LASIK Eye Surgery

Andrew Loudon from the University of Manchester, in England, United Kingdom, has indicated:

• ‘Light-dark cycles drive hormone rhythms via a circuit that involves the eye and nervous system projections to structures involved in regulating hormone rhythms, in particular melatonin …’

Andrew London has said:

• “Our findings imply that evolution has come up with a means of switching off the cellular clockwork …”
• “Such daily clocks may be positively a hindrance in environments where there is no reliable light-dark cycle for much of the year.”

More from a Release dated March 11, sourced from Cell Press:
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Tags: abandoned annual reproductive cycle Arctic Arctic animals Arctic reindeer Arctic species biological rhythms cellular clockwork circadian mechanisms circannual clock circuit clock genes daily daily clocks day versus night daylight hours detectable levels direct response drive hormone England entrain environments equinoxes extreme conditions hindrance hormone levels hormone rhythms hormone switch informative melatonin signals internal clock keeping time light and dark light goes out light-dark cycles Manchester melatonin melatonin levels melatonin signals nervous system northern reaches northern temperate Norway oscillate t positively projections regulating hormone rhythms reindeer skin cells reliable rhythmic 24-hour fashion rise and fall seasonal cycles seasonal sheep similar patterns skin cells sun does not set switching off synchronization the eye Tromsø United Kingdom University of Manchester University of Tromsø wiring circuit

• “Curcumin, commonly called diferuloyl methane, is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from rhizome (turmeric) of the herb Curcuma longa.”¹
• “Extensive research over the last half century has revealed important functions of curcumin.”
• “In vitro and in vivo research has shown various activities, such as anti-inflammatory, cytokines release, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, enhancing of the apoptotic process, and anti-angiogenic properties.”

Researchers from Department of Oncology and Radiation Therapy, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; have presented an article titled: “Curcumin as an Anti-Cancer Agent: Review of the Gap between Basic and Clinical Applications.”

The researchers from Haifa, Israel, have also noted:

• “Curcumin has also been shown to be a mediator of chemo-resistance and radio-resistance.”
• “The anti-cancer effect has been seen in a few clinical trials, mainly as a native chemoprevention agent in colon and pancreatic cancer, cervical neoplasia and Barrets metaplasia.”
• “Some clinical studies with healthy volunteers revealed a low bioavailability of curcumin, casting doubt on the use of curcumin only as food additive.”
• “Our clinical experience with curcumin, along with the anti-metabolite gemcitabine in the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma, produced an objective response in less than 10% of patients, with a minor effect on survival.”
• “However, the safety of this combination was proved.”
• “Curcumin’s potent anti-proliferative activity interacting with several intracellular signal transduction pathways may potentiate the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine.”
• “The preclinical data lead to various, but still scarce, clinical studies (some on-going) that demonstrated the possible efficacy of this treatment as a chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent.”

(1) Bar-Sela G, Epelbaum R, Schaffer M: Curcumin as an Anti-Cancer Agent: Review of the Gap between Basic and Clinical Applications. Curr Med Chem. 2009 Nov 24;17(3):190-7.

Tags: advanced angiogenesis anti-angiogenic anti-cancer anti-cancer agent anti-cancer effect anti-inflammatory anti-metabolite anti-proliferative activity anti-tumor effect antioxidant antioxidative apoptotic Barrets metaplasia bioavailability c casting doubt cervical neoplasia chemo-resistance chemoprevention chemoprevention agent chemopreventive agent chemotherapeutic agent colon cancer combination Curcuma longa curcumin cytokines release Department of Oncology and Radiation Therapy diferuloyl methane efficacy enhancing food additive gemcitabine Haifa half century herb Curcuma longa hydrophobic hydrophobic polyphenol immunomodulatory important functions intracellular Israel low bioavailability mechanism mediator minor effect native objective on-going pancreatic cancer pancreatic carcinoma pathways polyphenol potent properties.-quot proved radio-resistance Rambam Health Care Campus response retinal protection rhizome safety scarce signal transduction survival treatment turmeric

• “Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of visual loss in older adults, has limited therapeutic options.”¹

Researchers from National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA; have presented an article titled: “Nutritional supplements for age-related macular degeneration.”

The researchers Bethesda, Maryland, have also noted:

• “… review describes the current literature on the role of nutritional supplementation in primary and secondary prevention of AMD.”
• “Many observational studies have explored the association between diet, nutrient intake, and AMD.”
• “In particular, high dietary intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, and macular xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin have been associated with a lower risk of prevalent and incident AMD.”
• “However, the Age-Related Eye Disease study (AREDS) is the only large-scale randomized controlled clinical trial to show a 25% beneficial effect of nutritional supplementation in reducing the risk progression to advanced AMD in patients with intermediate AMD or with advanced AMD in one eye at 5 years of follow-up.”
• “On the basis of the results of AREDS, these patients are recommended to take AREDS formulation of vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, and zinc with copper.”
• “At the present time, there is insufficient evidence in the literature to recommend routine nutritional supplementation in healthy adults for primary prevention of AMD.”
• “However, patients with intermediate risk of AMD or advanced AMD in one eye should consider taking AREDS-type supplements.”
• “Observational studies have also suggested benefit from increased dietary intake of macular xanthophylls and omega-3 fatty acids.”
• “These are currently being evaluated prospectively in a randomized controlled clinical trial, the AREDS2.”

(1) Krishnadev N, Meleth AD, Chew EY: Nutritional supplements for age-related macular degeneration. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2010 Mar 6; (Article in Press)

Tags: Age-Related Eye Disease study age-related macular degeneration AMD AREDS beta-carotene Bethesda copper diet dietary intakes fatty acids healthy adults high incident insufficient evidence lower risk prevalent lutein macular xanthophylls macular xanthophylls lutein Maryland nutrient intake nutritional omega-3 omega-3 fatty acids primary prevention recommend routine supplementation supplements vitamin C vitamin E zeaxanthin zinc

• “Development of intraocular drug delivery systems (DDSs) is urgently required for the treatment of eye diseases, especially in the posterior segment of the eye (the vitreous cavity, retina, and choroid), most of which are refractory to conventional pharmacologic approaches; eye drops and systemically administered drugs cannot achieve therapeutic drug concentrations in the posterior segment of the eye.”¹
• “Repeated intravitreal injections of anti-angiogenic agents are effective in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration, but there remain risks of serious side effects such as endophthalmitis associated with repeated injections.”

Researchers from Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya Aichi, Japan; have presented an article titled: “Medical devices for the treatment of eye diseases.”

The researchers from Nagoya City have also noted:

• “Intraocular DDSs may address these problems.”
• “Intraocular sustained drug release from implantable or injectable devices has been investigated to treat vitreoretinal diseases.”
• “A reservoir-type nonbiodegradable implant was first launched in the market in 1996 for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis secondary to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, followed by clinical trials for a variety of potent devices to treat other challenging eye diseases.”
• “An injectable rod-shaped insert releasing a steroid is presently being assessed in a phase III trial to treat macular edema secondary to diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion.”
• “Thus various types of intraocular DDSs will be commercially available to treat vision-threatening intraocular diseases in the near future.”

(1) Yasukawa T, Ogura Y: Medical devices for the treatment of eye diseases. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2010;(197):469-89.

Tags: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome age-related macular degeneration anti-angiogenic assessed challenging choroid clinical trials commercially available conventional cytomegalovirus retinitis Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science devices diabetic retinopathy diseases drug concentrations drugs effective endophthalmitis eye diseases eye drops implantable implants injectable injectables injections anti-angiogenic agents insert intraocular intraocular drug delivery systems intraocular sustained drug release intravitreal Japan launched macular edema market medical devices Nagoya Aichi Nagoya City Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences near future nonbiodegradable implant pharmacologic approaches posterior segment posterior segment of the eye potent problems releasing repeated repeated injections reservoir-type retina retinal vein occlusion risks rod-shaped secondary serious side effects steroid sustained drug release systemically administered the eye therapeutic treatment treatment of eye diseases variety vision-threatening vitreoretinal diseases vitreous cavity

• “Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a nondestructive imaging modality with the potential to make quantitative spatial measurements.”¹
• “OCT’s noncontact nature, sensitivity to small refractive index mismatches, and micron-scale resolution make it attractive for contact lens metrology, specifically, measuring prism.”

Researchers from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; have presented an article titled: “Application of optical coherence tomography to automated contact lens metrology.”

The researchers from Tucson, Arizona, have also noted:

• “Prism is defined as the maximum difference in thickness of the contact lens, measured over a full 360 deg of rotation, at a fixed distance from the contact lens edge.”
• “We develop and test a novel algorithm that automatically analyzes OCT images and calculates prism.”
• “Images are obtained using a Thorlabs OCT930SR OCT system.”
• “The OCT probe is fastened to an automated rotation stage that rotates 360 deg in small increments (typically 10 deg) to acquire OCT images of the edge of the contact lens around the entire circumference.”
• “The images are 1.6 mm in optical depth (512 pixels) and 2 mm wide (1000 pixels).”
• “Several sets of images are successfully analyzed.”
• “The prism measured for a toric lens is 42 mum, which is in line with design parameters.”
• “Thickness measurements are repeatable with a standard deviation of 0.5 mum and maximum range of 1.8 mum over ten image sets.”
• “This work demonstrates the possibility of using OCT to perform nondestructive contact lens metrology.”

(1) Davidson BR, Barton JK: Application of optical coherence tomography to automated contact lens metrology. J Biomed Opt. 2010 January/February;15(1):016009.

Tags: acquire images algorithm analyzed Arizona around attractive automated contact lens metrology automated rotation stage automatic analysis automatically analyzes calculate prism circumference contact lens edge contact lens metrology contact lens prism contact lens thickness contacts defined degrees of rotation design parameters develop and test edge entire fastened fixed distance full 360 degrees imaging index mismatches lens edge maximum difference measured measurements measuring prism metrology micron-scale mismatches modality nature noncontact nondestructive nondestructive contact lens nondestructive contact lens metrology novel algorithm OCT images OCT probe optical coherence tomography optical depth potential prism quantitative refractive index repeatable resolution rotation stage sensitivity several sets small increments small refractive index mismatches spatial specifically successfully thickness toric lens Tucson University of Arizona

• “… eye movements in a patient, FK, who has action disorganisation syndrome (ADS), as he performed the everyday task of making a cup of tea.”¹

Researchers from Behavioural Brain Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom;  School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom; School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Notttingham, East Midlands, England, United Kingdom; and School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom; have presented an article titled: “The eyes have it: An exploration of eye movements in action disorganisation syndrome.”

The researchers from University of Birmingham, University of Sussex and University of Nottingham, have also noted:

• “We compared his eye movements with those of a person with Alzheimer’s disease and with healthy volunteers.”
• “Despite showing very disorganised behaviour many aspects of FK’s eye movements were relatively normal.”
• “However, unlike normal participants FK made no advance glances to objects that were about to be used, and he made increased numbers of fixations to irrelevant objects during the task.”
• “There were also differences in the durations of his eye movements during correct actions and during his perseverative and task-addition responses.”

(1) Forde EM, Rusted J, Mennie N, Land M, Humphreys GW: The eyes have it: An exploration of eye movements in action disorganisation syndrome. Neuropsychologia. 2010 Feb 18; (Article in Press)

Tags: action disorganisation syndrome advance glances Alzheimers disease aspects Behavioural Brain Sciences Birmingham compared eye movements correct actions cup of tea Department of Psychology disorganisation disorganised behavior durations during the task Edgbaston England everyday task exploration eye movements eye movements in action fixations healthy increased numbers irrelevant making a cup of tea normal objects perseverative relatively responses syndrome task-addition the eyes have it United Kingdom University of Birmingham unlike normal participants very disorganised behaviour volunteers West Midlands

• “… monocular and binocular visual outcomes of LASIK with a non-linear aspheric micro-monovision protocol for the correction of myopic astigmatism and presbyopia.”¹

Researchers from London, England, United Kingdom; have presented an article titled: “LASIK for Myopic Astigmatism and Presbyopia Using Non-Linear Aspheric Micro-Monovision with the Carl Zeiss Meditec MEL 80 Platform.”

The researchers from London have concluded:

• “This non-linear aspheric myopic micro-monovision protocol was well-tolerated, stable, and effective for treating patients with presbyopia in moderate to high myopic astigmatism.”

The researchers from London have also noted:

• “A retrospective, noncomparative case series included 310 eyes of 155 consecutive patients with myopic astigmatism and presbyopia who were treated with LASIK-induced micro-monovision.”
• “The Carl Zeiss Meditec CRS-Master software and MEL 80 excimer laser were used.”
• “The target refraction was plano for distance eyes (dominant eye) and between -0.75 and -2.00 diopters (D) for near eyes.”
• “Patients were followed for 1 year.”
• “Mean attempted spherical equivalent refraction (SE) correction was -3.59+/-1.79 D (range: -0.20 to -8.31 D).”
• “Mean attempted cylinder correction was 0.84+/-0.63 D (range: 0 to 2.50 D).”
• “Median patient age was 49 years (range: 43 to 63 years).”
• “Median follow-up was 12.5 months.”
• “Outcome measures after all treatments were as follows.”
• “Achieved SE correction was within +/-0.50 D in 92% and within +/-1.00 D in 99% of eyes.”
• “Monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity was 20/20 in 99% and 20/32 in 100% of distance eyes.”
• “Binocular uncorrected near visual acuity was J2 in 96% and J5 in 100% of patients.”
• “Binocular uncorrected visual acuity was 20/20 and J5 in 99% of patients.”
• “No eyes lost 2 or more lines of corrected distance visual acuity.”
• “There was no change in mesopic contrast sensitivity (CSV-1000) at all spatial frequencies.”
• “The average change in refraction between 3 months and 1 year was -0.06+/-0.31 D.”

(1) Reinstein DZ, Archer TJ, Gobbe M: LASIK for Myopic Astigmatism and Presbyopia Using Non-Linear Aspheric Micro-Monovision with the Carl Zeiss Meditec MEL 80 Platform. J Refract Surg. 2010 Mar 11:1-15. doi: 10.3928/1081597X-20100212-04; (Article in Press)

Tags: aspheric micro-monovision aspheric monovision astigmatism binocular contrast cylinder correction distance eyes distance vision dominant eye England excimer laser high myopic astigmatism LASIK LASIK-induced LASIK-induced micro-monovision London mesopic contrast sensitivity moderate monocular myopic astigmatism near eyes nearsighted non-linear non-linear aspheric micro-monovision non-linear aspheric micro-monovision protocol non-linear micro-monovision plano presbyopia sensitivity software spatial frequencies spheric vision spherical stable target refraction United Kingdom well-tolerated

• “To compare the complications of phacoemulsification alone vs combined phacotrabeculectomy in chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG) with coexisting cataract.”¹

Professor Dennis S C Lam and researchers in Hong Kong, China; from Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories; Eye Institute, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam; Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Kowloon; Department of Ophthalmology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon; and Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin; have presented an article titled: “Phacoemulsification vs Phacotrabeculectomy in Chronic Angle-closure Glaucoma With Cataract Complications.”

The researchers from Hong Kong have concluded:

• “Combined phacotrabeculectomy resulted in significantly more surgical complications than phacoemulsification alone in CACG eyes with coexisting cataract.”
• “There was no difference in visual acuity or disease progression between the 2 treatment groups.”

The researchers from Hong Kong have also noted:

• “The first trial recruited patients with medically controlled intraocular pressure, while the second trial recruited patients with medically uncontrolled intraocular pressure.”
• “Sixty-two CACG eyes were randomized to receive phacoemulsification alone, and 61 eyes had combined phacotrabeculectomy.”
• “In the phacoemulsification group, 5 of the 62 CACG eyes (8.1%) had a total of 5 surgical complications.”
• “In the combined phacotrabeculectomy group, 16 of the 61 CACG eyes (26.2%) had a total of 19 surgical complications.”
• “The difference in the proportion of eyes with 1 or more surgical complications between the 2 treatment groups was statistically significant (P = .007, Pearson chi(2) test).”
• “There was no statistically significant difference in final visual acuity or glaucomatous progression during the 24-month follow-up.”

(1) Tham CC, Kwong YY, Leung DY, Lam SW, Li FC, Chiu TY, Chan JC, Lam DS, Lai JS: Phacoemulsification vs Phacotrabeculectomy in Chronic Angle-closure Glaucoma With Cataract Complications. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010 Mar;128(3):303-11.

Tags: CACG CACG eyes cataract cataract complications China Chinese University of Hong Kong chronic angle-closure glaucoma coexisting cataract combined phacotrabeculectomy compare complications Department of Ophthalmology Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences disease Eye Institute glaucomatous Hong Kong Hong Kong Eye Hospital intraocular pressure Kowloon medically medically controlled phacoemulsification alone Pokfulam Prince of Wales Hospital progression proportion of eyes Queen Mary Hospital Shatin surgical complications uncontrolled uncontrolled intraocular pressure United Christian Hospital University of Hong Kong visual acuity

• “A novel application of pulsed electronic speckle pattern interferometry (PulseESPI) techniques in important corneal elasticity measurements is presented in this pilot study.”¹
• “For laser-ablative procedures like laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, it has been found that elastic properties of the cornea have a role in the outcome of corneal refractive surgery, while for optimal ablative laser power calculations this measurement method may possibly be helpful.”
• “It may also help in earlier diagnosis of degenerative corneal disorders such as keratoconus.”

Researchers from Electronics Engineering Department, Politecnico di Torino, Torino - Italy; have presented an article titled: “Broader corneal characterization with PulseESPI applied to elasticity measurements.”

The researchers from Electronics Engineering Department, Politecnico di Torino, Torino - Italy; have concluded:

• “PulseESPI may help in important corneal elasticity measurements used for complication-free optimized ophthalmic surgery.”
• “It seems to be a promising method to conduct stress-related investigations on biological samples.”
• “To our knowledge, this is the first time that PulseESPI has been used for such ophthalmic measurements.”

The researchers from Electronics Engineering Department, Politecnico di Torino, Torino - Italy; have also noted:

• “The approach of this study is to observe dynamic behavior of cornea against stresses as mapped with PulseESPI.”
• “For this purpose, strain was induced to the cornea using a fine rod with a mechanical vibrator.”
• “It was found that cornea has a response pattern to the dynamic stressing.”
• “Its surface exhibits a resonance frequency which can be measured with PulseESPI.”
• “This information of resonance frequency can be characteristic to the cornea.”

(1) Gualini MM, Iqbal S, Sixt W, Khan WA, Zulfiqar K: Broader corneal characterization with PulseESPI applied to elasticity measurements. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2010 Jan 12;20(2):306-309; (Article in Press)

Tags: cornea corneal refractive surgery elastic properties elasticity eye surgery laser-ablative procedures laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis resonance frequency

Abbott has reported that “… it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the TECNIS® Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia.”

More from a Release dated March 10, sourced from Abbott:
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Tags: aspheric lenses cataractous lens distance vision intermediate vision multifocal intraocular lens multifocal IOLs near vision wavefront-designed lens