News

Schaumburg, IL-Prevent Blindness America (PBA) appointed two new board members to its 2002-2003 national board of directors: Dan Myers of Duluth, GA, who is president of Novartis Ophthalmic's North American Division, and Julian Gangolli of Laguna Niguel, CA, who is senior vice president of U.S. eye care sales and marketing, Allergan.

New York-Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc. has completed enrollment in two phase III trials of Macugen, its treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and has received $54.2 million from investors for further development of the drug.

Washington, DC-Several organizations have joined three patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a lawsuit filed against the Department of Health and Human Services in an effort to appeal the department's ruling that Medicare would not cover ocular photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin.

Sydney, Australia-A rapid increase in the occurrence of myopia and an aging world population means 70% of the world will require vision correction by year 2020, according to a study by the Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research and Technology.

Seoul, South Korea-Essilor International will establish a new branch in Seoul, South Korea, after a deal was signed with Samyung Trading Co. based there.

Philadelphia-The reality of light-adjustable IOLs for clinical use is on the horizon. Availability of technology such as this will eliminate the need to remove IOLs because of incorrect power, according to Nick Mamalis, MD.

Anchorage, AK-Carl E. Rosen, MD, spends much of his free time grappling on the ground, literally. For the Alaska-based ophthalmologist and orbital surgeon, this means practicing a form of martial arts known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

It's 4:55 p.m. on a Friday, last patient of the day-a 50-year-old man with diabetes and hypertension with new-onset right-sided ptosis and diplopia. Examination reveals a right third nerve palsy (TNP). What is the next most appropriate step?

Philadelphia-Twenty-one gauge microphaco performed with WhiteStar Technology (Advanced Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA) that uses two microincisions (0.8 mm) to separate irrigation and aspiration is safe, according to Randall Olson, MD.

Sacramento, CA-As the boom in LASIK surgery recedes, refractive surgeons risk major declines in numbers of patients unless they understand marketing concepts that will help them find and attract potential clients, according to Glenn Hagele.

Chicago-Improved centration with a good-quality eye tracker is essential to address many of the issues involved with hyperopic LASIK, according to refractive surgeon Manus Kraff, MD.

Philadelphia-In an uncertain economic climate, the ophthalmic market can take stock in knowing it is alive and well, according to Kenneth P. Taylor, an independent industry consultant.

Cleveland, OH-The femtosecond laser (Pulsion FS, IntraLase) offers a new tool for precision flap-making in LASIK procedures, said Ronald R. Krueger, MD.

Editor's Note: Uveitic glaucoma is often not a single disease. Multiple factors, including inflammatory mediators as well as anatomic/morphologic changes, can contribute to the development of elevated IOP. Corticosteroids used to treat the inflammation can also produce elevated IOP. It is important to try to sort out these factors in patients with uveitic glaucoma to determine what category they fit in, and then select the best treatment.

The introduction of ocular aberrometers is providing vision and ophthalmology researchers with a new understanding about parameters affecting quality of vision.

Take all concerns seriously, listen attentively, and get back to the basics, ophthalmologist advises

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry appears to be a more sensitive visual field test for ganglion cell loss than traditional testing methods, according to Christopher A. Girkin, MD.

Fort Lauderdale, FL-Researchers at the University of Houston College of Optometry are trying to understand why certain individuals do not gain bifocal vision with a multizone bifocal contact lens. The reason could be dependent on an individual's optical aberrations, noted Joy A. Martin, an OD and PhD student, who spoke during the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Philadelphia-Several hundred ophthalmic surgeons witnessed live cataract and refractive surgeries broadcast via satellite during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

Surrey, British Columbia-A Canadian doctor who performed the first laser vision correction procedure in British Columbia was killed July 11 in a car crash.

Winter Park, FL-A Chinese company will purchase at least $10 million in excimer laser systems and parts from LaserSight Inc. and invest $2 million in the business.

London: A survey by the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) of 243 European patients and 250 physicians found that a significant number of patients with glaucoma experienced difficulties taking multiple medications, indicating a need for better education about the disease and its treatment options.

A CME Symposium at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting, October 20, 2002.

Philadelphia-The clinical results with a new, single-piece Blue Blocking AcrySof IOL (SB30, Alcon) that mimics the light transmission spectrum of a human natural crystalline lens indicate that it is safe and effective. The visual results were comparable to those obtained with the SA30 lens (Alcon) that served as a control.

Philadelphia-Ultrasound energy and time are eliminated with the development of Aqualase technology (Alcon) for small-incision cataract surgery. Robert Lehmann, MD, reported on the advancement of this liquefaction technology here at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cata-ract and Refractive Surgery.

Philadelphia-A new silicone IOL and a new hydrophobic acrylate lens are both easy and safe to implant, offering reliable refraction for patients with high myopia and high hyperopia, said Gerd U. Auffarth, MD, at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting here.

Philadelphia-The Sovereign WhiteStar system is a revolutionary "cold" phaco technology that is unique in its ability to emulsify the most brunescent nuclei without any risk of a wound burn, according to David F. Chang, MD, who reported on his experience with WhiteStar (AMO, Irvine, CA) here at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Philadelphia-The Tecnis Z9000 IOL (Pharmacia) performed well in a clinical trial by providing improved contrast sensitivity compared with a conventional IOL. In addition, in a model eye the Tecnis IOL also improved the optical performance by compensating for corneal aberrations.

Philadelphia-The CV232 Square-Round-Edge (SRE) IOL, the newest-generation pre-rolled implant from CIBA Vision, combines all of the advantages of its predecessor model (MemoryLens) with the best of both worlds in optic-edge design, said Matteo Piovella, MD, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).

Editor's Note: About 100 years ago, Louis Emile Javal, MD (1839-1907), suffered blindness as a result of glaucoma. Thebest medical minds of the day could not stave off these results. Medicine and surgery were used in vain. The accomplishments of this great ophthalmologist both before and after his blindness are discussed in this month's column.