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The first-in-class, twice-daily topical formulation is intended for the treatment of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. 

Exonate plans to initiate phase 2b CLEAR-DE trial for EXN407 topical formulation for NPDR

A total of $7000 in scholarships was awarded to 3 optometry students as part of the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) scholarship program.

National Vision awards scholarships to optometric students during NOA Convention 2025

The primary objective of the study was to demonstrate that LUMIFY Preservative Free redness reliever eye drops is non-inferior to LUMIFY redness reliever eye drops in reducing ocular redness. 

Phase 3 study assessing LUMIFY Preservative Free and LUMIFY eye drops meets primary end point

The module can be used in combination with Ziemer’s FEMTO LDV Z8 femtosecond laser platform, an all-in-one laser for refractive, cataract, and therapeutic surgery.

Ziemer USA, CorneaGen launch GALILEI CTAK module for GALILEI diagnostic platform

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Thanks for your interest in this podcast. Please read this important program information before listening.

Although neurotrophic keratitis (NK) is considered a rare eye disease, it is a degenerative corneal disease that can profoundly affect patients' lives. Left untreated, NK can lead to corneal ulceration, melting, and perforation, which can ultimately lead to vision loss. In this podcast, experts Quan Dong Nguyen, MD, MSc; and Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, DipABO; discuss the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of NK, focusing on early-stage disease.

Acknowledgment of Educational Grant Support

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Dompé US, Inc.

Professor of Ophthalmology
Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA

 Active Biotech, Genentech, Oculis, Priovant, Regeneron; 

Clinical Instructor
Department of Ophthalmology
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Denver, CO

 KALA BIO, Ocular Therapeutix, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Viatris; 

 AbbVie, Alcon, Aldeyra Therapeutics, Azura Ophthalmics, Bausch + Lomb, Blinkjoy, Bruder Healthcare, Dompé US, Glaukos, Myze, Orasis Pharmaceuticals, Sight Sciences, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Théa Pharma, Topcon Healthcare, Twenty/Twenty, Verséa Ophthalmics, Visus Therapeutics; 

 Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, Dompé US, Glaukos, Harrow, Viatris, Sight Sciences.

Faculty, Staff, and Planners’ Disclosures

In accordance with ACCME Guidelines, PER® has identified and resolved all conflict of interest for faculty, staff, and planners prior to the start of this activity by using a multistep process.

The staff of Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

This podcast was developed by PER® editorial staff based on an online activity developed with these faculty.

To learn more about this topic, including information on the diagnosis, testing, and management of patients with NK, go to 

https://www.gotoper.com/courses/neurotrophic-keratitis-multidisciplinary-approaches-to-enhance-patient-outcomes

This activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Learners are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this accredited activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent clinical judgment of a health care professional relative to diagnostic, treatment, or management options for a specific patient’s medical condition. The opinions expressed in the content are solely those of the individual faculty members and do not reflect those of PER® or any company that provided commercial support for this activity.

In this podcast, experts Quan Dong Nguyen, MD, MSc; and Cecelia Koetting, OD, FAAO, DipABO; discuss the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of NK, focusing on early-stage disease.

Neurotrophic Keratitis: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Enhance Patient Outcomes

In this podcast, experts Deborah Ristvedt, DO; and Melissa Tawa, OD, FAAO, discuss individualizing glaucoma therapy with selective laser trabeculoplasty and sustained-release drug implants, providing key take-home insights for optimizing glaucoma management across diverse patient profiles.

Upon successful completion of this activity, you should be better prepared to:

nontopical therapies available for management of ocular hypertension and open-angle glaucoma, including laser procedures and sustained drug delivery options

the latest advances in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery in appropriate patients

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Glaukos Corporation and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

Anterior Segment Surgeon
Vance Thompson Vision
Alexandria, MN


 AbbVie, BVI Medical, Glaukos, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, RxSight, Sight Sciences; 

 AbbVie, BVI Medical, Glaukos, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, RxSight, Sight Sciences.

Assistant Professor
Southern California College of Optometry
Marshall B. Ketchum University
Anaheim, CA

Melissa Tawa, OD, FAAO, has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

The staff of Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

To learn more about this topic, including information on newer mechanisms of action for topical glaucoma therapies, go to 

https://www.gotoper.com/courses/navigating-the-glaucoma-therapeutic-and-surgical-landscape-from-conventional-to-cutting-edge

Navigating the Glaucoma Therapeutic and Surgical Landscape from Conventional to Cutting Edge

Dry eye disease (DED) is very common among adults; however, it is often undiagnosed and untreated. As DED can have a considerable impact on a patient’s quality of life, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. In this podcast, experts Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO; Cory J. Lappin, OD, MS, FAAO; and Selina R. McGee, OD, FAAO, discuss the roles of ophthalmologists and optometrists in managing DED in an evolving treatment landscape, from screening and diagnosis to disease management.

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Bausch + Lomb.

Schwartz Laser Eye Center​
Scottsdale, AZ​

AbbVie; Allergan Aesthetics; Astellas Pharma US; Azura Ophthalmics; Bausch + Lomb; Bruder Healthcare; Dompé US; LENZ Therapeutics; Ocuphire Pharma, Inc; OCuSOFT Inc; Olleyes; Reichert Technologies; Sight Sciences, Inc; STAAR Surgical Company; Sun Pharmaceutical Industries; Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc; Théa Pharma; Topcon Healthcare; Viatris Inc; Visus Therapeutics, Inc. 

 AbbVie; Allergan Aesthetics; Bausch + Lomb; Dompé US; Sight Sciences, Inc; STAAR Surgical Company; Viatris Inc.

Founder​
The Dry Eye Center of Ohio​
Cincinnati, OH​

: Alcon; Barti Software; CSI Dry Eye Software; Eyenovia; Lumenis Be, Inc; MYZE; Nordic Pharma, Inc; NORWOOD Device & Diagnostics; NuLids; PRN Vision Group; Rinsada; SCOPE Health Inc; Tarsus Pharmaceuticals; Viatris Inc; Vital Tears. 

 Bausch + Lomb; Bruder Healthcare; Dompé US; Lumenis Be, Inc; M&S Technologies; 

Barti Software (Investment); MYZE (Medical Advisory Board Member/Investment); NuLids (Investment).

Visionary Founder/Owner​
BeSpoke Vision​
Adjunct Faculty NSUOCO​
Past-President Intrepid Eye Society​
Secretary/Treasurer, Oklahoma Board of Examiners​
Edmond, OK​

AbbVie; Aldeyra Therapeutics, Inc; Alcon; Amgen, Inc; Avellino Lab USA, Inc; Bausch + Lomb; Bruder Healthcare; Carl Zeiss Meditec; Cynosure and Hahn; Dompé US; KALA BIO, Inc; Lumenis Be, Inc; Optovue; RVL Pharmaceuticals, Inc; ScienceBased Health; Sun Pharmaceutical Industries; Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc; Théa Pharma; Topcon Healthcare; Versant; Viatris Inc Health. 

 AbbVie; Alcon; Bausch + Lomb; Cynosure and Hahn; Dompé US; Lumenis Be, Inc; Optovue; ScienceBased Health; Sun Pharmaceutical Industries; Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc; Viatris Inc.

To learn more about this topic, including information on the diagnosis, testing, and management of patients with dry eye disease, go 

https://www.gotoper.com/courses/archived-webcast-interventional-dry-eye-a-stepwise-treatment-and-management-approach

In this podcast, experts Marc R. Bloomenstein, OD, FAAO; Cory J. Lappin, OD, MS, FAAO; and Selina R. McGee, OD, FAAO, discuss the roles of ophthalmologists and optometrists in managing DED in an evolving treatment landscape, from screening and diagnosis to disease management.

Practical Approaches to Modern Dry Eye Treatment and Management

Myopia isn't just a speciality anymore - odds are, you've seen it in your practice. Justin Kwan, OD, FAAO, who is senior manager of myopia management in CooperVision's professional and academic affairs group, shares his journey to passionate myopia management champion in practice and in industry. Drs. Kwan and Korik discuss the minutia of management; talking to parents about myopia control options, how to set fees, and how to get the word out about the new service in your practice.

Prefer to listen on the go? You can follow the podcast on 

Follow Dr Korik on social media:
Instagram: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-korik-81b492111/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIVJVZ17AJFEo8fqXK_gZg

Justin Kwan, OD, FAAO, shares his journey from optometrist to myopia management advocate and provides some tips for getting started on your own journey.

You and Eye: Mastering myopia management - with Justin Kwan, OD, FAAO

Glaucoma remains a leading cause of irreversible blindness globally as progressive optic nerve damage leads to permanent vision loss. Recent advancements in glaucoma management—including novel mechanisms of action, innovative drug delivery systems, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries—may help improve adherence, efficacy, and outcomes.

This PER On Air 

 podcast provides an in-depth review of some of the key highlights from the 18th Annual Controversies in Modern Eye Care Conference, held in May 2024. This unique and engaging multi-media activity focuses on the practical aspects of managing patients with glaucoma, putting recent clinical trial data into clinical context. The program is designed for those who did not attend the live meeting and to help reinforce learnings for those who did.

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis

In this episode, four expert faculty talk about the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid eye disease. They discuss the differential diagnosis, screening tests, and the need for multidisciplinary management for these patients.

Expanding the treatment arsenal in glaucoma management

It's time for back-to-school eye exams, and host Miriam Korik, OD, teams up with Eyes Up host Damaris Raymondi, OD, FAAO, to chat about how to handle pediatric eye exams efficiently, thoroughly, and confidently.

You and Eye: Tips & tricks for streamlined pediatric eye exams - with Damaris Raymondi, OD, FAAO

With dry eye disease (DED) becoming increasingly more prevalent, eye care providers are finding it more important than ever to discuss its side effects and associated risk factors with patients.

A revealing survey released by Bausch + Lomb, the State of Dry Eye, in early July elicited many reactions from practice owners and dry eye experts alike. The survey included participants that have both experienced dry eye symptoms and been diagnosed with DED and those that have not. Data collected from the survey found that not only does dry eye impact quality of life for a majority of those diagnosed, but participants were also largely unaware of the severity and symptoms of dry eye.

Adam Ramsey, OD, of Socialite Vision, said patients may not know the latest information about DED because they try to mitigate their symptoms alone without the recommendations of their eye care provider, or may not be forthcoming about their DED concerns. “Access to care is one of most pivotal parts of eye care that needs to be addressed the most,” he said. “Patients a lot of times feel like they can try and solve their dry eye issues with over-the-counter products alone, but they are quite confused on which ones to use. They’re not sure about the validity, they’re not sure about the success rate of the products that are available to them over-the-counter.”

With 1 of the findings from the survey that dry eye patients feel that they have to give up certain hobbies or daily activities to relieve their dry eye symptoms, Jessilin Quint, OD, MBA, FAAO, of Smart Eye Care, said that education plays an important role to let patients know that changing daily activity may be a last resort. ”That might be true for some occasions, but really that conversation should be with an eye care provider,” she said. “More often than not, with as much innovation and treatment options as we have, you shouldn’t have to give up the things that you love because we do have the tools to manage dry eye”

Gabby Marshall, OD, past president of the Great Western Council of Optometry, said that better public knowledge regarding DED starts with stressing the importance of underlying systemic etiologies to optometric students. “Dry eye disease is often a result of systemic inflammation and while we know that, it's a challenging concept for the public, especially when they want a quick fix,” she said.

Kelly Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, dean and professor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, said that the most striking finding was that many patients in the survey experienced dry eye so severe that they could “hear themselves blink.” “This isn’t a symptom we as clinicians query, but I think it is very identifiable to patients,” she said. “In the normal state, there is no awareness of the eyes—you can’t feel them, similar to the lack of awareness when wearing pants or a shirt. But if there is a wound on the arm for example, a shirt would cause a negative sensation. Asking patients if they have awareness of their eyes, and when, may help determine how severe the dry eye might be and what kind of treatment could help.”

Quint said that this finding is also compelling in that some participants treat these symptoms as the norm. “When you think about how that impacts your daily activities and really you shouldn’t have to think about your eyes,” she said. “If anybody has to think about their eyes that’s kind of a red flag that maybe there’s something that we can do there to improve upon things a little bit more.”

Nichols continued on to state that the patients’ inclination to change routines in their daily lives is also telling of the impacts of DED. “While data showing an impact of dry eye on quality of life isn’t new, the high percentage of dry eye patients in this survey (67%) that have changed something, like discontinuing contacts, stopping wearing make-up, or reducing screen time is also something clinicians should ask patients,” she said. “What a patient has given up because of dry eye is just as important as what a patient has tried to treat the condition.”

Additionally, Ben Casella, OD, FAAO, chief optometric editor for 

said that accurate diagnoses of DED and educating patients starts with listening to them. “Before we begin thinking about educating our patients, we first have to listen not only to them, but to their eyes as well,” he said. “Most patients don't come in complaining of their eyes actually being dry. Transient blur, watery eyes, gritty eyes, redness, contact lens intolerance, and fatigue with digital devices merit special attention, but the eyes can tell us things during the course of the exam. During a refraction, the phrase, ‘Hang on and let me blink a couple of times,’ speaks volumes to the integrity of the tear film and its coverage of the ocular surface. By listening, we can make more accurate diagnoses of dry eye disease, which is actually a family of diseases based on underlying cause and treatment modalities”

Selina McGee, OD, FAAO, owner and founder of BeSpoke Vision, also added that questionnaires have proven to be useful assets to be sure that patients are screened properly and thoroughly. “Take the opportunity to really screen each patient in your chair for dry eye by utilizing a questionnaire – I use SPEED, checking meibomian gland functionality, and using vital dye to asses corneal health.,” she said. “Our patients are looking for answers and we need to empower ourselves to help.”

In terms of tips for diagnosing DED, Casella said that respecting and understanding the complexity of DED goes a long way. “One of my go-to education pearls is my conveying the fact that dry eye is more complex than simply, ‘if it's wet, dry it, and, if it's dry, wet it.’ As well, setting goals and appropriate timelines for treatment is of the utmost importance. For many dry eye patients, it took a long time for their eyes to get that way, and it may take a minute to see improvement,” he said. “If this is understood upfront, then there will be less impatience along the road to better teat film function. Lastly, there is no silver bullet for dry eye disease. It is a multifactorial disease, and our patients are multifactorial individuals. Time is on our side, however. We need to collect our data, have meaningful discussion with our patients, sit back, and tailor therapy accordingly. Don't rush it, and don't fall into the ‘Here's a bottle of tears; I'll see you whenever your vision benefit pays for another exam’ practice modality.

Resources for education also play a role in patient knowledge and optometry’s role in mitigating DED. American Optometric Association (AOA) President Steven Reed, OD, said that given the believed correlation between dry eyes and increased screen time, the AOA has taken on a number of initiatives to help educate patients. “We know that just two hours of screen time each day can cause many symptoms, including dry eyes and blurred vision. The AOA and doctors of optometry across the country are actively providing guidance and counsel to patients, helping them understand the impact their daily environment has on their eyes – and how to care for them,” he said. “Earlier this year, we partnered with Deloitte Economics to assess the impact of screen time and determined that more than 104 million Americans are exposed to excessive screen time, yet 32 million hadn’t seen a doctor in the past year. From making sure our doctors have the right resources to counsel their patients on dry eye and its cause to encouraging patients to go to their AOA doctor of optometry through our Eye Deserve More initiative, we will continue to identify ways to address the pressures today’s digital and environmental world place on our eye and vision health.”

Millions of Americans experience dry eye symptoms, yet new national survey shows sufferers struggle to find relief. News release. Bausch + Lomb. July 8, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. 

https://ir.bausch.com/press-releases/millions-americans-experience-dry-eye-symptoms-yet-new-national-survey-shows

The survey’s results were released by Bausch + Lomb last month and revealed that many participants did not know their symptoms were dry eye-related.

Optometrists, organizations provide insight for State of Dry Eye survey

One of the 15 clinics Miriam Korik, OD, works at is an optical boutique. She shares her expertise on exam personalization and how to realize these tweaks as sales.

You and Eye: On contact lenses, personalization, and boosting optical sales

The EyeSouth affiliate network now includes more than 320 doctors providing medical and surgical eye care services at over 235 locations.

EyeSouth Partners adds St Lucie Eye of Florida to partner network

Santen introduces low-dose atropine in Germany, marking a significant advancement in myopia management for children amid a global epidemic.

Santen begins European rollout of low-dose atropine for myopia in Germany

Survey participants cited cost concerns, perceived inevitability, and deprioritization as obstacles to receiving eye care.

Survey finds majority of US patients delaying eye care despite experiencing poor eyesight, eye health

New research reveals collagen mimetic peptides may effectively restore ocular tissue stiffness, offering hope for myopia and other eye diseases.

Healing damaged collagen in the eye with topical polypeptides in patients with myopia 

These screening solutions will work to make early detection of diabetic retinopathy easier with on-the-spot screening.

AEYE Health, Ford Medical partner to expand diabetic eye exam screening solutions to pharmacies

Erin Tomiyama, OD, PhD, FAAO, offers actionable advice for myopia management and perspective for practitioners ready to refine their approach.

CCS 2025: Clinical pearls and forward thinking are the key to success in myopia management

 continues to gain momentum in clinical optometry, and at the Collaborative Care Symposium, Erin Tomiyama, OD, PhD, FAAO, offered actionable advice and perspective for practitioners ready to refine their approach. This session, which Tomiyama copresented with Mark Bullimore, OD, PhD, and Prethy Rao, MD, emphasized the importance of early intervention, lifestyle-informed treatment planning, and growing opportunities in the field.

Practical guidance for treatment selection

Tomiyama stressed that choosing the right myopia management modality requires an individualized approach. Factors such as patient age, rate of progression, lifestyle, and even parental familiarity with certain treatments all play into decision-making.

“For kids who enjoy water sports, orthokeratology (ortho-K) works really well—they get clear vision without needing to wear lenses in the water,” she explained. “Sometimes parents are more comfortable with treatments they’ve used themselves, which can improve [adherence].”

Initial treatment may begin with atropine drops for younger children not ready for contact lenses. As patients mature and seek more independence, transitioning to soft multifocal lenses or ortho-K becomes feasible. Regardless of modality, frequent follow-ups allow optometrists to monitor adherence and treatment efficacy, making adjustments as needed.

Tomiyama expressed excitement about the potential introduction of FDA-approved low-dose atropine and myopia control spectacle lenses in the US. “Spectacles are part of our daily toolkit, and their arrival will help more practitioners feel confident offering myopia management,” she said. “It could broaden access significantly.”

FDA regulation would also reduce variability in compounded atropine formulations, offering more consistency for both clinicians and families.

Artificial intelligence is expected to play a larger role in myopia management, from identifying ideal candidates for specific therapies to tracking progression. “A quick AI-generated summary could save time and support faster clinical decision-making,” Tomiyama noted.

Tomiyama closed with a call to action: “Just practice myopia management. Get started and grow your confidence. We’re shaping long-term outcomes—starting in childhood.”

Videos

Mark Bullimore, MCOptom, PhD, details the importance of preparing optometric students for myopic patient care in a Collaborative Care Symposium (CCS) 2025 presentation.

CCS 2025: Preparing optometric students for patient care and myopia management

Mark Bullimore, MCOptom, PhD; Erin Tomiyama, OD, PhD; and Prethy Rao, MD, discussed the significance of myopia, emphasizing its role in uncorrectable visual impairment, particularly in the US. In an interview with the Eye Care Network, Bullimore highlighted various management options like atropine, orthokeratology, and soft contact lenses, noting limited spectacle options in the US. He stressed the importance of matching treatments to patients and ensuring adherence. Retinal issues such as ROP and lattice degeneration were also discussed, along with the need for laser therapy and anti-VEGF therapy for myopic maculopathy. Bullimore noted the evolution of myopia management in optometry programs and the necessity of educating patients and parents about the risks and management of myopia.

Editor's note: The below transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Hi. My name is Mark Bullimore, and I'm going to be presenting with Erin Tomiyama and Prethy Rao. Erin is a professor of optometry. Prethy is a retina specialist, ophthalmologist, and I'm sort of a card-carrying academic that doesn't see patients. So we're going to start by talking about why myopia is an issue and not just a refractive condition, really drilling down briefly on the role that myopia plays in uncorrectable visual impairment, and the fact that really in the US and other parts of the world, it accounts for over a third of all cases of uncorrectable visual impairment due to the complications associated with myopia. We're then led by Erin to talk about the various options available for managing myopia in terms of slowing its progression, so that obviously includes atropine, orthokeratology, soft contact lenses, and spectacles, although we have limited access in the US to spectacle options – like zero – and not quite so limited options to soft contact lenses. And then...some discussions about how to present it to patients, how long this is going to go on, when to stop. And given the fact that, particularly people north of the border in Canada, have a lot of options available to them, how do they choose among them? And we sort of emphasize the importance of matching the treatment to the patient and making sure that the patient is going to be [adherent]. And then finally, we're going to talk about retinal issues associated with myopia, things like ROP, lattice degeneration, and the importance of identifying a syndromic myopic patient, like a young child with stickler syndrome, and the extent to which laser therapy and anti-VEGF therapy can be applied to myopic maculopathy in the same way that [they] can be applied to macular degeneration.

How has myopia management changed in the academic space during your career?

I mean, certainly when I was in optometry school a little over 40 years ago, it was just about spectacles and contact lenses and, more recently, refractive surgery. And obviously, you're correct in the vision there, but we now understand the importance of slowing down, and even before that, delay in the onset of myopia. So if you look around optometry programs now, pretty much all of them have a myopia management clinic dedicated to managing these patients. Because one institution where I spent some time in the last decade, it didn't really exist, and the ortho-k was handled by the contact lens service. Other aspects were handled by the pediatric service. But what you're seeing in a lot more forward-thinking institutions is making sure that myopia management is in the curriculum, the didactic curriculum, and then there's a specific clinical experience so that students come out well equipped.

How do you best inform optometric students about the importance of patient care when it comes to myopia management?

I think that's one thing where we're still learning, because, you know, obviously, when I was training, and even 20 years ago, you would know about having a glaucoma talk with somebody, or the astigmatism talk, or the amblyopia talk with a patient and parent. We've had to develop our shtick, if you like, for myopia. And we're still learning. Throwing it into a patient's parent's lap, saying, 'Oh, you do realize that your child has myopia and this can lead to blindness.' That's not necessarily a winning strategy. And we're still learning, and I think the conversations we have with a parent who is myopic, particularly with a high level of myopia, it's relatively easy to talk about. We can envision a different future for your child than you've experienced. For a parent who's not myopic, I think the dialogue has to be slower and maybe continue over a month, matter of months, maybe even a year, so they get used to the idea. So I think making sure that our students and graduates are comfortable with those conversations, and that can only be taught, of course, if they have the experience during their training, either during the optometry program or during a residency. Now, I can't speak for how it's managed in ophthalmology. I would imagine that most of that would be deferred to a pediatric fellowship, but maybe Prethy can inform us on that.

What are some key takeaways you hope ECPs took away from your presentation?

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