Catch up with what Optometry Times®' shared this week:

Optometry news

Providing nutritional support for glaucoma management

By Jeffrey Anshel, OD, FAAO

Glaucoma is a deceptive and dangerous disease as most patients have few or no symptoms. Glaucomatous optic neuropathy is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and the second-leading cause of overall blindness (8%). Approximately 79 million persons worldwide have glaucoma, and approximately 2 million patients in the United States and more than 11 million worldwide are bilaterally blind from glaucoma.¹

The leading theory of the main cause of damage to the optic nerve is excessive fluid pressure within the eye, which can be caused by increased aqueous production, blockage of drainage ducts, and narrowing or closure of the iris angle. Because most cases of glaucoma report an increase in intraocular pressure, the goal of treatment is only to lower the eye pressure. Even in cases of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), no other treatment modality exists but to lower eye pressure. Treatment that reduces intraocular pressure has been shown to improve outcomes in randomized clinical trials.^2-5 Yet even here, there is no cure but only slowing of the progression of the disease.

Read more on traditional therapies, nutritional support, and more...

Poll results: How comfortable are you with including biosimilars in your treatment plans?

By Kassi Jackson, Editor

Optometry Times asked our audience, "How comfortable are you with including biosimilars in your treatment plans?" and the results are in!

The poll appeared on OptometryTimes.com and was promoted across social channels from Feb. 15 to Feb. 22, 2023, and 10 ODs responded.

See what optometrists are saying...

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging—in practice

By Ruth Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB): This has been a common and now familiar word group that has pierced the fabric of many academic and corporate institutions. Many of these organizations have hired DEIB strategists and consultants, created mission statements, hired people from diverse backgrounds, and promised to create a work environment that will allow folks to thrive. These words and this work are not new. Some original advocates of the Civil Rights era call this current time period a reawakening to social and racial injustice. Social unrest combined with a global pandemic highlighted health care’s role in the pursuit of equity and justice. COVID-19 revealed the disparity in access and outcomes across populations, particularly in those most vulnerable (poor, limited education, incarcerated, aged 65+ years, and specific racial and ethnic groups).

Within the realm of eye care, students rose up and demanded that their curricula include information about how to provide culturally competent care and inquired why their student body, educators, researchers, and administrators did not represent the broader population. Additionally, Black Eyecare Perspective—an organization cofounded by Adam Ramsey, OD, and Darryl Glover, OD—challenged all facets of the optometric industry, from our academic centers to the companies that produce the glasses and contacts we prescribe to our millions of patients, to commit to the 13% promise, thus publicly declaring to increase the representation of Black people in the industry to more closely align with their representation in the US population. Slowly but surely, the transformative work of DEIB has begun within the optometric profession. So what should that look like within a private practice setting?

Learn more aboud DEIB and putting it into practice...

Size plays role in injection of IOLs during cataract surgery

By Lynda Charters

Maximilian Friedrich, MD, Gerd Auffarth, MD, and Patrick Merz, MD, from the David J. Apple Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany, reported that despite using the specific incision size recommendations of the manufacturers of injector systems for intraocular lenses (IOLs), enlargement of the intraoperative incisions occurred with all injector systems analyzed, and some manufacturers’ recommendations did not specify an IOL implantation technique.¹

The rationale behind this evaluation, the investigators explained, is that smaller corneal incisions made during cataract surgery are linked with a better visual outcome and less frequent postoperative endophthalmitis. The insertion of IOL injector systems into the anterior chamber to implant an IOL is associated with incision enlargement that impedes these positive effects.

Read more about the study...

Study: comparison of glisenings, PCO in hydrophobic acrylic IOLs

By Lynda Charters

A comparison of 2 hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) evaluated the long-term formation of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) and the rate of glistenings that developed. The investigators found that the Hoya Vivinex had significantly lower development of glistenings compared with the Alcon AcrySof lens,1 according to Gerd Auffarth, MD, and colleagues. He is from the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

The investigators conducted a prospective, multicentric, randomized, paired-eye, open-label study that included 87 subjects who underwent cataract surgery with IOL implantation; of these, 67 patients completing the 3-year follow-up examination.

The completer population consisted of 32 subjects implanted with the Hoya IOL and 35 implanted with the Alcon IOL. The primary endpoints were an evaluation of glistenings and measurement of PCO. The secondary outcomes were measurement of the best-corrected distance visual acuity (VA), contrast acuity, uncorrected VAs, subjective refraction, medical and lens complication rates, adverse events, and optical/visual symptoms.

Continue reading...

Controversies in Modern Eye Care meeting set for ophthalmologists, optometrists

By Robert Maloney, MD

The Controversies in Modern Eye Care (CIME) meeting is a 1-day event being held April 30, 2023, at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California. Participants may attend in person or virtually.

The emphasis of CIME is to encourage a dialogue between optometrists and ophthalmic surgeons for optimizing patient care.
“The meeting brings together top optometry and surgical experts to share clinical insights and advances in eye care,” according to Neda Shamie, MD, my program cochairperson, and colleague at the Maloney-Shamie Vision Institute in Los Angeles.

Read more about the meeting and register here...

Practical management EP 6: Importance of increasing revenue

By Maria Sampalis, OD; Kassi Jackson, Editor

Continuing the conversation on practice management, Maria Sampalis, OD, shares why increasing revenue is important for a sustainable optometric practice.

Catch up with the latest podcast episode...