Abbott Receives U.S. FDA Approval For New Cataract Multifocal Intraocular Lens
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the TECNIS® Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia. Intraocular lenses are implanted in a patient's eye after the removal of the natural lens that has become clouded by a cataract... (Source: Medical Devices News From Medical News Today)...
POSTED 03/11/2010 at 04:00 AM --
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Hormone replacement therapy now linked to cataracts
(NaturalNews) For decades, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was pushed by the medical establishment as a kind of youth elixir that offered all sorts of remarkable benefits. Take the hormones Big Pharma concocts from pregnant horses' urine and chemicals and middle-aged and older women would supposedly have better sex lives, fewer wrinkles, protection from heart attacks and no more hot flashes. Only, it was all a huge myth. In fact, as the years passed and rates of breast cancer soared in women who took HRT, the truth began to be revealed. HRT didn't protect health at all. In fact, it caused breast and ovarian cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/027617_HRT_drugs_ovarian_cancer.html), upped heart attack risk and was even linked to brain shrinkage (http://www.naturalnews.com/025371_women_brain......
POSTED 03/11/2010 at 01:00 AM --
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Cataract Surgery Among Veterans 65 Years of Age and Older: Analysis of National Veterans Health Administration Databases
The authors examine the rates of cataract surgery as a crude measure of appropriateness of care among veterans 65 years of age and older who use Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Data were obtained from the national VHA data sets for fiscal years 2000 through 2007, using International Classification of Diseases codes and the American Medical Association’s Current Procedural Terminology codes. Cataract surgery was expressed as procedures per 10 000 veteran beneficiaries per fiscal year. The annual incidence of cataract surgery increased marginally over the study period with an average annual incidence of 105.8 surgeries per 10 000 beneficiaries. Institutional rates of VHA surgery differ substantially from those of Medicare beneficiaries, which are approximately 5.5-fold greater. A......
POSTED 03/10/2010 at 05:43 PM --
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Anti-depressants and cataracts
Some anti-depressant drugs are linked to an increased chance of developing cataracts, as per a new statistical study by scientists at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and McGill University. The study, based on a database of more than 200,000 Quebec residents aged 65 and older, showed statistical relationships between a diagnosis of cataracts or cataract surgery and the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), as well as between cataracts and specific drugs within that class........ (Source: Medicineworld.org: New Article Alert)...
POSTED 03/09/2010 at 08:04 AM --
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Phacoemulsification vs Phacotrabeculectomy in Chronic Angle-closure Glaucoma With Cataract Complications [Clinical Sciences]
Conclusions Combined phacotrabeculectomy resulted in significantly more surgical complications than phacoemulsification alone in CACG eyes with coexisting cataract. There was no difference in visual acuity or disease progression between the 2 treatment groups. (Source: Archives of Opthalmology)...
POSTED 03/08/2010 at 02:50 PM --
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Antidepressants May Increase Risk of Cataracts
This study is the first to identify a statistical link between these antidepressants and cataracts in humans, although previous animal studies had shown that SSRIs could increase cataract risk.
The authors note that this study does not prove causation, only that there is a statistical link between the two. They further note that the study was unable to account for smoking - which is a known risk factor for cataracts - and additional studies are needed to confirm their findings.
The authors do not believe that this study should be cause for concern. "When you look at the trade-off of these drugs," said lead author Dr. Mahyar Etminan, "the benefits of treating depression - which can be life-threatening - still outweigh the risk of developing cataracts, which are treatable and relatively be......
POSTED 03/08/2010 at 05:22 AM --
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Does HRT use raise women's cataract risk?
An eight-year prospective study of more than 30,000 postmenopausal Swedish women found that those who were using or had used HRT had significantly higher rates of cataract removal, compared with women who had never used HRT. Alcohol consumption seemed to increase HRT's harmful effect. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)...
POSTED 03/02/2010 at 07:00 AM --
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Women's Hormone Replacement Therapy Linked To Cataracts; Smoking May Raise Uveitis Risk
Intriguing findings on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cataract risk, and on smoking and uveitis risk are reported in this month's Ophthalmology,the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Does HRT Use Raise Women's Cataract Risk? An eight-year prospective study of more than 30,000 postmenopausal Swedish women found that those who were using or had used HRT had significantly higher rates of cataract removal compared with women who had never used HRT. Alcohol consumption seemed to increase HRT's harmful effect. The HRT study was led by Birgitta E... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)...
POSTED 03/02/2010 at 03:00 AM --
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Understanding why patients with cataract refuse free surgery: the influence of rumours in Kenya
Conclusion In Africa, a rumour of blinding eye surgery is not uncommonly being used by patients to justify their refusal to have cataract surgery. Underlying reasons appear to be related to shame, fear of surgery or missing social support. Improved awareness of the general population regarding eye conditions and their management, involvement of the family and local community in decision making, good surgical outcomes and appropriate counselling are possible methods to enhance acceptance. (Source: Tropical Medicine and International Health)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Negative dysphotopsia following cataract surgery
There are two kinds of light—the glow that illuminates and the glare that obscures.James Thurber One of the most vexing symptoms that can affect patients following modern cataract surgery is dysphotopsia. This photic phenomenon, which occurs in pseudophakic patients, has many different forms. So-called positive dysphotopsia is usually noted as phenomena such as light rings, arcs, streaks, flashes, and halos that may interfere with vision. These images are noted near the central axis of vision and can be induced by peripheral light sources. Positive dysphotopsia is usually related to bright artifacts of light on the retina. Tester et al. used the term dysphotopsia to describe the visual phenomena encountered by phakic and pseudophakic patients, including flashes of light, glare, and lig......
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Scleral fixation of intraocular lenses combined with penetrating keratoplasty
I describe a technique for transscleral fixation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) combined with penetrating keratoplasty. Partial-thickness trephination of the cornea is followed by full-thickness penetration of the anterior chamber at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock through 5.5 and 2.0mm incisions, respectively. Scleral fixation of a PC IOL is performed through the incisions under a closed chamber followed by replacement of the diseased graft with a donor button. The results in 5 eyes of 5 patients with aphakic bullous keratopathy and lack of capsule support are reported.Financial Disclosure: The author has no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Hydroimplantation: Foldable intraocular lens implantation without an ophthalmic viscosurgical device
I describe a technique for implantation of a 1-piece acrylic foldable intraocular lens (IOL) using an irrigation cannula of the phaco machine without using an ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD). The irrigating cannula introduced through a side port provides excellent stability and positioning to the eye; if required, the cannula tip is used to guide the leading haptic of the IOL into the capsular bag. The fluid coming from the side port via a bimanual irrigation cannula maintains adequate formation of the capsular bag and anterior chamber while the foldable IOL is inserted. The hydroimplantation technique has the advantage of increased efficiency, reduced surgical time and cost, no need for OVD removal from behind the IOL or for additional instrumentation, no OVD-induced intraocular pr......
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Color discrimination by patients with different types of light-filtering intraocular lenses
Conclusions: Filtering blue lights under mesopic conditions seemed to modify color discrimination in the green-to-blue bands postoperatively. The modification did not disturb overall color discrimination or cause subjective discomfort.Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Optical aberrations in professional baseball players
Conclusions: Professional baseball players have small higher-order optical aberrations when tested with naturally dilated pupils. No clinically significant differences were found between the 2 aberrometers. Statistically significant differences in trefoil were found between the players and the control population; however, the difference was clinically insignificant. It seems as though the visual system of professional baseball players is limited by lower-order aberrations and that the smaller HOAs do not enhance visual function over that in a control population.Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Oral acetaminophen (paracetamol) for additional analgesia in phacoemulsification cataract surgery performed using topical anesthesia: Randomized double-masked placebo-controlled trial
Purpose: To evaluate the clinical analgesic efficacy of 1.0 g oral acetaminophen (paracetamol) given in addition to topical anesthesia before phacoemulsification cataract surgery.Setting: Inpatient and outpatient ophthalmology clinics, Bydgoszcz, Poland.Methods: Consecutive patients with age-related cataract having phacoemulsification under topical anesthesia (tetracaine 0.5%) were enrolled in a prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned to preoperative oral administration of a placebo medication or to oral administration of 1.0 g acetaminophen. The main outcome measure was intensity of pain during and after surgery. Pain intensity was measured using a 10 cm baseline visual analog scale and a discrete 5-category verbal rating scale.Results......
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Phacoemulsification versus phacoemulsification with micro-bypass stent implantation in primary open-angle glaucoma: Randomized double-masked clinical trial
Conclusions: Phacoemulsification with stent implantation was more effective in controlling IOP than phacoemulsification alone; the safety profiles were similar.Financial Disclosure: The author has no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Intraocular lens exchange in patients with negative dysphotopsia symptoms
Conclusions: The iris–optic distance was not statistically significantly different between eyes with severe negative dysphotopsia symptoms and nonsymptomatic eyes. However, when IOL exchange reduced the iris–IOL distance, the severe negative dysphotopsia symptoms resolved.Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Repeatability of corneal power and wavefront aberration measurements with a dual-Scheimpflug Placido corneal topographer
Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of the Galilei dual-Scheimpflug analyzer in measuring corneal curvature, wavefront aberrations, pachymetry, and anterior chamber depth (ACD).Setting: Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.Methods: Three consecutive measurements were performed in 1 eye of each subject. The following were evaluated: (1) mean total corneal power at the central, paracentral, and peripheral zones (0.0 to 4.0 mm, 4.0 to 7.0 mm, and 7.0 to 8.0 mm, respectively) and posterior corneal power (Kavg); (2) corneal higher-order wavefront aberrations (6.0 mm pupil); (3) mean pachymetry at the central, paracentral, and peripheral zones; and (4) ACD. Repeatability was assessed by calculating the within-subject standard deviation (SD), coefficient of var......
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Manual limbal markings versus iris-registration software for correction of myopic astigmatism by laser in situ keratomileusis
Conclusion: Manual limbal markings and iris-registration software were equally effective and safe in LASIK for myopic astigmatism, showing that checking cyclotorsion by manual limbal markings is a safe alternative when automated systems are not available.Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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Visual acuity and higher-order aberrations with wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized laser in situ keratomileusis
Conclusions: Wavefront-guided LASIK and wavefront-optimized LASIK produced equivalent visual outcomes and no differences in HOAs. Wavefront-guided treatment could not be performed in many eyes because of difficulties during wavefront measurement.Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Additional disclosures are found in the footnotes. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)...
POSTED 02/28/2010 at 06:00 PM --
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