News

Boston-A study using a novel, objective method for quantifying eyelid swelling reinforces the benefit of olopatadine HCl 0.1% (Patanol, Alcon) for reducing eyelid swelling triggered by allergen exposure, said Mark B. Abelson, MD.

Study showed effective relief of ocular signs, symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis

A 1-hour video providing a comprehensive historical and clinical review of cataract surgery using a capsular tension ring is being distributed free of charge by AMO, the company that is distributing the newly approved StabilEyes Capsular Tension Ring in the United States.

Advanced Medical Optics (AMO, Santa Ana, CA) redefined its position in the ophthalmic community when it reached a definitive agreement April 21 to acquire Pfizer's surgical ophthalmology business for $450 million in cash. The deal will boost AMO's revenue base by 25% and allow the company bragging rights to the Healon line of viscoelastic products, the CeeOn and Tecnis IOLs, and the Baerveldt glaucoma shunt.

London-The Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT) provides a unique set of data for the natural history of moderate glaucoma and demonstrates that lowering IOP by 25% protects against progression of visual field loss, according to Roger A. Hitchings, MD.

WaveLight Laser Technologie AG and Lumenis Inc. have agreed to restructuretheir global distribution agreements.

Carl Zeiss Meditec announced that the company has submitted an InvestigationalDevice Exemption (IDE) application to the FDA for LASIK utilizing the MEL-80Excimer Laser System.

"Like the Holy Grail, perfect vision is the ultimate prize, butit is illusive," stated Roger Steinert, MD, during the opening sessionof the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annualmeeting Saturday afternoon. "Its existence is uncertain, and we maynot successfully find it if we don't know what we are looking for."

Miravant Medical Technologies is asking the FDA to okay a new drug application for marketing approval of its SnET2-PDT as a treatment for patients with wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Washington, DC-The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun to cover ocular photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin to treat select patients with subfoveal occult, but no classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and subfoveal minimally classic CNV.

Oklahoma City-Optometrists in Oklahoma will no longer perform LASIK and other surgical procedures typically reserved for ophthalmologists after the state's attorney general revised his opinion on the scope of optometric surgery.

Physiologic, healing differences, technology, surgeon-dependent variables may be limitations

Carl Zeiss Meditec is generating a lot of noise within the ophthalmic industry. Over the last 2 years, Zeiss Meditec has undergone a transformation from the quiet division of a German technology foundation to becoming one of the leading players in the ophthalmic market.

Protecting patients' privacy has always been a top priority for physicians and staff alike, but now it is mandatory. By April 14, 2005, practices must have taken the necessary steps to comply with Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, which pertains to privacy of health data.

Correct dosing, depth of injections are among requirements for doing the procedure correctly

The eyeTeknix (pronounced "eye techniques") Coding and Documentation Solution from mdTeknix is a quick, effective, and easy way to assure Medicare compliance.

Q. Because of the diminished cash flow my retired parents are experiencing, they can not afford to do all the things they like, which they are healthy enough to enjoy. I have heard the term 'reverse mortgage.' Could youexplain how this strategy works?

New automated design creates consistent, predictable flaps without risk of contamination

Multifocal cornea effect, avoidance of contact lens intolerance results in high success rates

Study shows reduced refractive error, improved higher-order aberrations, contrast sensitivity

Santa Ana, CA-Patients who either are severely myopic or fear laser surgery are one step closer to an alternative refractive treatment with the anticipated FDA approval of the Artisan/Verisyse phakic IOL (AMO).

Gamagori, Japan-Nidek Co. Ltd. is declaring victory in its longstanding legal battle with Summit Technologies Inc. (Alcon), but analysts are left to wonder whether it matters anymore.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Intravitreal triamcinolone may enhance the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne, QLT Phototherapeutics/Novartis Ophthalmics) and decrease the number of re-treatments for eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to the preliminary results of an open-label study presented by Daniel B. Roth, MD, at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Verteporfin (Visudyne) photodynamic therapy (PDT) using either a reducedor standard light fluence rate appears to be beneficial for patients withrelatively small, subfoveal minimally classic CNV associated with age-relatedmacular degeneration (AMD), said Philip J. Rosenfeld, MD.

Short-term results from a small study suggest combined verteporfin (Visudyne,Novartis) photodynamic therapy (PDT) with intravitreal triamcinolone meritsadditional investigation for the treatment of non-subfoveal CNV, said RichardF. Spaide, MD.

One-year data from the pivotal Phase II/III VEGF Inhibition Study inOcular Neovascularization (VISION) indicate that selective anti-VEGF165(Macugen, Eyetech/Pfizer) treatment improves visual outcomes and offersa highly favorable systemic and ocular safety profile, said Steven Schwartz,MD.

Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, announced that the biotechnologycompany is enrolling patients into a Phase III clinical trial for its age-relatedmacular degeneration (AMD) drug Lucentis (ranibizumab, rhuFab V2).

Washington, DC-Reimbursement rates for some ophthalmic ultrasound procedures have gone up instead of down after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adjusted its new fee schedule.

Yokneam, Israel-Lumenis Ltd. is hoping to re-establish a distribution agreement with WaveLight Laser Technologies AG after the German laser manufacturer abruptly terminated the companies' distribution agreement.

Switching to electronic medical records (EMRs) is the smart thing to do. An EMR puts information-legible information, databases of it-right at your fingertips.