Optometry

In today's tight economy and competitive eye-care/eyewear market, it is important for eye-care professionals to explore every opportunity to uncover untapped potential revenue streams.

An image-guided femtosecond laser may improve safety and outcomes during cataract surgery by automating some of the manual steps such as capsulorhexis, incisions and nucleus chopping.

Intra-operative use of on-screen image guidance with a high-definition three-dimensional surgical microscope system is showing promise for improving the precision and predictability of various maneuvers during small-incision cataract surgery.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery seems to be a major step forward as a result of the added safety and precision that the laser confers, such as to the creation of the incision, relaxing incisions, capsulorhexis, and nuclear removal steps.

In the beginning of 2010, some dramatic changes in coding and reimbursement for consultation services occurred.

Both longitudinal and torsional phacoemulsification using a proprietary system resulted in low corneal endothelial loss 3 months after cataract surgery to remove hard cataracts.

Results of a randomized, controlled U.S. pivotal trial of cataract surgery patients confirmed the efficacy and safety of a novel topical ocular bandage for protecting clear corneal incisions and minimizing postoperative pain.

Results of a randomized study comparing medication protocols for cataract surgery suggest that adding a corticosteroid to a regimen composed of twice-daily bromfenac 0.09% with a fourth-generation fluoroquinolone provides no extra benefit for controlling inflammation but increases the risk for IOP spikes on the first day after surgery.

Cataract removal using transversal phaco with a Venturi pump improved the followability of nuclear fragments and reduced chatter at the phaco tip compared with conventional longitudinal phaco with a peristatic pump.

Clear corneal microincisions of 2.2 and 1.8 mm produce similar low levels of surgically induced astigmatism after cataract extraction.

Although the head-to-head trial of bevacizumab and ranibizumab is being hailed as a landmark study, retina specialists are saying its results are unlikely to change practice patterns in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Results of a study comparing fellow eyes undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy versus manual continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis show that the laser's initial advantage for predictably creating precisely sized and circular capsular openings is maintained during follow-up to 1 month after the procedure.

Results of a study using optical coherence tomography to evaluate macular changes after cataract surgery indicate that laser refractive lens surgery with a proprietary femtosecond laser system is associated with less macular thickening and volume increase compared with traditional phacoemulsification.

The phacoemulsification performed equally well in a comparative study that also considered the different incision sizes.

Although the rate of glaucoma progression varies widely between patients, and prognostic factors to identify patients at higher risk for faster progression have been identified, the answer to the question of whether there are certain subgroups of patients who should be treated more aggressively than others is "no."

Descemet's membrane detachment and posterior wound gape, when they occur, develop very early after cataract surgery and decrease thereafter, while the incidence of posterior wound retraction emerges more slowly but is present in most eyes by 3 years postoperatively.

In patients with progressive optic nerve sheath meningiomas, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is the standard of care and prevents further vision loss.

The answer to the question of whether it is necessary to diagnose and treat pre-perimetric glaucoma is not a simple "yes" or "no."

The addition of intraoperative aberrometry to proper preoperative measurements and available clinical history improves refractive and functional outcomes after cataract surgery with accomudating IOL implantation in postLASIK patients.

The use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration has revolutionized the treatment of this disease, but concerns about the increased risk for elevated IOP with these agents continue to trouble ophthalmologists.

Accuracy of IOL power prediction using ray tracing is improving and approaching the performance of traditional regression formulae

Careful use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration is acceptable, but physicians should be alert for exceptions to the expected outcome.

Some practical advice and common-sense tips can help clinicians stay abreast of developments and possible malpractice cases.

Most eye-care practitioners are unlikely to read any journal cover to cover, and perhaps they may consider meibomian gland dysfunction underwhelming as a topic at a time when there are a number of exciting developments in vision research.

Results from a phase III study investigating intravitreal ranibizumab for the treatment of DME show that the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agent was well-tolerated and met its primary efficacy endpoint.

The recently published report from the International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction provides an evidence-based review of current knowledge about meibomian gland structure and function in health and disease, offers an idea bank for researchers with an interest in the field, and provides practical guidance to clinicians on the evaluation and management of a very common disorder.

After enduring several disappointing drug trials of treatments that once held promise for dry eye and cystic fibrosis, Inspire Pharmaceuticals will become part of Merck & Co. Inc. in a $430 million acquisition.

If you feel that you have flow issues in your office, stop being the technician's safety valve for poor behavior.

A new quinazolinone compound represents a novel approach to management of choroidal neovascularization.

Periocular injections of steroids improve active inflammation and macular edema in most patients with uveitis.