Upper limits of intraocular pressure in glaucoma clinical trials

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110560/1/ceo12357.pd

Age-related macular degeneration and the aging eye

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ocular disease that causes damage to the retinal macula, mostly in the elderly. Normal aging processes can lead to structural and blood flow changes that can predispose patients to AMD, although advanced age does not inevitably cause AMD. In this review, we describe changes that occur in the macular structure, such as the retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch’s membrane, with advancing age and in AMD. The role of genetics in AMD and age-related changes in ocular blood flow that may play a role in the pathogenesis of AMD are also discussed. Understanding the pathophysiology of AMD development can help guide future research to further comprehend this disease and to develop better treatments to prevent its irreversible central vision loss in the elderly

Ocular safety of sildenafil citrate when administered chronically for pulmonary arterial hypertension: results from phase III, randomised, double masked, placebo controlled trial and open label extension

Objective To assess the ocular effects and safety profile of chronic sildenafil oral dosing in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Management of Glaucoma in Pregnancy

Management of glaucoma during pregnancy represents a challenge for the physician. Important disease and patient health decisions begin even prior to conception and continue throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Data on this topic is limited due to ethical and legal constraints and challenges of conducting large, prospective, and randomized clinical trials on this patient population. Our review suggests that individually, intraocular pressure is lower in a pregnant woman when compared to a non-pregnant woman. Importantly, the medical management of glaucoma during pregnancy poses special challenges due to the possibility of adverse effects of medications on the fetus and newborn. Laser trabeculoplasty and traditional filtration surgery, as well as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, represent non-drug management options. Thus, managing glaucoma in pregnancy is a delicate balance between treatment to prevent damage to the optic nerve in the mother and avoidance of interventions potentially harmful to the fetus. This literature review of published individual and population-based studies was performed in order to explore current knowledge and guidelines in the management of glaucoma in pregnancy

Newly diagnosed exudative age-related macular degeneration treated with pegaptanib sodium monotherapy in US community-based practices: medical chart review study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies have shown that early detection and treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) can delay vision loss and blindness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy/safety of intravitreal pegaptanib sodium monotherapy in treatment-naïve subjects with newly diagnosed NV-AMD and to gain insight into characteristics of lesions treated in community-based practices.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From seven private US practices, charts were retrospectively reviewed on 73 subjects with previously untreated subfoveal choroidal NV-AMD treated with their first dose of pegaptanib monotherapy on/after 4/1/2005 through 6/5/2006, receiving ≥4 treatments at 6-week intervals over 21 weeks. Primary endpoint: mean visual acuity (VA) change from baseline to month 6.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>75% of lesions were occult, and 82% were subfoveal. From baseline to month 6, mean VA change was -0.68 lines; 58% and 16% gained ≥0 and ≥3 lines of VA, and 70% were responders (<3 lines lost). In 35 subjects with early disease, 80% were responders with a mean gain of 0.46 lines.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Pegaptanib is effective in real-world patients with treatment-naïve NV-AMD in uncontrolled community-based retina practices.</p

Ophthalmic Uses of a Thiol-Modified Hyaluronan-Based Hydrogel.

This is a copy of an article published in the Advances in Wound Care © 2014 [copyright Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.]; Advances in Wound Care is available online at: http://online.liebertpub.com.Significance: Hyaluronic acid (HA, or hyaluronan) is a ubiquitous naturally occurring polysaccharide that plays a role in virtually all tissues in vertebrate organisms. HA-based hydrogels have wound-healing properties, support cell delivery, and can deliver drugs locally. Recent Advances: A few HA hydrogels can be customized for composition, physical form, and biomechanical properties. No clinically approved HA hydrogel allows for in vivo crosslinking on administration, has a tunable gelation time to meet wound-healing needs, or enables drug delivery. Recently, a thiolated carboxymethyl HA (CMHA-S) was developed to produce crosslinked hydrogels, sponges, and thin films. CMHA-S can be crosslinked with a thiol-reactive crosslinker or by oxidative disulfide bond formation to form hydrogels. By controlled crosslinking, the shape and form of this material can be manipulated. These hydrogels can be subsequently lyophilized to form sponges or air-dried to form thin films. CMHA-S films, liquids, and gels have been shown to be effective in vivo for treating various injuries and wounds in the eye in veterinary use, and are in clinical development for human use. Critical Issues: Better clinical therapies are needed to treat ophthalmic injuries. Corneal wounds can be treated using this HA-based crosslinked hydrogel. CMHA-S biomaterials can help heal ocular surface defects, can be formed into a film to deliver drugs for local ocular drug delivery, and could deliver autologous limbal stem cells to treat extreme ocular surface damage associated with limbal stem cell deficiencies. Future Directions: This CMHA-S hydrogel increases the options that could be available for improved ocular wound care, healing, and regenerative medicine.Partial financial support was from National Science Foundation SBIR # 1315150

A Review of Nitric Oxide for the Treatment of Glaucomatous Disease

<p><b>Article full text</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>The full text of this article can be found here<b>.</b> <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40123-017-0094-6">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40123-017-0094-6</a></p><p></p> <p><br></p> <p><b>Provide enhanced content for this article</b></p> <p><br></p> <p>If you are an author of this publication and would like to provide additional enhanced content for your article then please contact <a href="http://www.medengine.com/Redeem/”mailto:[email protected]”"><b>[email protected]</b></a>.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The journal offers a range of additional features designed to increase visibility and readership. All features will be thoroughly peer reviewed to ensure the content is of the highest scientific standard and all features are marked as ‘peer reviewed’ to ensure readers are aware that the content has been reviewed to the same level as the articles they are being presented alongside. Moreover, all sponsorship and disclosure information is included to provide complete transparency and adherence to good publication practices. This ensures that however the content is reached the reader has a full understanding of its origin. No fees are charged for hosting additional open access content.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Other enhanced features include, but are not limited to:</p> <p><br></p> <p>• Slide decks</p> <p>• Videos and animations</p> <p>• Audio abstracts</p> <p>• Audio slides</p

The utility of home tonometry for peri-interventional decision-making in glaucoma surgery: Case series

Purpose: To describe twelve cases in which home intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring complimented clinical decision-making in glaucoma management. Observations: Home IOP monitoring elucidated peaks and amplitudes of variation that were not captured by in-clinic IOP measurements during the pre- or post-interventional period. Conclusions &amp; Importance: Home monitoring can establish pre-treatment IOP patterns that are not evident during in-clinic measurements. Home monitoring can also demonstrate response to treatment more quickly than in-clinic monitoring, and provide more information about nyctohemoral fluctuations than is ascertained by in-clinic tonometry