New antibiotic seen as more effective in fighting bacteria
April 1st 2002San Francisco-Levofloxacin (Quixin, Santen)-the new kid in the fluoroquinolone family-is less likely to encounter resistant strains of bacteria than the two older members of that antibiotic family, ofloxacin (Ocuflox, Allergan) and ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan, Alcon), according to David Hwang, MD.
Wavefront scanning device helpful toolin correcting higher-order aberrations
April 1st 2002London-A Hartmann-Shack wavefront scanning device is an effective aid in correcting difficult irregular astigmatism following previous LASIK, according to London anterior segment specialist and refractive surgeon Julian Stevens, MD, FRCO.
Using thinner flap reduces risk of ectasia from LASIK
April 1st 2002New York-The risk of inducing ectasia during LASIK could be reduced if refractive surgeons would aim for thinner flaps, according to Dan Z. Reinstein, MD, of the Reinstein Institute and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York.
Basic understanding of wavefront technology essential
April 1st 2002Rochester, NY-The greatest impact in diagnosing wavefront error and treating higher-order aberrations will be seen in patients with irregular astigmatism, post-refractive surgical errors, and post-penetrating keratoplasty, according to New York refractive surgeon Scott M. MacRae, MD.
Ophthalmic team fulfills a dream of restoring vision
April 1st 2002New Delhi, India-A married couple of ophthalmic surgeons in New Delhi, India, had a dream. Arun Sethi, MD, and his wife, Reena Sethi, MD, wanted to donate their time and professional skills to help reverse the tide of curable blindness in their area. However, never did they imagine what an impact they could make with a variety of assistance.
AAO survey details subspecialty practices
April 1st 2002San Francisco- A recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that the proportion of respondents who described themselves as "general" or "comprehensive" ophthalmologists has held steady at between 48% and 51% since the 1998 survey.
Accurate dispensary paperwork is key in post-cataract stage
March 15th 2002If your practice does any appreciable amount of cataract surgery, it is important to make sure that both your optical and billing staff are well trained in the proper paperwork procedures should patients require eyewear after surgery. This means providing eyewear that satisfies and enhances both their vision needs and their personal preferences.
High-viscosity viscoelastic protectscorneal endothelium during surgery
March 15th 2002Bethesda, MD-A recently introduced high-molecular-weight, high-viscosity viscoelastic, UniVisc (CIBA Vision Surgical, Duluth, GA), performs well, is surgeon friendly, and seems to be a valuable addition to the surgical armamentarium. It is indicated for use to protect the corneal endothelium during cataract surgery, IOL implantation, and anterior segment surgical procedures.
Dual viscoelastic choices make product a favorite for cataract surgery in difficult situations
March 15th 2002DuoVisc (Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX)-packaging the cohesive ProVisc (1% sodium hyaluronate) and the dispersive Viscoat (3% sodium hyaluronate/4% chondroitin sulfate) together in a single unit-is an excellent viscoelastic choice for almost all cataract surgery cases and for surgeons across all levels of expertise, agree I. Howard Fine, MD, and Susan M. MacDonald, MD.
Find out how viscoadaptive behaves differently for successful phaco
March 15th 2002Dorado, Puerto Rico-Healon 5 (Pharmacia) can be used routinely during cataract surgery once the surgeon understands how it differs from other viscoelastic agents, reported Roger Steinert, MD, at the Current Concepts in Ophthalmology meeting sponsored by Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.
Dual approach is safe, effective during phacoemulsification
March 15th 2002New York-A dual approach to viscoelastic use during phacoemulsification combining 2% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (Ocucoat, Bausch & Lomb Surgical) and sodium hyaluronate (Amvisc Plus, Bausch & Lomb Surgical) affords surgeons the opportunity to benefit from the positive features of each and allows surgery to be performed very safely and efficiently, said Robert Ditkoff, MD.
Pars plana viscoelastic aids posteriorly dislocated IOL
March 15th 2002San Francisco-Pars plana injection of viscoelastic is an excellent technique for managing the difficult problem of a posteriorly dislocated IOL. By levitating the IOL forward, this maneuver can facilitate IOL suturing or exchange through an anterior segment approach, according to David F. Chang, MD.
How to manage varying demands of hyperopic LASIK
March 15th 2002New Orleans-Surgeons need to understand that hyperopic LASIK is profoundly different from myopic LASIK, said George O. Waring III, MD. It is especially important to convey this message to patients who typically may be imbued with the notion
Patient history, dermatologic consult aid in hair loss diagnosis
March 1st 2002When faced with a patient having lash or eyebrow hair loss, a careful history searching for clues is help-ful. Hair loss involving the eyelashes or eye-brow area may result from several conditions including skin diseases, drug side effects, endocrine abnormalities, metabolic abnormalities, inflammation, toxins, radiation effects, systemic diseases, infection, and trauma.
Don't overlook possible orbital inflammatory pseudotumor
March 1st 2002The acute onset of a red, painful, proptotic eye will almost always cause the emergency room or primary-care physician to elicit an immediate ophthalmic consultation for the possibility of orbital cellulitis or orbital mass. In the absence of systemic infection or sinusitis, however, orbital inflammatory pseudotumor is more likely to be the diagnosis.