Refractive Surgery News

At OSN New York 2016, Jodi Luchs, MD, FACS, discusses how a patient's risk for ectasia and dry eye must be taken into account when choosing between PRK and LASIK.

Avellino Labs announced it will launch a keratoconus screening test in Korea, Japan and China in the first quarter of 2017, according to a press release from the company.

The emergence of refractive cataract surgery is the "most important development" in cataract surgery over the past few years, Carlos Buznego, MD, told colleagues at OSN New York 2016. Ideally, refractive cataract surgery incorporating a surgical planning system to correct astigmatism should decrease surgeon stress in the operating room by guiding axis marking, nomogram application and incision precision and adjustment, according to Buznego.

NEPTUNE, N.J. – Here at the New Jersey Academy of Optometry meeting, Alissa Coyne, OD, FAAO, of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, discussed photothermal damage, photochemical damage and photodisruption by ophthalmic lasers. Optometrists should look for inflammation and intraocular pressure spikes, the typical side effects seen after common laser therapies.

The administration of a validated questionnaire to LASIK participants before and after the procedure can effectively assess symptoms and patient satisfaction and determine if patients experience new symptoms after surgery, according to a study.

Prompt handling is key to successful management of epithelial ingrowth after LASIK, according to Helen K. Wu, MD, who spoke on the topic at OSN New York 2016. Management techniques include scaping and replacement of the flap; suturing of the flap, use of tissue adhesive, sealant or amniotic membrane patching to facilitate flap adhesion; and YAG treatment of areas of ingrowth in recalcitrant cases. "Prevention may be, however, the best cure," she said.

In his keynote address at the 25th anniversary of the OSN New York meeting, OCULAR SURGERY NEWS Chief Medical Editor Richard Lindstrom, MD, discusses refractive corneal surgery -- where it is now and where it has been. He advises ophthalmologists to prepare for the higher demand that will come as the millennial generation ages.

Re-treatment with a femtosecond laser after suction loss in eyes during small incision lenticule extraction did not affect accuracy, predictability or safety, according to a study. In addition, patients did not notice a difference in vision.

Corneal inlays, or more specifically presbyopic inlays, are gaining traction as another viable option to improve vision.

NEW YORK — Abandoned LASIK flap procedures due to complications are uncommon, but a second surgery can still result in positive outcomes for patients if surgeons optimize timing and their surgical technique, a speaker said here.