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A survey conducted by the Preservative Freedom Coalition, asked 558 patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension how they felt about their treatments, the future of their eye health, trust in their doctors and more. 

Survey reveals gaps in patient awareness of preservative-free glaucoma treatments

Cationic emulsion drops are characterized by their ability to retain cyclosporine A on the ocular surface.

Cyclosporine A eye drops ease ocular discomfort after cataract surgery

This preservative-free synthetic corticosteroid is approved by the FDA for visualization during vitrectomy and the treatment of ocular inflammatory conditions that are unresponsive to topical corticosteroids.

Harrow to enact a 5-year strategic supply and development agreement for triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension

Kearney will lead Tenpoint’s commercial strategy, including preparation of the potential US launch of BRIMOCHOL PF.

Tenpoint Therapeutics Ltd. appoints Carol Kearney as Chief Commercial Officer

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The EnVision Summit, co-founded by Bonnie An Henderson, MD, is a unique family-friendly, multispecialty CME ophthalmology conference, along with a newly introduced optometry track. Henderson sits down with 

' Sheryl Stevenson, group editorial director - eye care, to talk about the 2025 conference that will take place February 14 to 17 at the Caribe Hilton San Juan, in Puerto Rico.

Henderson describes the meeting as “a place where not only are physicians and optometrists learning, but their families are part of the experience too,” emphasizing the opportunity for personal and professional growth in a supportive, community-oriented environment.

The 2025 agenda will include symposia, surgical videos, panel discussions, and leadership seminars that highlight rapid advancements across ophthalmology specialties, including cataract, refractive, retina, glaucoma, pediatrics, and oculoplastics. “It’s incredible how quickly things change in ophthalmology—if you miss a year or two, you’ll be amazed by the innovations that have emerged,” Henderson shared. Updates on new intraocular lenses, surgical tools, and diagnostic techniques will showcase the field’s forward momentum. Additionally, a leadership seminar led by Malvina Eydelman, MD, Director of the Office of Ophthalmic, Anesthesia, Respiratory, ENT, and Dental Devices at FDA, Silver Spring, Maryland, will feature discussions on career pathways and diversity, empowering attendees with insights from industry leaders.

The optometry track, introduced last year, continues to expand, emphasizing collaboration between ophthalmologists and optometrists in critical areas like preoperative and postoperative care, medications, and diagnostic tools. As Henderson explained, “It's important for both fields to come together and discuss how we can work together to improve patient care.” This cross-disciplinary dialogue reflects the summit's dedication to advancing care through shared expertise.

The youth program offers age-appropriate activities that allow children to engage in fun learning while also witnessing their parents' professional contributions. "It’s amazing to watch these kids grow up at EnVision Summit and form lasting friendships,” said Henderson. The trainee program, which offers free registration for residents, fellows, and medical students, has also seen growth. Henderson highlighted the program’s value, noting that it “gives young professionals the chance to network with leaders in the field and gain invaluable mentorship.”



To learn more about or to register for EnVision Summit 2025,

EnVision Summit

The EnVision Summit, co-founded by Bonnie An Henderson, MD, is a unique family-oriented, multispecialty ophthalmology CME conference, along with a newly introduced optometry track. Henderson sits down with Ophthalmology Times to talk about the 2025 conference that will take place February 14 to 17 at the Caribe Hilton San Juan, in Puerto Rico.

Connect, learn, and innovate in a family-friendly atmosphere:  What to expect at EnVision Summit 2025

Uday Devgan, MD, FACS, of Devgan Eye Surgery in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, CA, answers a few key questions his patients have asked when considering cataract surgery.

What patients need to know about cataract surgery

The device offers a shortened procedure time and efficient, effective SMILE for patients with myopia, with or without astigmatism.

 China issues approval for Zeiss Visumax 800 with SMILE pro software

With this addition, Zeiss completes the Corneal Refractive Workflow, which already includes Visumax 800 and SMILE pro.

FDA approves Zeiss MEL 90 excimer laser

Deepinder Dhaliwal, MD, LAc, explores advancements in managing Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, highlighting Descemet stripping only (DSO). Long-term outcomes show promising results, supporting DSO as a viable alternative to traditional donor-tissue-based keratoplasty procedures.

Advancing Fuchs dystrophy care: Longterm success of descemet stripping only

A time line marked by innovation, collaboration, and improving patient outcomes.

A history of the femtosecond laser in the United States and Europe

The DOG recognised Heidelberg Engineering founder Christoph Schoess, Prof Herbert Kaufmann, and Prof Ioannis G. Pallikaris

German Ophthalmological Society awards Theodor Leber Medal and honorary society memberships

Envision Summit: Getting Started with ICL Surgery in Your Practice

At the Envision Summit 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Arjan Hura, MD, talked about EVO ICL surgery, its benefits, and how every ophthalmologist has the ability and training to conduct the surgery even if they aren't aware. 

Editor's note: The below transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Good morning everyone. My name is Arjun Hura. I'm a refractive cataract and anterior segment surgeon at the Maloney-Shamie-Hura Vision Institute in Los Angeles, California. I'm here in sunny Puerto Rico, I just finished giving my talk at my first-ever in Envision 2025 meeting. I was so happy to be here, and it was great to be in a room full of cataract and refractive surgeons. Very interesting to see the mix between academics and private practice, those doing laser vision correction, those doing RLE refractive cataract surgery.

My talk this morning focused on the value proposition of EVO ICL technology. We looked at what are the sort of patients coming in for vision correction, what are their age groups, what are the demographics. And whether you're in private practice or academics, what is the capital cost of potentially acquiring a femtosecond or excimer laser in order to do something like PRK, LASIK or SMILE, relative to the lower, maybe, startup cost of doing EVO ICL surgery?

Every cataract surgeon is trained in ophthalmology residency on how to do cataract surgery. So if you know how to make a paracentesis, a main incision, put an OVD into the eye, take out the OVD, load an IOL and insert an IOL into the eye–for cataract surgery, you have the ability to perform EVO ICL surgery. It's a life-changing surgery that can correct anywhere from -3 to -16 diopters of myopia. It can correct up to 4 diopters of astigmatism. And it's a reversible procedure that can be performed in the same day, bilateral surgery-type manner, to give LASIK-like outcomes with near LASIK-like recovery. Once that dilation wears off, those patients are really seeing great.

So the point of my talk was to show everyone you have the skill set to do refractive surgery if you didn't learn how to do LASIK or PRK or SMILE in residency or fellowship. If you don't have access to lasers to do those surgeries, it doesn't matter, because there's an alternative form of refractive surgery called EVO ICL surgery that can give those same outcomes and give patients visual freedom.

Yeah, well, I would say when it comes to ICL surgery, one of the biggest changes that recently took place was EVO ICL. And so compared to the previous generation of ICL technology, the EVO ICL has a central port and then 2 peripheral ports on each side as well, so a total of 5 ports. And it may sound like a small change from the previous iteration, but this was a very big deal, because 2 of the big things we used to worry about with the old version of ICL technology was one, potential early ASC cataract formation, and two, long-term IOP issues, or glaucoma. Because of that central port, sizing has become much more forgiving. The incidence internationally and even in our FDA clinical trial here in the United States, of early cataract formation, long-term pressure issues was very, very low. And so the EVO ICL surgery has become the safest version of it in its near 3 decade, 3 decade-plus journey. And so it's easier now for people or surgeons who are maybe a little hesitant about adopting it because of some of the risks associated with it in the past, to take it on now and really give patients excellent, uncorrected vision.

Videos

Envision Summit 2025: Incorporating EVO ICL into your practice

EnVision Summit 2025: Sonia H. Yoo, MD, shares what to expect from the cataract and refractive agenda

To learn more about or to register for EnVision Summit 2025, 

Sonia H. Yoo, MD, a professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida, shares her enthusiasm for the upcoming EnVision Summit, emphasizing its unique focus on fostering leadership among women in ophthalmology.

As a member of the cataract and refractive session planning committee, Yoo is excited about the latest advancements that will be showcased, including new lens implant technologies, multifocal, pinhole, and accommodative lenses, as well as advancements in imaging that enhance surgical outcomes. “Whereas in the past, we thought about cataract surgery as, you know, your grandmother’s surgery....now cataract surgery is really a refractive procedure,” she says, emphasizing the role of these technologies in reducing patients' dependence on glasses and improving satisfaction.

Yoo highlights the summit’s inclusive and family friendly atmosphere, noting that the ophthalmology program-planning committee consists entirely of women while the speaker lineup features both men and women. She describes the event as “really special and unique” for its ability to combine professional development with a welcoming environment.

Yoo also emphasized the importance of the EnVision Summit for residents and fellows, calling it a “great forum” for trainees to share knowledge, present research, and connect with mentors. The summit’s supportive environment fosters mentorship and networking, which are critical for young ophthalmologists as they embark on their careers, she adds.

Sonia H. Yoo, MD, a cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery specialist and a member of the planning committee for the EnVision Summit, highlights a session focused on the latest advancements in lens implant technologies, refractive procedures, and imaging innovations. The summit will be held from February 14 to 17, 2025, at the Caribe Hilton San Juan in Puerto Rico.

EnVision Summit 2025: Sonia H. Yoo, MD, shares what to expect from the cataract and refractive session

Warren Foust, chief operating officer of STAAR Surgical, discussed the company and looked toward the future at the 2023 ASCRS annual meeting in San Diego.

I'm Warren Foust. I'm the chief operating officer of STAAR Surgical. San Diego has been an amazing meeting. We're coming down to the end but we've had such a wonderful time here at STAAR Surgical.

The EVO ICL continues to gain in popularity—a wonderful showing at the Eyecelerator meeting, which we were grateful to be part of, and also [an] amazing time with so much traffic at our booth. I'm grateful to Ophthalmology Times for bringing us to this forum. 

I just want to say how excited I am to be part of STAAR Surgical and also want to say how exciting of a time it is for refractive surgery. STAAR [Surgical] is the only company in the space that is truly investing in our customers' ability to grow the refractive practice. Patients around the world—2 million strong—have given us amazing reaction to the implantation of the EVO ICL, 99.4% would say they're satisfied. In a recent study of over 900 surgeons, we got similar levels of satisfaction. So really excited about that. What we've learned through that process is that a happy EVO ICL patient grows a refractive practice.

I wish each one of you good luck as you start to engage with us. Please look for us at the booth the rest of the time. Please spend time with our teams. We're happy to market with you. We're happy to be part of the refractive market with you. Thank you.

ASCRS Live: STAAR Surgical looks toward the future of eye care

Stephen Coleman from Coleman Vision in Albuquerque, New Mexico, spoke with the Ophthalmology Times© team discussed the long-term outcomes with LASIK using the iDesign 2.0 software.

Hi, I'm Stephen Coleman from Coleman Vision in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I'll be presenting a paper on behalf of Optical Express, the largest laser provider in the world. It is about long-term outcomes with LASIK using the iDesign 2.0 software.


I will preface this by saying that it's exceptionally difficult for doctors to get long-term data on LASIK because fundamentally...excellent across the board. It's very difficult actually to get patients back into your office to collect data, because they're having... So that bottom line in the presentation involves 320 patients with a total of 640 eyes and data has been collected at 1 year for all of these patients. The outcomes are impressive. With respect to the change in best-corrected distance vision, the number of people actually is 97% that improved beyond a line.


Again, I say this to my staff, similar to the way the NFL is. They call it a game of inches. with LASIK it's about microns and it's also percentages. It's not big, double-digit changes in corrected vision. We're at the point in 2023 where a small percentage, incremental changes, from one laser system to the other are actually very important for us... LASIK, we dedicate our life to this.


So with that thought in mind, the 2.0 software has 1250 data points across a 7 millimeter pupil that make it explicitly precise, determining a treatment profile for any given person. The topography-integrated aspect of it is 125 data points and those topographic, true topographic points, are integrated into the ablation profile for each patient. So that's why we see these long-term outcomes exceptionally stable. It's currently the platform that I use and the platform that I think currently is the best with respect to treating higher-order aberrations in particular.

ASCRS Live: Long-term outcomes with LASIK using the iDesign 2.0 software

Eva Kim, MD, discusses Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) surgery and the impact the choice of lens can have on patients from her presentation at the EnVision Summit Ophthalmology 2023 conference with David Hutton, Managing Editor, 

Editor’s note: This transcript has been edited for clarity.

. I'm joined today by Dr. Eva Kim, who presented ICL and Clear Lens Exchange: Choosing the Right Approach at the EnVision Summit in Puerto Rico. Thank you so much for joining us today. Dr. Kim, we really appreciate it. Tell us about your presentation.

Yes, I'm just very excited about the trend towards refractive surgery at the level of the lens. So everybody's very familiar with corneal refractive surgery, LASIK, PRK, and SMILE. But I feel like when we work at the level of the lens, really the summary is that it encompasses a larger age group. So our ICL patients are nearsighted, myopic, at least about a -3 and all the way up to about a -17, and they tend to be younger.

Once they are corrected with their ICL, they can see in the distance, and they're young, so they can see up close. But then there comes a time in life when we lose our natural ability to see up close or accommodate and maybe mid to late 40s, early 50s this is happening. So corneal refractive surgery, and in fact even ICL surgery, becomes less of a good choice for them, because they'll be able to see for instance, if they're myopic, better. But up close, they're still having trouble and needing to wear reading glasses. So clear lens exchange with our amazing technologies, we're able to offer multiple distance vision for these patients who have already lost their ability to see up close. And so someone who loves to do cataract surgery, like myself and others through the nation, can get excited about entering this realm of refractive surgery for patients who are presbyopic.

Ultimately, what can this mean for the patients?

You know, I think it just opens up the ability for patients who are basically out of range for corneal refractive surgery to entertain having spectacle-free vision in the future. And we typically encourage patients who are considering lens-based refractive lens exchange, for instance, we encourage them to wait until they've lost their up-close ability so that we're not already taking away something that they have naturally. And so there's something funny about human nature, if you take something away from a patient, it doesn't feel good. So we will often encourage these refractive lens patients, to lens exchange patients to wait until their up close ability is significantly lost or is a struggle. And then we're able to bring that back with lens technology so that they can see up close again. It's quite a thrill for the patient.

At the EnVision Summit Ophthalmology 2023 in Puerto Rico, Eva Kim, MD, made a presentation titled "ICL and Clear Lens Exchange: Choosing the Right Approach."

EnVision Summit 2023: ICL and clear lens exchange: Choosing the right approach

Mark H. Blecher, MD, dives into his AAO 2022 topic: "One-Year Visual Outcomes Following Monocular Implantation with a Small Aperture IOL."

Positive visual outcomes reported one year following monocular implantation of small aperture IOL

"The next challenge as more lenses become available will be to properly select the technology for the patient for individualized patient outcomes." 

Catching up after ASCRS 2022, Ora's Caitlin Black, senior director and therapeutic area head of medical devices, talks with 

 about exciting new presbyopia IOL technology coming down the pipeline.

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Black, senior director and therapeutic area head of medical devices at Ora. We are a full-service clinical development organization overseeing both drug and device clinical trials.

Just returning from ASCRS, I am most excited about the innovation in presbyopia. Presbyopia is the so-called "final frontier" in refractive surgery, and there are many advancements that are providing additional options to presbyopic patients.

We know that worldwide, 1.7 billion people are affected with presbyopia and they currently have limited options. Their quality of life is diminished due to the decreased visual acuity, and many are looking to be free of glasses or obtain spectacle independence.

Since 1949, when IOLs first for implanted we've seen many advancements in IOL technology, including multifocal accommodating IOLs, pinhole IOLs, and extended depth of focus IOLs. Now we're really focused on patient-reported outcomes in our medical trials.

At Ora we work very closely with our sponsors to design study protocols that take into consideration patient's quality of life. We do this through integrating quality of life questionnaires, supplements and being mindful of patient objectives when they enter a clinical trial for a premium IOL.

At Ora we partner with many sites, we have 800 sites that we partner with worldwide and we have individuals on the ground working in 25 countries. This allows us to have really high quality oversight and monitoring of the clinical trials, which ultimately proceeds with high quality outcomes.

We know that there are many exciting advancements coming in presbyopic IOLs, many IOLs that are currently available outside of the US are entering clinical trial in the United States. I think the next challenge as more lenses become available will be to properly select the technology for the patient for individualized patient outcomes.

Catching up after ASCRS 2022, Ora's Caitlin Black, senior director and therapeutic area head of medical devices, talks about the next generation of ophthalmic device therapies and diagnostics, clinical trial updates and new innovations that are most exciting for presbyopia treatment.


New advancements in IOL technology is exciting for presbyopia treatment

Presented by Michael Heath, the study, “Comparison of Keratometry vs. Total Keratometry with Multivariable IOL Formulas Keratoconic Eyes," showed that accurate refractive predictions remain difficult in patients with keratoconus, and if TK is available, surgeons should use it in patients with keratoconus regardless of formula.

Biometry is difficult in eyes with keratoconus

Assumptions made about the posterior cornea don’t hold true in keratoconus

TK may provide better predictions in eyes with keratoconus due to direct measurements of the anterior and posterior corneal surface

Barrett KCN-measured performed the best, with Barrett KCN-predicted performing second best

Kane KCN-predicted K was not statistically worse than Barrett KCN (measured and predicted)

The TK version of every formula outperformed the respective K version

Newer generation formulas generally outperformed older generation formulas, with SRK/T performing the best of older formulas, especially when using TK values

Accurate refractive predictions remain difficult in patients with keratoconus

If TK is available, surgeons should use it in patients with keratoconus regardless of formula

KCN-specific formulas (Kane KCN and Barrett KCN, both measured and predicted) should be used whenever possible

Newer generation formulas generally outperformed older generation formulas, with SRK/T performing the best of older formulas, especially when using TK values.

Study: Accurate refractive predictions remain difficult in patients with keratoconus

Presented by Raj P. Patel, BSc, “New Software Program to Improve Biometry Measurements Obtained by an Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry (OLCR) Biometer,”  hypothesized that: 

While AL and K measurements obtained with OLCR are similar to SS-OCT, the device may be inaccurately reading the spikes for ACD and LT calculations

We sought to implement and evaluate a new program, SpikeFinder, which attempts to more accurately capture internal optical path measurements, specifically for LT and ACD measurements

We chose to study the eyes with the largest differences

3,197 eyes had LoTs differing by at least 0.6mm, 2,471 of these could be analyzed using SpikeFinder

A subgroup of 350 eyes was chosen at random from this group from which 5 were excluded due to LS and IOLM exams having been done on different days

Difference between values (IOLM — LS), mean (SD) before SpikeFinder:

SpikeFinder improves agreement between IOLM 700 and LS

However, inner segments from 49 (14%) eyes still differed by more than 0.10mm

LT and ACD values obtained by Lenstar can be improved by SpikeFinder to reduce errors I measurements

Recalibrated measurements after SpikeFinder are equivalent to lengths obtained by the IOL Master 700

Performance of modern multivariable IOL formulas which use LT and ACD may be improved to be more accurate through the use of SpikeFinder

We are currently evaluating SpikeFinder in additional larger datasets, concluding international datasets, before offering this for public use

Lens thickness and anterior chamber duct values obtained by Lenstar can be improved by SpikeFinder to reduce errors in measurements.

New software program improves biometry measurements obtained by OLCR biometer

The study, “Comparison of Keratometry vs. Total Keratometry with Multivariable Intraocular Lens Calculation Formulas in Post-Myopic Laser Vision Correction Eyes," presented by Jacob Rogers in collaboration with the Dean McGee Eye Institute, is a retrospective review of 130 eyes with previous M-LVC that were measured with SS-OCT biometer for K and TK prior to cataract surgery between 2019-2021.

"At this time, despite the potential advantages of TK measurements to incorporate posterior coral measurements, we recommend that surgeons utilize formulas customized for post-LVC eyes with traditional K values." - Jacob Rogers

To compare postoperative refractive accuracy of formula-modified keratometry (K) values versus total keratometry (TK) values obtained by a swept-source OCT biometer (IOL Master 700) with new-generation multivariable IOL calculation formulas

To assess whether TK values used with multivariable formulas help refractive accuracy in post M-LCV eyes, or whether using a formula dedicated for post M-LVC eyes with traditional K values yields improved refractive outcomes

IOL calculation remains challenging in post-refractive eyes, as we continue to obtain refractive outcomes within +/-0.5D in only one half of eyes

Older generation non-LVC formulas show marked improvement upon using TK values vs K, while multivariable non-LVC formulas did not consistently improve

At this time, despite the potential advantages of TK measurements to incorporate posterior coral measurements, we recommend that surgeons utilize formulas customized for post-LVC eyes with traditional K values

Given the similarly positive outcomes, surgeons can utilize either K or TK values for the EVO-LVC and Barrett True K formulas

Older generation non-LVC formulas show marked improvement upon using TK values vs K, while multivariable non-LVC formulas did not consistently improve.

Study compares postoperative refractive accuracy of formula-modified keratometry values versus total keratometry values obtained by a swept-source OCT biometer with new-generation multivariable IOL calculation formulas

Refractive Surgery

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