What happened in optometry this week: July 1 - July 5
Catch up on what happened in optometry during the week of July 1-July 5.
Catch up with what Optometry Times shared this week:
Results from trial find high patient adherence, visual acuity stability with home-based OCT use
By Jordana Joy, Associate Editor
Digital healthcare provider Notal Vision announced results from a first-ever prospective clinical trial that utilized the company’s home-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The trial was conducted in an investigational setting and demonstrated a significant reduction of office visits and treatment frequency as needed by patients while visual acuity (VA) remained stable, according to a news release. Trial results were published in RETINA in May 2024.
FDA approves aflibercept-mrbb (Ahzantive), Formycon’s biosimilar to Eylea
By Martin David Harp, Associate Editor, Ophthalmology Times
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved biosimilar to Eylea, aflibercept-mrbb (Ahzantive), for the treatment of patients with age-related neovascular (wet) macular degeneration (nAMD).
The biosimilar has also been approved for treatment in patients with serious retinal diseases such as diabetic macular edema (DME), diabetic retinopathy (DR) and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
University of California resumes contract negotiations with employee union
By Jordana Joy, Associate Editor
Contract negotiations have begun again between the Union of Professional and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119 (UPTE) and the University of California (UC).1 Bargaining for new contracts began on June 10, with existing contracts with healthcare professionals set to expire on September 30 and October 31, according to a UC news release.
Alcon announces closing of acquisition of Belkin Vision
By Jordana Joy, Associate Editor
Alcon has announced completion of its acquisition of Belkin Vision, developer of the Belkin Vision Eagle direct selective laser trabeculoplasty (DSLT) for the treatment of glaucoma. The companies have agreed to a total upfront consideration of $81 million USD, including a cash payment of approximately $65 million, according to a news release. The deal also includes the potential for up to $385 million in payments, which is contingent on sales-based milestones.
Selecting a visual field analyzer for the future
By Benjamin Gaddie, OD, FAAO
Visual field (VF) testing is a critical tool for evaluating vision loss and identifying and monitoring diseases such as glaucoma. For all its diagnostic virtue, it has long been a pain point for eye care professionals, their practices, and most especially their patients.
Standard automated perimetry (SAP) consumes considerable time and physical space, negatively impacting practice efficiency. The test is difficult and uncomfortable, causing fatigue and frustration among patients and technicians. This can lead to poor, if not useless, results due to fixation losses, false positives, and other reliability issues with the field.
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