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Dan Ignaszewski, executive director of the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, provides insight into the new campaign and how to get involved.

The #SeeWhatMatters campaign and the importance of ocular research

Articles

Findings from the retrospective, observational study support the potential anti-inflammatory benefits of the drug class.

GLP-1RAs associated with reduction in uveitis development risk in new study

Calista Ming, OD, FAAO, FSLS, provides 3 cases of how to fit specialty lenses at the right time for patients.

First, next, last: Timing of specialty lenses  for patients with keratoconus

Outlook Therapeutics seeks FDA clarity on ONS-5010 after a complete response letter, aiming to address efficacy concerns for wet AMD treatment.

Outlook Therapeutics requests Type A meeting with FDA following second CRL for ONS-5010

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Ophthalmic surgical device firm New World Medical has recently announced the launch of the Ahmed ClearPath® ST, a nonvalved glaucoma drainage device.

 The new device is an addition to the Ahmed ClearPath family of valveless drainage devices, also available in Model 250 and Model 350, which are used during glaucoma shunt surgery with and without a patch graft, according to a news release.

“New World Medical is committed to continuous innovation,” said Raymond Kong, chief commercial officer at New World Medical, in the release. “The Ahmed ClearPathST marks another milestone in our mission to deliver innovative solutions that empower surgeons and improve the lives of patients globally.”

The company stated that the distinguishing feature of the new Ahmed ClearPath is its smaller tube lumen, which includes a prethreaded 6-0 Prolene ripcord suture and a 25-gauge needle for the scleral tunneling. The brand family offers 2 plate sizes (250 mm

) and 2 tube sizes, which can be mixed and matched with 4 different final options. The Ahmed ClearPath’s tube has an inner diameter of 305 μm with an outer diameter of 635 μm, whereas the new ClearPath ST offers a smaller profile tube of 127 μm and a 457-μm outer diameter. This smaller option allows for more flexibility for surgeons to accommodate different patient needs and surgical preferences, according to New World Medical.

“The Ahmed ClearPath ST represents a significant step forward, allowing glaucoma specialists to overcome long-standing limitations associated with traditional tube shunts. The smaller diameter tube enables excellent pressure control with the potential for enhanced safety and improved postoperative management and personalization of treatment,” said Manjool Shah, MD, of Michigan Medicine, in the release.

The Ahmed ClearPath ST is available in both the 250 and 350 models; the 250 model allows for a true single-quadrant implantation and avoids rectus muscle isolation, while the 350 model sports a winged design to avoid rectus muscle attachment points. The device’s anterior fixation eyelets are designed for easier suture access and a more posterior plate placement. The glob-shaped implant allows for a more natural fit and provides a low-lying, diffuse bleb.

New World Medical has also celebrated the launch of several other surgical devices this year, including the VIA360™ Surgical System and enhanced STREAMLINE Surgical System that features a clear tip.

 STREAMLINE allows for an implant-free procedure and features a priming port to load viscoelastic and an actuator button for ClickPulse Technology initiation.

 This technology creates precise goniotomies in the trabecular meshwork and delivers small amounts of ophthalmic viscosurgical device into the canal of Schlemm.

 VIA360 features a catheter with microchannels that reach forward and tangential to target areas, with up to 360-degree catheterization. The device is single entry, with no device rotation required.

New World Medical introduces the Ahmed ClearPath ST glaucoma drainage device. News release. New World Medical. September 2, 2025. Accessed September 2, 2025.

Product Information. New World Medical. Accessed September 2, 2025. 

https://www.newworldmedical.com/product-information/

New World Medical announces launch details for the STREAMLINE Surgical System. News release. New World Medical. March 1, 2022. Accessed September 2, 2025. 

https://www.newworldmedical.com/new-world-medical-announces-launch-details-for-the-streamline-surgical-system/

The company stated that the distinguishing feature of the new Ahmed ClearPath ST is its smaller tube lumen.

New World Medical launches new nonvalved glaucoma drainage device

Naureen Haroon, OD, MPH, FAAO, founder of the newly formed WHSIG, said the group's primary aim is to educate the optometric community about why certain eye conditions disproportionately affect women.

AAOpt 2025: The Women's Health Special Interest Group to take the stage

Naureen Haroon, OD, MPH, FAAO, founder of the newly formed Women's Health Special Interest Group (WHSIG) for the American Academy of Optometry (AAOpt), discusses her initiative to bring greater focus to women's health issues within eye care. The group's primary aim is to educate the optometric community about why certain eye conditions disproportionately affect women, moving beyond simply acknowledging that women are more likely to experience these conditions to providing comprehensive explanations of the underlying causes. 

Haroon emphasizes that although optometry has always recognized gender differences in eye health, the field lacks the dedicated focus found in other health care sectors like physical therapy. She points out that women experience continuous hormonal changes throughout their lives - from puberty through pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause - which directly impact their eye health. These hormonal fluctuations make women more susceptible to conditions like dry eye and autoimmune diseases, yet practitioners often don't fully explain the biological mechanisms behind these occurrences. 

The WHSIG formation process was straightforward through the AAOpt's existing framework for special interest groups. Haroon's decision to create this group stemmed from her extensive research and writing on women's health topics, recognizing a pattern in her work that warranted dedicated attention. The group aims to fill several educational gaps: providing a deeper understanding of why conditions occur more frequently in women, educating all optometrists (regardless of gender) about the complete cycle of hormonal changes women experience, and explaining the biological markers that contribute to these differences. With over 80 members already, the WHSIG has exceeded expectations. Future goals include conducting research, particularly focusing on pregnancy and postpartum periods, organizing educational events, and encouraging practitioners to write articles on women's health topics. 

The group will participate in a joint symposium on human trafficking at the upcoming American Academy meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, from October 8 to 11, 2025, demonstrating the diverse perspectives within women's health advocacy in eye care.

Conference

Long after most faculty and students had gone home, a solitary light would shine late into the night in the president’s office of Marshall B. Ketchum University’s Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO). That light shone for the 24-year presidential tenure of Richard Hopping, OD, who recently passed away at the age of 97.

 The optometric giant also held a 72-year cumulative membership with the American Optometric Association (AOA) and was president of the organization in 1971-72, according to an AOA news release.

Richard Hopping’s son and past AOA President Ronald Hopping, OD, and the AOA underscored Richard as a leading national advocate for the expansion of the scope of optometric practice and patient care.

“He firmly believed…proper preparation prevents poor performance,” said Richard. “His goal was to be the most prepared person in the room in any situation.”

Richard graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in 1952, then opened his practice in Dayton, Ohio, and got involved in the Miami Valley Optometric Society soon after. Ronald said his father was already breaking barriers right out of optometry school by opening his practice in a clinical setting rather than a storefront, which was common for that time. From there, Richard took off running. He was employed by the US Veterans Administration from 1953-57, and is now recognized as the first optometrist in the country to be on the staff of the VA. The Ohio Optometric Association recognized Richard, where he eventually served in all chairs, including president in 1964-65. He was also first elected to the AOA Board of Trustees in 1966, where he served until 1973.

“His presidency coincided with the beginning of significant changes in the profession, and his influence extended far beyond his term of office,” the release stated. One of the impacts of his presidency remains in his proposal and work concerning the passage of the AOA motion to create the Airlie House Conference on the Role of Optometry in Health Care (1969).

 “This event laid the groundwork for integrating optometry into the US health care system and helped focus the profession to expand optometric scope of practice. It was a fundamental precursor to the diagnostic and therapeutic legislative scope gains for optometry over the following decades,” the release stated.

Ronald added that his father testified in and consulted with dozens of states about how they could expand their scope of practice legislation. “He did what he could to improve the scope of practice, the care that we delivered to our patients, and the role of optometry in US health care,” he said. “At the end of the day, it was always about what was best for the patient. It happened to help optometry too, but he knew that if you’re doing the best for the patient, optometry is going to be OK.”

Additionally, Richard authored The Optometric Oath, which was adopted by the AOA and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. The oath is still recited and pledged by every optometrist at graduation ceremonies and optometric meetings.

Subsequently, Richard was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in 2003.

Now, Richard’s light shines on SCCO’s campus in the form of the Hopping Academic Center, named in his honor,

 and lives on in his family’s legacy. Although Ronald, his wife Desiree Hopping, OD, and his son Reed Hopping, OD, are practicing optometrists and Ronald’s son Grant Hopping, MD, is a practicing ophthalmologist, Ronald said that he doesn’t necessarily chalk up his family’s love for eye care solely to a desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. There’s just something about the profession’s ability to do right by its patients that calls to his family, generation after generation.

“We’ve got strong optometry love throughout the entire family, and we’ve all given in our own ways to move the profession forward and ultimately help our patients the best we can,” Ronald said.

Honoring an optometry trailblazer: Richard Hopping, OD. News release. American Optometric Association. August 12, 2025. Accessed September 2, 2025. 

https://www.aoa.org/news/inside-optometry/member-spotlight/honoring-an-optometry-trailblazer-richard-hopping-od

The optometric giant recently passed away at the age of 97. 

The optometric community reflects on the late Richard Hopping, OD, and his legacy

Outlook Therapeutics has requested a Type A meeting with the FDA after the agency issued a complete response letter (CRL) to its biologics license application (BLA) resubmission for ONS-5010 (bevacizumab-vikg) for the treatment of 

wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Bevacizumab-vikg is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that selectively binds with high affinity to all isoforms of human VEGF and neutralizes VEGF’s biologic activity through a steric blocking of the binding of VEGF to its receptors Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) and KDR (VEGFR-2) on the surface of endothelial cells.

According to Outlook, the Type A meeting seeks to clarify details of the confirmatory evidence required by the FDA in the CRL issued August 27, 2025. In the CRL, the FDA advised that, because ONS-5010 did not meet the primary efficacy end point in NORSE EIGHT, it is recommended that confirmatory evidence of efficacy be submitted to support the application for ONS-5010. In the CRL, the FDA did acknowledge the NORSE TWO pivotal trial met its safety and efficacy end points.

The company previously resubmitted the BLA in February 2025, and the FDA accepted the resubmission in April 2025.

 The BLA resubmission was based on the efficacy and safety demonstrated in the NORSE EIGHT clinical trial, as well as additional CMC information requested by the FDA.

Bob Jahr, CEO of Outlook Therapeutics, commented on the request, saying, “We believe this Type A meeting will provide us with additional clarity on the FDA’s requirements to remedy the deficiency identified in the CRL. The Outlook Therapeutics team remains dedicated to our mission to provide patients in the US with a safe and effective alternative to compounded bevacizumab, which has been used off-label as a first-line treatment for wet-AMD for years despite concerns around potency, sterility, consistency, and regulatory oversight associated with the use of compounded products.”

This is the second Type A meeting requested by Outlook regarding ONS-5010 and the second CRL issued by the FDA for ONS-5010.

 The first Type A meeting request in September 2023 followed the first CRL issued on August 29, 2023. For the 2023 submission, it was noted that the FDA “could not approve the BLA during the review cycle due to several CMC issues, open observations from preapproval manufacturing inspections, and a lack of substantial evidence.”

After the CRL in 2023, Outlook Therapeutics stock underwent a 1-for-20 reverse stock split as “part of the Company’s plan to regain compliance with the minimum bid price ($4 per share) requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market.”

In March 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a positive Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) opinion on ONS-5010. In June 2025, LYTENAVA (bevacizumab gamma) became commercially available in Germany and the UK for the treatment of wet AMD.

Outlook Therapeutics Requests Type A Meeting with FDA. Published September 2, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. 

https://ir.outlooktherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/outlook-therapeutics-requests-type-meeting-fda

Harp MD. FDA issues complete response letter to Outlook Therapeutics for resubmitted BLA for ONS-5010. Published August 28, 2025. Accessed September 3, 2025. 

https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/fda-issues-complete-response-letter-to-outlook-therapeutics-for-resubmitted-bla-for-ons-5010

Harp MD. FDA accepts biologics license application from Outlook Therapeutics for ONS-5010 for the treatment of wet AMD. Published April 9, 2025. Accessed August 28, 2025. 

https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/fda-accepts-biologics-license-application-from-outlook-therapeutics-for-ons-5010-for-the-treatment-of-wet-amd

Hutton D. FDA issues CRL for Outlook Therapeutics’ ONS-5010. Published August 30, 2025. Accessed August 28, 2025. 

https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/fda-issues-crl-for-outlook-therapeutics-ons-5010

Harp MD. Outlook Therapeutics stock undergoes 1-for-20 reverse stock split. Published March 14, 2024. Accessed August 28, 2025. 

https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/outlook-therapeutics-stock-undergoes-1-for-20-reverse-stock-split

Vision Expo East kicks off Thursday, March 16 in New York, New York, at the Javits Center and will feature education and a busy Expo hall until Sunday, March 19.

The education program runs from 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM on Sunday. The Expo hall is open 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM on Friday and Saturday and 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM on Sunday.

Global contact lens forum: Elevating your contact lens practice

Melanie Frogozo, Thomas Quinn, OD, MS, FAAO; Jason Compton, OD; Sheila Morrison, OD

Top 10 things you need to do to market your practice

Global contact lens forum: Seeing red: Practical problem-solving of CL red eye

What is SEO & why is it important for my marketing?

March Madness: Case challenges in optometry – Optimizing ocular imaging workshop

Global contact lens forum: Marketing for specialty contact lenses

Glaucoma grab bag: Practical guidelines for effective glaucoma management

March Madness: Case challenges in optometry – Optimizing ocular imaging – Round 1

Mark Dunbar, Mohammad Rafieetary, Steven Ferrucci, Carolyn Majcher, Julie Rodman, March Schaeffer, OD; Marc Bloomenstein, OD; Spencer Johnson, OD, FAAO

Visual assessment: More than just a refraction

Michelle Hoff, OD, FAAO, ABOM, FNAO; Isabel Kazemi, OD, FAAO

Easily find & create content to fill your social media calendar

Build a complete marketing plan & budget in an hour

Corneal relationship therapy: Managing the neurotrophic keratitis

March Madness: Case challenges in optometry – Optimizing ocular imaging – Semifinals & Finals

Take this class first: Know how to assess a frame line for quality & fit before you visit vendors

The neuro-ophthalmology of concussion: The evaluation management of vision & visual-motor abnormalities

Optical case studies of the rich & famous

Prescription formulas for the pediatric patient

Uncommon & complicated case reports in troubleshooting

Biomicroscope usage in a contact lens practice

COVID-19, diabetes, hypertension, & racial health disparities

Frame styling with science and savvy to minimize thickness and maximize patient delight

Intro to sports vision children who play sports need safety eye protection

Leadership & culture: How to be a great leader by influencing the culture within your practice to make your team smarter

Vision Expo East 2023 will take place in New York, New York, on March 16-19 at the Javits Center. 

Vision Expo East 2023 preview: An agenda jam-packed with education, frame sales, and practice management tips


Mark T. Dunbar, OD, FAAO, director of Optometric Services at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida, offers a look at what attendees can expect from Vision Expo East's high-stakes competition "March Madness: Case challenges in optometry." 

The competition kicks off Thursday (March 31) with a workshop followed by  panelist case presentations (moderated by Dr. Dunbar) highlighting imaging technology. 

Panelists include: Julie Rodman, OD; Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO; Steven Ferucci, OD; Brad Sutton, OD; Carolyn Majcher, OD; Jay Haynie, OD; Joseph Pizzimenti,  OD; and Sherrol Reynolds, OD.

The schedule is as follows:

11:15 am - 1:15 pm
Optimizing Ocular Imaging Workshop

1:30 - 3:30 pm
Optimizing Ocular Imaging Round 1

3:45 - 4:45 PM 
Optimizing Ocular Imaging Semifinals and Finals



To register for the competition, click here

Mark Dunbar, OD, FAAO, offers a look at what to expect from this year's high-sakes competition at Vision Expo East.

Dan Ignaszewski

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