US OPHTHALMIC REVIEW – VOLUME 2 – SPRING 2007

Ophthalmology is extremely well represented all over the world. However, in spite of dramatic technical improvements, blindness is still a major problem for millions of people. The International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), with its 20/20 project, is trying hard to improve ophthalmic care, as well as improving the education of local doctors. Even sophisticated diagnostic […]

Several new ab interno and ab externo approaches to angle surgery in adults and children with open-angle glaucoma show promise for improving the control of intraocular pressure (IOP) less invasively and with fewer complications than current ab externo filtering procedures. These include the Trabectome®, iScience canaloplasty, Glaukos®, laser goniopuncture, and Solx—a new translimbal shunt into […]

Glaucoma is a chronic progressive disease that, left untreated, can lead to blindness. Glaucoma represents a range of conditions in which the flow of aqueous humour in the eye is blocked, causing an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). An impaired blood flow to the optic disc may also cause glaucoma, even without an abnormally high […]

An Increasing Global Concern

Uveitis is an inflammatory eye disease affecting the iris, ciliary body, and choroid that can lead to symptoms ranging from redness, pain, and blurred vision to markedly diminished acuity in the setting of severe or chronic disease.1 It affects approximately 38,000 Americans per year, with an incidence of 15 cases per 100,000 per year and […]

Uveitis is an umbrella term for a large group of ocular inflammatory diseases classified anatomically into four main groups: anterior, posterior, intermediate, and panuveitic. Based on two epidemiological studies in Europe, the prevalence of uveitis is estimated to be 17 per 100,000, which is comparable to the US.1,2 Uveitis patients are estimated to account for […]

There have been several recent advances in the care of infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). These include the revision of the International Classification of ROP, the application of results from the Early Treatment for ROP (ETROP) clinical trial, and computer-assisted analysis of plus disease. The International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity Revisited The International […]

The introduction of anti-angiogenic agents has revolutionized the treatment of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated ocular disease. The first anti-angiogenic agent to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), bevacizumab, was originally developed to inhibit tumorigenesis. It has found widespread application in the treatment of ophthalmic disease, the pathophysiology of which involves […]

The leading cause of legal blindness in patients over the age of 60 years in developed nations is age-related macular degeneration (AMD).1,2 In the US, the number of people affected by AMD is predicted to increase by over 50% by the year 2020, and will account for roughly one-sixth of the population.3 AMD is broadly […]

Standard monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) cannot be voluntarily brought into focus; while patients can see perfectly in the distance, they must wear glasses to read. The ‘holy grail’ of IOL development is an IOL that can both restore sight and allow the patient to focus without glasses: an accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL). The AkkoLens AIOL […]

Broad-spectrum antibacterials such as the ophthalmic fluoroquinolones are powerful weapons for treating and preventing potentially sightthreatening infections – but only if prescribed rationally. In just a few years, some common ocular pathogens have become less susceptible to once standard therapies. Studies have shown that the prevalence of antibiotic resistance can vary widely by region and […]

Corneal transplants are the oldest, most common, and arguably the most successful form of solid tissue transplantation in the world. Since the first full-thickness corneal transplant was performed in 1905 by Eduard Zirm, penetrating keratoplasties (PKs) have been performed to provide a clear, optically functional visual pathway to improve vision, provide tectonic support for an […]

Greater corneal biomechanical stability has been demonstrated following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) compared with traditional microkeratome laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).1,2 Thin LASIK flaps exhibit biomechanical properties similar to PRK but with the advantage of no haze formation or pain.2 These findings suggest that thin flaps created with consistent thickness across the cornea are the ideal […]

Patient satisfaction with uncorrected vision following a refractive intraocular lens (IOL) reflects success in four separate areas. There must be: uncomplicated surgery; avoidance or reduction of astigmatism; selection of the optimal IOL power; and reasonable expectations on the part of the patient. The first three prerequisites have long been the goal of every cataract surgeon. […]

Sutures are a mainstay of almost all surgical fields. Despite an extensive history and widespread use, the universal trend toward simpler, quicker, and more comfortable surgical procedures has fostered the development of sutureless techniques. The first experimentation with fibrin in ocular tissue was in 1978,1 and the first use of fibrin in human patients was […]

Obstruction of the lacrimal drainage system can lead to various symptoms. These commonly include intermittent or constant epiphora, which is defined as tearing due to interference with tear drainage (as opposed to lacrimation, which reflects hypersecretion of tears). Acute or chronic dacryocystitis (lacrimal sac infection) may also develop. Obstruction may occur anywhere along the lacrimal […]

Standard monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) cannot be voluntarily brought into focus; while patients can see perfectly in the distance, they must wear glasses to read. The ‘holy grail’ of IOL development is an IOL that can both restore sight and allow the patient to focus without glasses: an accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL). The AkkoLens AIOL […]

The focus of the application of information technology (IT) into healthcare has long been on systems such as patient administration systems (PAS), hospital information systems (HIS), laboratory information systems (LIS) etc., with disease specific systems offering in-depth clinical functionality being rather the poorer cousin when it has come to funding arrangements. While the larger suppliers […]

Glaucoma surgical intervention has now advanced a step further – from trabeculotomy to Trabectome. Trabectome is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared device for minimally invasive surgical treatment of primary open angle glaucoma. It safely ablates and removes a 90-120° strip of trabecular meshwork and re-establishes access to the eye’s natural drainage pathway. On […]