No More Fun and Games

Digital device use is in the crosshairs of new efforts to curb myopia and protect the retina.

Rethinking Endothelial Repair

Several novel methods have been proposed to reduce the remaining complications of tissue transplantation for endothelial dysfunction, including the use of cultured human endothelial cells (which is potentially applicable for all forms of endothelial dysfunction) and Descemet’s stripping without endothelial keratoplasty, which eliminates the need for any donor tissue or cells, but is only applicable in the treatment of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy. A potentially important innovation is the use of rho-kinase inhibitors, either topically or intracamerally, as an adjunct to Descemet’s stripping or injection of cultured cells.

This article briefly reviews our current understanding of the causes of endothelial dysfunction, and then delves into the status of these new and promising treatments.

Hone Your Astigmatic Refraction

Which is better, one or two?” You’ve probably heard that repeated back to you at parties any time you mention what you do for a living. But you know it’s more than a catchphrase; it represents the astigmatic portion of a patient’s refraction. You also know that it can be a real time thief. This month, we identify several steps you can take to save time on refractions from start to finish, without ignoring that vital refractive data, so you can get out of the exam lane and back to the party.

Positive Visual Phenomena: Etiologies Beyond the Eye

Often, clinicians assume a patient’s complaint of bright lights or flashes in vision are associated with vitreous detachment, retinal break or retinal detachment. However, it is critical that ODs carefully differentiate the source of these symptoms, as positive visual phenomena may indicate serious—even life-threatening—systemic health concerns. This article discusses how to identify less common—but higher risk—etiologies of positive visual phenomena.