News

Nearly one-half of patients who require vision correction are significantly astigmatic in at least one eye, according to a study sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and published in Eye & Contact Lens.

Regeneron PharmaceuticalsInc. and Bayer HealthCare have announced that Bayer Yakuhin, Ltd., Osaka, Japan, has submitted an application to Japan?s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for marketing authorization of aflibercept ophthalmic solution (VEGF Trap-Eye) for the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, will become chair of the department of ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill effective October 1. He will replace Travis Meredith, MD, who is stepping down after serving as chair of the department since 2001. Dr. Meredith will continue to work part-time as chairman emeritus and professor of ophthalmology.

Allergan, Inc. announced that the FDA has approved a fully in vitro, cell-based assay for use in the stability and potency testing of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox and Botox Cosmetic, Allergan). The newly-approved assay will be implemented immediately for release of product for sale in the U.S.

Bausch + Lomb (B + L), has announced plans to launch a pharmaceutical business in India through a strategic agreement with Micro Labs, a Indian drug manufacturing organization with 14 production sites. B + L said the partnership will provide it with high-quality manufacturing capabilities in the region that will speed the introduction of new prescription and over-the-counter medicines targeted to a wide range of eye diseases.

The Premier Healthcare Alliance, which includes more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and more than 75,000 other health care sites, has recognized an electronic documentation system (Connex, Welch Allyn) as one of 18 top medical device innovations introduced in 2010.

Ivantis is expanding multiple randomized controlled trials of its intracanalicular scaffold (Hydrus) for the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma using $17 million in funding from New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Delphi Ventures.

The latest video in the VSP Vision Care Web series EyeFiles highlights the importance of wearing sunglasses at any age.

Prevent Blindness America hopes to raise $140,000 for sight-saving programs through its fourth annual Swing Fore Sight Golf Tournament, to be held Sept. 21 at the Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas during Vision Expo West.

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) past president Michael Redmond, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist and pioneering advocate for the profession, died recently at his home in Florida, after a battle with cancer.

Santen Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan), has initiated a global Phase III clinical study evaluating its investigational drug sirolimus (DE-109) for the treatment of noninfectious posterior uveitis.

Nearly 6,000 Americans spent part of their Fourth of July holiday in the emergency room in 2009 due to fireworks injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those, fireworks caused an estimated 1,600 eye injuries. The injuries included contusions, lacerations, and foreign bodies in the eye. Some injuries caused permanent vision loss.

HOYA Surgical Optics, Inc. (HSO) announces that it has voluntarily suspended sales of two models of its clear-optic IOLs: the iSymm IOL (Model FC-60AD) and the iSert IOL (Model PC-60AD). This action affects only U.S. customers, and HSO has requested the return of these lenses.

Optovue, an innovator in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), has launched a wellness program implemented as a ?pay-per-visit? arrangement with eye care clinicians. Known as the iWellness Program, it was formerly called iHealthCheck.

Bausch + Lomb (B+ L), the company that brought the first soft contact lens to market 40 years ago this month, showcased product innovations and scientific research focused on improving patient care, outcomes, and quality of life at the American Optometric Association?s (AOA) annual meeting in Salt Lake City June 15 to 19.

Transitions Optical, Inc. is introducing an awards program to acknowledge loyal eye-care practice partners who are actively promoting healthy sight. Through the Transitions Eyecare Practice of the Year awards program, up to three finalists will be recognized for their year-long achievements in December, and one practice will be named the ?2011 Eyecare Practice of the Year? during Transitions Academy in January 2012.

Registration has opened for International Vision Expo West. More than 13,000 eye care professionals are expected to attend the event, which will be held in the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas from Sept. 21 to 25.

OCuSOFT, Inc. and Ardeo Health, LLC have entered into an exclusive, multi-year agreement to distribute a dry eye therapy under license from Novagali Pharma S.A. of Evry, France. The therapy, Nova23041, will be marketed and distributed in the U.S. and Canada as Retaine MGD Ophthalmic Emulsion under a brand license from OCuSOFT, Inc. The preservative­free, oil­in­water emulsion will be targeted for individuals suffering from meibomian gland dysfunction.

A preparation of ophthalmic mitomycin (Mitosol, Mobius Therapeutics) has received a third orphan drug designation from the FDA. This indication is for use in preventing corneal haze following surface ablation laser keratectomy, and adds a refractive indication to two previous orphan drug designations for the product: glaucoma and pterygium.

Robert N. Weinreb, MD, has been named chair of the department of ophthalmology and director of the Shiley Eye Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, effective June 15.

Aflibercept ophthalmic solution (Eylea, Regeneron) has received a unanimous recommendation from the Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA for the treatment of the neovascular (wet) form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

An open letter urging Congress to acknowledge obesity as a disease and support legislation to ensure access to all effective treatments marks the start of the second phase of Allergan?s Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment (CHOICE) Campaign, which promotes obesity prevention and treatment as well as acceptance of all effective treatments, including weight-loss surgery.

A new multipurpose disinfecting solution (Opti-Free PureMoist, Alcon) is now available for contact lens wearers in the United States.

Bausch + Lomb is launching ?The Daily Score? promotion, whereby eye-care professionals can offer patients the opportunity to obtain the company?s daily disposable lenses (SofLens) for their children for less than $1 per day.

A Maui Jim sunglasses display and ?Lifestyle Lounge? featuring endurance athletes will be part of a 2-day Health and Fitness Expo for runners and casual shoppers before Rock ?n? Roll Marathon Series events in Seattle June 25 and in Chicago Aug. 14.

If you do a good enough job training your staff, you may put yourself out of a job!

Retinal surgeons continue to refine techniques to optimize the safety and efficacy of microincision vitrectomy surgery.

The venturi vacuum modality associated with a proprietary phacoemulsification system seems to be more efficient than its counterpart peristaltic system, with reductions in power and phaco time of 20% and 14% respectively, in 104 cases.

Cataract surgery has emerged as the miracle of 20th century medicine, according to one expert.

Topical anesthesia strabismus surgery for adjustable sutures has advantages, but surgical techniques need to be modified and patients chosen carefully.