News

Prevention

Pellucid marginal degeneration is a subtle condition that could lead to corneal ectasia following laser eye surgery. Although it is atypical and rare, clinicians should learn how to identify pellucid and screen patients for it preoperatively, said Yaron S. Rabinowitz, MD, director of ophthalmology research, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

Dispensing

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 2006 Symposium of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in April.

New 3D monitor

Prevent Blindness America (PBA), the nation's oldest and largest non-profit eye health and safety organization, is beginning its application process for the 2007 Eyes on Capitol Hill campaign. This event is designed to allow those affected by real-life vision issues an opportunity to discuss their experiences with their government representatives. The event will begin Feb. 28 in Washington, DC, with discussions on federal funding efforts for vision programs and research and seminars on how participants can become effective advocates in their own communities. The following day, participants will make office visits with congressional members.

Retina Health Center opens in Naples

Congressional

The annual American Society of Cata-ract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) survey on trends in refractive surgery was expanded this year to include other refractive surgery-related topics. Stephen Wexler, MD, provided the highlights of the survey at this year's annual meeting.

When Ming Wang, MD, PhD, is dancing, he is truly living. The Nashville corneal and LASIK surgeon followed a long road to the ballroom dance floor and, today, the Chinese-born doctor is a competitive dancer and encourages others to appreciate the fine arts of music and dance.

Las Vegas-A rigorous preoperative dry eye treatment regimen can help ensure patient satisfaction after LASIK whether the IntraLase femtosecond laser (IntraLase Corp) or the Amadeus microkeratome (Advanced Medical Optics) was used to create the flap, according to Kent L. Wellish, MD.

Los Angeles-Intracorneal ring segments (Intacs, Addition Technology Inc.) carry hope of success for patients with keratoconus, especially when the channels for the ring segments are created using the IntraLase femtosecond laser (IntraLase Corp.).

Albany, NY-Multicenter data indicate that the Dohlman-Doane type I (Boston) keratoprosthesis is a viable option for visual rehabilitation in eyes in which multiple penetrating keratoplasties have failed or that have a poor prognosis for primary keratoplasty, said Mich?l W. Belin, MD.

Los Angeles-The rates of infection after cataract surgery can be reduced by a meticulous approach to controlling the microbes on the ocular surface and in the eye. The use of fourth-generation fluoroquinolones can better control the microorganisms that have grown resistant to previous generations of the drugs.

Today most universities have one or two oculoplastic surgeons on staff.

MRI is in general superior to CT for neuro-ophthalmic indications. A CT study, however, might be useful [under certain circumstances].

The Sovereign WhiteStar ICE (Increased Control and Efficiency) system (Advanced Medical Optics [AMO]), with its ultrasound pulse-shaping technology, is proving to be more efficient in recent clinical studies. The results of two studies reported at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting added to that body of information.

Garden City, KS-Cataract surgery patients do not notice a significant difference in vision between two lenses-the blue-light-blocking spherical SN60AT IOL (AcrySof Natural, Alcon Laboratories) and the aspheric SN60WF IOL (AcrySof IQ, Alcon Laboratories)-according to the results of a small, randomized, fellow eye controlled study. Luther L. Fry, MD, a private practitioner in Garden City, KS, reported the results.

Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa-The Tecnis multifocal lens (Advanced Medical Optics) is effective and safe and provides excellent distance and near visual outcomes. Preoperative patient counseling is imperative as well as careful biometry, meticulous reproducible surgery, and astigmatic neutral surgery, all of which are keys to the success of the procedure, according to Johann Kruger, FRCS.

Stockholm, Sweden-The Perfect Capsule (Milvella), a sealed capsule irrigation device, seems to be very useful in very small eyes for preventing posterior capsular opacification (PCO), according to Maria Kugelberg, MD, PhD.

Since the advent of cataract extraction with phacoemulsification, modern cataract surgery has evolved in small incremental steps that have ultimately transformed our technique into its current advanced state. The introduction of foldable IOLs, continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, topical anesthesia, clear corneal incisions, power modulations, iris hooks, and capsular tension rings are just a handful of the valuable innovations that have made cataract surgery safe and efficacious. I believe that one of the simplest and most indispensable advances to be made in the last several decades has been the introduction of capsular dyes.

Fukuoka, Japan-Extraction of cataracts that develop early in patients who are 60 years of age or older may be justified when the results of a recent study of accommodation are considered. The investigators found that the amplitude of apparent accommodation is almost the same as that of normal accommodation in these patients, according to Ken Hayashi, MD.

Miami-One year into a 2-year study using an optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided variable dosing regimen for ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), two key findings have emerged, according to lead investigator Philip Rosenfeld, MD, PhD.

New York-Patients undergoing surface ablation procedures performed using the Epi-K (Moria) for epithelial flap creation had better uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and comfort early on when the flap was replaced (epi-LASIK) than when it was removed (advanced surface treatment). However, surface ablation with flap removal may be associated with a benefit of better UCVA at 1 month, according to the results of a prospective clinical trial.

Rochester, NY-The incidence of postoperative astigmatism is significantly associated with the presence of preoperative coma, secondary astigmatism, and the discrepancy in preoperative astigmatism between wavefront and manifest subjective refractions, according to Manoj Subbaram, PhD.

Rochester, MN-"Bladeless" LASIK performed with a femtosecond laser was equivalent to LASIK performed with a microkeratome in a comparison study using a series of vision and eye health measurements.

Maastricht, The Netherlands-Preliminary results with the foldable iris-claw myopic phakic IOL (Artiflex, Ophtec) indicate it has a similar safety index when compared with the original polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) model (Artisan, Ophtec), but is associated with less early induced refractive astigmatism, which results in a better efficacy index initially and shorter visual recovery curve, said Rudy M.M.A. Nuijts, MD, PhD.

Margate, FL-Eyes with mixed astigmatism have a range of naturally occurring higher-order aberrations that consist primarily of coma and spherical aberration. Wavefront-guided LASIK may be beneficial over conventional LASIK because of decreased higher-order aberrations overall, according to Raymond Gailitis, MD.

Stanford, CA-Wavefront-guided LASIK re-treatment procedures with the VISX CustomVue platform (VISX/Advanced Medical Optics [AMO]) seem to be effective, predictable, and safe in eyes with residual myopia using Fourier-based treatment software, reported Gloria Wang, MD.

New York-The latest upgrades to the Amadeus II microkeratome (Advanced Medical Optics) offer surgeons the flexibility to perform epi-LASIK and lamellar epithelial debridement as well as conventional LASIK without adding a new handpiece or control box. The only new components required are a small holder for the separator used in epi-LASIK as well as a new head, both of which are part of the package when the Amadeus II is purchased, according to Eric Donnenfeld, MD, FAAO, FACS, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island.