Also in the News…

From the remote monitoring for neovascular age-related macular degeneration to the long-term effects of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A or botox) for the treatment of childhood esotropia, these are the studies that caught our attention this week…

Hasan joins Exonate board. Biotechnology company Exonate has announced the appointment of Rafiq Hasan to its Board as a non-executive director. Hasan, currently CEO of Complement Therapeutics, was previously Senior Vice President and Global Head of Ophthalmology at Bayer. Link

APACRS 2024. Alcon will share real-world data for the AcrySof IQ Vivity intraocular lens (IOL) at the 36th Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) Annual Meeting in China (May 30–June 1, 2024). The company will also present data for Presbyopia Correcting Intraocular Lenses (PCIOLs) and AcrySof IQ PanOptix IOL. Link

Remote nAMD management. A recent Retina study has indicated that at-home OCT-guided remote monitoring for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) could be used for more personalized management. Comparing results from this type of OCT-guided treatment with standard care regimens, the study found a significant reduction in treatment burden for patients, all while maintaining stable visual acuity (VA). Though the study involved only a small cohort, the findings highlight the potential for this imaging modality to be further incorporated into physician-led practice. Link

Newly discovered perivascular neuron subset. Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered a new type of perivascular neuronal subset – Fam19a4/Nts-positive retinal ganglion cells (Fam19a4/Nts-RGCs) – responsible for creating the intricate 3D vascular lattice of laminar vascular beds in the retina by directly guiding blood vessels. The team observed their findings in newborn mice, discovering that these same types of neurons were also involved in forming a similar network of vessels in the cerebellum, a discovery which could lead to potential developments for improved treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Link

More than just cosmetic? A recent American Journal of Ophthalmology study has looked at the long-term effects of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A or botox) for the treatment of childhood esotropia. The researchers found that such an intervention could potentially represent a safe and accessible low-cost alternative to unilateral lateral rectus muscle resection surgery (R&R) for earlier onset esotropia (≤ 2.5 years old), but that older children are more likely to still benefit from R&R. Link