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Ophthalmologist addresses European Parliament

Published January 2nd, 2009 by Jane Macnaughton.

Professor Gerd U. Auffarth petitions the European Parliament for the introduction of co- pay schemes for cataract patients in the EU

Modern medical device technology is necessary to maintain the health and the quality of life of our patients. It is also a fundamental pillar of our healthcare system and a major factor in Europe’s science-based economy.

The value of medical devices

The medical device industry is extremely innovative with approximately €3.7 billion invested in research and development to release almost 500,000 new products each year. The current lifespan of a medical device averages 18 months before it is substituted by a new version or a completely new device. This continuous progress comes at a reasonable price; only 7% of all healthcare budgets are allotted to medical supplies. Therefore, medical device technology is not only a major contributor to the maintenance and restoration of individual health and quality of life but it is also one of the most cost-effective sectors in modern healthcare.

In the complex environment of ever more strictly regulated healthcare systems, the industry faces a fundamental challenge: to provide the doctor as well as the patient access to safe, reliable and innovative products that are highly cost-effective. But this access is often restricted, at least in Europe.

An international event, MedTech Forum 2008, which took place in Brussels, Belgium, from 13-16 October, gave scientists, physicians, spokespersons of the medical device industry and patients a rare opportunity to address the European Parliament. The aim was to demonstrate and emphasize the benefits of modern medical equipment in lively discussions with the parliamentarians during an academic session focusing on “Medical Device Technology: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.

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December 08 CET C10509

Published December 31st, 2008 by Jane Macnaughton.

CET C10509 Visual Recognition and Interpretation of Clinical Signs - External and Anterior Ocular Disease. 

This online VRICS quiz, developed by Bill Harvey, consists of a series of high resolution images of external and anterior ocular conditions. This presentation encourages the practitioner to discuss with peers or use other means of investigation available to interpret the pictures and come to a conclusion on diagnosis or onward management.
To receive your CET points for this article, complete the Multiple Choice Questions. A pass mark of 66% (8 out of 12 correct answers) must be achieved. Only one attempt is allowed.

The deadline for responses is 14th December 2009

Learning Objectives

The aim of this quiz is to:

• Differential diagnosis and onward management of external and anterior ocular eye disease.
• Differential Diagnosis onward management of common lid and anterior abnormalities.
   

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Retinal imaging breakthrough

Published December 30th, 2008 by David.

Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging (TEFI) offers a rapid, comprehensive and non-invasive method of monitoring retinal disease progression, according to a study published in the December issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

David Copland, BSc, MSc of the academic unit of ophthalmology at the University of Bristol, UK and colleagues induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), a standard preclinical model for posterior uveitis, in mouse models and then monitored the disease progression (from baseline to day 63) with TEFI, a technique developed by Michel Pâques of the University of Liège, Belgium.

TEFI was able to provide images detailed enough to pinpoint EAU disease hallmarks: the extent of disease progression was confirmed by histological assessment and flow cytometry. The level of retinal leukocyte infiltrates shown by TEFI was significant before the disease manifested clinically; fulminant events and cell infiltrates were shown to resolve more rapidly than was demonstrated by histologic examination. Moreover, TEFI demonstrated that the number and appearance of the infiltrating leukocytes did not return to the levels that had been experienced before disease onset.

The researchers concluded that TEFI was able to provide a precise, rapid and non-invasive method of monitoring retinal disease progression, but recommended that it be used in conjunction with, rather than as a replacement for, current monitoring techniques and cell population analysis.

For More information: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2008/6045.html

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Blindness risk double in men

Published December 29th, 2008 by David.

Despite the higher rate of prevalence in women, it is men who are more likely to suffer severe vision loss as a result of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), according to study results published online ahead of print by Neurology.

Beau B. Bruce, MD of Emory University, Atlanta, US and colleagues conducted a medical record review of IIH patients (n=721) in three hospitals. Subjects, who underwent neuro-ophthalmologic testing, were segregated for gender (male, n=66; female, n=655) and a statistical comparison was undertaken.

The men included in the study were older and more likely to suffer from sleep apnoea than the women: 37 vs 28 years and 24% vs 4%, respectively. As a first symptom of IIH, men tended to report visual disturbance and women, headaches. At the final follow-up point, mean visual acuity was worse for men than for women. After logistical regression analysis, the researchers determined that the 2.1 times increased chance of men developing severe visual loss when compared with women was correlated to sex.

The team therefore concluded that men are more than twice as likely to sustain severe vision loss, to the extent of being declared legally blind, than women, which may be related to the differences in the symptom profile presented by the different genders.

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Post LASIK cataract surgery woes

Published December 26th, 2008 by David.

The difficulty of accurate IOL power calculation in postLASIK eyes is an issue being faced
increasingly by cataract surgeons. Jack T. Holladay, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US offered several tips for achieving better refractive outcomes in this growing population of eyes.

With accurate biometry being a critical factor to achieving precise IOL power calculations, Dr Holladay said that a proprietary diagnostic system (IOLMaster, Carl Zeiss Meditec) should be considered the gold standard for axial length measurement. He also advocated selecting an IOL power calculation formula that includes horizontal corneal diameter for predicting the effective lens position.

Accurate keratometry is the most important problem faced in postLASIK eyes, and it may be best achieved using a tomographer that, in contrast to conventional keratometry and topography, measures the central power (rather than paracentral) and both the front and back surfaces of the cornea (versus front only). Dr Holladay also recommended that all surgeons use a personalized lens constant that will reflect their surgical technique and target mild myopia as the refractive outcome, since aiming for emmetropia leaves a 50:50 chance of a hyperopic result.

Despite these precautions, a secondary procedure to refine results may nevertheless be required, Dr Holladay concluded.

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