News
Compound has potential in retinoblastoma
May 6th 2013A new compound shows potential as a novel targeted therapy for retinoblastoma. While studies are still in the preliminary stages, the compound known as sd-rxRNA was able to penetrate all cell layers of the retina and was taken up by tumor cells within 24 hours of intravitreal administration, said Michael Byrne, PhD.
Vitrectomy for floaters can be safe, effective
May 6th 2013Symptomatic floaters can be safely and effectively treated with vitrectomy using 25-gauge instruments, and without inducing posterior vitreous detachment or removing the anterior vitreous, said Christianne A. Wa, a third-year medical student at USC School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
One-third of diabetics fail to get eye exams
May 6th 2013An estimated 25 million people in the United States have diabetes and face a higher risk for ophthalmic complications, including glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. However, more than one-third of all persons in the United States with diabetes did not undergo an eye exam in the past year, said Fang Ko, MD.
Editor’s blog: The feeding frenzy of science known as the Poster Sessions
May 6th 2013One of the most unique aspects of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting that ophthalmic clinicians won't find at any other meeting-including the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and American Society of Refractive and Cataract Surgery (ASCRS) meetings-is the poster sessions.
Glaucoma care costs rising, but moderately
May 6th 2013The cost of caring for patients with glaucoma has risen in the past decade, but at a lower rate than that of general or medical inflation. For Medicare beneficiaries, the greatest expense was not the treatment for glaucoma per se, but rather for cataracts and retinal eye care, said Harry Quigley, MD.
Editor’s blog: Significance of no statistical difference
May 6th 2013As of Tuesday afternoon at this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting, all of the head-to-head comparison studies involving the efficacy and the safety of ranibizumab (Lucentis) and bevacizumab (Avastin) are officially IN.
Novel compounds help relieve dry eye
May 6th 2013A novel investigational agent appears to help control uncomfortable symptoms of dry eye. The results of OPUS-I, a phase III randomized clinical trial, found that lifitegrast demonstrated superiority to placebo in reducing corneal fluorescein and conjunctival lissamine staining.
IVAN, GEFAL: Two anti-VEGFs ‘equivalent’
May 6th 2013Ranibizumab and bevacizumab appear to be equally effective for the treatment age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The results of two large randomized multicenter trials-the IVAN and GEFAL-found that both drugs had similar effects on vision acuity and lesion morphology.
AREDS2 clarifies role of supplements for advanced AMD
May 5th 2013The addition of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, and the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, to a supplement formulation does not further reduce the risk of disease progression in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Emily Y. Chew, MD.
Editor’s blog: Some pearls to garner from AREDS2
May 5th 2013The results of the long-awaited Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) were officially released Sunday afternoon during a special session at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting in Seattle-and the study results really did not come as a surprise to most in the eye-care community.
