News

Avedro has resubmitted its New Drug Application (NDA) for riboflavin ophthalmic solution/KXL System to the FDA.

Welcome to the latest installment of “Sight Lines,” a feature in which J.C. Noreika, MD, MBA, an ophthalmologist in Medina, OH, discusses trends in ophthalmology, medicine, and health care with key leaders in their fields. In this issue, Dr. Noreika talks with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

Analyses of visual field data collected at centers across England showed the average level of severity of vision loss at the time of glaucoma detection decreased-improved-over time. Still, the rate of improvement between 1998 and 2012 was only 0.1 dB per year.

Although infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are a prominent concern for cataract surgeons, leading ophthalmologists discuss the pros and cons of performing universal MRSA screening to guide targeted prophylaxis.

Like you, I chose to attend medical school with the goal of helping patients who were ill and needed curing, comforting, or both. So perhaps the financial rewards of a career in medicine have made you feel slightly embarrassed and concerned that people might be resentful or jealous. Well, here’s good news: research suggests we physicians aren't so financially successful after all.

Social media is a highly effective tool for promoting practices’ campaigns, but knowing several key strategies will increase success from advertising.

The combination of camera and recorder products is designed to capture and record ophthalmic procedures for an enhanced surgical workflow.

rarely recognized. Ronald L. Fellman, MD, describes its diagnostic features and management considerations.

The effect of astigmatism varies with different factors and can affect patient satisfaction with multifocal or monofocal IOLs.

A scleral spacing procedure for the treatment of presbyopia restored near vision in presbyopic emmetropic patients without adverse effects.

Multifocal bi-aspheric ablation profile, micromonovision approach delivers good outcomes

A hydrogel sealant demonstrated significant superiority to suturing for sealing incisions that were leaking when tested immediately after small-incision phacoemulsification and toric IOL implantation.

Boris Malyugin, MD, PhD, explains how he uses a step-wise approach to manage small pupils, starting with an intracameral injection of phenylephrine or epinephrine and eventually working up to pupil expanders.

If explantation of a miniature stainless steel glaucoma shunt becomes indicated, an ab interno technique offers several advantages compared with the traditional external approach.

Dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 and 0.35 mg provided statistically and clinically significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity and reduction in central subfield retinal thickness with an average of 4 to 5 injections over 3 years.

Technologies will provide better understanding of IOP and patient adherence to topical medications and allow timely adjustments in therapy while reducing the number of office visits.

The 2014 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology will convene in Chicago from Oct. 17 to 21. Visit www.aao.org for the latest updates or to register.

Use of metformin, a drug therapy for the treatment of diabetes, was found to be associated with reduced risk of adult-onset, open-angle glaucoma in a recent study.

The FDA has approved Alimera Sciences’ fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant (Iluvien) for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) in patients who have been previously treated with a course of corticosteroids and did not have a clinically significant rise in IOP.

Novaliq GmbH has reported positive phase I results with its clear cyclosporin solution eye drop formulation (CyclASol) in clinical development for patients with dry eye syndrome.

The FDA has approved Allergan’s dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 mg (Ozurdex), a sustained-release biodegradable steroid implant, for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).

Bausch + Lomb’s next-generation sub-micron gel formulation of loteprednol etabonate has been found to be statistically superior to placebo (vehicle gel) in eliminating inflammation and pain following cataract surgery by study day 8-the primary endpoints in the first phase III, multicenter, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International’s wholly owned subsidiary, Bausch + Lomb, and Nicox S.A. have announced positive top-line results from the pivotal phase III studies conducted with latanoprostene bunod (Vesneo, previously known as BOL-303259-X and NCX 116) for the reduction of IOP in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

A femtosecond laser can create circular, well-centered capsulotomies to facilitate implantation of capsular tension rings and IOLs without decentration in pediatric patients with Marfan’s syndrome. Tim Schultz, MD, and H. Burkhard Dick, MD, of the University Eye Clinic Bochum, Bochum, Germany, described the case of a 10-year-old boy with Marfan’s syndrome.

The American Medical Association (AMA)-in responding to physicians’ demands for solutions to electronic health record (EHR) systems that have neglected usability as a necessary feature-has outlined eight priorities for improving EHR usability that would benefit caregivers and patients.

The recent agreement between Valeant and Croma-which would provide for the distribution of Croma’s ophthalmology products in Western Europe-is expected to expand Bausch + Lomb’s (B + L) ophthalmic portfolio in the United States.

Nicox S.A has agreed to acquire the Carragelose anti-viral eye drop program from Marinomed Biotechnologie GmbH of Austria. The acquisition will provide Nicox with an anti-viral ophthalmic product, expected to launch in Europe within 2 years and pending CE marking.

Ophthalmology technology from Quantel Medical and AcuFocus recently received CE Mark approval.