News

To a busy ophthalmologist, time is a valuable commodity, and with proposed Mediare cuts looming, it is a daily focus and concern.

A phacoemulsification software upgrade further enhances safety, efficiency, and control for surgeons performing torsional ultrasound with proprietary handpiece and phaco system.

An intraoperative wavefront aberrometer seems to be highly beneficial for patients and surgeons because it allows the surgeon to manage astigmatism effectively.

Combination therapy of an anti-platelet-derived growth factor aptamer plus an anti-vascular endothelial lesion regression in 91% of eyes with choroidal neovascularization compared with only 16% of eyes with anti-VEGF monotherapy.

A newly upgraded spectral-domain, optical coherence tomography (OCT) device with a non-mydriatic, color fundus camera enables clinicians to detect retinal abnormalities often missed during routine patient exams.

Making phone calls to remind patients about upcoming appointments may become a thing of the past.

There has been a new development in the way Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Category III codes, also known as T-codes, are viewed, reimbursed, and treated in the means of medical billing and coding.

My friends in practice tell me that the starting pay packages being offered to ophthalmologists right out of training are becoming more modest.

Visual performance is degraded by several optical phenomena including wavefront aberrations, light scattering, and diffraction.

Ophthalmic surgical instrument manufacturers and distributors work in a constantly evolving and increasingly global marketplace, and in late 2009, are meeting challenges posed by new procedures and changing government regulations.

Although heuristic factors will always be a part of the art of ophthalmomology, we are now in an era in which payments for medical treatments are going to be increasingly scrutinized for therapeutic effectiveness.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reversed a reimbursement decision that would have forced clinicians to switch treatment for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration from bevacizumab to ranibizumab.

Carl Zeiss Meditec introduced its new suite of treatment workflow and data management systems at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Lumenis Ltd. introduced an ophthalmic laser delivery technology and slit lamp biomicroscope system (InSight) at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

IRIDEX Corp. launched a dual-port ophthalmic green laser photocoagulator (IQ 532) and a modular multi-wavelength laser photocoagulator at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Topcon Medical Systems Inc. introduced a new image management and sharing software suite (EyeRoute) at the recent American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.

Ellex Medical Lasers Ltd. unveiled the latest version of its diagnostic ultrasound system (Eye Cubed) at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

A major gift from an Omaha, NE, ophthalmologist will help fund construction of an eye institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).

MacuSight has received fast-track designation from the FDA for its proprietary ocular sirolimus (Perceiva) product for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.

Abbott Laboratories has completed its acquisition of privately held eye-care company Visiogen, adding to its vision-care business an accommodating IOL technology (Synchrony) designed to address presbyopia in patients with cataracts.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has ruled in favor of Allergan Inc. in its patent infringement lawsuit against two sets of defendants seeking to market purported generic versions of the company?s formulations of brimonidine tartrate 0.1% and 0.15% (Alphagan P) for ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Specifically, the court ruled that Allergan's five patents related to the ophthalmic solutions are valid and enforceable.

Notal Vision has sold its clinic-based preferential hyperacuity perimeter (Foresee PHP) business to Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments.

"Through My Eyes: The Charlie Kelman Story," a 1-hour documentary about the ophthalmologist who developed the phacoemulsification technique of cataract removal, will premiere nationwide on public television Jan. 20, 2010, at 9 p.m.

Results of a second phase study showed patients with category 3 dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can achieve increased and sustained visual acuity levels with administration of correct carotenoids, vitamins and minerals.

J.C. Noreika, MD, MBA, submitted a letter to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), outlining nine possible unintended consequences to health-care reform.

Interim results from the first human pharmacokinetic study of an investigational extended-release intravitreal device for the treatment of diabetic macular edema suggest that it has both significant efficacy and a favorable side effect profile.

Practitioners seeking to minimize contrast sensitivity loss following panretinal photocoagulation in patients with diabetes may choose to consider performing PRP with a pattern scan laser system instead of a conventional argon laser.

Combination epimacular brachytherapy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy may help achieve and maintain optimal visual acuity outcomes over the long term in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Results from a series of bench studies evaluating a new 25+-gauge vitrectomy proble and trocar system highlight the benefits and improved performance of this technology compared with previous instrumentation for microincision vitrectomy surgery.

Data analyses collected in a phase III clinical trial show a strong benefit of intravitreal ranibizumab for clearing macular edema and rehabilitating vision in patients who have suffered a branch retinal vein occlusion.