Breaking News Related to Macular Degeneration, Cataract, Glaucoma, Corneal Disease and Other Eye Conditions » Conjunctivitis

Easy Way To Treat Conjunctivochalasis With Liquid Nitrogen

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:48:35 +0000

OSN: Conjunctivochalasis is more common and symptomatic than we think, and there are many ways to treat conjunctivochalsis. Dr. Fraunfelder describes his method where he simply applies liquid nitrogen to the bulbar conjunctiva. This causes scarring and the conjunctiva binds firmly to the sclera and does not bunch up anymore at the margin. It’s easier than excising and applying amniotic membrane, though fibrin glue has really made this technique a lot quicker. It would be nice to see a head-to-head article which clarifies the best approach.

Clinical Trial of Pink Eye Test to Commence in Fall

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:26:42 +0000

The Adeno Detector is a new device intended to allow ophthalmologists to rapidly detect whether conjunctivitis is viral (which typically clears up in 1-2 weeks without treatment), or bacterial (and thus requires antibiotics for treatment). The device should thus decrease the incidence of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

Here’s how the device works: the physician extracts tear fluid from a patient’s eye and inserts the fluid into a chemical solution. Within 10 minutes a negative (bacterial) or positive (viral) diagnosis will appear for one of the 54 strains of the adenovirus that causes conjunctivitis.

The device is set to commence clinical trials this fall to determine how well it can reduce faulty diagnoses.

Click here to read more.

Tetracycline Slightly Beats Povidone-Iodine In Prevention of Ophthalmia Neonatorum

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:12:13 +0000

Ophthalmology: For decades, doctors have put antibiotic ointment in the eyes of newborns to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum, an infection often associated with chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease. Researchers wondered if povidone-iodine, which we put in eyes before eye surgery and costs pennies, would be just as effective as tetracycline. Looks like povidone-iodine was slightly less effective and was a little irritating to the eye. Round one goes to tetracycline.

How Effective Are Bepreve Eye Drops in Treating Allergic Conjunctivitis?

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:36:55 +0000

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced additional results from the Company’s BEPREVE(R) (bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution) 1.5% Phase 3 clinical studies to treat allergic conjunctivitis.

Presented in poster sessions at the 2011 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the results demonstrated that BEPREVE was statistically superior to placebo in reducing nonocular symptoms associated with allergic conjunctivitis.

Click here for the full press release.

What Are Possible Causes of Red Eye?

Patient Letter to the Editor — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:22:28 +0000

I have been suffering from red eye for a couple of days. I am scheduled for my annual exam soon at my primary care doctor and figured I could show it to him.

Can anyone share possible causes of red eye? I am just concerned it may be a symptom of a serious condition.

Should I not wait for my annual exam, and rush immediately to an optometrist or ophthalmologist?

QLT Announces Phase II Clinical Trial Results for the Olopatadine Punctal Plug Delivery System

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:39:23 +0000

QLT’s Olopatadine Punctal Plug Delivery System (O-PPDS) is a sustained and controlled release drug delivery system that utilizes the puncta to house a drug-eluting device. The goal is to enable delivery of a variety of drugs to the eye over time through sustained release to the tear film.

QLT has been performing Phase II proof-of-concept clinical trials of the O-PPDS as a treatment for allergic conjunctivitis. Today, QLT announced that data from the trials demonstrated that there were no significant differences noted between the O-PPDS and placebo-PPDS subjects with respect to reduction in the signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis with both cohorts showing similar improvements. Internal study controls, including the olopatadine (Patanol(R)) and placebo eye drop cohort responses, also failed to confirm the model’s efficacy relative to the trial design.

Click here to read the full press release.

Liquid Nitrogen For Ocular Surface Disease

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:02:53 +0000

EyeNet: Liquid Nitrogen was found to be effective in treating ocular surface diseases like superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis, conjunctival amyloidosis and even pterygium using a double freeze-thaw technique. Considering decreasing reimbursements, it’s always nice if easy. fast techniques can do the job.

Ocular Therapeutix Announces Successful Completion of Study of Sustained Drug Delivery Moxifloxacin Punctum Plug

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 06:31:40 +0000

Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. announced the successful completion of a clinical study of their sustained drug delivery moxifloxacin punctum plug. The study was a single-site, single-armed, single-dose study in which 10 patients received the punctum plug immediately following cataract surgery and were evaluated over a 10-day period.

Primary outcome measures were plug retention and moxifloxacin levels above the minimum concentration to stop growth in various strains of bacterial conjunctivitis.

Click here to read the full press release.

Anyone Using AzaSite Eye Drops To Treat Posterior Blepharitis/Meibomian Gland Disease?

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 04:38:47 +0000

I have recently been changing over to AzaSite (Azithromycin) drops from Erythromycin ointment as my drug of choice for daily treatment of posterior blepharitis/Meibomian gland disease (MGD). It seems to be very well tolerated, is only once a day, and is reported to have anti-inflammatory properties, thus reducing the need for topical steroids. This is a difficult, annoying, chronic condition for so many patients, and I think they will be very grateful.

Demodex Implicated in Facial Rosacea

Dr. Ari Weitzner — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:40:04 +0000

A study in Ophthalmology noted a high correlation between those with facial rosacea and Demodex mites (and B oleronius, a bacteria associated with the mites). The authors suggest that lid scrubs with tree tea oil may be of benefit. I would imagine any patient with significant Meibomian gland disease who does not respond to typical Rx may benefit as well. The authors note that cylindrical dandruff along the base of the eyelash is pathognomonic for Demodex.