If you didnt make it to this years Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting but want to keep up to date with the latest research, youve come to the right place. Our clinical editors have culled through many posters, presentations and papers to find those studies that could have the biggest impact on your patient care and present them here. Note that the studies are cited by their corresponding ARVO abstract number.
Here is a rundown of the highlights:
Cornea. Associate Clinical Editor Joseph P. Shovlin, O.D., reports findings about the role tears play in contact lens comfort, and how the tear film can affect patients tolerance of contact lenses. Other abstracts look at the effectiveness of customized contact lenses developed through adaptive optics for presbyopic patients, why patients prefer specific multipurpose contact lens solutions, and whether the corneal epithelium in Asians is more susceptible to micro-trauma during contact lens wear.
Researchers also look at the effects of dry eye therapies, including cyclosporine, polyunsaturated fatty acids and warm compresses, and they discuss systemic conditions linked to dry eye.
Glaucoma. Researchers examine the possible role of blood pressure in glaucoma and report the latest findings about whether IOP should be adjusted based on measurements of central corneal thickness (CCT). Other abstracts, which Ive selected for this article, look at a new instrument for detecting visual field defects and compare tonometers. Researchers also report on the protective effect of nutrition against glaucoma and the effectiveness of selective laser trabeculoplasty.
Retina. Once again, researchers this year paid careful attention to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), reports Mark Dunbar, O.D., contributing editor of Review of Optometry and author of the Retina Quiz column. Researchers also discuss the latest findings on imaging equipment used to detect and monitor AMD and the effects of diet, specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) intake, on AMD.
Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Contributing Editor Paul M. Karpecki, author of Review of Optometrys Research Review column, reports on several refractive surgery findings. These include the causes of post-LASIK dry eye, misconceptions about LASEK, the effectiveness of PRK, post-LASIK ectasia, and the relationship between prior gas permeable contact lens wear on LASIK retreatment.
Dr. Karpecki also reports on how phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) may be an effective treatment for recurrent corneal erosion syndrome as well as the latest findings on IOLs, including IOLs for patients who experience a ruptured capsular bag and aspheric IOLs.
To learn more about these studies or read others, visit www.arvo.org.
