In December 2020, the FDA issued “Dry Eye: Developing Drugs for Treatment Guidance for Industry” as a draft for public comment. William Boyd, MD, Deputy Division Director with the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, shared with EyeWorld that the administration hopes to issue its final guidance soon.
Glaucoma Editor Manjool Shah, MD, previewed the articles in the section and shared his thoughts on using the past to guide the future. “However, we should not be deluded into thinking our feet are planted in cement, holding us back from achieving new heights,” he said.
The ASCRS Foundation gave an update on the status of some of its programs and initiatives, including Operation Sight, the Lindstrom Legacy Gift Club, and the Health in Sight Mission.
With its approval in 2017, many physicians have several years of lessons learned with the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL, RxSight). With the more recent commercial launch of the LAL+, which has a modified aspheric surface to extend depth of focus slightly, ophthalmologists have even more to talk about.
With expanding options in refractive surgery for patients at different ages, many physicians are seeing an uptick in refractive lens exchange (RLE). Three physicians discussed their experience with RLE, including considerations when explaining this option to patients.
Corneal cell therapy is being investigated as a new approach for patients in need of corneal transplantation and treatment for corneal diseases. EyeWorld spoke to several physicians who have experience in this area to hear about specific approaches being developed, current status and results, and the future of these options.
In treating glaucoma, educating the patient about their disease is a crucial step. In addition to finding an appropriate treatment plan, it’s important for the patient to understand the nature of their disease. Two specialists discussed how they help patients understand glaucoma and how testing and treatments options play in.
Prioritizing patient counseling is essential for ophthalmic private practices to thrive in today's competitive market. By investing in a dedicated patient counselor or refractive coordinator, practices can ensure that potential patients receive the necessary information and support to make informed decisions about their eyecare.
ASCRS Government Relations Committee Chair Parag Parekh, MD, MPA, highlighted the importance of grassroots and advocacy efforts and why the ASCRS political action committee, eyePAC, needs support to fight for doctors and the profession.
“In this issue, we look back on tried methodologies that are experiencing rapid growth and innovation, diving into the areas of corneal crosslinking, refractive lens exchange, and—you may have guessed it—artificial intelligence (AI),” said Karolinne Rocha, MD, PhD, in her introduction to the Refractive section.