Endophthalmitis is an uncommon complication
of cataract surgery, with rates ranging from
0.07% to 0.13%, and more recently as high as
0.38%, as reported in a multicenter ESCRS
study.sup1-3/sup Because of the devastating nature of endophtha…
Category: Refractive
Transepithelial CXL had Favorable Effect in Keratoconic Eyes
Transepithelial corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) had a
limited but favorable effect in keratoconic eyes.1
In the prospective study, researchers studied data from 51
consecutive patients to determine the clinical effects of
transepithelial CXL on ker…
CHIEF MEDICAL EDITOR’S PAGE
Last year was an outstanding one for ophthalmology.
I spent time over the holidays thinking
of the best of 2010. My thoughts were
guided by Gillian McDermott’s excellent article
on the subject that appeared in emCataract and Refractive Surg…
Initiative Targets Pediatric Cataract in Developing Countries
The Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute (Rochester, New
York) and Lions Clubs International Foundation (Oak Brook,
Illinois) have launched the Pediatric Cataract Initiative (PCI)
to identify, fund, and promote innovative methods of overcoming
debilita…
Four Errors in Prescribing Antibiotics
Topical and/or intracameral antibiotics play a key
role in any strategy designed to maximize
endophthalmitis prophylaxis. The optimal strategy
for reducing the incidence of endophthalmitis
always includes the two classic goals of (1) decreasin…
Managing the Unhappy Cataract Patient
In this era of immediate gratification and premium
IOLs, patients have become more demanding. The
following scenario is common. A postoperative
cataract patient presents with a visual acuity of
20/20- and a manifest refraction of -0.25 D. Upon…
emCOMPLEX CASE MANAGEMENT/em: Posterior Polar Cataract and Astigmatism
bCASE PRESENTATION/bbr /A 49-year-old, soon-to-be-retired police officer is
referred to you for a cataract evaluation. He complains of
severe glare when driving at night. The patient states that
he has never worn glasses and hopes to mini…
Biolase Technology Receives US Patent for Laser Technology in Ophthalmology Field
Med tech company Biolase Technology announced Monday that it has received a new US patent covering the use of its laser technologies for treating farsightedness. The laser-tunneling method covered by the patent mitigates the effects of presbyopia, en…
Screening for Lung Cancer May Save Lives
Annual computed tomography (CT) scans of current
and former smokers may reduce the risk of death from
lung cancer, according to the results of the 8-year National
Lung Screening Trial.1
Researchers tracked 53,000 smokers and ex-smokers aged
55 to 74 ye…
CTRs Showed No Consistent Effect on Refractive Outcomes
Implanting a capsular tension ring (CTR) during phacoemulsification
in highly myopic eyes did not significantly
affect refractive outcomes, according to a study in
the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.1
The study, conducted by researchers at …
Biomarker cTnT Associated With Cardiac Abnormalities and Death
Certain measures of the blood biomarker cardiac
troponin T (cTnT) are associated with the development
of heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular death in older
adults, according to a study in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.1
Investigator…
Vitamins C,E Show No Beneficial or Harmful Effect on Cataract Risk
Long-term use of vitamins C and E had no visible
effect on the incidence of cataract in men, according to a
study in the Archives of Ophthalmology.1
The study was based on the Physicians’ Health Study
II, which examined the effects of vitamin E, vitami…
Diabetes and Depression Linked in Women
Depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus have a bidirectional
association in women, according to a study in
the Archives of Internal Medicine.1
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston studied the relationship between the two diseases
…
OptiMedica’s Catalys Created More Precise Capsulotomies Than Manual Techniques
The Catalys System Precision Laser (OptiMedica Corp.,
Santa Clara, California) helped surgeons improve precision
during several critical steps of cataract surgery when
compared with manual techniques, particularly capsulotomy,
according to a study publ…
Anacetrapib Raised HDL, Lowered LDL
The cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor
anacetrapib (Merck and Co., Whitehouse Station, New
Jersey) dramatically raised high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol and lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol, according to a stu…
Avedro’s KXL System Receives CE Mark for Crosslinking
Avedro, Inc. (Waltham, Massachusetts), announced that
its KXL System for performing accelerated corneal collagen
crosslinking has received the Conformité Européenne (CE)
Mark. Lasik Xtra, one of Avedro’s new procedures made
possible with its KXL Sy…
Novartis Gains Full Ownership of Alcon
After nearly a year of negotiations between Novartis
AG (Basel, Switzerland) and the minority shareholders of
Alcon, Inc. (Huenenberg, Switzerland), a deal was struck
between the two sides, completing the biggest takeover
in Swiss corporate history.
On…
Flexivue Microlens Improved Near Vision at 3 Months
The Flexivue Microlens (Presbia Coöperatief UA;
Amsterdam, Netherlands) significantly improved near
vision and patients’ ability to read without spectacles or
contact lenses, according to 3-month postmarket surveillance
studies in Greece and Italy r…
Aspirin May Reduce Cancer Deaths
A daily dose of 75 mg of aspirin may reduce the risk of
death due to several common cancers, according to a
study in the Lancet.1
Peter M. Rothwell, PhD, of the University of Oxford,
United Kingdom, and colleagues studied data from
25,570 patients invo…
Misalignment of Toric IOLs Affected Refractive Outcomes After Cataract Surgery
Misalignment of toric IOLs resulted in a reduction of
astigmatic correction and an induction of hyperopic
spherical change and astigmatic rotation, according to
a study in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.1
Investigators at the Internatio…