News

Basel, Switzerland-Novartis Ophthalmics will have exclusive license to develop and market ranibizumab (Lucentis, formerly known as rhuFab V2), an anti-VEGF antibody fragment, outside North America under a new agreement with Genentech Inc.

Irvine, CA-Allergan's Botox (botulinum toxin type A) has officially made its way into the nation's lexicon as a household word.

Monrovia, CA-The FDA is studying STAAR Surgical Co.'s implantable contact lens (ICL) under an expedited review status that calls the product a potentially revolutionary advance over the current market.

Chicago-In a series of formal lectures, panel discussions, mini-workshops, and Q&A sessions at "Glaucoma 2003," glaucoma experts summarized recent information on new imaging and perimetry technologies, treatment modalities, clinical trial findings, and the management of challenging glaucoma cases and surgical complications with a focus on applications to daily patient care.

Atlanta-The FDA is reviewing a pre-market notification from CIBA Vision Corp. for an epikeratome device for use in sub-epithelial separation.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3% (Zymar, Allergan) shows clearly improved activity against commonly encountered gram-positive ocular bacteria in vitro compared with older fluoroquinolones. This fourth-generation fluoroquinolone received FDA approval in March (see related article, Ophthalmology Times, May 1 issue, Page 1).

Fort Lauderdale, FL-What constitutes glaucoma progression and the relationship between progressive structural and functional injury? These were the main questions researchers set out to answer during a glaucoma mini-symposium at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-In the short term, intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (4 mg) reduces the risk of progressive loss of vision and commonly improves vision in patients with diabetic cystoid foveal edema that persists after laser treatment, said Mark C. Gillies, MD, PhD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Before mailing that next first-class letter, take a close look at the photo featured on the postage stamp; it just might be that of a brown pelican-the handiwork of one James D. Brandt, MD.

When Charles A. Kirby, MD, wanted to learn more about expanding his practice with conductive keratoplasty (CK), he did more than read about the procedure and attend seminars. He took a cue from a popular television game show to "phone a friend."

San Francisco-A novel accommodating IOL (FlexOptic, Quest Vision) designed to mimic the natural crystalline lens through an ability to change optic sphericity is a promising new alternative to treating presbyopia, with the potential for superior efficacy and safety relative to other options for surgical accommodative correction, said John D. Hunkeler, MD, at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

San Francisco-For appropriately selected patients undergoing cataract surgery, implantation of a foldable, multifocal IOL (Array SA40 IOL, AMO) is the best available solution for providing good uncorrected near and distance vision, said Roger Onnis, MD, at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (Kenalog, Bristol-Myers Squibb) may be a safe and effective treatment for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), said Michael S. Ip, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-In eyes with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) treated with photo- dynamic therapy (PDT) using verteporfin (Visudyne, Novartis Ophthalmics), vision remained stable and the need for additional treatment decreased dramatically over time, reported Peter K. Kaiser, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Efforts to develop an episcleral anecortave acetate transscleral drug delivery system (AA-TSDDD), targeted for patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are progressing initially in the rhesus monkey as preliminary devices are being redesigned to decrease postoperative problems, said Timothy W. Olsen, MD.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-A 4-day course of moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.5% (Vigamox, Alcon) is a safe and effective treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis in adults and children as young as 1 month old, according to results from a phase III FDA study, reported Harold R. Katz, MD, who spoke on behalf of the Moxifloxacin Conjunctivitis Study Group at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. The fourth-generation fluoroquinolone received FDA approval in April for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis (see related article, Ophthalmology Times, June 1, 2003 issue, Page 1).

Fort Lauderdale, FL-High-dose (5 3 4-Gy fractions; 6 MeV) external-beam radiation therapy has only a modest and very short-lived benefit in the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to an interim analysis of data from the Age-Related Macular Degeneration Radiotherapy Trial (AMDRT).

Fort Lauderdale, FL-In a phase I, multicenter, randomized trial, the anti-VEGF antibody fragment rhuFab V2 was shown to be safe and well-tolerated in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to Philip J. Rosenfeld, MD, PhD.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Visual function improvement is still apparent and better than ex-pected more than 3 years following the first implantation of a subretinal Artificial Silicon Retina (ASR, Optobionics Corp.) micro-chip in patients experiencing vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa (RP). This degree of improvement could be due at least in part to a neurotrophic effect, said Alan Y. Chow, MD, co-developer of the ASR.

Editor's Note: Sherif Amer, MD, proposes a new hypothesis for pressure dissociation in optic disc edema due to increased intracranial pressure (ICP) (i.e., papilledema). This theory provides some insight into some of the clinically controversial scenarios that occur in increased ICP such as pseudotumor cerebri without papilledema, asymmetric or frankly unilateral papilledema, and progressive visual loss due to increased ICP without disc edema. The theory has merit and deserves further study and testing of the hypotheses generated. -- Andrew G. Lee, MD

Santa Fe, NM-Women in Ophthalmology, an organization devoted to enhancing professional development, encouraging diversity, and cultivating new opportunities for leadership, is holding its annual symposium in Santa Fe, NM, this year.

San Francisco-Patients with a retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness of 80 ?m or less are at high risk for developing future visual-field deterioration, said Gadi Wollstein, MD.

Des Plaines, IL-Addition Technology Inc. will sell its micro-thin prescription inserts (Intacs) for surgical vision correction in Australia, Mexico, and South Korea now that governments in those countries have given their approval.

San Francisco-Several studies have described LASEK as a good substitute for PRK or LASIK, but is it truly a better surgical option?

Vail, CO-Having an optical dispensary in a practice is an excellent way to provide full-service comprehensive eyecare for patients and has the potential to generate significant revenue for the practice, according to ophthalmic practice management specialist James Rienzo.

San Francisco-The euphoria associated with customized ablations has finally died down. Refractive surgeons are finding that there are limitations to wavefront technology, such as the cost of equipment, the additional time spent screening patients, and a learning curve for physicians and staff. But there also are limitations to the lasers and wavefront sensors.

San Francisco-Early LASIKdata for myopic astigmatism using Nidek's NAVEX platform, incorporating the OATz (Optimized Asphe-rical Transition Zone) ablation algorithm, results in exceptional treatment accuracy and quantitative and qualitative vision out-comes, said Arturo Chayet, MD, at the meet-ing of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Washington, DC-Patients can keep their health-care providers even if they have to change to a health maintenance organization (HMO) in which their provider is not currently included, according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

San Francisco-CustomCornea wavefront-guided LASIK using the LADARWave aberrometer and the LADARVision 4000 exci- mer laser (Alcon) has produced excellent outcomes in treating myopia and myopic astigmatism.

San Francisco-Three-year FDA clinical trial outcome data support the safety, efficacy, and predictability of the Implantable Contact Lens (ICL, STAAR Surgical) for the treatment of moderate to high myopia, said Stephen G. Slade, MD, at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.