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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LenSx Lasers has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its LenSx femtosecond laser. The approval marks the first time a femtosecond platform has been cleared by the FDA for performing anterior capsulotomy during cataract surgery. Preliminary clinical evaluation demonstrated the ability of the laser platform to produce capsulotomies with diameters that were significantly more uniform and reproducible than manually created capsulorrhexes.

ISTA Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced the preliminary analysis of a late-stage trial in Xibrom QD. Xibrom is a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound for the treatment of ocular inflammation and pain following cataract surgery. The result shows to have achieved statistical significance in meeting the primary efficacy endpoint of absence of ocular inflammation 15 days following surgery. The company recently completed Phase III clinical program of Xibrom QD. The program enrolled 282 patients who underwent cataract surgery in two U.S. multi-center, parallel-group, vehicle-controlled studies to evaluate Xibrom 0.09% dosed once daily to vehicle (placebo).

American eye care products developer Alcon laboratories has designed a new lens called Acry Sof Natural Lens, which, it claims to be a better replacement lens. Patients who undergo cataract surgery often complain of the replacement lens being like a pair of heavy-duty sunglasses. The new lens from Alcon promises to filter out rays that can be dangerous. The existing lenses block only UV rays from reaching to the eye. Acry Sof claims to blocks blue light too. But, there is no difference in the costs of the conventional lenses.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Buffalo has issued a subpoena to the Ista Pharmaceuticals Inc. requesting it to produce documents regarding an anti-inflammatory drug. The drug in question is Xibrom, used in treatment of inflammatory infections of the eye after cataract surgery. The company has said in a statement that it will be cooperating with the request, though it did not specify the reason for such a request.