STATINS AND NUCLEAR CATARACT

OSN SuperSite - The Voice of Ophthalmology - latest news and articles from Ocular Surgery News; Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging; Journal of Refractive Surgery; and Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

According to this review of a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association:

"Statin use may be associated with a lower risk of nuclear cataract, according to a large population-based study.

"Barbara E. K. Klein, MD, MPH, and colleagues analyzed data from 1,299 people already enrolled in the Beaver Dam Eye Study, a longitudinal population-based study of age-related eye disease. This group of participants was seen at their third exam between 1998 and 2000, had gradable photographs in both eyes and was deemed to be at risk of developing a nuclear cataract within 5 years. Cataracts were graded from photographs taken through the participant’s dilated pupil.

A total of 210 people developed incident nuclear cataract in the interval from the third exam through 2003-2005. The overall 5-year incidence of nuclear cataract was 12.2% in people who used statins to control cholesterol and 17.2% in people who were not on statin therapy."

IOPIDINE AND LASIK

OSN SuperSite - The Voice of Ophthalmology - latest news and articles from Ocular Surgery News; Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging; Journal of Refractive Surgery; and Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

According to this study:

"Topical apraclonidine applied before LASIK surgery may prevent immediate postoperative hyperemia and prolonged subconjunctival hemorrhage by its alpha-mimetic vasoconstrictor effect without inducing flap adherence complication. [J Refract Surg. 2006;22:585-588.]"

TASS

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According to this article:

"More than 100 centers have now reported cases of toxic anterior segment syndrome from February through May 2006...Preoperative use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be a potential factor..."

...among many other intrasugical factors. TASS results when a noninfectious toxic agent enters the anterior segment during surgery and causes an inflammatory reaction. It is important to differentiate TASS from true infectious endophthalmitis, because the treatments are completely different—and the treatment for one isn’t appropriate for the other.


According to another article in EyeNet:

"if you see limbus-to-limbus corneal edema, a fixed pupil, early onset and high pressure, think TASS."

"If you think it is TASS, give the patient topical prednisolone acetate (Pred Forte) or another powerful topical steroid every hour and a nonsteroidal four times a day. Check IOP daily. Avoid anything that could promote inflammation, such as prostaglandin analogs."

CENTRAL CORNEAL THICKNESS DECREASES OVER TIME

Longitudinal changes in central corneal thickness and their relation to glaucoma status: an 8 year follow up study -- Weizer et al. 90 (6): 732 -- British Journal of Ophthalmology

This study concludes:

"CCT decreased over time, but this may not be related to glaucoma progression."

ARIZONA DRUG LAW

The Oral Medications that Arizona optometrists can prescribe can be found:


HERE

OPTIFREE EXPRESS vs. RENU MULTIPLUS

Contact Lens Care Products Effect on Corneal Sensitivity and Patient Comfort.
Articles Eye & Contact Lens: Science & Clinical Practice. 32(3):128-132, May 2006.Epstein, Arthur B. O.D., F.A.A.O.

According to this study Optifree Express is more comfortable to patients than Renu Multiplus. Interestingly the study showed that Renu Multiplus decreases corneal sensitivity. One would think this is a good thing, but we must remember that corneal sensitivity is important to know when to blink. Decreased corneal sensitivity means decreased blinking, means increased dry eye. Consistent with that line of thinking is the fact that Renu Multiplus showed increased corneal staining.

SMOKING AND TYPE OF AMD

Does smoking influence the type of age related macular degeneration causing visual impairment? -- Dandekar et al. 90 (6): 724 -- British Journal of Ophthalmology:

This study found that, while there is a well-established association between smoking and macular degeneration, there is no statistical correlation between smoking and the type of AMD lesion (neovascularization vs. atrophic).