ASCRS mourns death of I. Howard Fine, MD

I. Howard Fine, MD, a past president of ASCRS, died on Thursday, August 29. Dr. Fine is known for designing dozens of instruments, implants, and surgical procedures, including cortical cleaving hydrodissection, a temporal approach to cataract surgery, and the self-sealing clear corneal incision. Click here to read his obituary from ASCRS.

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New non-diffractive monofocal and toric IOLs

BVI announced the launch of a new, non-diffractive IOL—the SERENITY and SERENITY Toric IOLs. According to the company’s press release, these IOLs are the second generation of the company’s ISOPURE premium monofocal IOL. The company described them as providing both distance and intermediate vision. They also have a double c-loop POD platform that is designed to provide stability to maintain toric IOL alignment.

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36-month results from clinical trials for new glaucoma device

Ciliatech announced 36-month results from two clinical trials evaluating its Intercil Uveal Spacer Cilioscleral Interpositioning Device (CID). According to the company’s emailed press release, these studies included 41 patients with POAG who had the CID procedure. At 3 years postop, IOP was controlled at 8.0 mm Hg, for a mean pressure reduction from baseline of 33%. The reduction of medications was 70%; 68% of patients were medication-free at 3 years. The company described the Intercil Uveal Spacer as an implant in the CID category that “[facilitates] external placement into the supraciliary space of the eye without ever entering the eye’s anterior chamber.”

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FDA grants IND to stem cell therapy intended to treat photoreceptor diseases

BlueRock Therapeutics announced that it received FDA clearance of its Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for OpCT-001, which it described as an investigational induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cell therapy for treatment of primary photoreceptor diseases. The company now will conduct a first-in-human Phase 1/2a study in the U.S., which will evaluate safety and tolerability of subretinal administration of the stem cell therapy as well as its effect on retinal structure, visual function, and functional vision.

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Company launches ophthalmology-specific contract research organization

Lindus Health launched an ophthalmology-specific contract research organization (CRO) to execute clinical trials within this space. According to the company’s press release, the “‘All-in-One Ophthalmology CRO’ covers the development of prescription-grade and over-the-counter (OTC) products for an extensive variety of ophthalmic indications, including myopia, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, and more.”

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ASCRS news and events

• ASCRS Business of Refractive Cataract Surgery Summit: This new course taking place September 27–28 in Irving, Texas—along with its extensive, take-home resource library—will help practices gain the navigational tools needed to increase advanced-technology IOL adoption and lead patients effectively on their refractive surgery journey. Learn more.
• ASCRS Live!: This educational dinner series is heading to several cities across the U.S. in 2024. Registration is open for events in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 12 and Atlanta, Georgia, on October 3.
• ASCRS Foundation: There are two opportunities for young eye surgeons currently accepting applications: the Young Eye Surgeons International Service Grant and the Resident Excellence Award.
• ASCRS 50th Anniversary: ASCRS members from the 50 states are sending in their perspectives on the Society, its impact on their career, and its influence on the specialty as a whole. Stay tuned each week through April 2025 for a new video.

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Research highlights

• A retrospective chart review of 56 eyes was conducted to investigate the impact of corneal HOAs on predicted CDVA in patients with keratoconus at different simulated pupil apertures. The study, which was published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, used Zernike analysis to obtain the corneal aberrations using simulated pupil diameters at 6 mm, 4 mm, and 2 mm. This data, according to the paper, was then used to obtain the total root mean square HOAs for a 1.5 mm pupil to evaluate the effect of a small aperture IOL. The authors found a statistically significant positive correlation between CDVA and magnitude of total and individual HOAs among the keratoconus patients. They reported that, based on their findings, a “small aperture IOL is expected to markedly reduce aberrations in patients with keratoconus up to Amsler-Krumeich class 4 severity to levels consistent with the levels seen in healthy patients.”
• The efficacy and safety of a binocular eye-tracking home treatment (CureSight, NovaSight) compared to traditional patching for treatment of amblyopia was investigated in a prospective, masked, randomized, controlled non-inferiority trial that took place at several centers. The study enrolled 149 patients ages 4 to <9 years old. The patients had anisometropia, small-angle strabismus, or mixed-mechanism amblyopia. They were randomized to the CureSight treatment (n=75) for 90 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 16 weeks or patching (n=74) for 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. The CureSight treatment was found non-inferior to patching in the modified intent-to-treat dataset and had a superior mean improvement from baseline to week 16 in the per-protocol dataset. Both groups had a significant median improvement in stereoacuity with no between-group difference in the magnitude of improvement, regardless of dataset. From an adherence standpoint, the CureSight group was more compliant with treatment (94%) compared to the patching group (83.9%). This research is published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

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Product news

• Haag-Streit launched its new METIS ophthalmic microscope system.

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