News

If Congress should offer a financial bonus to physicians who participate in a voluntary Medicare physician-reporting program, ophthalmologists will be ready.

New York-Pfizer Inc. has acquired the worldwide license to a novel human gene that could have the potential to treat neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Union City, CA-MacuSight Inc. is beginning a phase I study of its lead product candidate in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Indianapolis, IN-Eli Lilly and Co. said it is "weighing its options" regarding further development of ruboxistaurin mesylate after the FDA requested an additional 3-year, phase III clinical trial of the molecule that could treat severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Cleveland-Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc. has logged its 2,600th installation of the GDx Scanning Laser Polarimeter, this time in the offices of Douglas P. Webb, MD.

San Diego-A world-renowned authority on the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of disease will deliver the Manus C. Kraff Lecture on Science and Medicine at the 2007 Symposium of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in April.

Aliso Viejo, CA-eyeonics Inc. has launched its new crystalens Five-O, an IOL with an increased optic size and parallel plates.

Leverkusen, Germany, and Tarrytown, NY-Bayer Healthcare and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. have entered into a collaboration agreement for the global development of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) Trap for possible treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic eye diseases, and other eye diseases and disorders.

San Diego-TargeGen Inc. has initiated a single-site phase I clinical trial involving TG100801, a small molecule, topically applied multi-targeted kinase inhibitor for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other debilitating diseases of the eye.

East Hanover, NJ-The FDA has approved the over-the-counter (OTC) use of ketotifen fumarate ophthalmic solution 0.025% (Zaditor) for the temporary prevention of itchy eyes due to allergic conjunctivitis. The drops treat eye itch associated with pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair, and dander without the potentially negative effects of a decongestant.

Houston-Intestinal surgeries-such as gastric bypass, resections of the large and small bowel, and gallbladder removal-may interfere with the intestine's ability to absorb vitamin A, resulting in the potential for severe deficiencies and compromised vision.

London-A new operating microscope for cataract surgery that uses near-infrared light to illuminate the surgical field offers several advantages compared with the conventional microscope, including possible faster visual recovery and the potential to avoid phototoxic retinopathy.

Novagali Pharma, a French biopharmaceutical company specializing in ophthalmology, has completed the enrollment for its phase III study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a potential treatment for vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). Enrollment for the international study was completed much earlier than expected, the company said, indicating an unmet need for a treatment.

Biovitrum, a Stockholm-based biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a clinical phase II study with the candidate drug BVT.28949, a 5-HT2A antagonist for treating glaucoma.

London- One of the most revolutionary technological changes in corneal transplant surgery in decades is beginning to hit clinics around the world. A software and hardware upgrade for the femtosecond laser (IntraLase FS, IntraLase Corp.) has been released to help surgeons design custom incision shapes that improve surgical precision and promote faster healing.

Clinton, CT- Ophthalmology Resources LLC recently launched Dispensing Ophthalmology online, a virtual tool to help make optical dispensaries more successful and more profitable. Dispensing Ophthalmology, located at www.dispensingophthalmology.com, provides access to and complete details on two new services: optical production tracking and Medicare post-cataract eyewear education.

Fewer than 10 years ago I sat in the audience at the first "Array Familiarization Course" offered in San Francisco at the conclusion of the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting. A highlight of the course for me was I. Howard Fine, MD's response to a question about the best refractive procedure for a 60-year-old patient with 6 D of myopia. The first FDA approvals for excimer laser ablation recently had come through, and LASIK was on everyone's mind. Dr. Fine, however, proposed refractive lens exchange with the Array lens, offering complete spectacle independence. The idea clicked.

Miami-When other possible treatments for ectasia fail, lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty (PK) may be the last resort for these patients.

Minneapolis-Alterations in corneal properties in both keratoconus and Fuchs' corneal dystrophy can affect the accuracy of Goldmann tonometry, highlighting the importance of validating newer methods of measuring IOP and of further studying the metrics of corneal biomechanical properties, according to Jeff Sanderson, MD, an ophthalmologist in private practice in Minneapolis.

London-Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) (Visante OCT system, Carl Zeiss Meditec) can be used to calculate IOL tilt and decentration and may have an advantage of being able to provide accurate measurements in eyes with an irregular pupil or cornea, said Richard Lee, BSc.

Pittsburgh-The Glaucoma Probability Score (GPS), the new mathematical model featured in the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3 (HRT3, Heidelberg Engineering) software, eliminates subjective operator input in defining the optic disc margin and performs comparably to the HRT II in discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes, according to a study undertaken by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.

Canberra, Australia-Spatial frequency doubling (FD) stimuli have an excellent ability to predict progression of visual field loss and optic disc abnormalities for about 3 years in patients with glaucoma, but the predictive power of one assessment on its own drops off over time, said Ted Maddess, PhD, a senior fellow (associate professor) in the visual sciences group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

The use of a pattern-scan laser system (Pascal Photocoagulator, OptiMedica Corp.) to treat diabetic retinopathy and other retinal disorders is showing substantial advantages over conventional single-burn techniques, according to a growing body of clinical experience. Early adopters say key attributes include better targeting of photocoagulation burns to fit specific retinal conditions, less patient discomfort due to lower applied laser power, and improved overall clinical efficiency because the number and duration of treatments are sharply reduced.

Bonita Springs, FL-The rotating Scheimpflug camera-based Pentacam system (Oculus) seems to provide an easy-to-use tool for obtaining reliable corneal pachymetry measurements, said Stephen E. Pascucci, MD, a private practitioner in Bonita Springs, FL.

Calgary, Alberta-Serial digital fundus imaging with remote interpretation by experienced physician graders is accurate for detecting clinically significant retinopathy of prematurity (CSROP), according to the results of the Photographic Screening Trial for Retinopathy of Prematurity (PhotoROP).

Ophthalmology Times is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. Let's look at the evolution that has occurred during these 30 years to the most common intraocular operation performed by ophthalmologists: the cataract extraction.

London-A reduction in IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma can be achieved after nonpenetrating glaucoma surgery (canaloplasty) when circumferential suturing is done in the inner wall of Schlemm's canal. This technique results in distension of Schlemm's canal and enhanced outflow of aqueous with the subsequent lowering of the IOP, explained Norbert Koerber, MD, at the XXIV Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in London.

Ophthalmology Times periodically posts online questions to survey ophthalmologists who receive its e-newsletter. This is clearly not a scientific sampling of opinion.

Markham, Ontario, Canada-AlphaRx Inc. announced the appointment of Michael S. Berlin, MD, MS, to its scientific advisory board.

Irvine, CA-Ophthalmic device manufacturer Refractec Inc. announced the appointment of Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, of Minnesota Eye Consultants, to its six-member board of directors.