EW Weekly, November 22, 2019

- Aerie acquires Avizorex Pharma
- FDA approves MiSight contact lens to slow myopic progression in children
- European Commission approves Rhokiinsa
- Second pivotal clinical trial of Zimura in geographic atrophy initiated
- Study: Deep learning algorithm detects referable glaucoma
- ELT Sight acquires MLase AG Excimer Laser System assets and IP
- Submit your nomination for the inaugural ASCRS Educator Award
- Medical residents were able to safely and efficaciously perform Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device (Johnson & Johnson Vision) implantation, reported Adam Rothman, MD, in a retrospective study. Researchers reviewed Baerveldt implantation and up to 1 year of postop management in a resident-run clinic. Failure was defined as two consecutive visits starting at postop month 3 with an IOP of 5 mm Hg or less, an IOP greater than 21 mm Hg, or less than a 20% IOP reduction from baseline. Other indicators of failure included reoperation for glaucoma or loss of light perception. Among the 48 eyes in the study, the mean IOP at baseline was 23.1 mm Hg; the mean number of medications was 3.7. The mean postop IOP was 20.5 mm Hg, 14.3 mm Hg, 16.7 mm Hg, and 13.0 mm Hg at postop day 1, postop week 1, and postop months 1 and 12, respectively. The mean number of medications decreased to 2.8 by month 12. Seventeen percent of patients failed on the implant, at a mean of 9.2 months. No patients had additional glaucoma surgical interventions or lost light perception. The study is published in the Journal of Glaucoma.
- When comparing preservative-containing and preservative-free prostaglandin analogue formulations on the ocular surface, Jun Young Ha and coresearchers found that preservative-containing formulations led to more ocular discomfort, a poorer ocular surface, and more severe meibomian gland loss compared with the preservative-free formulations. Their retrospective study included 80 treatment-naïve patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and 40 healthy controls. The OAG patients were randomized into groups to use their respective formulation for 12 months. At baseline, patients in both groups had similar ocular surface and meibomian gland parameters. At the 12-month visit, the preservative-containing prostaglandin group showed more severe Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, shorter tear film breakup time, greater ocular surface staining, and worse meibomian gland parameters. The preservative-free group had worse meiboscores, meibum scores, and severe ocular surface staining scores compared with the control group (all P<0.05). Although both types of prostaglandins led to meibomian gland damage, preservative-free formulations are advisable in patients with preexisting or concomitant ocular surface disease or meibomian gland disease, the researchers concluded. The study is published in Chonnam Medical Journal.
- A prospective, cross-sectional study of patient-reported, long-term quality of vision after SMILE identified some of the factors associated with a higher risk for visual disturbances, Valerie Schmelter, MD, and coresearchers reported. The researchers used a clinically validated, 30-item instrument to obtain a quality of vision score related to symptom frequency, severity, and bothersome. Patient subgroups were stratified by baseline characteristics, such as age and treatment parameters, along with refractive outcomes and visual outcomes. A total of 394 eyes were included from 197 patients. The quality of vision scores for symptom frequency, severity, and bothersome were 34.63, 29.60, and 24.56, respectively. Worse quality of vision scores were associated with patients who had a preop binocular corrected distance visual acuity of 20/12.5 or better, lost a line or more of uncorrected distance visual acuity compared with preop corrected distance visual acuity, were over age 40, and those who had inadvertent anisometropia of more than 0.375 D. These prognostic factors should be discussed in advance with patients seeking SMILE procedures, the researchers concluded. The study is published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.
This issue of EyeWorld Weekly was edited by Stacy Jablonski and Vanessa Caceres.
EyeWorld Weekly (ISSN 1089-0319), a digital publication of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), 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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