News

Prostaglandin-based topical therapy has been the ‘go-to treatment’ for open-angle glaucoma for decades. In contrast, laser trabeculoplasty has conventionally remained reserved for patients unresponsive or unable to adhere to medication-based therapy.

For 20 years I have effectively employed endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) as a primary or secondary line of glaucoma treatment. ECP is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) option capable of reducing IOP in the majority of patients and can potentially eliminate the need for drainage surgery, including trabeculectomy (trab) and glaucoma drainage devices (GDDs).

New data from a phase IIa study show that an investigational intracameral extended-release travoprost implant (ENV515, Envisia Therapeutics) provided durable IOP-lowering over a follow-up period extending to 11 months.

A newly formed partnership with CheckedUp and TearScience will bring the CheckedUp engagement platform to hundreds of clinics nationwide, announced the companies.

At the 2006 ASCRS Film Festival, Dr. Malyugin, professor of ophthalmology and deputy director, S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Institution, Moscow, received the first-place award in the instruments/devices category for his video, “Russian solution to small-pupil phaco and tamsulosin floppy-iris syndrome,” that presented the pupil expansion ring he designed for atraumatic management of the small pupil.

Cirle Inc. announced the unveiling of its latest three-dimensional Surgical Navigation System (SNS 200) at the 2017 meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. The investigational system is completing FDA registration.

All presbyopia-correcting IOLs have pros and cons, and because they have different performance characteristics that can meet the vision needs of a range of patients, Steven G. Safran, MD, said that he uses all the available technologies.

Ab interno placement of a novel gelatin stent (XEN 45, Allergan) in eyes with refractory glaucoma lowers IOP and medication use with a low incidence of complications and adverse events, according to results of a U.S. multicenter trial.

The recent FDA approval of a slit lamp attachment (Fundus Module 300, Haag-Streit) allows for fundus imaging as part of the regular slit lamp examination, according to the manufacturer.

Patients with concurrent corneal disease may be candidates for premium IOLs to correct presbyopia and/or astigmatism, but often these individuals need corneal surgery before or after the cataract procedure, said William B. Trattler, MD.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) has some benefits for patients and for surgeons, but it remains to be seen if it adds value when used in combined glaucoma-cataract procedures, said Leon W. Herndon Jr., MD.

Dry eye disease (DED) is extremely common in the adult population and important to diagnose and treat in patients undergoing corneal and cataract refractive surgery because it can affect vision, quality of life, and surgical outcomes, said Edward J. Holland, MD.

As Oasis Medical marks its 30th anniversary, the company debuts a new punctal plug for dry eye relief, as well as eyelid cleansing solutions for daily lid hygiene.

Practice patterns by oculoplastic surgeons for the use of antibiotics with eyelid surgery vary. Surgeons may overestimate the helpfulness of antibiotics.

Intravitreal injections and posterior capsule rupture during cataract surgery: is there a risk? Research published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology may have an answer.

Is staff turnover holding you back? In some markets, healthcare personnel turnover is five times higher than unemployment. The average total turnover rate reported for healthcare employers in 2016 is 20.1%, up from 19.2% in 2015, according to Compdata Surveys’ national survey, Compensation Data Healthcare.

Cataract surgery in patients with coexisting uveitis is more challenging than managing either condition alone. Surgeons must answer a different set of questions and consider alternative management strategies, said Debra A. Goldstein, MD, FRSC, professor of ophthalmology and director of the Uveitis Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago.

There are a number of ways to improve near vision for presbyopes, including multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs)–traditional or low add–and pseudoaccommodative IOLs. It has been well documented that a small pupil and higher order aberrations, such as spherical aberration (SA) or coma, can increase depth of focus.

Increased procedure volume and patient expectations have made IOL exchange procedures more common. Smaller incisions and the need to reduce trauma require new micro-instrumentation for best outcomes.

The UK Federation of (Ophthalmic and Dispensing) Opticians (FODO) is calling for a mediation service to handle disputes over refractive surgery.

As retinal specialists, we are truly fortunate to live in a time where we have several treatment options for patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). A fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) intravitreal implant 0.19 mg (Iluvien, Alimera Sciences) is indicated for the treatment of DME in patients who have been previously treated with a course of corticosteroids and did not have a clinically significant rise in IOP.

Wills Eye Hospital’s “powerhouse” William Tasman, MD, passed away March 28, 2017, at the age of 87. In the same short period, the retinal world had another sad passing of Eliot L. Berson, MD, on March 19, 2017 at the age of 79.

Meaningful use and government mandates have added blocks all throughout the system that continue to add more and more time to each patient visit--and ends up damming up the clinic from ever getting their hands on the patient to do the exam.

Though further study is needed to determine conclusively whether or not femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) is associated with better refractive outcomes compared with conventional manual surgery, FLACS offers many other benefits that justify its use, according to Robert J. Cionni, MD.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) offers some advantages compared with a conventional manual procedure, particularly for certain patients. Currently, however, FLACS does not result in superior outcomes and it has drawbacks that outweigh its benefits, according to Rosa Braga-Mele, MD.