A femtosecond laser for cataract surgery can pay for itself within 5 years if 19 procedures are completed per month, a threshold more than 70% of surgery centers with a laser exceed, according to a survey.The 2013 Femtosecond Laser Usage in Cataract Su…
Author: Healio ophthalmology
Lamellar macular hole linked to reduced visual acuity, central retinal sensitivity
Lamellar macular hole was associated with diminished macular function partly related to the depth of the hole, according to a study. Impaired function was more severe in eyes with abnormalities of the outer retinal layers.The cross-sectional observatio…
Bilateral changes in corneal nerve plexus seen in unilateral herpes zoster ophthalmicus
Patients with unilateral herpes zoster ophthalmicus had significant loss of corneal nerve plexus and corneal nerve sensation, according to a study.Investigators analyzed 27 eyes with herpes zoster ophthalmicus and their clinically unaffected fellow eye…
BLOG: How much office space can we afford?
Facility costs include base rent or mortgage costs, utilities, maintenance and upkeep, and taxes. If you own your own building, these costs are offset over time by any appreciation or depreciation in value. A reasonable cost ratio for facilities in a general ophthalmology practice is 4% to 6% of practice collections. In pricier urban and suburban markets, facility costs will skew somewhat higher: Demand is higher, and land, vendor, tax and even utility costs can be much higher. What’s more, urban patients expect more lavish surroundings. It’s not unusual to pay 8% to 10% or more of revenue for retail-oriented facilities in the urban core.
New method may produce large amounts of RPE-like cells for use in disease therapies
A newly developed procedure may provide a less labor-intensive means to derive functional retinal pigment epithelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells, a study found. The protocol generates cells offering many of the characteristics of native ret…
Alcon launches ocriplasmin in UK market
Alcon has launched ocriplasmin for the treatment of vitreomacular traction in the United Kingdom, its first market in Europe, according to a news release from ThromboGenics.Alcon, which has the rights to commercialize Jetrea (ocriplasmin, ThromboGenics) outside the United States, paid ThromboGenics €45 million when the European Commission approved ocriplasmin to treat vitreomacular traction, including when associated with a macular hole of 400 µm or less in diameter, earlier this year.
Ed Peterson, president and CEO of AcuFocus, to resign
Ed Peterson, president and CEO of AcuFocus, will resign effective April 30, according to a company news release.
BLOG: Communication and meetings: Make them work for you
In my previous life as a hospital administrator, the not-so-funny joke was that we were in meetings all day and did our “actual” work before and after work hours. Practically speaking, that had to happen because we were responsible for thousands of employees, patients and doctors. Directing and communicating information required functioning as a cohesive unit if we were to be successful as a large organization. And that ultimately meant nonstop meetings in order to acquire information and feedback, make decisions and disseminate the information.
FDA finds sterile deficiencies at some compounding pharmacies
Numerous safety issues were uncovered during recent inspections of 31 compounding pharmacies in 18 states by the FDA, the agency announced Thursday.Among the safety deficiencies reported were “unidentified black particles floating in vials of supposedly sterile medicine; rust and mold in ‘clean rooms’ … technicians handling supposedly sterile products with bare hands; and employees wearing nonsterile lab coats,” according to a Thursday post on the agency’s blog by FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD.
Ophthalmologists urge Congress to avert substantial Medicare physician payment cut
Ophthalmologists gathered at the U.S. Capitol this week to urge Congress to prevent a significant Medicare physician payment cut.More than 400 ophthalmologists participated in annual Advocacy Day events, the American Academy of Ophthalmology announced …
Surgeons should weigh efficacy, long-term complications of trabeculectomy
Adequate assessment of risks and benefits is crucial when considering trabeculectomy for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma, according to a study.In the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study, 285 patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glau…
Patients enrolled in phase 2b trial of adenoviral conjunctivitis candidate
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has enrolled the first patients in Brazil as part of its phase 2b trial of an anti-infective compound as a treatment for adenoviral conjunctivitis, according to a company news release.The multicenter, randomized clinical study of Auriclosene (NVC-422) ophthalmic solution is designed to determine the compound’s efficacy in clearing the red eye, blurred vision and lingering effects left by an adenoviral infection.
Femtosecond laser may yield better astigmatic keratotomy outcomes in patients with mixed astigmatism
Performing femtosecond laser intrastromal astigmatic keratotomy in patients with low mixed astigmatism improved refractive error after other refractive surgical methods were less successful, a study found.The retrospective study included 112 eyes with …
BRVO associated with thrombi downstream from arteriovenous crossing sites
Branch retinal vein occlusion may be attributed to distinct morphologic changes related to the location of crossing vessels, according to a study.The prospective study included 25 eyes of 25 patients with acute BRVO. Diagnosis of BRVO was based on fluo…
Multiple muscle surgery recommended for patients with superior oblique palsy displaying large hypertropias
Multiple muscle surgery was more successful in patients with large primary position hypertropias due to unilateral superior oblique palsy than single-muscle surgery, according to a study.The study included 45 patients who underwent surgery for primary gaze hypertropia of 20 ∆D or greater.
Supervised trainees obtain similar outcomes to primary surgeons in blepharoptosis repair
With guidance from an experienced surgeon, surgical trainees have comparable results when performing conjunctival Müllerectomy with or without tarsectomy and external levator advancement blepharoptosis repair, according to a study.The retrospective, non-randomized, interventional, consecutive case series comprised 170 patients. Ninety-four eyelids of 67 patients underwent levator advancement, and 154 eyelids of 103 patients underwent Müllerectomies with or without tarsectomy.
Glaucoma patients receptive to novel subconjunctival drug delivery method
A majority of glaucoma patients were willing to use a new, slow-release subconjunctival drug delivery system in place of conventional topical medications, according to a study.The cross-sectional study included 151 glaucoma patients with a mean age of …
Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery reduces recurrent tumors in genetic retinoblastoma
Eyes undergoing ophthalmic artery chemosurgery for hereditary retinoblastoma had fewer new tumors after radiation or systemic chemotherapy than previously believed, according to a study.The retrospective review included 116 eyes of 81 patients. Forty-one treatment-naïve eyes underwent ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC); 75 eyes underwent OAC after previous treatment with systemic chemotherapy, external beam radiation or both, along with focal techniques.
Intravitreal anti-VEGF effective treatment for complex retinal arterial macroaneurysms
Intravitreal bevacizumab safely improved best corrected visual acuity and central retinal thickness in complex retinal arterial macroaneurysms, according to a study.The study included 38 macroaneurysms in 37 patients who underwent three monthly injecti…
BLOG: How much space do we need?
For the average general ophthalmology practice, and before considering optical or ambulatory surgical facilities, it’s typical to generate $500 to $1,000 in annual collections per square foot of office space. Said another way, at the usual intensity of utilization, with each doctor seeing 40 to 60 patients per day, 3 to 4 days per week, most practices need a square foot of floor space for every five new or established patients seen each year.