Archive for April, 2010
Will insurance companies pay for a $2,000 drug for diabetic eye disease?
04.30.2010Traditionally, patients suffering from diabetic macular edema have undergone laser treatments for their condition. A new study shows that patients benefit from receiving an injection of the drug Lucentis in combination with the laser therapy.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the main cause of vision loss in people with diabetes. The new study, published in the current issue of Ophthalmology, reveals that 50% of patients who received Lucentis eye injections in conjunction with laser treatment, had markedly improved vision one year after treatment. In contrast, only 28 percent of patients who received just the laser treatment had improved vision after one year.
The findings of the study will be reviewed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), which will make recommendations on whether the combination therapy of Lucentis and laser treatments should be the preferred treatment for patients with DME.
The study results are particularly interesting for two reasons. First, Lucentis is FDA approved only for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. So although it is commonly being used for that purpose, using Lucentis for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy would be considered an “off label” use. This means that patients would have to sign a consent in which they state that they understand that the drug is being used for a purpose for which it was not intended or approved.
The second interesting point is that ophthalmologists are already commonly injecting Avastin, Lucentis’ less expensive cousin, into eyes with diabetic macular edema. And, since it is made by the same company as Lucentis (Genentech), it is a direct competitor. The catch? Lucentis costs $2,000 U.S. Dollars per dose, but Avastin only $50.00.
What is perplexing is why the National Eye Institute chose to study an off-label $2,000 drug rather than an off-label $50.00 drug, when many experts feel that the clinical benefits of the two drugs are likely to be similar.*
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Paul Krawitz, M.D., President and Founder
Vitamin Science, Inc
Is there a Role for “Blue Blocker” lenses in eye surgery?
04.29.2010Cataracts are a leading cause of impaired vision and blindness among Americans aged 40 years and older. Some studies have indicated a link between cataract surgery and an increased risk for macular disease. This could be due to the increased transmission of short wavelength (blue) light to the retina.
A study published in the May-June 2010 issue of the Survey of Ophthalmology indicates that blue light-filtering intraocular lenses (IOL) may help preserve the retinal health and lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration in cataract surgery patients.
Clinical studies have shown that the blue light-filtering was well-tolerated and there were no reports of altered night vision or of insomnia. In addition, there were no reports of loss of visual acuity, color perception, or any significant loss of scoptic, photopic or mesopic sensitivities.
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Learn these steps to prevent getting “Pink Eye”
04.23.2010Researchers have been able to identify the virus that is the leading cause of inflammation in pink eye. The highly contagious condition leads to inflammation, redness and discharge in the eyes.
The study which is detailed in the April 15 issue of PLos Pathogens was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and the National Eye Institute.
The protein coating around the virus was found to be the component that causes the inflammation. This discovery is significant because it is the inflammation which causes the discharge, and it is the discharge that transmits the disease. Hopefully, this discovery will allow researchers to find a way to block the viral protein coating.
Most infectious conjunctivitis is caused by a virus rather than bacteria. Thus, taking antibiotics don’t help resolve it’s the speed of recovery, similar to the failure of Penicillin to help the Common Cold. However, combination antibiotic-steroid drops can reduce the bacterial overgrowth that occurs with conjunctivitis and help some of the symptoms.
If you develop conjunctivitis, it is important to take steps to prevent spreading it to other people for up to 10 days. These include:
- Don’t share a telephone, since it is brought to the side of the face.
- Don’t share towels.
- Don’t swap pillows.
- Don’t kiss anyone on the cheek.
- Don’t shake hands, since the other person may touch his or her face or eye later.
- Wipe down any shared door knobs that other people are using.
- Wash your hands frequently during the first week to protect against surfaces you do inadvertently touch.
- Students should stay out of school for at least 3 days if they have ocular discharge, and possibly up to one week.
In short, conjunctivitis is highly contagious through direct or indirect contact. Most conjunctivitis is not contagious through the air. Some forms of conjunctivitis can be be associated with fever and sore throat.
If your eye is painful or light sensitive, don’t assume it is conjunctivitis. There are other causes of red eyes. See your eye doctor.
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Paul L. Krawitz, M.D., President
Vitamin Science, Inc.
‘Good’ cholesterol levels and gene variant may increase risk of AMD
04.22.2010While the connec
tion is not fully understood, researchers have found a link between a gene variant and levels of? ‘good’ cholesterol and the increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The study which is in the April 16 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, points to a combination of genes and environment being the causal factors in developing AMD. One of these factors alone cannot cause the disease.
Researchers are unsure if high levels of high- density lipoprotein in the blood increases the risk of developing AMD or if it might be how the body transports nutrients in the blood. Researchers don’t think that there is a direct relationship between the gene variant causing the the higher cholesterol levels and increasing the risk of AMD.
It is hoped that the strong evidence pointing to a genetic factor will lead to more exploration of that link.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
What is “Floppy Eyelid Syndrome?”
04.21.2010Floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) has been found to be strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnea in a recent study. While relatively uncommon, FES is typically seen in overweight, middle-aged males. It is characterized by rubbery-textured upper eyelids that might easily flip up during sleep.
One-third of the FES patients in the study also had obstructive sleep disorder (OSA). Researchers noted a substantial association between the two disorders and they did not find a patient cluster based on age, gender or Body Mass Index (BMI).
Several reasons for the association between the two disorders were offered. People suffering with OSA may have impaired central nervous system arousal and thus not wake up as people usually do when breathing slows or stops or when eyelids experience major stress. Many OSA sufferers sleep on one side which could lead to the repeated pressure on the eyelid of that side of the face.
These findings indicate that doctors should look for the other condition when one of these conditions is diagnosed in a patient.*
Andrea Schumann*
Staff Writer
