News

When removing a cataract, surgeons have an opportunity to perform other vision-correcting procedures. However, that scenario leads to what can be a delicate subject—who's going to pay for those "extras?"

At a recent meeting of department directors, the president of my university, William Brody, MD, PhD, made an offhand comment that resonated with me. He noted that "the citizens of the United States, a nation built upon risk, seem no longer willing to accept any risk."

Orlando—A questionnaire administered to adults who underwent surgery for strabismus showed that most patients believed any disabilities related to this condition improved after the procedure, said George R. Beauchamp, MD, FACS, professor of clinical ophthalmology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Follow-up in the first 10 patients with the Artificial Silicon Retina microchip (ASR, Optobionics) implanted now ranges between 2 and 4.5 years.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Patients who have moderate-to-severe glaucoma are more likely to be involved in motor vehicle collisions, according to Gerald McGwin Jr., MS, PhD, and colleagues.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Supplements of high-dose vitamins C and E and betacarotene may provide some benefit to patients who already have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Thomas Friberg, MD.

Show organizers have developed a new software tool that combs through massive amounts of show information and separates out those classes in which attendees might be interested.

The results of the most recent research will be presented in a number of forums, and attendees can take advantage of the technical displays in the exhibit hall.

St. Louis—Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy, are characterized by visual complaints, which must be assessed carefully to establish the correct diagnosis.

Baltimore—A number of eye movement disturbances are characterized by cerebellar disease and saccadic intrusions. Michael X. Repka, MD, detailed these abnormalities and how to distinguish among them.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—A potential new strategy has been proposed to treat optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis, namely, delivery of the superoxide dismutase (Sod) 2 gene. Intravitreal Sod2 injections in mice suppressed myelin fiber injury and rescued the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) for up to 1 year after the inoculation, according to John Guy, MD.

While many of his colleagues were considering retirement, Mal Krinn, MD, was studying and preparing for a transition to his new role as artisan breadmaker at his son's restaurant.

Spam’s opportunity costs collectively represent the greatest cost to employers using the Internet as a business tool today.

Understanding the fundamentals of services marketing is extremely useful for the optimal marketing of a medical practice. Basic knowledge in this area is also helpful when studying the marketing approach of your competitors. Additionally, you may consider these concepts when analyzing ads for which you are the targeted customer.

Columbus, OH—Vision researchers, eyecare specialists, bioscientists, public health, and government leaders gathered recently here in what is billed as a unique opportunity to foster collaboration in the study of vision and aging.

Hosting a trunk show can open the lid to increased patient traffic for the ophthalmic dispensary.

In the setting of severe and widespread zonular weakness, ring suturing may be necessary.

Miami—Cataract surgeons performing standard ultrasound phacoemulsification will find the AquaLase liquefaction device (Alcon Laboratories) is an easy technique to transition to and is one that offers multiple advantages for enhancing the safety of lens removal, said Sonia H. Yoo, MD.

Frankfurt, Germany—The design of the optic edge seems to be one of the most important factors in the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). IOLs with a sharp edge have less PCO regardless of the lens material, according to Thomas Kohnen, MD.

Reposition the IOL first before performing a YAG capsulotomy in instances of symptomatic IOL decentration with concomitant PCO.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Three-dimensional optical coherence tomography (3-D OCT) imaging and mapping of intraretinal layers are possible using high-speed, ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) OCT, the latest research tool in OCT technology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—WDR36 is a novel causative gene for adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) that is located at the GLC1G locus. Sharareh Monemi, MD, PhD, and Mansoor Sarfarazi, PhD, explained that this discovery should help in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Patients treated with cyclosporine had greater symptomatic improvement compared with controls using preservative-free artificial tears.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—The results from a clinical trial demonstrate that topical moxifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution (Viga-mox, Alcon Laboratories) instilled in a q.i.d. dosing regimen achieves a significantly higher concentration in aqueous humor compared with topical gatifloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution (Zymar, Allergan) to provide antibacterial coverage for a broader range of important ocular pathogens, said Joel D. Aronowicz, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Results from a preclinical study indicate that fluoroquinolones available for ophthalmic use may differ in their effects on corneal healing, said Luis E. Fern?ndez de Castro, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL—Supplements of high-dose vitamins C and E and betacarotene may provide some benefit to patients who already have age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Thomas Friberg, MD.

Uveal melanoma . . . and most solid tumors partially inactivate RB and the tumors proliferate slowly with a low rate of apoptosis.

Cleveland—Verteporfin photodynamic therapy (Visudyne PDT, Novartis Ophthal-mics/QLT Inc.) for symptomatic circumscribed choroidal hemangioma appears to be safe, effective, and associated with potential benefits relative to alternative modalities, said Arun D. Singh, MD.

Los Angeles—The medical management of age-related macular generation (AMD) has progressed by leaps and bounds in a very short space of time and generated a great deal of excitement among retina specialists. In particular, translational research has resulted in a large number of drugs that target choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Des Plaines, IL—Addition Technology Inc. has seen another boost in sales of its micro-thin prescription inserts (Intacs).