EW Weekly, March 15, 2019
- Roclatan approved for IOP reduction in patients with open angle glaucoma
- DEXYCU launched commercially for postop inflammation
- Two large Phase 3 studies initiated in wet AMD for faricimab
- Special hydrogel contact lens could help treat corneal melting
- Study: Association found between dry eye disease and migraines
- First patient dosing for Usher syndrome type 2 completed in Phase 1/2 STELLAR trial
Roclatan approved for IOP reduction in patients with open angle glaucoma
DEXYCU launched commercially for postop inflammation
Two large Phase 3 studies initiated in wet AMD for faricimab
Special hydrogel contact lens could help treat corneal melting
Study: Association found between dry eye disease and migraines
First patient dosing for Usher syndrome type 2 completed in Phase 1/2 STELLAR trial
Research briefs
- Among participants in a cross-sectional study, those with Alzheimer's disease had significantly reduced macular vessel density, perfusion density, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness compared with those who had mild cognitive impairment and cognitively intact controls, reported Stephen Yoon, BS, and coresearchers. Their study included 70 eyes from 39 participants with Alzheimer's disease, 72 eyes from 37 participants with mild cognitive impairment, and 254 eyes from 133 control participants. All participants were imaged with the CIRRUS HD-500 with AngioPlex (Carl Zeiss Meditec) and had a cognitive evaluation with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Changes in the retinal microvasculature may mirror small vessel cerebrovascular changes in Alzheimer's, the researchers concluded. The study is published in Ophthalmology Retina.
- Patients with exfoliation syndrome may have a higher risk for a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with others, reported Samuel Taylor, BS, and coresearchers in their case-case and case-control comparison. Their research focused on 2,943 patients with exfoliation syndrome, 20,589 patients with COPD, and 162 patients with both disorders, all of whom were identified from Utah Population Database-linked medical records. Researchers selected and matched controls by sex and birth year to patients in a 5:1 ratio. The risk of a COPD diagnosis was increased in those with exfoliation syndrome, especially in tobacco users. Patients with COPD and controls with no COPD did not differ in their risk for an exfoliation syndrome diagnosis. Patients with COPD and exfoliation syndrome had a significantly better survival rate than patients with COPD and no exfoliation syndrome history. The study is published in Ophthalmology Glaucoma.
- In a retrospective, interventional case series, Descemet's membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) gave patients with a glaucoma drainage device acceptable clinical outcomes, reported Rénuka Birbaland coresearchers. However, a glaucoma drainage device may lower graft survival times and may pose a risk for more frequent regrafting, they added. The study focused on the clinical outcomes of 23 DMEK procedures for bullous keratopathy (52%), failed previous transplant (39%), or Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (9%) in 20 eyes (19 patients). All eyes had a glaucoma drainage device. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), endothelial cell density, postop complications, and graft survival were the main outcome measures. There was an 89% cumulative graft success rate at 1 year postop. Also at 1 year, the BCVA improved to 2 or more Snellen lines in 73% of eyes and remained stable in 27%. The donor endothelial cell density lowered by 37%, 60%, and 71% at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Complications at up to 2 years postop included pupillary block in one eye, visually significant graft detachment that required rebubbling in five eyes, allograft rejection in two eyes, secondary graft failure in two eyes, and cataract in one of three phakic eyes. Two eyes required rekeratoplasty. The study is published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
- Mechanical and transepithelial PRK with a large optical zone provided effective and safe outcomes to correct low myopia without differences in visual acuity and refractive outcomes between procedures, reported Ikhyun Jun, MD, and coresearchers. Their retrospective, comparative case series focused on outcomes, vector parameters, and aberrations between mechanical PRK and transepithelial PRK in eyes with low myopia. There was a total of 84 eyes (84 patients) with myopia of 2 D or less who were treated with mechanical (41 eyes) or transepithelial (43 eyes) PRK, with application of a large optical zone. There was a comparable mean uncorrected distance visual acuity of -0.12 D and -0.15 D for the mechanical and transepithelial PRK groups, respectively, at 6 months. Safety and efficacy indices, vector parameters, and aberrometric values also were comparable. Corneal total root mean square higher order aberrations and coma were significantly lower after treatment in both groups. Spherical aberrations significantly lowered after transepithelial PRK. The research appears in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
- The IS-100 Ophthalmic Unit (Topcon Medical Systems) was launched to the export market. It will replace the existing IS-600N model, which has been discontinued.
- Carl Zeiss Meditec received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. FDA for the CIRRUS HD-OCT platform, which expands the capabilities of its Anterior Segment Premier Module to include epithelial thickness mapping.
This issue of EyeWorld Weekly Update was edited by Amy Goldenberg and Vanessa Caceres.
EyeWorld Weekly Update (ISSN 1089-0319), a digital publication of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators, is published every Friday, distributed by email, and posted live on Friday.
Medical Editors: Eric Donnenfeld, MD, chief medical editor; Rosa Braga-Mele, MD, cataract editor; Clara Chan, MD, cornea editor; Nathan Radcliffe, MD, glaucoma editor; and Vance Thompson, MD, refractive editor.
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