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A closer look at the new wave of glaucoma surgery – radical or old school?

Glaucoma is a challenging condition to treat because the exact pathophysiology remains unclear and the only readily modifiable factor is the intraocular pressure (IOP). Additionally, most glaucoma patients are completely asymptomatic, yet are often subjected to lifelong medical therapy. The...

Improved efficacy expected with second-generation microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices

Microinvasive surgical approaches to primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) offer minimally traumatic options for effective intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction in appropriately selected glaucoma patients. Increases in laser trabeculoplasty rates and wider adoption of glaucoma drainage device filtration procedures, together with the...

More sensitive visual acuity test for age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Primarily associated with ageing, genetic factors and lifestyle choices such as smoking also play a contributory role. Patients with early AMD, characterised by the development of...

Shifting the paradigm of managing patients in medical retina: how real-world data can help us to improve clinical practice

The ophthalmic subspecialty of ‘medical retina’ has undergone dramatic changes in recent years. With the introduction of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis), a specialty formerly dominated by laser-based therapies has been transformed to become, in large part, pharmacotherapy-based. To date, these pharmacotherapies...

Corporate M&A pace gathers momentum

Intensifying franchise competition, maturing product development pipelines and looming loss of exclusivity spur renewed merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the ophthalmics sector. Rod McNeil reviews recent deals and related strategic developments. AbbVie to acquire Allergan in $63 billion mega-combination,...

Considerations in the management of retinal disorders

Vision research presentations and publications explore practice considerations in the management of AMD and diabetic retinopathy. Over the past two decades in Europe there has been a decreasing prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and an improvement in visual acuity...

Management of diabetic macular oedema in vitrectomised eyes

Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is one of the leading causes of blindness; its prevalence is on the rise with progressive increase in numbers of people suffering from diabetes. The management of DMO has evolved significantly over the past few years....

The role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of DMO

Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is a major cause of visual loss in diabetes, with a complex multifactorial pathogenesis. In the UK alone it is estimated that there are nearly 2.5 million diabetic patients aged over 12 years. Approximately 65,000 of...

Initiatives in macular service provision

A report from Monitor in October 2015 identifies good practices that will realise most of the potential productivity gain in elective care available to NHS hospitals. These include: stratifying patients by risk and creating low-complexity pathways for lower-risk patients (tailoring...

Pathophysiology of diabetic macular oedema: why combination therapy may be better

The prevalence of diabetes has continued to increase over the years. It is currently estimated that there are 382 million with diabetes worldwide in 2013, and that this figure is expected to rise to 592 million by 2035 [1]. In...

Strategies for managing neovascular AMD and DMO in routine clinical care

Treatment practice in the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular oedema (DMO) illustrate increasing adoption of patient-tailored treatment approaches based on initial diagnosis and regular monitoring of imaging and visual outcomes in routine clinical care. The...