RESTASIS QID FOR SLK

Cornea - Abstract: Volume 27(2) February 2008 p 193-195 Topical Cyclosporine A in the Treatment of Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis: A Long-Term Follow-Up.

In this study Cyclosporin .05% was applied topically 4 times a day to patients with superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis. All patients improved remarkably by 2 weeks.

The study concludes:

"Topical CsA 0.05% can be effective in patients with SLK who do not respond to other treatment modalities. It can also be used in the long term to prevent recurrences during treatment and to avoid steroid dependency and the side effects of steroids."

REVIEW OF MULTIFOCAL & ACCOMMODATING IOLs

EyeWorld Magazine: February 2008

This article is a good review of what multifocal and accommodating IOLs are on the market now, including ReSTOR, ReSTOR Aspheric, ReZoom, Crystalens, and Tetraflex.

NAION VISUAL OUTCOMES

Ophthalmology Volume 115, Issue 2, February 2008, Pages 298-305.

The purpose of this study was:

" To investigate systematically the natural history of visual outcome in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)."

The conclusion was:

"About half of the eyes with NAION presented with almost normal visual acuity (20/15 to 20/30) at the initial visit. Thus, the presence of normal visual acuity does not rule out NAION. Visual acuity and visual fields showed improvement or further deterioration mainly up to 6 months, with no significant change after that."

VITAMINS & AMD

Ophthalmology Volume 115, Issue 2, February 2008, Pages 334-341

"In this population-based cohort study, higher dietary lutein and zeaxanthin intake reduced the risk of long-term incident AMD. This study confirmed the Age-Related Eye Disease Study finding of protective influences from zinc against AMD. Higher β-carotene intake was associated with an increased risk of AMD."

RISK OF COAG IN LATINOS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

According to this study supported in part by the National Eye Institute, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and Research to Prevent Blindness:

The prevalence of open angle glaucoma was 40% higher in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus than in those without.

COOPERVISION CLEARSIGHT 1 DAY TORIC

CooperVision USA - Contact Lenses - ClearSight™ - ClearSight™ 1 Day Toric

Here's an option for patients that want one day torics.

It is a toric lens with 55% water content, 8.7 BC 14.5 Diameter. It comes in sphere powers of plano to -6.00 (-7.00), cylinder powers in -0.75 and -1.25, and axis options of 20, 90, 160, and 180 degrees. It comes in a 30 pack. The company says:

"ClearSight 1 Day Toric offers four different axes - 180, 160, 90, and 20 degrees allowing you to fit not only patients with these axes, but also those within 10º on either side of each axis. This flexibility enables you to fit the most common toric contact lens prescriptions. In fact, historical lens ordering data shows that 84% of patients have a prescription that falls within the above parameters."

SAFETY OF TRIAMCINOLONE & AVASTIN INJECTIONS

Eye - Abstract of article: Short-term complications of intravitreal injections of triamcinolone and bevacizumab:

According to this study:

"Injection-related complications such as infectious endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, and traumatic cataract may occur with a frequency of about .15% after intravitreal injections of bevacizumab or triamcinolone, independently of the drug injected."

CORNEAL INLAY FOR PRESBYOPIA CORRECTION

Corneal inlay shows promise for presbyopic correction:

In case patients ask about the Inlay procedure for presbyopia, this article provides a decent review.

"The InVue corneal inlay is a small hydrophilic acrylic lens that measures about 3 mm in diameter and is 15-µm to 20-µm thick. The device is implanted about 200 µm into the cornea of the patient's nondominant eye to create monovision."

IOP & EYE PAIN

EyeWorld Magazine: February 2008

This is a very interesting report that theorizes that "substantial" increased IOP leads to increase ATP concentration which leads to increased pain in the eye. Interesting, and we don't usually associate pain with minimally, or even moderately increased IOP, but I've seen patients with minimally elevated IOP complaining of dull aching pain that is alleviated with IOP-lowering medications. Hmm.

GLAUCOMA AND ANTIOXIDANTS

EyeWorld Magazine: February 2008:

This report states:

"New research reveals further evidence that antioxidant treatment could help defeat glaucoma. The study, published in the October 2007 issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, found that oxidative stress is “an early event in hydrostatic pressure/IOP-induced neuronal damage.” It also found that antioxidant treatment reduced oxidative stress in pressure-treated retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).

“These findings support the view that oxidative damage contributes early to glaucomatous optic neuropathy,” wrote study co-author Robert N. Weinreb, M.D., Hamilton Glaucoma Center and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, Calif.

“Our results demonstrate that oxidative damage occurs within hours of elevated hydrostatic pressure or elevated IOP.”

The report mentioned Ginkgo Biloba and Memantine as alternative aids in enhancing neuroprotection in glaucoma.

TIMOLOL AND NASOLACRIMAL DUCT OBSTRUCTION

EyeWorld Magazine: February 2008:

According to this report:

“Chronic use of timolol-containing topical glaucoma therapy preparations in glaucoma patients is associated with an increased risk for the development of nasolacrimal duct obstruction.”

SUPPLEMENTS & AMD

Review of Optometry

Good literature review of this topic.

POSNER SCHLOSSMAN SYNDROME

Review of Optometry

Good article on Posner Schlossman Syndrome, which should be suspected in patients with uveitis and high IOP.

OCULAR BENEFITS OF RED WINE

Review of Optometry:

According to this review by Paul Karpecki, OD:

"The natural compounds found in red wine will help protect your eyes from cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and other damaging conditions.

"Overall, the consumption of grapes and grape skins is very beneficial for systemic health. Grapes contain ...Resveratrol,... a phytoestrogen, which is a type of plant estrogen. It has been shown to fight inflammation, inhibit oxidation of certain cells, and prevent apoptosis, or cell death.

"red wine is one of the best—and most readily available—sources of resveratrol.

TERMINATOR CONTACT LENS

Review of Optometry

"A contact lens with an embedded electronic circuit and lights has been created by engineers at the University of Washington. Such a lens could lead to wearable information displays or communication aids, like the kind the Terminator had: a computer read-out superimposed on his vision... Possible applications of such a lens include video game play, Internet usage or information display."

Someday you'll be able to search the web while hiking, driving, listening to your date. Perfect for multitasking, high powered, type-A, males at risk for CSR!

DRY EYE & CONTACT LENSES

Review of Optometry:

Quoting this article on dry eyes:

"Contact lenses with poor wettability and higher water content have been linked to dry eye symptoms. (Lenses with a lower water content appear to have less capacity to dehydrate and can potentially provide higher levels of comfort). Newer silicone hydrogel lenses contain agents to increase wettability of the lens surface and help prevent dehydration (e.g., CIBA Vision Focus Dailies and Acuvue Oasys"

DOXY & TOPICAL STEROID FOR RCE

IngentaConnect Treatment of recurrent corneal erosion syndrome using the combina...


According to this article:


"Treatment of recurrent corneal erosion syndrome with the combination of oral doxycycline and topical corticosteroid is effective. It may help patients with recurrent corneal erosion syndrome who have failed other forms of treatment. This non-invasive treatment modality should also be considered as the first treatment option when conservative management with ocular lubricants fails."

DOT HEMORRHAGE NEAR FOVEA. TREAT?

IngentaConnect Macular oedema is not predicted by perifoveal single blot haemorr...

It's easy when we see exudates within 500 microns of the fovea. But what about those single blot hemorrhages or microaneurysms? According to this study:

"No patients with a single blot haemorrhage within one disc diameter of the fovea on digital retinal screening required laser treatment."

Arch Ophthalmol -- Abstract: Topical Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids for Treatment of Dry Eye, February 2008, Rashid et al. 126 (2): 219

Arch Ophthalmol -- Abstract: Topical Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids for Treatment of Dry Eye, February 2008, Rashid et al. 126 (2): 219:

According to this study:

Treatment with alpha-linolenic acid significantly decreased corneal fluorescein staining compared with both vehicle and untreated controls. Topical application of alpha-linolenic acid omega-3 fatty acid may be a novel therapy to treat the clinical signs and inflammatory changes accompanying dry
eye syndrome.