Ranibizumab reduced retinal nonperfusion in eyes with macular edema stemming from retinal vein occlusion, according to a study.Data were culled from the BRAVO and CRUISE studies, which evaluated the safety and efficacy of Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genente…
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Nanotechnology firm to form ophthalmology company
Liquidia Technologies, a nanotechnology-based health care company, will form a new ophthalmology business to move into a high-growth therapeutic area, according to a company news release. The company’s likely lead product is a glaucoma treatment that is expected to enter clinical trials in 2014, the release said.The company uses a proprietary technology platform, called Print, to allow for rapid development and production of precisely engineered particles of almost any size, shape and composition. Liquidia will release additional details on the ophthalmic company later in the second quarter, according to the release.
Net earnings increase 15% in first quarter for Allergan
Allergan reported net earnings of $296.2 million for the first quarter, up 15% from $257.6 million in the same quarter last year, according to a company news release.Revenue totaled $1.46 billion, up from $1.35 billion in the same quarter last year. Di…
BLOG: How much would you pay not to know the future?
The current issue of Ocular Surgery News explores the question of routine genetic testing for macular degeneration risk, a practice that the American Academy of Ophthalmology has, probably appropriately, come out against. Aside from the technical limit…
Uveitis, sutures, aphakia linked to hypotony after 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy
Small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy was associated with an increased rate of hypotony in eyes with uveitis and those requiring sutures, according to a study.The retrospective study included 111 procedures performed in 109 eyes of 104 patients who underwe…
Novartis reports 7% increase in quarterly net income
Novartis reported net sales of $14 billion in the first quarter, with net income of $2.42 billion, an increase of 7% over the same quarter last year, according to a news release.Alcon accounted for $2.57 billion in net sales, up 1% from $2.54 billion i…
Eyemaginations releases new patient education system
Echo, a cloud-based, HTML5-optimized system to help educate patients, is now available, according to a press release from Eyemaginations. The software, initially introduced during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meeting in San F…
BLOG: Duty cycle: Does it really matter?
I think duty cycle control is the most misunderstood of our recent surgical parameters. The definition of duty cycle is the percentage of time that the cutter remains open in a given cut cycle. As far as I know, the only surgical device to have duty cy…
Retina expert Stephen J. Ryan, MD, dies at 72
Stephen J. Ryan, MD, honored with the Laureate Recognition Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2012, died April 29 after a short illness.Ryan, 72, served as a member of the Allergan board of directors. He had announced his retirement in J…
Visual field sensitivity higher in winter months
Visual field sensitivity was significantly higher in winter months, particularly in regions of the United States that exhibit vast seasonal climate changes, according to a study.The study authors wanted to determine if visual field sensitivity changed …
Panretinal photocoagulation does not affect quality of life
Panretinal photocoagulation for treatment of bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy had no significant effect on quality of life in terms of severe visual or social impairment, according to a study.The prospective study included 20 patients with …
Air bubble tamponade manages early-onset Descemet membrane detachment after phaco
Air bubble tamponade was effective in managing acute early-onset Descemet membrane detachment after phacoemulsification. However, two procedures may be required to achieve success, according to a study.In the retrospective study, 16 patients with Desce…
Barriers challenge development of aqueous outflow drugs
Among the top challenges in developing new aqueous outflow drugs, the first is determining whether there is an unmet medical need; the second is raising the funds needed to develop those drugs, according to a physician.
Two techniques may help manage tubal retraction associated with glaucoma drainage implants
Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, affecting about 70 million people. It is characterized by progressive loss of optic nerve axons and resultant visual field damage. Unfortunately, due to its insidious course, it is …
Blunt, penetrating and perforating injuries pose threat of severe damage
Physical injuries to the eye can be a serious threat. These can be in the form of blunt, penetrating or perforating injuries. All of these can cause devastating damage.
In-office dispensing improves medication adherence, may boost revenue
Patient noncompliance with prescriptions and, in some cases, the substitution of generic drugs for name brands can result in adverse events, poor outcomes and increased physician liability. Compliance and frequent follow-up are particularly critical in…
OSN debuts ‘News You Can Use’ column
I am pleased to pen the inaugural column of “News You Can Use from UPMC Eye Center” for Ocular Surgery News. This column will present clinically relevant information, insights and techniques that we as clinicians can apply to our daily practice of ophthalmology. We at the UPMC Eye Center will do our best to present the most up-to-date material, keeping the focus on the clinical and the here and now. We will also report on the soon-to-come or the just around the corner research and breakthroughs that we see having a significant impact on our clinical practice and patients.
Study: Response to anti-VEGF therapy not predictable by AMD-associated genes
A genetic profile of patients enrolled in the Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials found that four well-documented single-nucleotide polymorphisms within four different genes associated with age-related macular degeneration …
Study: OCT reliably measures anterior segment after femtosecond cataract surgery
Optical coherence tomography imaging of the anterior segment immediately following femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery detected morphological changes that correlated well with desired results, according to a study.
Gel formulation lowers inflammation, pain following cataract surgery
A new gel formulation of loteprednol etabonate treated inflammation and pain after cataract surgery without elevating IOP, according to a study.