KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Dressed in his hospital scrubs, Sanduk Ruit looks into the eyes of a patient
through a microscope hanging over an operating table.
Author: ModernMedecine
ICL implantation hits 300,000 mark
More than 300,000 proprietary implantable contact lenses (ICLs) of collagen-copolymer material (Visian
Implantable Collamer Lens, STAAR Surgical Co.) have been implanted in patients around the world. More than 75,000
have been the toric version…
New dry eye emulsion introduced
A new therapy (Retaine MGD, OCuSOFT) is available for those who have dry eye syndrome and meibomian
gland dysfunction.
Updated OCT system gains 510(k) clearance
Optovue has received FDA 510(k) clearance for an updated version of its proprietary spectral-domain
optical coherence tomography system (RTVue XR FD-OCT system).
Conjunctivitis test granted CLIA waiver
An improved version of a first-point-of-care diagnostic test for conjunctivitis (AdenoPlus, Rapid
Pathogen Screening [RPS]) has been granted waived status by the FDA under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement
Amendments (CLIA).
Novel technique facilitates graft preparation
A modified surgical technique for centering the optical core within the donor graft used in a Boston
Type I Keratoprosthesis (Boston KPro) is an easy-to-learn alternative that seems to allow for reproducible
centration of the donor assembly.
DME implant receives Austrian marketing OK
The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety has granted marketing authorization to an intravitreal
implant with sustained-release fluocinolone acetonide (Iluvien, Alimera Sciences Inc.) for the treatment of vision
impairment associated with …
Quantel expands customer support
Ophthalmic clinical application specialists Cynthia Kendall, CDOS, ROUB, and Cathy DiBernardo, CDOS,
ROUB, have joined the Quantel USA Inc. medical division. They will create new customer clinical education programs
and train sales representati…
Date set for ‘Swing Fore Sight’ outing
Planning is in full swing for the fifth annual Prevent Blindness America (PBA) Swing Fore Sight Golf
Tournament. The event will be held in conjunction with Vision Expo West on Sept. 5 at the Royal Links Golf Club in
Las Vegas.
FDA Actions in Brief April 2012
Recent FDA Approvals (through April 2012) related to (Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca,
Affymax, Takeda Pharmaceutical, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Avioq, Hope Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Avid
Radiopharmaceuticals)
Recognizing childhood glaucoma in the primary pediatric setting
Pediatric glaucoma, if not diagnosed early and treated promptly, can lead to significant corneal and
optic nerve damage and loss of vision in infants and young children.
Tear layer approach effective for dry eye
The tear layer approach is effective in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome.
Dry eye brimming with innovation
The acceleration of research focused on dry eye over the past several decades has led to an increase
in knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of the disease.
Ophthalmologists slightly better off than primary care colleagues
Ophthalmologists expressed a little more optimism than primary-care physicians, when asked to evaluate
the financial state of their practices in a national survey conducted in 2011.
ARVO moves its annual meeting from Fort Lauderdale
Having the ARVO meeting in any of various locations enables the group to accommodate more program
options and have a variety of hotel options nearby.
Earlier intervention more effective
Many ophthalmologists may be dropping the ball when treating moderate dry eye, which could result in
progression to more severe stages of disease.
Use genetic testing with caution
Ophthalmologists should not order routine genetic tests for patients with common disorders like
age-related macular degeneration until there are specific therapeutic interventions available to treat the disease
based on the genetic information.
Treat, prevent dry eye prior to cataract surgery
It is vital to identify and prevent dry eye and blepharitis pre-surgery because these conditions can
affect IOL calculations and more.
Eye injury in a class by itself
Though advances have been made in achieving better functional vision in some patients with ocular
injuries, the overall rates of improvements in visual acuity have remained static for three decades.
Hyperosmolarity key to dry eye
Tear osmolarity is well correlated to visual function, and may also be a key marker of dry eye
disease