EW Weekly, March 22, 2019
- COMPARE glaucoma devices study reports 24-month results
- Long-term IOP reduction seen with OMNI Surgical System Predicate Device
- Phase 2 trial starts for AR-1105 for macular edema with retinal vein occlusion
- Phase 2 study for diabetic retinopathy therapy fails to meet endpoints
- Therapy for AMD is focus of collaboration between two companies
- Alcon acquires PowerVision
- Acucela to develop compact OCT for NASA missions
- Register now: FDA and ophthalmic community workshop on laser-based imaging
COMPARE glaucoma devices study reports 24-month results
Long-term IOP reduction seen with OMNI Surgical System Predicate Device
Phase 2 trial starts for AR-1105 for macular edema with retinal vein occlusion
Phase 2 study for diabetic retinopathy therapy fails to meet endpoints
Therapy for AMD is focus of collaboration between two companies
Acucela to develop compact OCT for NASA missions
Register now: FDA and ophthalmic community workshop on laser-based imaging
Research briefs
- Significantly lower vitreous humor levels of Alzheimer's disease-related biomarkers were seen in patients with poor cognitive function, reported Lauren Wright and coresearchers in their prospective, single-center, multi-surgeon cohort study. Researchers focused on levels of biomarkers amyloid beta and tau protein content in human vitreous and its correlation to neurocognition in 80 eyes. Linear regression was used to examine the association between Alzheimer's biomarker levels, the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), and serum apolipoprotein E allele status, with adjustments for age, sex, and education level. Lower MMSE scores had a significant association with lower levels of vitreous amyloid beta40, amyloid beta42, and tTau protein. The biomarkers were not associated with any preexisting eye conditions. To the researchers' knowledge, their work is the first to correlate cognition with Alzheimer's disease-related proteins in the vitreous humor and suggests that ocular proteins may have a role for early dementia detection in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's. The study appears in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
- When comparing three LASIK femtosecond laser platforms in an ex vivo experimental animal study, Gema Bolivar, MD, and coresearchers found that the iFS (Johnson & Johnson Vision) and Victus (Bausch + Lomb) femtosecond systems induced higher IOP increases and required longer surgical times to cut a LASIK flap than the LenSx (Alcon). The IOPs of the 21 porcine eyes in the study were recorded during placement of the suction ring on the eye and during the intrastromal laser application for flap creation. During suctioning, the mean IOP increase was significantly higher (P=0.0001) with the iFS (78.14 mm Hg) than the Victus (20.28 mm Hg). Because the LenSx performs suctioning and applanation phases at the same time, it was not possible to get results from the suctioning phase alone. During the cutting phase, IOP elevation was significantly lower (P=0.0001) with the LenSx (20 mm Hg) compared with the iFS (108.1 mm Hg) and Victus (96.4 mm Hg). The surgical time was significantly lower with the LenSx (17.21 seconds) compared with iFS (25.10 seconds) and Victus (33.40 seconds). The research is published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
- A study led by Mingguang He, PhD, focused on the efficacy and safety of laser peripheral iridotomy prophylaxis against primary angle closure in Chinese patients classified as primary angle closure suspects. The randomized controlled trial included 889 individuals (889 treated and 889 untreated eyes) that received laser peripheral iridotomy in the treated eye. The primary outcome was incident primary angle closure disease. Incidence of primary angle closure disease was 4.19 per 1,000 eye-years in treated eyes compared with 7.97 per 1,000 eye-years in untreated eyes. In 19 treated eyes and 36 untreated eyes, a primary outcome event occurred. Laser peripheral iridotomy made a modest but significant prophylactic effect, the researchers concluded. However, the benefit of prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy is limited, so prophylactic use is not recommended. The study appears in The Lancet.
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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