News

Procedure may increase near and intermediation vision without compromising stereopsis

There is no current justification for considering routine corneal crosslinking for primary prevention of postLASIK ectasia-considering the many unknowns about the efficacy and safety of combining procedures-relates one ophthalmologist.

Children and adolescents with keratoconus may have rapid progression between the ages of 8 and 19 years and immediate treatment with corneal crosslinking may stop that progression.

Corneal confocal microscopy may be a useful tool for physicians performing corneal collagen crosslinking.

Results from preclinical studies and early clinical experience show that iontophoresis is an efficient and effective method for delivering riboflavin into the cornea, while CXL performed after the procedure is associated with good results in early follow-up.

Complete removal of lens substance is critical in pediatric cataract surgery. M. Edward Wilson, MD, offers helpful strategies.

Alignment at distance and patient age are factors contributing to treatment approaches for juvenile patients with high accommodative convergence-to-accommodation ratios.

Orthoptists’ skills can be extremely helpful in the management of patients with craniofacial syndromes, since large percentages of patients afflicted by various syndromes have amblyopia or strabismus.

Pediatric cataract surgery is now approached as a refractive procedure in which multiple factors are taken into account to determine the timing of IOL implantation and power selection.

The role of ophthalmologists will become increasingly more vital in the management of type 2 diabetes as the numbers of patients with the disease is projected to double by 2030. Exenatide may prove to be an important adjunct to current oral anti-diabetes drugs.

Thanks to the Polar Vortex, this has been a harsh-some might say cruel-winter in my little town that sits along the border between North and South. Thankfully, we have the poetry of William Carlos Williams to help get us through these frigid days-reminding us that winter is a time of peace, and that the wise trees of Baltimore have prepared their buds and will soon bring forth a beautiful and fragrant springtime.

Studies with follow-up of 2 to 6 years show that corneal crosslinking for progressive keratectasia is safe and induces long-term structural changes.

Be intentional about ongoing networking with customers and colleagues by setting aside time to talk about potential business opportunities and share clinical concerns.

An effective opening in the selling process between opticians and their optical customers will increase the likelihood for increased closing rates and improved sales.

The treatment of mumps is unchanged since Hippocrates first prescribed supportive therapy, including rest, cool compressors, and pain medications.

Performing collagen crosslinking as a concurrent primary LASIK procedure-show data from comparative studies of patients with hyperopia and myopia at risk for ectasia or regression postLASIK-increases postoperative refractive and keratometric stability.

Data from a series of 56 eyes examined at 5 years after femtosecond lenticule extraction (FLEx, Carl Zeiss Meditec) show good safety and long-term stability of the refractive and functional results.

Data from analyses of large, retrospective case series show better safety and efficacy when LASIK is performed using a femtosecond laser for flap creation.

Treating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has a great value in societal terms due to the potentially long lifespans ahead of these patients. However, a comparison of bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) and laser for treating ROP found that drug therapy was more cost effective than laser, even with extended follow-up periods, according to Michael J. Geske, MD.

David L. Epstein, MD, the Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at Duke University School of Medicine, died on Tuesday, March 4.

In response to a recent study by the Vision Council which found that close to 70% of American adults experience some form of digital eyestrain, Prevent Blindness has declared March Workplace Eye Wellness Month.

ThromboGenics has taken steps to expand its research of treatments for vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) and diabetic macular edema (DME).

An ophthalmologist who shot to fame earlier this year after an email he sent to colleagues detailing his quest to find the perfect spouse became a viral hit, upped his search by recently appearing on a popular reality dating show.

Although there is a long list of systemic disorders that can lead to pediatric cataracts, rarely does the ophthalmologist need to initiate laboratory evaluation to diagnose an underlying cause, according to Daniel E. Neely, MD.

Rapid Pathogen Screening Inc. (RPS) has received a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waiver from the FDA for its rapid, disposable, in-office test (InflammaDry) to aid in the diagnosis of dry eye disease.

With the first trial of the new International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10 medical billing system this month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is urging ophthalmologists to initiate their preparation and training for the switch to the new coding system well ahead of the October mandate.

Melvin L. Rubin, MD, a former president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), died Sunday, Feb. 23 at his home at the age of 81.

STAAR Surgical and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals-in collaboration with Bayer Healthcare-are making strides in Japan.

Repair of retinal detachment is cost effective, especially when compared with injection-based treatments.

Recent advances in surgical therapeutic modalities are enabling ophthalmologists to provide individualized care for their patients with glaucoma.