News

Colorado Springs, CO—On Sept. 1, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) launched its Tecnis foldable acrylic IOL (ZA9003) in the United States after receiving FDA approval for marketing in August.

South San Francisco—Genentech Inc. said it intends to file a complete Biologics License Application (BLA) in December for its ranibizumab (Lucentis) treatment for the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition, the company said it was recently notified that the FDA denied a request for fast-track designation for the investigational drug, which would allow for a rolling BLA submission.

Montr?al—The addition of intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech) has been associated with impressive efficacy for improving and stabilizing vision and reducing the need for repeat photodynamic therapy (PDT) after 12 months of follow-up in the FOCUS (RhuFab V2 Ocular Treatment Combining the Use of Visudyne to Evaluate Safety) trial, said Jeffrey S. Heier, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Retina Specialists.

After a priority 6-month review, the FDA approved nepafenac ophthalmic suspension 0.1% (Nevanac, Alcon Laboratories), a novel nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory prodrug, for the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with cataract surgery.

Reaction to the OSI-Eyetech merger varied from analyst to analyst, with some expressing shock that OSI would pay so much for a company that will face strong competition from ranibizumab (Lucentis). That drug, in development by Genentech, has generated impressive data showing it might even improve vision in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) although trials of the drugs were radically different and cannot be compared.

New York—The $935 million acquisition of Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc. by OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. will boost research and development (R&D) opportunities for both companies, while preserving Eyetech's integrity as a stand-alone business unit, according to leaders of both organizations.

San Francisco - Results from the Collaborative Normal Tension Glaucoma Study provided the first and still best evidence that lowering IOP by 30% in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) does prevent or slow the progression of glaucomatous visual field loss, said Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, associate professor, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami.

San Francisco - Debate continues over whether to perform neuroimaging in patients with typical normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), but there are warning signs that should prompt ordering magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium, said Christopher A. Girkin, MD, MPH, associate professor of ophthalmology and director, glaucoma service, Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

San Francisco - The diagnosis of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) should be approached as one of exclusion with careful evaluation of the patient for other etiologies that may underlie observed structure and function changes, said Andrew G. Iwach, MD, associate clinical professor of ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco.

San Francisco - Normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) is likely primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) with a lower baseline IOP. However, it is probably worthwhile to continue to draw a distinction between these two entities because it provides an opportunity for identifying risk factors that may have varying influence depending on the level of IOP, said Anne L. Coleman, MD, PhD, the Frances and Ray Stark Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles.

San Francisco - Both IOP and the rate of aqueous flow follow a circadian rhythm and that has significant implications for the evaluation and treatment of patients with ocular hypertension and glaucoma, said Robert N. Weinreb, MD, director, Hamilton Glaucoma Center, and distinguished professor of ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego.

San Francisco - Compliance and persistency with IOP-lowering medications are difficult to assess but important to address because they affect treatment results, said Donald L. Budenz, MD, MPH, associate professor, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami.

San Francisco - Optimal medical therapy for most patients needing IOP-lowering treatment may be as simple as one or two bottles, said Robert D. Fechtner, MD, professor of ophthalmology, director, glaucoma division, Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark.

San Francisco - Based on a review of efficacy, safety, and compliance issues, Shan C. Lin, MD, now considers a prostaglandin analogue as his drug of first choice for medical treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. For select patients, however, beta-blockers may still be appropriate if the cosmetic side effects of the prostaglandin analogues or their cost present significant obstacles to use.

San Francisco - Early diagnosis of glaucoma does matter because it offers an opportunity to alter the significant morbidity associated with this disease, said Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, professor of ophthalmology, director, glaucoma service, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

San Francisco - Many parallels can be drawn between glaucoma and coronary heart disease - both are chronic diseases that can be depicted on a continuum of progression from disease that is first undetectable, then asymptomatic, and ultimately results in functional impairment - and both are associated with a modifiable causal risk factor (IOP and serum cholesterol) that when treated effectively results in a reduction in disease progression risk.

San Francisco - Developers of specialized perimetric tests and quantitative optic nerve and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) analyzers have introduced hardware and software modifications to improve those new tools for assessing function and structure in patients with glaucoma. However, their roles in clinical practice still await definition pending further study, said Christopher A. Girkin, MD, MPH, associate professor of ophthalmology and director, glaucoma service, Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

San Francisco - A newly developed risk calculator will make therapeutic decision-making for patients with ocular hypertension a little more straightforward, said Robert N. Weinreb, MD, director, Hamilton Glaucoma Center, and distinguished professor of ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego.

San Francisco - Statistics released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002 indicate glaucoma has become a more common cause of blindness than it was in the past, said Anne L. Coleman, MD, PhD, the Frances and Ray Stark Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles.

San Francisco - A panel of glaucoma experts from across the United States highlighted the latest advances in understanding glaucoma and caring for these patients at “Glaucoma 2005: Mastering Tools and Techniques for the 21st Century,” on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. Now in its 5th year, the program included lectures, panel discussions, and a mini-symposium covering a variety of glaucoma issues with a distinguished faculty.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—The economic ramifications of treating ocular hypertension and glaucoma bring some serious questions into the spotlight, notably the costs of treatment and especially the increased rate of cataract extractions associated with the use of anti-glaucoma eye drops. Harry Quigley, MD, considered these issues at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Orlando—A review of 17 volunteer-led preschool photoscreening programs indicates that such programs can be highly successful but that strong, preferably paid, administrative leadership is crucial in ensuring adequate rates of follow-up and referral, according to Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, pediatrics, and neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, and chief of ophthalmology, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Although Ronald L. Snow, MD, has been an aviator for more than 35 years, flying is not something he takes for granted.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—The economic ramifications of treating ocular hypertension and glaucoma bring some serious questions into the spotlight, notably the costs of treatment and especially the increased rate of cataract extractions associated with the use of anti-glaucoma eye drops. Harry Quigley, MD, considered these issues at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

The three steps in the educational campaign are vision wear, based on intelligent vision correction; vision care, emphasizing maintenance and preventive eye care; and practitioner and patient education.

Sydney, Australia—Currently available soft contact lenses vary substantially in their optic zone refractive power distribution, and labeled lens power may not correspond exactly to the effective power of the lens on the eye. However, with attention to proper lens fitting, the power profile differences do not appear to result in measurable differences on short-term visual performance, according to the results of a study undertaken by Australian researchers.

Washington, DC—Members of the House of Representatives are expected to consider this fall a bill that identifies all contact lenses as medical devices that should be regulated by the FDA.

Columbus, OH—Although data from a 3-year study indicate that myopia progression was less in children wearing rigid gas-permeable contact lenses (RGPs) than in a control group wearing soft contact lenses (SCLs), half of the effect was due to corneal changes, which are transient.

Orlando—An independent amblyopia clinic staffed by orthoptists could decrease physician workload. It would also be well received by patients, according to David Morrison, MD.

Orlando—A review of 17 volunteer-led preschool photoscreening programs indicates that such programs can be highly successful but that strong, preferably paid, administrative leadership is crucial in ensuring adequate rates of follow-up and referral, according to Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, pediatrics, and neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, and chief of ophthalmology, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.