VIENNA — Calculation of the half-life of anti-VEGF drugs supports reinjection intervals between 4 weeks and 8 weeks, according to studies presented by one speaker. “We developed an enzyme ELISA test to determine the concentration of unbound bevacizumab and ranibizumab in the anterior chamber at different time points after injection and used it in a series of prospective trials,” Carsten H. Meyer, MD, said at the Advanced Retinal Therapy meeting.
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Selective, targeted laser treatment effective in patients with diabetes
VIENNA — Initial experience with the 577 nm subthreshold yellow Pascal laser in patients with diabetes shows that the technology may provide selective, targeted treatment with minimal damage to surrounding areas and reduced side effects. “Diabetics need treatment for life, usually from a young age, and we need minimal laser to stabilize the condition at every recurrence,” Paulo Stanga, MD, said at the Advanced Retinal Therapy meeting.
Permanent J-code established for Jetrea in US
The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services has published a permanent Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code for Jetrea, which will be effective January 2014, according to a press release from ThromboGenics. The permanent J-code is J7316.
Visual acuity gain with anti-VEGF for pathologic myopia not maintained at 5 years
VIENNA — Five-year results of a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab in eyes with choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia showed that the mean visual gain achieved at 2 years is not maintained. “We should now investigate the prognostic factors as we did with AMD,” Paolo Lanzetta, MD, said at the Advanced Retinal Therapy meeting. Phase 3 trials showed efficacy of Lucentis (ranibizumab, Novartis/Genentech) and Eylea (aflibercept, Bayer HealthCare/Regeneron) in inducing significant improvement in best corrected visual acuity over a shorter study duration.
Blue Mountains Eye Study confirms AREDS findings on risk factors for AMD progression
VIENNA — Fifteen-year data from the Blue Mountains Eye Study confirmed Age-Related Eye Disease Study findings on risk factors for progression of age-related macular degeneration, according to one speaker. “Both studies found that large drusen and pigment changes are the most powerful predictive factors. Patients who have neither of these signs have a less than 1% risk of developing late AMD over 5 years. With both of them in both eyes, the risk is 50%,” Paul Mitchell, MD, said at the Advanced Retinal Therapy meeting here.
BLOG: AzaSite liberated?
Yawn! Streeeeeetch. That was some weekend in New Orleans, eh? What did you learn? I mean, besides what those beads are really for! As always, there was information to be gathered at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting that was both purely cli…
Ultra-widefield imaging may improve ability to diagnose, monitor, treat diabetic retinopathy
VIENNA — Ultra-widefield retinal imaging is a viable option that may improve the efficiency of diagnostics for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, according to one specialist. Standard methods for assessment and follow-up of DR and DME have included fluorescein angiography, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography. However, novel ultra-widefield (UWF) scanning laser technology (Optos) allows wide-angle visualization that includes peripheral areas of the retina.
European guidelines on neovascular AMD, DME to be released soon
VIENNA — European guidelines for the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema will be released early next year, according to Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, MD.“We are still polishing them and discussing them with our colleagues of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, who are renewing their Preferred Practice Patterns. We want to work on a common ground ,” she said in an interview with Ocular Surgery News during the Advanced Retinal Therapy meeting here.
Final guidance for Iluvien published in UK
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom has published final guidance for Iluvien, which will allow patient availability through the National Health Service, according to a press release from Alimera Sciences. Pseudop…
Release of 2014 CMS physician payment rates prompts AMA call to overhaul SGR
The announcement of new Medicare physician payment rates for 2014 prompted an urgent call from the American Medical Association for Congress to repeal the “broken” payment formula and begin “paving the way for a more stable and innovative Medicare program.”The reaction followed the release of the 2014 fee schedule and policies by CMS. The AMA said the final Medicare payment rule “serves as an urgent reminder to Congress that there are just 34 days before physicians who care for Medicare patients will face a steep payment cut of about 24 (Read more...)
Release of 2014 CMS physician payment rates prompts AMA call to overhaul SGR
The announcement of new Medicare physician payment rates for 2014 prompted an urgent call from the American Medical Association for Congress to repeal the “broken” payment formula and begin “paving the way for a more stable and innovative Medicare program.”The reaction followed the release of the 2014 fee schedule and policies by CMS. The AMA said the final Medicare payment rule “serves as an urgent reminder to Congress that there are just 34 days before physicians who care for Medicare patients will face a steep payment cut of about 24 (Read more...)
DNA test discerned bacteria responsible for trachoma
A commercial DNA microarray assay successfully identified different species of Chlamydiaceae responsible for trachoma in Nepalese patients, according to study results recently published in Emerging Infectious Diseases.Trachoma is the leading cause of p…
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery linked to increased prostaglandin levels
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery was associated with increased prostaglandin concentrations in the aqueous humor, according to a study. Four studies were conducted; 113 patients underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, and 107 patients underwent conventional phacoemulsification and served as controls. After femtosecond laser pretreatment and at the beginning of conventional surgery, the investigators collected aqueous humor samples. Total prostaglandin and prostaglandin E2 concentrations were measured with an enzyme-linked immunoassay.
VIDEO: Surgeon discusses femtosecond cataract advantages
John A. Hovanesian, MD, relates positive findings from femtosecond-laser assisted cataract surgery results at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in New Orleans.
VIDEO: Surgeon discusses the latest on the glued IOL technique
Amar Agarwal, MS, FRCS, FRCOphth, discusses the latest techniques on glued IOL at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in New Orleans.
Risk for retinal detachment not increased with fluoroquinolones
Oral fluoroquinolone use did not lead to higher risk for retinal detachment, researchers from Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark, have found.“Given the limited power, this study can only rule out more than a threefold relative increase in the risk of retinal detachment associated with current fluoroquinolone use,” the researchers wrote in JAMA. “However, any differences in absolute risk are likely to have limited, if any, clinical significance.”
No positive association found between AMD and Alzheimer’s disease, dementia
No positive association was found between age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, according to a study.Researchers examined English National Health Service hospital episode statistics from Jan. 1, 1999, to Feb. 28, 2011, which comprised 65,894 patients with AMD and 168,092 patients with dementia; more than 7.7 million people were in a reference cohort.Subjects were analyzed for risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia after diagnosis of AMD and risk of AMD after diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
BLOG: Optical performance guidelines, indices and pearls
In the typical $1 million revenue general ophthalmology practice without dispensing, adding an optical will add $150,000 to $250,000 to the top-line revenue of the practice. With full-cost allocation for space, administration, staffing and marketing, it’s reasonable for an in-house optical in the typical setting to enjoy a 25% to 30% profit margin. COGS stands for cost of goods sold, which is the largest single cost of running an optical dispensary. A reasonable COGS rate in the typical office is 30% to 40% of optical collections. A higher figure should (Read more...)
VIDEO: Cornea specialist discusses epi-on vs. epi-off crosslinking
William B. Trattler, MD, discusses the merits of epi-on corneal crosslinking here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology in New Orleans.
FDA warns genetic testing service to halt sales, seek formal approval
The FDA has order genetic testing services company 23andMe Inc. to immediately discontinue marketing its Saliva Collection Kit and Personal Genome Service without agency clearance.In a letter to company founder and chief executive Anne Wojcicki dated Nov. 22 and made public today, the FDA said most of the intended uses for the service are “medical device uses … that require premarket approval or de novo classification, as the FDA has explained to you on numerous occasions.”The warning letter points out that the agency has been “diligently working” to help 23andMe (Read more...)