News

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Ophthalmic epinastine HCl is a new therapy for symptomatic relief of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis that is at least as effective and well tolerated as ketotifen fumarate (Zaditor, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Duluth, GA), reported Stefano Bonini, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Cleveland-A series of ongoing clinical trials helps the clinician better understand the proper timing and selection of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne, QLT Phototherapeutics/Novartis Ophthalmics) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), said Peter K. Kaiser, MD, staff physician at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Baltimore-A dexamethasone posterior segment drug delivery system (Posurdex, Allergan), developed by Oculex Pharmaceu- ticals, performed well in a phase II trial in patients with macular edema, with a 700-?g dose achieving statistically significant results when compared with an observation-only control group, according to Julia A. Haller, MD.

Des Plaines, IL-Second-quarter sales for Addition Technology Inc.'s Intacs micro-thin prescription inserts for surgical vision correction increased 51% over the same quarter last year and 7% over the first quarter of 2004.

Irvine, CA-Refractec Inc. is reporting record sales and procedures performed with its ViewPoint CK System, which performs conductive keratoplasty (CK) to treat presbyopia.

Fairfax, VA-The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) will hold its first Summer Refractive Congress at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle next August.

New York-The muscarinic inhibitor, atropine, has been shown to slow the growth of axial length in the short term in children treated once daily, according to Mitsugu Shimmyo, MD.

San Diego-Surface ablation techniques such as PRK and LASEK can be considered in eyes with highly irregular astigmatism that have previously undergone LASIK or RK, according to Gustavo E. Tamayo, MD, who spoke during the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

New York-The ideal monitor of glaucoma progression should have high sensitivity, high specificity, be resistant to fluctuations of the condition, require few confirmatory tests, have broad sensitivity at all stages of the disease, and be easy to interpret, according to David S. Greenfield, MD, who spoke at the Glaucoma 2004 meeting here.

It’s sometimes challenging being a child who wears glasses, so a few cool accessories can turn the experience into a more enjoyable one.

Rochester, NY-Bausch & Lomb and CIBA Vision Corp. have settled longstanding patent infringement lawsuits related to silicone hydrogel contact lens materials used to make their extended-wear lenses.

The pediatric eyewear market may be a rewarding and lucrative off-shoot for ophthalmologists who have already chosen to include a dispensary in their practices. Robert S. Gold, MD, of Eye Physicians of Central Florida, Orlando, offers this advice about including pediatric and youth eyewear in a busy ophthalmologic practice.

Indianapolis-Measurement of retinal oxygen utilization could provide vital clinical information about the metabolic state of the retina, according an Indiana glaucoma researcher.

San Diego-A new ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) has been developed, which should be available in late 2004, that is the first to provide high viscosity as well as dispersive properties.

This IOL has no spherical aberration and will therefore not add to any pre-existing higher-order aberrations.

Decentration of an IOL increases higher-order aberrations, especially coma.

Before I tried microphaco, I asked the same question that many cataract surgeons ask about microphaco: What's the advantage of these smaller incisions if you still need to create a larger incision to implant the IOL?

San Diego-Cyclotorsional registration is an important step to optimize wavefront-guided ablations, according to refractive expert Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, who spoke during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

Dorado, Puerto Rico-LASEK has certainly gained some proponents over the last couple of years. These surgeons claim that the procedure is less painful and offers quicker visual recovery than PRK and spares tissue and avoids flap complications associated with LASIK.

Eugene, OR-Three-year FDA clinical trial results establish the efficacy of the myopic Implantable Contact Lens (ICL, STAAR Surgical) for correcting –3 to –20 D of myopia and substantiate its overall safety in patients with moderate to high myopia, said I. Howard Fine, MD.

San Diego-In eyes treated with the Zyoptix Customized Ablation System (Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY), outcomes analysis demonstrated improvements in contrast sensitivity and higher-order aberrations in eyes treated with large optical zones of 6.5 to 7 mm and in those that had greater higher-order aberrations before treatment.

Norfolk, VA-A new formulation of the oral nutraceutical HydroEye featuring added lutein (HydroEye Plus Lutein, ScienceBased Health) acknowledges the potential benefits of dietary manipulation on ocular disease, emphasizes prevention, and improves cost-effectiveness and compliance for patients, said John D. Sheppard, MD.

A preservative-free moisturizing ocu-lar mist consisting of tissue-culture-grade medical water bottled to pharmaceutical standards (Nature's Tears, Bio-Logic Aqua Technologies) is a first-line recommendation for treating dry eye following LASIK. The eye mist is favored because of the ease of use and comfort level of the product and high patient compliance, according to two ophthalmologists who regularly recommend the product.

Lausanne, Switzerland-Disorders of accommodation can be caused by disruption of neuroregulation. While many patients present with an insidious and mild accommodative insufficiency, often accompanying a systemic illness, the acute onset of severe and bilateral loss of accommodation is a more serious condition and may indicate the presence of a midbrain lesion.

Los Angeles-Hypertension in a patient should raise a red flag for ophthalmologists because it may be associated with optic neuropathy. Anthony C. Arnold, MD, provided his pearls for the safe management of these patients.

Montreal-Acute third-, fourth-, or sixth-nerve palsies do not seem to be associated with myocardial infarctions (MI) and cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), but the development of one of these palsies is an indi- cation for an assessment of ischemic risk factors, according to Kashif Baig, MD, MBA.

Nashville-Vertical diplopia has an extensive differential diagnosis. However, it is im-portant to realize that if the ophthalmologist does an appropriate history and looks for a few key clues, there is rarely a case for which it is necessary to order imaging studies, according to Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-The investigational drug tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2) produced a visual acuity benefit and slowed the development of neovascular lesions in two phase III trials of SnET2 photodynamic therapy (PDT) (Miravant Medical Technologies) for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization associated with wet age-related macular degeneration, said Edgar L. Thomas, MD, Retina-Vitreous Associates, Los Angeles.

Washington, DC-The Alliance for Aging Research has launched a new project on age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The campaign includes an Internet module that has been added to the not-for-profit organization's Web site (www. agingresearch.org), allowing consumer and physician access to the latest scientific information relating to AMD through an "AMD Health Corner."OT

Nashville-Vertical diplopia has an extensive differential diagnosis. However, it is im-portant to realize that if the ophthalmologist does an appropriate history and looks for a few key clues, there is rarely a case for which it is necessary to order imaging studies, according to Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville.