Monday, January 06, 2025

SEMAGLUTIDE and GLAUCOMA

This report in American Journal of Ophthalmology concluded:


This systematic meta-analysis found that GLP-1 RA use is associated with reduced glaucoma development in retrospective studies. Future, well-designed, long-term studies focusing on GLP-1 RAs and SGLT-2 inhibitors are needed to validate these findings and evaluate their effects on glaucoma progression and vision loss. The overall interpretation should be cautious.

Friday, January 03, 2025

OZEMPIC AND NAION

 According to this report Ozempic may be associated with increased NAION within the first year of use.  Further studies need to be done to determine causality. 



Wednesday, January 01, 2025

ANTERIOR SEGMENT ATLAS

 This article in Review of Optometry has an excellent review with photographs of the most common anterior segment conditions.  

Monday, December 30, 2024

ESR and CRP use in Eyecare

 From Review of Optometry:


"There are many ocular diseases in which inflammation is a key factor, potentially leading to abnormalities in these ancillary tests. The two most common and relevant clinical scenarios are temporal arteritis and uveitis. Elevations in ESR and CRP levels, for example, are often diagnostic for temporal arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica in conjunction with the clinical picture.12

Uveitis, pictured here, is one ocular condition with marked inflammation, which would be indicated upon ESR or CRP testing.

Uveitis, pictured here, is one ocular condition with marked inflammation, which would be indicated upon ESR or CRP testing. Photo: Kyle D. Dohm, OD. Click image to enlarge.

"Uveitis is a manifestation of numerous underlying systemic conditions, many of which would result in elevated ESR and/or CRP values. While uveitis in and of itself is inflammation, regardless of cause, studies have shown that first attacks of uveitis do not often lead to abnormal laboratory values. However, elevated levels of ESR and CRP suggest a systemic process causing uveitis. Further investigation has also attributed elevations in ESR to be due to autoimmune or collagen vascular disease etiologies, whereas abnormal CRP was more associated with trauma and infectious causes.3,13

"When taken together, both ESR and CRP laboratory tests can be helpful in the clinical setting. Understanding the nuances of each test and why they are measured will give the clinician the highest yield in the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases with inflammatory components."

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Hypertension and Glaucoma Progression

 In this study:


Lower baseline 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements, as well as low systolic blood pressure during follow-up, were associated significantly with faster rates of glaucomatous visual field loss progression and may be used as a predictor of risk of glaucomatous progression.


.05% Atropine and Myopia Progression

 In this study:


"Over 5 years, the continued 0.05% atropine treatment demonstrated good efficacy for myopia control. Most children needed to restart treatment after atropine cessation at year 3. Restarted treatment with 0.05% atropine achieved similar efficacy as continued treatment. Children should be considered for re-treatment if myopia progresses after treatment cessation."


.05% performed better than .025% and .01%. 






Friday, December 06, 2024

IPL AND DRY EYE

 This study concludes:


"Although IPL probably results in a clinically relevant reduction in symptoms of dry eyes when compared to placebo, in practice IPL would typically be used as an add-on to standard treatment. It is therefore essential with further studies investigating whether this use would give a clinically relevant reduction in symptoms, and what the potential harm of IPL is when treating MGD."

Tuesday, December 03, 2024

Vyzulta and Retinal Vessel Density

 According to this study


Treatment with Vyzulta reduced IOP by an average of 29.9% and 31.8% in patients with POAG and PXG, respectively, and improved retinal vessel density. Therefore, Vyzulta likely increases macular microcirculation, possibly via nitric oxide, independent of its IOP-reducing effect.



Thursday, November 21, 2024

LANDMARK EYE STUDIES

 Review of Optometry creates a summary of  80+ landmark eye studies.  This is a great place to review those studies. 

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

E-CIGARETTES (VAPING) AND UVEITIS

 A new study in Ophthalmology found that there was an elevated risk of uveitis among patients who vape. 

The results showed that e-cigarette users demonstrated a heightened risk of developing uveitis when compared to non-users. 

Traditional cigarette use was also found to increase uveitis risk, but not as significantly as e-cigarette use. 


Tuesday, November 12, 2024

LOSARTAN FOR PREVENTION OF CORNEAL SCARRING

 This is an excellent review of the use of topical Losartan to minimize corneal scarring in conditions that cause corneal damage.  It is not yet available but can be formulated. 

Thursday, October 31, 2024

LOW BMI ASSOCIATED WITH GLAUCOMA PROGRESSION

This  study in the American Journal of Ophthalmology concludes:


In this African ancestry cohort, low BMI was associated with increased POAG risk. POAG cases with low BMI were more likely to have larger cup-to-disc ratios, worse visual acuity, and faster functional progression, indicating more severe glaucoma.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

SLIGHT INCREASE IN NAION WITH SEMIGLUTIDE INJECTIONS

 This report on a study demonstrates that there is a slight increase (3% ) in non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy in patients receiving semiglutide injections.  The increase is slightly higher in males than females.