NEW ORLEANS — At 24 weeks, more patients in the intravitreal aflibercept arm of the VIBRANT study gained at least 15 letters of visual acuity than patients receiving laser to treat macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion, according to a presenter here. More than 90% of patients in both groups completed the primary outcome visit at week 24, with 53% of patients in the Eylea (aflibercept, Regeneron) group and 27% of patients in the laser group gaining 15 letters or more of visual acuity, W. Lloyd Clark, MD, (Read more...)
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Smaller fragmentation pattern found to reduce phaco time, power
NEW ORLEANS — In a study comparing effective phacoemulsification time and power of different fragmentation patterns in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, researchers found that a smaller pattern reduced these variables, according to a poster. The Catalys (Abbott Medical Optics) was used in 125 eyes of 102 patients with either the Quadrant or Complete pattern, according to the poster presented here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.The effective phacoemulsification time (EPT) for the Quadrant and Complete groups was 29.47 seconds and 16.31 seconds, respectively, and the mean phaco power was (Read more...)
Study: Long-term oral contraceptive users twice as likely to have glaucoma
Women who took oral contraceptives for 3 years or more were twice as likely to have glaucoma, according to a press release from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. A study comprised 3,406 women aged 40 years or older who underwent eye examinations a…
Study finds clear corneal incisions may leak even after suturing
NEW ORLEANS — In a study of 176 eyes undergoing cataract surgery, 33% of the clear corneal incisions leaked when up to 1 oz. of force was applied, according to a poster presented here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “We were interested in challenging the dogma that sutures are the best way to close a corneal wound,” co-author John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, told Ocular Surgery News in an interview. Hovanesian said that he developed the calibrated force gauge (CFG) with Michael B. Raizman, MD, and Samuel Masket, (Read more...)
Interim INTREPID trial safety results trend toward minimal radiation-induced changes
NEW ORLEANS – Interim safety data for the INTREPID trial thus far yield a 15% rate of radiation-induced microvascular changes in patients at 3 years, according to a presenter. “In this previously treated patient population, the INTREPID trial met its primary superiority outcome with a 33% reduction at 1 year in the number of Lucentis injections, and this effect persisted out to 24 months with a 25% reduction,” Darius M. Moshfeghi, MD, said at Retina Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
Study: Visual acuity improves in patients with DME on long-term dexamethasone treatment
NEW ORLEANS — Dexamethasone provides long-term vision improvement in patients with diabetic macular edema, according to phase 3 study results, a presenter said here. David S. Boyer, MD, told colleagues at Retina Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, “There’s great rationale for using dexamethasone; it helps reduce key factors in pathogenesis of diabetic macular edema: angiogenesis, vascular leakage and inflammation.”
Study: Visual acuity improves in patients with DME on long-term dexamethasone treatment
NEW ORLEANS — Dexamethasone provides long-term vision improvement in patients with diabetic macular edema, according to phase 3 study results, a presenter said here. David S. Boyer, MD, told colleagues at Retina Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, “There’s great rationale for using dexamethasone; it helps reduce key factors in pathogenesis of diabetic macular edema: angiogenesis, vascular leakage and inflammation.”
IOL calculation metric optimizes outcomes in long, short eyes
NEW ORLEANS — A new IOL power calculation method using intraoperative aberrometry improved refractive outcomes in eyes with unusual axial lengths, according to a study presented here. During Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member, elucidated results obtained with the ORA intraoperative aberrometer (WaveTec Vision). “We’ve gotten to the point where this has become an indispensable aid for me in the operating room in determining refractive outcomes and honing my refractive results,” Donnenfeld said.
IOL calculation metric optimizes outcomes in long, short eyes
NEW ORLEANS — A new IOL power calculation method using intraoperative aberrometry improved refractive outcomes in eyes with unusual axial lengths, according to a study presented here. During Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member, elucidated results obtained with the ORA intraoperative aberrometer (WaveTec Vision). “We’ve gotten to the point where this has become an indispensable aid for me in the operating room in determining refractive outcomes and honing my refractive results,” Donnenfeld said.
AAO launches ophthalmology’s first clinical data registry
NEW ORLEANS — The American Academy of Ophthalmology announced the launch of the specialty’s first clinical data registry. The Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS) Registry is designed to let ophthalmologists collect information and use it to improve the quality of care and outcomes and meet regulatory requirements. A team of experts discussed the registry at an AAO news conference during the annual meeting here. The IRIS Registry is scheduled for full implementation in April 2014, Michael F. Chiang, MD, chairman of the AAO’s Medical Information Technology Committee, said.
New AAO president issues call to action for ophthalmologists
NEW ORLEANS — Ophthalmologists should advocate for colleagues and patients amid a challenging and increasingly complex regulatory environment, President-elect Gregory L. Skuta, MD, said at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting here. “Compassionate and devoted service to our patients serves as a foundation for what we all do,” Skuta said after his induction at the opening ceremony. Skuta replaces Paul Sternberg Jr., MD, as AAO president.
Speakers disagree on need for genetic testing in AMD
NEW ORLEANS – Whether to conduct genetic testing in patients with AMD in order to tailor nutritional therapy was contested in two presentations here, with one speaker advancing the need and another standing by the American Academy of Ophthalmology genetic testing guidelines. Carl C. Awh, MD, and colleagues this month published study findings in Ophthalmology regarding the influence of genetic risk markers on response to nutritional supplements in patients with age-related macular degeneration, suggesting that genotype-directed nutritional therapy could result in improved outcomes for patients with moderate AMD. “The biological (Read more...)
MAHALO results suggest positive treatment effect of lampalizumab in geographic atrophy
NEW ORLEANS – The 18-month results of the MAHALO study demonstrate a positive treatment effect of a complement inhibitor in AMD-related geographic atrophy, according to a speaker here. “The MAHALO results suggest the CFI biomarker is both prognostic for geographic atrophy progression and predictive for lampalizumab treatment response,” Carl D. Regillo, MD, FACS, said at Retina Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
IRIS Registry a great way to simplify practice post-Affordable Care Act, speaker says
NEW ORLEANS – The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Intelligent Research in Sight Registry is a useful tool for managing the difficulty cornea and external disease practices may face in the wake of the Affordable Care Act, according to a speaker here. “Simplify where possible,” David B. Glasser, MD, said here at Cornea Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “The academy’s IRIS [Intelligent Research in Sight] Registry is a great way to do that if you’ve got a long-term health record.”
Surgeon suggests phaco alone in mild cases of PACG
NEW ORLEANS – In cases of primary angle closure glaucoma, phacoemulsification alone may be considered in eyes with mild degree of angle closure, one surgeon told colleagues here. “I ask myself: Is there a significant cataract? If yes, I consider phaco,” Tin Aung FRCS, PhD, told colleagues at Glaucoma Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. Basing his presentation on a review of peer-reviewed published literature, Aung said that phacoemulsification alone is generally effective in improving IOP control. Adding trabeculectomy lowers IOP and results in the need for (Read more...)
Surgeon elucidates theories on why phaco reduces IOP
NEW ORLEANS — Phacoemulsification reduces IOP in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes, although clinicians are not certain about the underlying causes, a surgeon said here. During Glaucoma Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Douglas J. Rhee, MD, OSN Glaucoma Board Member, discussed theories that may explain how phacoemulsification reduces IOP. “The conventional wisdom had been that pressure is usually reduced by about 1 mm Hg to 4 mm Hg, and this can be sustained for about 3 to 5 years,” Rhee said.
Microstent preferred for combined phaco and angle surgery
NEW ORLEANS — Combined phacoemulsification and angle surgery with a microstent improves safety and clinical outcomes in glaucoma surgery, a speaker told colleagues here. Ike K. Ahmed, MD, FRCSC, elucidated three surgical pearls for the combined procedure during Glaucoma Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “Phacoemulsification is a platform for improving aqueous outflow,” Ahmed said. “The premise of microstenting is really based on safety, establishing and re-establishing physiologic outflow and, of course, utilizing flow to prevent hypotony. … This is designed to be a very complex procedure (Read more...)
Speaker: Continual improvements made in keratoprostheses
NEW ORLEANS – The keratoprosthesis has been an inexpensive and safe artificial cornea for many patients in the developing world, and improvements in the design and protocol have greatly reduced complication rates, according to a presenter here.“The Boston Keratoprosthesis (B-KPro) is implanted in a standard corneal graft and then sutured in,” Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, said in the keynote lecture at Cornea Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. Potential complications include tissue melt, infection, glaucoma and inflammation that can cause other problems, such as retinal detachment, (Read more...)
Glaucoma generics benefit patient, but beware ‘mail-order products,’ speaker says
NEW ORLEANS – In the realm of glaucoma, although generic medications provide the patient the same reliable safety and efficacy as brands, with less cost, be cautious with mail-order products, a speaker here said. “Latanoprost, for example, does have a number of generics, but not everything that is sold, particularly things through mail-order, is the generic version of latanoprost,” Wiley A. Chambers, MD, told attendees at Glaucoma Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. “There are countries outside of the United States that make latanoprost products that are (Read more...)
Speaker sees little value in use of NSAIDs for dry eye, corneal melt
NEW ORLEANS — While NSAIDs may be useful for treating corneal transplant rejection, they should not be used in dry eyes or cases of corneal melt, a speaker said here. Graft rejection detected early in a low-risk patient may be reversible in 75% of cases, Reza Dana, MD, said at Cornea Subspecialty Day preceding the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.“Our current approach in patients at high risk of rejection (three or more quadrants of neovascularization) is we prophylax intraoperatively with subconjunctival and intravenous steroid, then 3 to 6 weeks of (Read more...)