Also in the News…
From new Vabysmo approvals to RP treatment developments, these are the news stories and studies that caught our attention this week…
Alun Evans | | 3 min read | News
Credit: Bausch + Lomb
Vabysmo pre-filled syringe. The FDA has approved Roche’s Vabysmo 6.0 mg single-dose pre-filled syringe (PFS) for three leading causes of vision loss. The PFS delivers the same medicine as is currently available in vial form, but now in a ready-to-use format. Link
Dry Eye survey. Bausch + Lomb have released the results from their inaugural State of Dry Eye survey, which was designed to understand the experiences of American adults suffering from dry eye disease. Link
Breakthrough RP treatment. Case Western Reserve University has received a $1.5 million three-year grant from the Foundation for Fighting Blindness to help in their work towards developing an oral drug treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Link
GAN for DME. Scientists from the Doheny Eye Institute, California, used generative adversarial network (GAN) models to generate gradable optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. The team found that the GAN-generated models showed positive predictive values and specificity, indicating that this modality could help identify potential non responders of long-term diabetic macular edema (DME) treatment. Link
Remote imaging prospects. Researchers at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, have compared a new remote-controlled and portable slit lamp prototype’s imaging capabilities with the Haag-Streit AG and the BX 900 slit lamp biomicroscope, finding the new device’s diagnostic accuracy comparable. The prototype’s remote functionality and accessibility could help broaden access to eye care at primary care level and further enhance the future of teleophthalmology, the study reports. Link
VEGF-A elevation. Researchers from the University of Athens, Greece, have discovered that VEGF-A levels are substantially elevated in the aqueous humor of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes. The findings indicate that various retinal cells might be responsible for this elevation, aligning with existing literature that also reports increased levels of VEGF-A in POAG patients. Link
SLT efficacy. Post-hoc analysis published in Ophthalmology finds that selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) performs better for a higher baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) as a first-line treatment for open angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension than typical hypotensive medication. Link
