Author: Healio ophthalmology

Postoperative radioiodine ablation more effective than thyroidectomy alone in Graves’ orbitopathy

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Recent study results showed greater improvement in Graves’ orbitopathy with the use of radioiodine ablation of post-thyroidectomy remnants after treatment with recombinant human serum thyrotropin.“Our results indicate that postoperative radioiodine ablation is more effective than thyroidectomy alone in inducing earlier and steadier [Graves’ orbitopathy] improvement,” Mariacarla Moleti, MD, PhD, of the department of clinical and experimental medicine, section of endocrinology, at the University of Messina, Italy, and colleagues wrote. 

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Ocular surface topics, vitreous surgery head Hawaiian Eye/Retina 2014 Thursday program

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KOLOA, Hawaii — “Management of the Ocular Surface,” in two parts, and a mini symposium on neuro-ophthalmology top Thursday’s Hawaiian Eye Comprehensive Ophthalmology program. Moderators Michael B. Raizman, MD, and Terrence P. O’Brien, MD, share moderator duties for the ocular surface program; Andrew G. Lee, MD, moderates the symposium. Retina will feature a “Vitreous Surgery Symposium” and “Pediatric Retina Update: Intraocular Tumors.” Elias Reichel, MD, heads up both the symposium and the update.

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Speaker shares experiences managing uveitis

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KOLOA, Hawaii — When a sputum test is negative but there is a high degree of suspicion that a patient has tuberculosis, a decision whether to treat the disease needs to be made, a speaker said here. Sharing from his own experiences, Thomas A. Albini, MD, said at Retina 2014, “There’s no easy way to make these types of treatment decisions except for familiarity with these types of disease.” For suspected tuberculosis, physicians should be more concerned about people from endemic areas or those more likely to be exposed, such (Read more...)

New methods of interpreting RNFL thickness, visual field detects glaucomatous change earlier

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KOLOA, Hawaii – Longitudinal data collected recently supports the structure-function relationship in glaucoma progression in which the retinal nerve fiber layer thins to a point where it and visual field begin to worsen simultaneously, a presenter said here. “Structure generally changes without changes in visual fields early in glaucoma,” Joel S. Schuman, MD, said during the glaucoma section of the Hawaiian Eye meeting. In other words, during this early part of the curve, abnormality is measurable primarily by structure, he said.

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Alternative therapies in development for DME

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KOLOA, Hawaii — A number of treatment regimens in development may prove superior to current standards of care for center-involved diabetic macular edema, according to a speaker here. Multiple pathways are being explored to enhance treatment of diabetic macular edema, whether alone or in combination with anti-VEGF for treatment of DME. Agents include PF-655, AKB-9778 and iCo-007, Quan D. Nguyen, MD, MSc, said at Retina 2014. PF-655 is a synthetic chemically modified siRNA that targets the RTP801 gene, which is expressed in human age-related macular degeneration.

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New aberrometer helps determine whether patient is good premium IOL candidate

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KOLOA, Hawaii – A new aberrometer accurately measures optical alignment and provides analyses ofcorneal aberrations to solve postop problems and improve toric IOL precision, a presenter said here. “The iTrace is the only aberrometer that can create an entire wavescan either over the pupil center or on the visual axis,” Sonia H. Yoo, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, said during a mini-symposium on astigmatism correction at the Hawaiian Eye meeting. “This can help you determine whether or not a patient will be a good or bad premium (Read more...)

Physician elucidates treatment burden for AMD, DME

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KOLOA, Hawaii — Commonly, patients with age-related macular degeneration or with diabetic macular edema ask their ophthalmologists how long they can expect to need anti-VEGF injections and whether or not they will improve.“The answer to that is about 35% with AMD [will improve] and 50% or 60% with macular edema [will improve],” Andrew P. Schachat, MD, MD, said at Retina 2014. “For AMD, the message is, it gets worse over time. Diabetic macular edema, however, does get better and does stabilize.” Patients also want to know how many injections to (Read more...)

Global comparative trials of Avastin and Lucentis continue to teach lessons

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KOLOA, Hawaii – The list of clinical trials comparing Avastin and Lucentis is getting longer, adding weight to the suggestion that there is no significant difference between the drugs with regard to systemic serious adverse events, a presenter said here. Worlwide, results of six trials have been published: CATT, IVAN, MANTA, GEFAL, BRAMD and LUCAS. “Through 2 years, there was no difference between drugs in rates of death, myocardial infarction or stroke events,” CATT study chair and Chairmanof the Cole Eye Institute, Daniel F. Martin, MD, said at Retina 2014. (Read more...)