INTERESTING EYE NEWS & CLINICAL PEARLS

ScienceDirect - Medical Hypotheses : Therapeutic potential of bevacizumab (Avastin) in herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) I look forward to seeing studies investigating the hypothesis put forth by by this paper: We hypothesize topical application of bevacizumab could inhibit corneal neovascularization and also scarring in HSK. We propose this drug as a novel adjunct to current anti-inflammatory strategies in HSK.

OSN SuperSite - Alcohol delamination procedure effective for recurrent corneal erosions According to this report: Delaminating the corneal epithelium using alcohol can improve symptoms of recurrent corneal erosion in eyes that do not respond to topical lubrication or use of a bandage contact lens, according to a study by researchers in England.

OSN SuperSite - Preliminary analysis suggests anecortave acetate could sustained IOP control According to this review: Open-angle glaucoma patients treated with a single sub-Tenon injection of anecortave acetate showed a significant, sustained reduction in IOP (average 7.2mmHg) over 3 months, according to an interim analysis of data from a clinical study.

OSN SuperSite - Study finds no association between statin use and AMD progression According to this report: Statin use does not appear to have a significant influence on either the incidence or progression of age-related macular degeneration over 5 years, according to a new analysis of data from the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Association between dietary glycemic index and age-related macular degeneration in nondiabetic participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study -- Chiu et al. 86 (1): 180 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Fr@m This paper concludes: The association between dietary glycemic index dGI and AMD from the AREDS cross-sectional analysis at baseline suggests that a reduction in the dGI, a modifiable risk factor, may provide a means of diminishing the risk of AMD.

I asked our retinal specialist what he's recommending for vitamin supplementation for patients with retinitis pigmentosa. His answer was: Adults: Vitamin A . Palmitate 15,000 IU. Check liver function tests every year. The patient cannot be or soon to be pregnant.

Effect of Posture on the Diurnal Variation in Clinically Significant Diabetic Macular Edema -- Polito et al. 48 (7): 3318 -- Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science This interesting test showed that diurnal macular edema changes were effected significantly by posture in patients with diabetic macular edema.

Cornea - Abstract: Cornea, Volume 26(6) July 2007 p 742-743 Interaction of Doxycycline and Warfarin: An Enhanced Anticoagulant Effect. This paper concludes: Doxycycline can enhance the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. This is likely due to competitive interaction for albumin binding and possibly inhibition of the cytochrome P-450 system. An increase in plasma levels of free warfarin may result in severe bleeding. It is important to recognize this potential interaction and obtain a complete medication profile prior to initiating doxycycline.

Review of Optometry This article provides a nice review of presbyopic contact lens selection and management.

Progressive Localized Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Loss Following a Retinal Cotton Wool Spot - Seminars in Ophthalmology From the abstract of this report: Localized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects can be an early sign of glaucomatous damage. However, their presence is not pathognomonic of the disease. We report a case of a localized RNFL defect developing after a retinal cotton-wool spot in a patient with diabetes mellitus and systemic hypertension.

OSN SuperSite - PARK with vector planning for keratoconus patients maintains 10-year outcomes Refractive surgery for keratoconics . All subjects obtained 20/20 BCVA .

Cornea - Abstract: Volume 26(6) July 2007 p 701-706 Acanthamoeba Keratitis: A Parasite on the Rise. : Results of this study were indicated a significant rise in this infection in individuals who wear disposable contact lenses, sleep. in their lenses and swim in their lenses. The biggest risk factor was use of well water. It would behoove us to learn more about the diagnosis & management for this serious infection.

Evaluation of Optical Coherence Tomography and Heidelberg Retinal Tomography Parameters in Detecting Early and Moderate Glaucoma -- Naithani et al. 48 (7): 3138 -- Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science This study compares HRT vs. OCT in their ability to detect early glaucomatous changes. It concludes: OCT-based automated classifiers performed better than HRT classifiers in distinguishing glaucomatous from healthy eyes.