EyePod: Week in Review - July 16, 2023

Welcome to the Ophthalmology Times EyePod Week in Review, a look back at some of the top stories from the previous week.

ASRS reports six cases of occlusive retinal vasculitis linked to pegcetacoplan injection

A notification from the American Society of Retina Specialists Research and Safety in Therapeutics Committee has linked Apellis’ pegcetacoplan injection (Syfovre) with a handful of cases of occlusive retinal vasculitis.

The issues were noted in a post on the ASRS website exclusively for its members, according to reports.

According to the ASRS ReST Committee's notice, ophthalmologists noted instances of intraocular inflammation (IOI) after the initial injection of pegcetacoplan. Moreover, the ASRS noted in its post the reports included instances of mild to moderate IOI, as well as severe IOI, retinal vasculitis, and occlusive retinal vasculitis.

Ophthalmologists can report adverse events by visiting the ASRS website’s page for reporting cases of adverse instances.

Harrow acquires Santen’s branded ophthalmic portfolio

Harrow today announced the signing of agreements with affiliates of Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to acquire certain U.S. and Canadian commercial rights for six branded products from Santen.

Mark L. Baum, chairman and CEO of Harrow, said in a news release the acquisition advances the company’s goal of becoming a leader in the top tier of U.S. ophthalmic pharmaceutical companies, and makes its branded portfolio one of the most comprehensive in the U S market.

Baum added in the news release it is expected to be immediately financially accretive upon the transfer of the product marketing authorizations.

Low-dose atropine eyedrops no better than placebo for slowing myopia progression

Use of low-dose atropine eyedrops was no better than placebo at slowing myopia progression and elongation of the eye among children treated for 2 years, according to a randomized controlled trial conducted by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group and funded by the National Eye Institute.

The trial aimed to identify an effective way to manage this leading and increasingly common cause of refractive error, which can cause serious uncorrectable vision loss later in life.

According to the study, the results contradict results from recent trials, primarily in East Asia, which showed a benefit from 0.01% atropine in slowing myopia.

According to the news release, following the treatment period, and 6 months after treatment stopped, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of changes in degree of myopia compared with baseline. Nor were there significant differences in axial length within the two groups when compared with baseline measurements.

The 2023 Excellence in Eye Care Resident Recognition Awards honor ophthalmology and optometry residents

Ophthalmology Times®, Optometry Times®, and Modern Retina® are pleased to announce the 2023 Excellence in Eye Care Resident Recognition Awards, a new program that acknowledges outstanding residents across the spectrum of ophthalmology, optometry, and retina.

The 2023 Excellence in Eye Care Resident Recognition Awards is an evolution from the long-time Ophthalmology Times® Best Programs survey (which will cease) to include optometry as well as retina care to celebrate diversity in patient care within the eye care field and foster comanagement.

The 2023 Excellence in Eye Care Resident Recognition Awards program is specifically tailored to acknowledge and celebrate the exemplary achievements and invaluable contributions of residents across three distinct categories:

• Best in Ophthalmology,
• Best in Optometry, and
• Best in Retina Care.

Eligibility is open to ophthalmology or optometry residents who have actively participated in an ophthalmology or optometry residency program in the United States during the residency year from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

Nominations for the 2023 Excellence in Eye Care Resident Recognition Awards will close on July 31, 2023. For more information, visit Ophthalmology Times.com

New IOL is a go-to option for pseudoexfoliation syndrome, other challenges

A new hydrophobic, acrylic, and aspheric 1-piece IOL may prove useful for patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome by providing greater stability in the capsular bag and less sensitivity to misalignment. Andreas F Borkenstein, MD, reported the 2-year outcomes with this recently FDA-approved aspheric lens in a presentation at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Annual Meeting 2023 in San Diego, California.

Careful lens selection is paramount in difficult cases or cases in which decentration is more likely, Borkenstein emphasized. Based on results from laboratory experiments in which he and coauthor Eva-Maria Borkenstein, MD, analyzed the optic haptic junction and evaluated capsular bag contact, monofocal IOLs with the same overall diameter can behave differently in the eye. Moreover, the authors performed optical bench tests to compare spherical and aspheric optic designs when misaligned.

In eyes with PXF, there is an increased risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications.

To read the full articles in this review, visit ophthalmologytimes.com. Thank you for listening to this edition of the EyePod Week in Review.