Cornea

In order to avoid a public health crisis and keep up with increasing vision loss among the aging baby-boomer generation, correctable vision impairments must be eliminated by 2030, according to a report issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

An updated classification of corneal dystrophies will help clinicians with properly differentiating and naming the disorders.

On the heels of the recent FDA approval of corneal collagen crosslinking, some surgical pearls are provided for the treatment of progressive keratoconus and corneal ectasia.

Nepal’s Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology has been working to build one of the most successful corneal donation programmes in the world.

A 110° reverse side cut primary incision created with a femtosecond laser provides an effective seal for potential wound leakage in a recent study.

Optimal planning for correction of pre-existing corneal astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery should take into account an age-related, against-the-rule (ATR) shift.

Patients with keratoconus pose unique challenges with IOL calculations.

Watch as Ben Wucher, researcher at University of Rochester Medical Center, summarizes his research titled, "Clinical keratitis isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa develop resistant biofilms."

Early results from a repeatability and reproducibility study of a precision ultrasound device indicate the anterior segment imaging device can provide unique measurements on the cornea and will have multiple applications in the future.

Selective two-photon collagen crosslinking has been shown to stiffen any three-dimensional region inside corneal tissue without damaging surrounding tissues.

In this first of a two-part series, Arun C. Gulani, MD, MS, explains how approaching keratoconus as a refractive surgery will change the way both ophthalmologists and patients will approach this condition to bring in a new era of not only relieving but also enhancing the lifestyle of this patient population. In Part 2, Dr. Gulani will share strategies and cases of patients with keratoconus with different case scenarios in action.

Ganciclovir gel is effective for herpes simplex epithelial keratitis, and emerging evidence shows it also can be used to treat other corneal disease.

Post-keratoplasty fungal infections are becoming increasing more common, and the risk is significantly higher after DSEK compared with PK.

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a vision-threatening disease most frequently seen in contact lens wearers. The disease mimics numerous diseases, and early recognition is needed to achieve optimal visual outcomes.

Patients with dry eye can be kept healthy-and happy-by diagnosing properly, following specific treatment plans, and providing excellent communication.

Keratoconus in eyes with stage I or II disease has remained stable during follow-up to 2 years after circular keratotomy performed using a femtosecond laser.

Long-arc ICRS were developed to meet the needs of patients with nipple-type keratoconus. However, new study findings suggest they may also help to improve visual acuity and regularise the cornea in patients with all types of keratoconus.

Improvements in the Boston Keratoprosthesis device have resulted in fewer complications after implantation, but they still occur. Surgeons should be alert to development of infectious keratitis and endophthalmitis postoperatively.

Dr. Donaldson explains that prior corneal surgery does not necessarily indicate that FLACS would be ineffective. However, there are some immediate disqualifications to bear in mind.

One of the most memorable patients ever to walk into the office of Sonal Tuli, MD, had a fishhook protruding from his eye, which he held open with his fingers. Dr. Tuli offers some pointers based on experience from cases like these.

The same photoactivation process used in collagen cross-linking for keratoconus can kill bacteria without the need for the oxygen responsible for the biomechanical effects, potentially pointing toward better treatments for keratitis, according to Olivier Richoz, MD, PhD.

When a graft fails, surgeons have three factors to consider: the reason for the graft failure, the chances of success with a second surgery, and what has to be done differently to ensure the success of a new graft, said Francis Price Jr., MD.

A 65-year-old male with a history of congenital cataracts, bilateral cataract extraction and secondary placement of anterior chamber intraocular lenses with subsequent development of glaucoma, cicatricial conjunctivitis, dry eye and limbal stem cell deficiency presented with left eye pain and decreased vision.

Over the past few years, various diagnostics have been introduced to help clinicians identify inflammatory conditions on the ocular surface more readily and, therefore, provide treatment to patients earlier in their disease states.

2015 may be noted as a year of emergence for sustained-release drug delivery therapies for dry eye and glaucoma, according to Jonathan H. Talamo, MD, Boston.Cornea specialists have always appreciated the need to treat dry eye, “but it’s now becoming more and more appreciated and the importance of underlying dry eye and drying is so ubiquitous,” said Ernest W. Kornmehl, MD, Brookline, MA.

New research into pattern-recognition receptors is yielding promising therapies that target the specific pathogens and inflammatory pathways in keratitis, researchers said.

Ophthalmology Times is pleased to announce Amy Patel, MD, of Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, UC Irvine Health, Irvine, CA, as the winner of its 2015 Resident Writer’s Award Program, sponsored by Allergan. Dr. Patel’s winning entry is featured here.

Contact lens-assisted corneal crosslinking (CA-CXL) is a novel technique in which a riboflavin-soaked ultraviolet (UV) barrier-free soft contact lens is applied over the denuded cornea prior to UVA irradiation.

Herpes simplex virus in children is often diagnosed late or misdiagnosed, and children can experience visual loss due to complications or amblyopia.

Contact lens-Assisted corneal crosslinking (CA-CXL) is a novel technique in which a riboflavin-soaked ultraviolet (UV) barrier-free soft contact lens is applied over the denuded cornea prior to UVA irradiation. It is used to allow CXL in eyes with a thin cornea and has been associated with good results, and can be done with a standard or accelerated CXL protocol.