A quick, painless eye measurement shows promise as a way to diagnose multiple sclerosis in its very early stages, and to track the effectiveness of treatments, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a multicenter study. The technique, called optical coherence tomography (OCT), reliably measures thinning of the retina in people with multiple sclerosis. The researchers found that the retinas thinned significantly with time, and patients often concurrently lost visual sharpness.

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Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has confirmed that its partner, R-Tech Ueno, Ltd. (”RTU”) has reported the results of its recently completed phase 2 clinical trial of UF-021 in retinitis pigmentosa patients. The results showed improvement in visual function dose-dependently in both visual field test and subjective findings. Furthermore, although there was an irritation upon instillation, there were no severe adverse effects.

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Free glaucoma screenings are being offered at some Iowa eye clinics this week as part of National Glaucoma Month. Glaucoma is a disorder that damages optic nerves and, left untreated, can result in blindness. Dr Beth Triebul, an optometrist in Urbandale, says it’s important to have your eyes checked. This become especially critical for people who have a family history of glaucoma are at a higher risk of getting it themselves. Also, if you are over 65 years old or have diabetes, you may be at a higher risk of having it.

Toric soft contact lens design affects lens stability and visual acuity, particularly during abnormal gaze movements, according to a new study. The research, which compared the effect of gaze direction and posture on toric lens orientation and visual acuity of contact lenses using either an Accelerated Stabilization Design or Prism Ballast Design, is published in the current issue of Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, the official journal of the British Contact Lens Association.

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Bausch & Lomb announced that it is launching the Crystalens(R) AO, the first aberration-free accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) with aspheric optics, to cataract surgeons worldwide. The announcement follows the recent FDA approval of this newest Bausch & Lomb surgical product. The Crystalens AO, combined with the successful Crystalens HD and the Crystalens Five-0, will further establish Crystalens as the market leader in the premium IOL market.

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Newly published results from the European Optic Disc Assessment Trial (EODAT) conducted at The Rotterdam Eye Hospital reveal the accuracy of glaucoma diagnosis can be improved when patients’ optic discs are assessed using common imaging devices, and suggests that post-graduate training courses in optic disc assessment would improve glaucoma care. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Approximately 50% of all glaucoma cases remain undiagnosed.

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Diabetics may soon be able to wear contact lenses that continuously alert them to variations in their glucose levels by changing colours – replacing the need to routinely draw blood throughout the day. The non-invasive technology, developed by The University of Western Ontario, uses extremely small nanoparticles embedded into the hydrogel lenses. These engineered nanoparticles react with glucose molecules found in tears, causing a chemical reaction that changes their colour.

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One-month-old babies with serious eye conditions are being prescribed contact lenses. Infants are given contact lenses if they have cataract surgery, need extremely high-strength prescription glasses, or have very different prescriptions for the two eyes. The Kenya Union of the Blind is working in conjunction with Computer Aid International, to supply visually-impaired Kenyan schoolchildren with technological aid in the classroom.

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Johnson and Johnson has highlighted the results of a recent study into the use of contact lenses. The report found that using contact lenses for longer than prescribed can lead to extreme wear. This stretching of the lens could result in undesirable clinical effects. Overall, 36 per cent of lens wearers prescribed for monthly replacement said that they replaced their lenses as advised, but 55 per cent replaced them at five weeks.

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Femtosecond laser sub-Bowman’s keratomileusis and LASEK safely and effectively corrected myopia, according to a study. However, femtosecond laser sub-Bowman’s keratomileusis yielded somewhat better visual and refractive outcomes at 3 months after surgery. A total of 1,072 eyes were treated with femtosecond SBK and 1,036 eyes received LASEK with or without mitomycin C. SBK patients had a mean age of 31.03 years; LASEK patients had a mean age of 30.5 years.