(MedPage Today) — Adding lutein, zeaxanthin, and fish oil to daily multivitamin supplements doesn’t boost prevention of age-related macular degeneration or cataracts in high-risk individuals, two analyses of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2…
Author: MedPage Today
FDA Panel to Consider Two Cancer Drugs
WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) — The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will meet Thursday to weigh the approval evidence for two cancer therapies: tivozanib and a drug-device product combining melphalan (Alkeran) with a novel infusion kit.
Screening Finds Retinopathy Early in Diabetes (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — A screening program for diabetic retinopathy eventually diminished the likelihood of eye disease in patients with diabetes, English researchers found.
Two-Eye Training Superior to One for Amblyopia
(MedPage Today) — Amblyopia improved significantly after a 2-week dual-eye training session with the popular video game Tetris, investigators reported.
IL-1 Blocker Safe, Effective for Dry Eye (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Eye drops containing an interleukin-1 antagonist were safe and efficacious for patients with dry eye disease, researchers reported.
Procedure Seals Up Corneal Perforation (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — The combination of an autologous fibrin membrane and platelet-rich plasma clot appears to be safe and effective for treating perforated corneal ulcers, a pilot study showed.
AMD Remains Leading Cause of Vision Loss (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Age-related macular degeneration remained the most common cause of severe visual impairment over a 20-year period, researchers found.
Cholesterol: Bad for Heart and Eyes
(MedPage Today) — Excess cholesterol in macrophages within ocular blood vessels may help trigger neovascular, or “wet,” age-related macular degeneration, a laboratory study suggested.
AAN: Hysterical Blindness Yields to Eye Task (CME/CE)
SAN DIEGO (MedPage Today) — Asking patients with a visual conversion disorder, also known as hysterical blindness, to perform a simple visual exercise over a period of days to weeks in order to recover their sight was an effective therapy, a researche…
Compounder Recalls Avastin Syringes, Other Products
(MedPage Today) — A Georgia compounding pharmacy has recalled all of its sterile products, expanding the recall of its bevacizumab (Avastin) syringes announced yesterday, according to the FDA.
Brain Stent Eases Tinnitus, Helps Vision (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — An endovascular stent placed in the transverse sinus significantly reduced the pressure gradient of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC), improving tinnitus as well as visual function, a small, single-center study showed.
Vision Loss Carries Depression Risk (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — More than one out of every 10 U.S.adults who report vision loss has clinically meaningful symptoms of major depression, a large cross-sectional study found.
Bone Marrow Tx in Kids May Lead to Eye Problems (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Eye complications from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are common in pediatric patients, although usually mild, a single-center study showed.
CMV Retinitis Drug Recalled
(MedPage Today) — One lot of cidofovir for intravenous infusion (Vistide), used to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in AIDS patients, has been recalled because of particulate matter in some vials, the FDA said.
Clinical Notes: Internet Flu Tracker Flops
(MedPage Today) — Google’s Flu Trends surveillance system did not do so well in tracking this season’s influenza numbers. Also this week: a multiple sclerosis drug will be tested in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Limited Sight Restored by Retinal Implant
(MedPage Today) — The FDA has approved the first implantable device to treat advanced retinitis pigmentosa, the agency announced.
Study Supports Vision Screening Before Age 3 (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Eye screening before age 3 detected risk factors for amblyopia with accuracy comparable to that of screens in children ages 3 to 6, analysis of a large eye screening database showed.
High CRP Levels Predict Risk of Eye Disease (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — High levels of the proinflammatory marker C-reactive protein predicted an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, including neovascular AMD, data from five large studies showed.
Little Help from Lucentis for Vitreous Hemorrhage (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) — Patients with vitreous hemorrhage related to diabetic retinopathy derived minimal short-term benefit from treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor ranibizumab (Lucentis), results of a randomized trial showed.
FDA Clears iPhone App for Retinal Images
(MedPage Today) — An iPhone adapter with a companion app designed to make it easy to share high resolution images of the retinal nerve and fundus has received 510(k) clearance from the Federal Drug Administration.