Although 1.5% of all ED visits are eye-related, they make up only 0.76% of total ED charges, suggesting reimbursement may be lagging. Medscape Medical News
Tag: News
Surprising Variation Found in Mitomycin C Concentrations
Ophthalmologists are advised to choose concentrations in the middle range rather than on the outer ends of the spectrum, researchers say. Medscape Medical News
Symptoms Persist Despite Recovery From Ebola Virus
Survivors of Ebola virus disease may still experience persistent clinical symptoms, according to new data from the CDC. Medscape Medical News
Quiz: Top Clinical News Stories of 2015
The year has been filled with interesting, unexpected, and practice-changing news all around medicine. Test your knowledge on some of our most popular news stories of 2015 with this short quiz. Medscape Medical News
Ophthalmologists Have Low Patient Complaint Rates
Ophthalmologists at academic centers have the highest risk for patient complaints compared with others in their field, but ophthalmology overall enjoys fewer complaints than other medical specialties. Medscape Medical News
AMD: Aflibercept Clinical Practice Efficacy Similar to Trials
Bimonthly administration may reduce the treatment burden and improve adherence, but longer-term visual acuity outcomes are still not known. Medscape Medical News
ACCORDION CV Mortality Drops, Eye Benefits Remain in Follow-up
New data from ACCORD long-term follow-up study: cardiovascular mortality risk with tight glycemic control attenuates, retinopathy benefit remains, and brain function unaffected. Medscape Medical News
Smartphone-Based Adapter Captures Optic Disc Images
A new smartphone-based adapter enables untrained photographers to capture gradable optic disc images, researchers report. Reuters Health Information
Readers Name Biggest Medical Stories of 2015
The debut of the ICD-10 diagnostic codes topped the list, followed by California’s approval of physician-assisted suicide. The end of the 10-year MOC exam ranked as the most exciting piece of news. Medscape Medical News
Diabetic Vision Loss Medication May Promote Return to Driving
After a year of treatment with the drug ranibizumab (Lucentis), some people with vision loss due to diabetes regain their confidence to drive and have vision good enough to do so, according to a new study. Reuters Health Information
New Regulatory Requirements Tied to Drop in Intravitreal Bevacizumab Use
Regulations requiring patient-specific prescriptions (PSPs) for drugs used off-label may have caused a drop in prescriptions for intravitreal bevacizumab, with retinal specialists switching to medications that don’t require PSPs, according to a study f…
Direct Funduscopy Rarely Used, Feared to Be a ‘Forgotten Art’
Although performing direct funduscopy during a patient’s initial assessment is considered a ‘basic competency,’ most clinicians skipped the eye exam, potentially missing ‘valuable’ information. Medscape Medical News
Response to Anti-VEGF in Macular Edema Evident at 3 Months
Response to anti-VEGF injections at 3 months is predictive of response at 1 and 3 years, so nonresponders can be switched to a drug with a different mechanism of action early on, researchers report. Medscape Medical News
New Strategies but Modest Benefit in Uveal Melanoma
New therapies being tried in uveual melanoma include combination everolimus, pasireotide long-acting release, and the MEK inhibitor trametinib. Medscape Medical News
Neural Deficit Progresses After Collagen Crosslinking for Keratoconus
Collagen crosslinking (CXL) treatment appears to halt the progression of keratoconus in young patients, but nerve disorientation persists, according to European investigators. Reuters Health Information
Baerveldt Has Edge on Ahmed in Glaucoma at 5 Years
For patients with refractory glaucoma, intraocular pressure was lower with the Baerveldt implant than with the Ahmed valve, and fewer medications were required, but the risk for hypotony was greater. Medscape Medical News
New Dry Eye Gel Improves Some, but Not All, Symptoms
A carbomer-based lipid-containing artificial tear formulation improved patients’ ocular surface staining grades and ocular irritation symptom scores and decreased symptoms in patients with dry eye. Medscape Medical News
Subretinal Implant Restores Sight in Retinitis Pigmentosa
Almost three-quarters of patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa were able to localize or identify objects after receiving a subretinal implant that stimulates ganglion cells. Medscape Medical News
Sustained-Release Bimatoprost Lowers Intraocular Pressure
The reduction in intraocular pressure was significant in glaucoma patients treated with the bimatoprost implant, 6-month results from the 24-month study suggest. Medscape Medical News
Squalamine Boosts Anti-VEGF Effect in Macular Degeneration
The addition of squalamine lactate to ranibizumab did not reduce the number of injections in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, but it did improve visual acuity. Medscape Medical News