vernal keratoconjunctivitis who were on systemic immunosuppression therapy at Bristol Eye Hospital, U.K.
New INTREPID trial data dispel concerns of radiation-induced microvascular lesions
LONDON — Microvascular changes induced by external-beam X-ray therapy for age-related macular degeneration regressed spontaneously and did not affect vision, according to a presenter here.During a 3-year safety analysis conducted within the INTREPID trial, researchers took X-rays using the IRay Stereotactic Radiotherapy System (Oraya Therapeutics) as an adjunctive to anti-VEGF therapy with Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech), showing the potential to reduce the number of injections by 25% at 2 years.
Political alignment of US physicians shifted from 1991 to 2012
Results from a recent study indicated that since 1991, US physicians have contributed increasing amounts of money to political candidates and have grown more likely to vote for Democrats, reflecting changes in demographics among physicians. Researchers used public data to study physicians’ donation and voting behaviors and reported that, after adjustment for inflation, political campaign contributions by physicians increased from $20 million during the 1991-1992 election cycle to $189 million in the 2011-2012 cycle, after adjustment for inflation. In the earlier cycle, an estimated 2.6% of physicians made political contributions; (Read more...)
“Real-life” study provides data for anti-VEGF treatment in diverse RVO population
LONDON — The LUMINOUS study, the largest prospective, observational study in medical retina, continues to provide a valuable source of real-world Lucentis data, according to a speaker here.“There is a wealth of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) evidence available from randomized clinical trials, but real-life studies deal with a more diverse population, providing long-term follow-up data and safety monitoring from a large and varied population that facilitates detection of rare safety events,” Ben J. Burton, MRCP, FRCOphth, said at the Euretina Congress.
IOP increase seen with Ozurdex common but easily managed
LONDON — A subanalysis of data from the MEAD study showed increased IOP resulting from use of Ozurdex for the treatment of diabetic macular edema was well-managed with medication and did not affect visual and anatomic outcomes, a speaker here said.Three-year results of the study, which included 1,048 patients, demonstrated the efficacy of Ozurdex (dexamethasone 0.7 mg intravitreal implant, Allergan); however, increased IOP was common, according to Rubens Belfort Jr., MD, PhD.
Ozurdex effective for treatment of RVO in clinical practice
LONDON — Ozurdex demonstrated efficacy comparable to that demonstrated in other pivotal phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of retinal vein occlusion, according to a presenter here.Jean-François Korobelnik, MD, presented the results of a multicenter, prospective study of the efficacy of Ozurdex (dexamethasone 0.7 mg intravitreal implant, Allergan) at the Euretina Congress.
Regression in drusen volume predictive of disease progression
LONDON — Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography measures drusen volume and area, not only at one time point but also over time, so that progression can be tracked and doubling time can be predicted, according to a speaker here.Ursula M. Schmidt-Erfurth, MD, told colleagues at the Euretina Congress that such analysis is a precise prognostic indicator of whether advanced stage disease will develop.
Vascularization key to RPE choroid transplantation
LONDON — The limiting factor for successful surgery to transplant retinal pigment epithelium and choroid in patients with retinal degeneration is technique, according to a speaker here.With three clinical trials in progress or ongoing, pioneering work is being done to develop technique, Robert E. MacLaren, FRCOphth, said at the Euretina Congress.According to MacLaren, revascularization is key to RPE choroid transplantation surgery.
U.S. database may show difference in risk rates between anti-VEGFs
LONDON — Significantly fewer endophthalmitis events were associated with ranibizumab injections than aflibercept injections among patients with wet age-related macular degeneration, according to a presentation here.The findings of “real-world” endophthalmitis rates between the two licensed treatments for wet AMD “underline the importance of real-world, post-market approval of observational monitoring of novel medicines,” authors Simon P. Kelly and colleagues wrote in a poster presented at the Euretina Congress.
Quantel launches disposable laser probes, lenses at ESCRS congress
LONDON — Quantel Medical announced the launch of two disposable product lines at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting here.The new products include Vitra laser probes and a series of disposable, single-use diagnostic and therapeutic lenses, according to a press release from the company.Two new Vitra designs were introduced: a flexible-tip laser probe and a steerable laser probe. Both designs are compatible with Quantel’s Supra and Vitra multispot laser photocoagulation platforms for the treatment of retinal diseases.
Alcon launches three additions to vitreoretinal surgical portfolio
LONDON — Alcon announced the launch of three new products in its line of vitreoretinal surgical instruments at the Euretina Congress, which preceded the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting here.The product launch includes the Ultravit high-speed vitrectomy probes, 27+ vitrectomy packs with a full range of 27-gauge instrumentation and the Finesse Flex Loop, according to a press release from Alcon.
Wound architecture, size dictate cataract surgery outcomes
“I don’t think it has a great impact on retina specialists,” he said. “For a suture to affect the retina specialist’s view, I would think it would need to be right in the visual axis or causing so much distortion that the patient would complain about it. Usually, it’s not the retina specialist’s view that guides our decisions on what to do with sutures.” – by Matt HassonReferences:Agarwal A, et al. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2008;doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2008.05.027.Calladine D, et al. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2007;doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2007.04.011.Hariprasad SM, et al. Arch Ophthalmol. 2011;doi:10.1001/archophthalmol.2011.13.McDonnell (Read more...)
Ectopia lentis a major ocular manifestation of Marfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused by the misfolding of the protein fibrillin-1. It is also a connective tissue disorder with varied expressions in the body with systemic and ocular involvement.The major ocular finding of …
TEDMED speaker calls for candor about medical errors
During her talk at TEDMED 2014, Danielle Ofri, MD, attending physician at Bellevue Hospital and associate professor at New York University School of Medicine, said it is time to rethink medical errors. After finishing her medical training and practicing for 4 months as an emergency physician, Ofri missed a cranial hemorrhage in a patient showing signs of an “altered mental state” because she failed to look at his CT scan. It was a busy night, and she heard someone call out that the results of the CT were fine, so (Read more...)
Researchers recognized for development of anti-angiogenic therapy for retinal disease
Seven researchers received the 2014 António Champalimaud Vision Award for the development of anti-angiogenic therapy for retinal disease, according to a press release from the Champalimaud Foundation.The award was presented to Napoleone Ferrara, MD; Joan W. Miller, MD; Evangelos S. Gragoudas, MD, FARVO; Patricia A. D’Amore, PhD, MBA, FARVO; Anthony P. Adamis, MD; George L. King, MD, FARVO; and Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD, FARVO, at a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, on Sept. 10.
AcuFocus receives CE mark for extended depth-of-focus IOL
AcuFocus has obtained CE mark in the European Union for its IC-8 small-aperture extended depth-of-focus IOL, the company announced in a press release.The IC-8 IOL is designed to improve visual quality across a broad range for patients with presbyopia who undergo cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange.The company’s flagship product, the Kamra inlay, established the concept of a small-aperture effect improving near vision while maintaining distance vision, according to the release.