Glaucoma

If talk of online eye exams has gotten the optometric profession’s dander up, then what I’m about to share with you will send an OD’s blood pressure into the stratosphere.

I recently came across a journal publication describing a patient with Crohn’s disease and open-angle glaucoma.1 Essentially, the patient’s treatment with topical latanoprost was associated with an exacerbation of her Crohn’s disease.

InnFocus, Inc. recently reported on a series of 43 glaucoma patients (n=34, 22, and 17 at one, two, and three years, respectively) treated with its MicroShunt implant.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAOphth) has reiterated its stance on medical marijuana for the treatment of glaucoma, stating that it finds no scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective long-term treatment for the disease, particularly when compared to the current prescription medication and surgical treatment available.

A study from the Centre for Eye Research Australia at the University of Melbourne found that comprehensive ophthalmologist and ophthalmology trainees who participated in an online multinational study to assess optic discs were about twice as likely to underestimate as to overestimate glaucoma risk.

Are there any absolute laws for glaucoma other than the broad few that govern its definition? Well, maybe not. Think about it. The word “typically” precedes much of what we say when we describe glaucoma outside of its definition. An example would be the fact that visual field loss is typically nasal at first. However, a temporal wedge defect may, at times, be the first defect to become manifest.

A recent study funded by the National Institute of Health found that the glaucoma drug acetazolamide (Diamox, Duramed Pharmaceuticals), when combined with a weight loss plan, can improve vision for patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).

A recent study found that metformin (Glumetza, Salix), a popular diabetes drug, is associated with a dose-dependent risk reduction for open-angle glaucoma.

The results of 2 clinical studies on latanosprostene bunod-CONSTELLATION and KRONUS- were presented during the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting last week.

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology held its annual conference in Orlando, FL, last week and Optometry Times’ sister publication, Ophthalmology Times, was there to catch up on the latest research on glaucoma, AMD, and other diseases.

I sometimes wonder why, in the rush to build the medical model, so many of my colleagues seemingly abandon the retail aspects of our profession. Many ODs seem to want to forget or diminish that our historical contribution to vision has been mainly centered around the correction, refractive, and binocular vision function and development.

The next time I see a patient with diabetic retinopathy who seems to be nonchalant or blasé regarding his condition, I’m going to say something along the lines of this: “Mr._______, this leaking of your blood vessels is going on elsewhere in your body, but your eyes just happen to be the only place we can see it without being invasive.”

The day before SECO in Atlanta, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling joined me to sit in on Allergan’s Pathways in Medical Optometry Boot Camp.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have designed a contact lens that can release controlled amounts of a glaucoma drug, delivering more consistent dosages of the drug than eye drops.

Harry Quigley, MD, of the Wilmer Eye Institute at John Hopkins shared some of his pearls for diagnosing and treating glaucoma during a special session at SECO.

Joseph Sowka, OD, FAAO, Diplomate, shared at SECO some of his recommendations for when certain glaucoma therapy drops should be administered.

The probability of blindness due to the serious eye disease glaucoma has decreased by nearly half since 1980, according to a study recently published in Ophthalmology.

Patients will soon be able to undergo a refraction online through Opternative.com in a matter of minutes and for a fraction of the cost of a traditional exam, but the company doesn’t intend for its test to replace a complete eye exam.

A few months ago, I began to see what may be a little more progression on her OCT studies. I’m fairly confident that we’re in a good place right now as far as compliance is concerned, and I’m entering a crossroads with her regarding possibly adding therapy vs. getting a consult for a laser procedure, such as selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), vs. getting a cataract consult.

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research the global ophthalmic drugs market was valued at $16 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach an estimated value of $21.6 billion in 2018.

Ellex Medical Lasers Limited announced that it has recently acquired the canaloplasty business of US-based iScience Interventional, Inc.

The measurement and management of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma is critical. Even with the onslaught of new technologies to monitor progression and make earlier diagnoses, IOP remains a crucial data point in the optometric examination.

Prevent Blindness and other eye health organizations have declared January as National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Prevent Blindness seeks to educate the public on the second leading cause of blindness, following cataracts, by providing free resources via online or by mail through its Glaucoma Learning Center.

I didn’t get up screaming. I didn’t hurl my computer across the room. I didn’t even let my inferiority complex show through the emotions I was feeling. Instead, I calmly and politely wrote a short letter to the news organization explaining what optometrists are, and that glaucoma was what I, as an optometrist, spent most of my days dealing with.

According to a recent study, women who have taken oral contraceptives for 3 or more years are twice as likely to suffer from glaucoma. What do your patients need to know?