Pediatrics

Washington, DC-In an effort to curb the eye damage caused by teens who unwittingly buy and wear cosmetic contact lenses from unauthorized vendors, the House of Representatives will consider a bill that would recognize and regulate non-corrective contact lenses as medical devices, regardless of their intended use.

San Francisco-IOL implantation in pediatric eyes with traumatic cataract offers the opportunity for a favorable visual outcome, but success in these cases depends on a properly timed procedure and diligent surgical care, said M. Edward Wilson, MD, at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

Atlanta-CIBA Vision is recalling all of its Glitter Eyes contact lenses after it discovered that layers of the lens can partially "delaminate" and cause pigments within the lens to smear, smudge, or pool.

New York-Pfizer Inc. will invest $400 million to expand its New Jersey facilities and potentially add 1,300 jobs, but plans to close five research and development sites around the world-including two in the United States- and other former Pharmacia Corp. offices as it begins the difficult logistical transition of its $57 billion takeover.

Editor's Note: Anterior uveitis is the most common type of intraocular inflammation. Among patients with inflammation localized primarily to the anterior chamber, 50% or more are HLA-B27 positive. Inaddition, a number of these patients with HLA-B27-associated anterior uveitis have, or will develop, an associated systemicdisorder such as ankylosing spondylitis,reactive arthritis (formerly known asReiter's syndrome), inflammatory bowel disease, or psoriatic arthritis.

Columbus, OH-Age-adjusted approaches are needed for the evaluation and management of suspected orbital fracture in pediatric patients because children are different from adults, according to JDespite the introduction of more accurate IOL formulas and biometry instrumentation, cataract and refractive lens surgery have yet to achieve the ophthalmologist's ideal of perfect emmetropia in all cases.1-5 This limitation stems from occasional inaccuracies in keratometry and axial length measurements, an inability to assess the final position of the pseudophakic implant accurately in a fibrosing capsular bag, and the difficulty of completely eliminating pre-existing astigmatism despite the use of limbal relaxing incisions and toric IOLs.6,7 A new lens technology offers the hope of taking ophthalmologists one step closer to achieving emmetropia in all cases and also perhaps further improving the final result by addressing higher-order optical aberrations.

Columbus, OH-Age-adjusted approaches are needed for the evaluation and management of suspected orbital fracture in pediatric patients because children are different from adults, according to Jill A. Foster, MD.

This year's fierce winter is now about to bring a big dose of misery to the 60 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies. Experts predict a fast-peaking, intense spring allergy season. Moisture accumulated from heavy snow and excessive rain has nurtured mold, and will fuel tree-pollen production-all of which will trigger an early and severe allergy season.

Sacramento, CA-Vision Service Plan (VSP) is sponsoring "Kids Get Focused" to place attention on the importance of pediatric eye exams.

"Success is a process, a quality of mind and way of being, an outgoing affirmation of life."

A Maryland woman received care instructions for the decorative contact lenses she was buying to match her new dress.

Orlando-Laser vision correction can be an effective treatment for anisometropic amblyopia in children, according to Deepinder K. Dhaliwal, MD.

Long-term results from the Multicenter Trial of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (CRYO-ROP study) are showing continued advantages for treatment in preventing blindness and no long-term disadvantage with reference to acuity.

For John Bingner Lyman, MD, time spent in his wood shop is just plane fun.

As cosmetic contact lenses become the latest fad among the teen set, business is moving quickly to deregulate the market. But the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is moving just as quickly to keep the government focused on patient safety.

Charleston, SC-When prescribing brimonidine 0.2% b.i.d. as monotherapy for ocular hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma, physicians should make sure that the drug maintains its effectiveness in the late afternoon and may want to add a third drop to the daily dosage, said William C. Stewart, MD.

La Jolla, CA-Results from murine studies indicate that a population of adult bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells injected intravitreally will selectively target activated astrocytes, become incorporated into blood vessels, and promote or inhibit retinal angiogenesis, reported Martin Friedlander, MD, PhD.

Jacksonville, FL-Vistakon hopes Grammy award-winning singer Enrique Iglesias will be a hero to millions of teenage contact lens wearers.

Dallas-Essilor Laboratories of America will add about $7 million in annual sales to its totals with the purchase of the assets of three laboratories in Phoenix, Tucson, and Denver.

Fort Worth, TX-The FDA will allow Alcon to add the words "Lasting Comfort" and new rinsing instructions to its Opti-Free Express multi-purpose disinfecting solution label.

New York-Many parents of young athletes take steps to prevent immediate sports injuries, but most fail to realize there is a simple way to prevent long-term damage to their child's eyes, according to the results of a national survey.

Salt Lake City-In 1979, Richard L. Anderson, MD, published a paper in the Archives of Ophthalmology describing a tarsal strip procedure he implemented 23 years later. The now widely used tarsal strip turned out to be a key solution as one of the procedures used to treat a 3-month-old baby with blepharo-cheilo-dontic syndrome.

Pediatric refractive surgery is a pro-cedure whose time has come for a small group of children, but should not be considered the panacea for every child's refractive error.

General anesthesia is usually required in pediatric refractive surgery because children cannot cooperate for an extended period of time, explained Evelyn A. Paysse, MD, assistant professor, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

Anchorage, AK-Carl E. Rosen, MD, spends much of his free time grappling on the ground, literally. For the Alaska-based ophthalmologist and orbital surgeon, this means practicing a form of martial arts known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Philadelphia-In an uncertain economic climate, the ophthalmic market can take stock in knowing it is alive and well, according to Kenneth P. Taylor, an independent industry consultant.

There is no shortage of reasons why dispensing eyewear for children has been relegated to "back burner" status compared with the larger adult market. Who has not heard one or more of the following common excuses?

If you want to maximize your dispensary sales, great merchandising is the answer. Patients respond well to dispensary merchandising. It can mean the difference between mediocre eyewear sales and a very profitable bottom line.

San Juan, Puerto Rico-IOP on the day after trabeculectomy or a combined phacoemulsification-trabeculectomy procedure is not predictive of a patient's IOP a year later, said glaucoma specialist Janet B. Serle, MD.

Many physicians wrinkle their noses at the idea of selling products in the office. But what about offering patients educational materials at the time of diagnosis?