admin – Laser Vision Correction

May 9, 2023

FDA Approves First Advanced Macular Degeneration Drug

A severe form of macular degeneration called geographic atrophy is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in adults over 50. Geographic atrophy impacts 1 million people in the United States.

While macular degeneration is typically considered an incurable eye disease, and its origins are unknown, it has been determined that genetic and environmental factors can contribute to the development of the disease.

Clinical trials are underway at Willis Eye/Mid Atlantic Retina for Syfovre, the first and only drug to treat this advanced form of macular degeneration, geographic atrophy, which can lead to blindness. While Syfovre has been proven to slow the progression of advanced macular degeneration, it will not reverse or cure the disease.

Dr. Sunir Garg at Willis Eye said, “It’s a big deal for us because we went from not having anything to finally having something and that is a monumental achievement in our profession. It reduces the inflammation, and the inflammation is what is causing the damage. As time goes on, we can help them [patients] better protect their vision for a longer period of time.”

Dr. Eleonora Lad, associate professor of ophthalmology at Duke University Medical Center, helped to oversee the clinical study of Syfovre. She said the new treatment is a “game changer” and “the beginning of a new treatment era for patients with geographic atrophy.”

Macular degeneration experts such as Dr. Steven Schwartz of the UCLA Stein Eye Institute said the FDA’s approval is “very positive” for patients with unmet needs who need to preserve their vision. He said, “It’s particularly important while we continue to rapidly develop stem cell therapies that hold the promise for restoring vision already lost to this horrifying all-to-common cause of central blindness.”

If you suffer from vision loss or need to schedule an exam to see an ophthalmologist, contact the doctors at Zen Eye Institute today.

Zen Eye Institute, formally Rohr Eye & Laser Center, has served the greater Grand Blanc area for over twenty years. Now operating under Dr. Charles Zenzen, we offer comprehensive medical and surgical eye care treating various conditions and diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, dry eyes, and more. For exceptional eye care at our state-of-the-art practice, call (810) 579-0202 to make an appointment today!

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

April 10, 2023May 9, 2023

Novel Glaucoma Treatment Discovered

A new therapeutic method to treat glaucoma has recently been unveiled by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers.

Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease stemming from a damaged optic nerve, causes vision loss and blindness. In the United States, over 200,000 people suffer from glaucoma yearly, though there is no cure.

The newly-published study was released in Communications Biology and outlined how researchers used neurons found in mitochondria as a steady source of energy, restoring homeostasis in the diseased neurons to protect the optic nerve cells.

Arupratan Das, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and the principal investigator of the study said, “Age-related neurodegenerative disease, which includes glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the biggest global health problem. The fundamental mechanisms that we discovered can be used to protect neurons in glaucoma and be tested for other diseases. We have identified a critical step of the complex mitochondrial homeostasis process, which rejuvenates the dying neuron, similar to giving a lifeline to a dying person.”

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) from patients with and without glaucoma were used in the study, as well as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), which engineered human embryonic stem cells with glaucoma mutation.

Researchers identified glaucomatous retinal ganglion cells suffering from mitochondrial deficiency (which leads to damage and degeneration) using Stem Cell Differentiated Retinal Ganglion Cells (hRGCs) of the optic nerve, electron microscopy, and metabolic analysis. Mitochondria are the tube-like structures in cells that produce adenosine triphosphate, the cell’s energy source.

A pharmacological agent could reverse the process, which could enhance mitochondrial biogenesis. Researchers showed retinal ganglion cells as highly efficient in degrading negative mitochondria, producing more to regain homeostasis.

Das said, “Finding that retinal ganglion cells with glaucoma produce more adenosine triphosphate even with less mitochondria was astonishing. However, when triggered to produce more mitochondria, the adenosine triphosphate production load was distributed among more mitochondrion which restored the organelle physiology. It is similar to a situation where a heavy stone is carried by fewer people versus a greater number of people – each person will have less pain and injury, just like each mitochondrion will have less difficulty and damage.”

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

March 13, 2023May 9, 2023

Low Blood Sugar Exacerbates Eye Disease in Diabetics

A common symptom of diabetes is low blood sugar, which is now suspected of exacerbating diabetic eye disease. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have connected low blood sugar levels with a molecular pathway that is ignited in oxygen-starved eye cells.

The new research was published in the January issue of Cell Reports and was conducted with both human and mouse eye cells grown in a low-sugar laboratory environment.

Akrit Sodhi, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Ophthalmology at the Branna and Irving Sisenwein Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said, “Temporary episodes of low glucose happen once or twice a day in people with insulin-dependent diabetes and often among people newly diagnosed with the condition. Our results show that these periodic low glucose levels cause an increase in certain retinal cell proteins, resulting in an overgrowth of blood vessels and worsening diabetic eye disease.”

The researchers discovered low glucose levels in human and mouse retinal cells resulted in a variety of molecular alterations that manifest as blood vessel overgrowth. Low glucose decreases retinal cells’ ability to break down glucose for energy.

The most preventable cause of blindness in the United States is eye disease among people with diabetes. One-third of people with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy, marked by the overgrowth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. Patients with diabetic retinopathy might be especially vulnerable to phases of low glucose, so keeping glucose levels steady is an imperative aspect of glucose control.

The researchers continue to examine whether low glucose levels in diabetics might impact similar molecular pathways in other organs, such as the kidneys and brain.

Thanks to this novel research, scientists are one step closer to developing new treatments for diabetic eye disease.

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Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com

February 13, 2023May 9, 2023

Dry Weather, Dry Eyes

Diagnosing Dry Eyes

Dry eyes can plague nearly every person at some point in their lives. Dry, dehydrated eyes can be even more apparent in the winter months when there is less humidity. Dry eyes can cause discomfort, a sensation of having something in your eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, trouble in wearing contact lenses, difficulty with nighttime driving, and conversely, can make your eyes watery.

There are various tests used to determine the cause of dry eyes, including:

Comprehensive eye exam – overall health and history can help diagnose the cause.
Disease markers – to look for specific eye diseases such as decreased lactoferrin.
Schirmer tear or phenol red thread test – measures tear production.
Quality of tears test – dyed eye drops help determine the surface condition of your eyes.
Tear osmolarity test – measures the composition of particles and water in your eyes.

Treatment for Dry Eyes

Treatment for dry eyes can include implementing eye drops, sometimes called artificial tears. Treatments can reverse or manage dry eyes by improving tear makeup or function depending on the overall test results.

Sometimes, an underlying health condition can remediate the signs and symptoms of dry eyes, such as using a specific medication that causes dry eyes as a side effect.

Various treatments for dry eyes include:

Medicine to increase oil gland production.
Eye drops to control cornea inflammation.
Artificial eye inserts that slowly dissolve and mimic tears
Prescriptions (pills, gels, eye drops) to increase tear production.
Autologous blood serum drops.
Nasal spray used explicitly for dry eyes.

If the above treatments do not help with dry eyes, a few medical interventions can help:

Plugging the tear ducts with tiny silicone (punctal) plugs to prevent tear loss.
Using special scleral contact lenses that protect the eye surface and trap moisture.
Unblocking oil glands by using warm compresses.
Using hypochlorous acid spray to help keep eye pH normal and remove bacteria causing dry eye.

Do you suffer from dry eyes and need a solution ASAP? You’ve come to the right place; we can help determine the best treatment based on your symptoms. Contact us today!

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Rohr Eye & Laser Center is now Zen Eye Institute! We offer the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you. Call us at 877-579-0202 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

January 18, 2023May 9, 2023

Congenital & Infantile Cataracts Explained

Cataracts can make vision appear blurry or misty, similar to peering through frosted glass. Occasionally, babies are born with cataracts or develop them at a young age. If a baby is born with a cataract, it is called a congenital cataract; if the infant develops a cataract within the first six months of life, it is known as an infantile cataract. Oftentimes, a cataract can form in one (unilateral) eye, and sometimes both eyes (bilateral) are affected.

Children who are diagnosed with a “lazy eye,” or amblyopia, usually have a cataract in one eye. If the eye sends unfocused, blurry images to the brain, they will soon be ignored by the brain, which will favor the stronger eye. This results in an undeveloped visual pathway, making one eye more resilient than the other.

The different types of congenital cataracts vary; some affect vision while others do not. If a cataract is located on the edge of the lens, it will not affect vision as much as those on the center. If treated too late or goes untreated, dense cataracts can cause blindness.

The treatment for infantile cataracts depends on whether it affects the child’s vision. If no visual issues are detected, treatment is unnecessary. However, if the cataract impairs their eyesight, surgery to remove the affected lens is recommended. Cataracts cannot grow back once they are removed.

To ensure the child receives the best possible vision throughout their life, a lens will be implanted, and glasses and/or contact lenses will be required. Glasses and contact lenses help to replace the natural lens within the child’s eye by providing a fixed focus.

With glasses and/or contact use, the child will be able to see as clearly as possible no matter the distance, which will be correctly presented to their developing brain. When it comes to a child’s visual development, clear images are vital. As the child grows, their eyes will change, which is common.

Monitoring the child’s eye health following treatment for cataracts will ensure there are no surprises or issues that may develop in the future. Typically, ophthalmologists will schedule appointments as necessary.

Early detection and treatment are the best solution for congenital or infantile cataracts. Regular eye checkups will ensure the child is outfitted with the correct strength of glasses and/or contacts.

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Zen Eye Institute, formally Rohr Eye & Laser Center, offers the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help. Call us at 810-579-0202 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

December 9, 2022December 9, 2022

Novel Femtosecond Laser Cataracts Surgery Can Restore Vision

If you live long enough, chances are cataracts will affect you at some point later in life. Most people develop cataracts in one or both eyes, as it is a prevalent condition.

Vincent Diaz, MD, MBA, a Yale Medicine ophthalmologist, said, “As long as there have been humans, there have been cataracts. For thousands of years, the goal was to get the cataract out without blinding the person. Literally, that was the goal.”

Cataracts are formed when a structure inside your eye that focuses light onto the retina (that usually provides a clear image) becomes cloudy and blocks light from passing through. This effect is caused by the degrading of lens proteins. Since the consistency changes, clarity becomes more challenging, and blurry vision is one of the earliest signs of cataracts.

Other symptoms of cataracts can include glare and sensitivity around lights (especially while driving at night), seeing halos, or trouble reading in a dimly lit area.

Through the years, cataract surgery has made vast improvements, and now, thanks to field advances, patients have many options, such as laser-assisted surgery and synthetic replacement lenses.

Yvonne Wang, MD, a Yale Medicine ophthalmologist, said, “What’s great about cataract surgery now is that we not only remove the cataract, but we can restore patients’ vision. They may have been wearing prescription contacts or glasses for many years. We can now put a prescription inside their new lens and give them better vision than they ever had before.”

Two surgical options are available to replace the intraocular lens (IOL) with a synthetic lens. They are:

Basic cataract surgery: One of the most common forms of surgery worldwide, an incision is made in the eye, an ultrasonic device breaks up cataracts, and the pieces are removed. Then, an IOL is placed into the lens.
Laser cataract surgery: A femtosecond laser quickly pulsates and creates incisions to soften the cataract for easier removal. The laser allows more precise incisions to take place in a shorter time frame and can allow for more accurate vision correction than the first option.

Cataract surgery is safe and performed in an outpatient setting. After a few weeks, patients return for a second treatment on the other eye.

Are you considering surgery for your cataracts? Contact the experts at Zen Eye Institute today to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

November 9, 2022

Smoking: Connection to Macular Degeneration & Cataracts

A novel study in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, and the University of Newcastle found that smokers develop age-related macular degeneration five-and-a-half years earlier than non-smokers. Moreover, people who suffer from second-hand smoke are twice as likely to develop age-related macular degeneration.

Jude Stern, head of Knowledge Management from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness said, “Smoking increases your risk of developing serious eye conditions and permanent sight loss. Quitting smoking and having regular eye tests can help improve eye health and prevent avoidable sight loss.”

The only way to restore vision after a cataract diagnosis is to surgically remove and replace the cloudy lens. Annually, roughly 94 million people have significant or extreme distance vision impairment or blindness due to undiagnosed cataracts.

Cataracts are the world’s leading cause of blindness and can develop slowly without pain.

People who use e-cigarettes are not safe, either: these devices can produce free radicals, damaging DNA and leading to cataracts or poor vision. Also, retinal function might be diminished by the use of e-cigarettes since they can reduce blood flow to the eyes, leading to an increased risk of eye cancer.

Vinayak Prasad, head of the No Tobacco Unit at the World Health Organization said, “WHO urges everyone not to use tobacco and e-cigarettes to protect their overall health, including eye health.”

There are several other tactics people can try to limit their risk of cataracts, including the following lifestyle changes:

Quit smoking
Reduce alcohol consumption
Limit UV exposure
Get routine eye exams
Control related conditions (hypertension, obesity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes)
Reduce your weight
Ingest antioxidants (omega-3, lutein, zeaxanthin, flaxseed, bilberry, turmeric, walnuts)

Cataracts might seem inevitable, but cutting your risk can be an easy way to mitigate a diagnosis.

Are you suffering from cataracts? Contact the experts at Zen Eye Institute to schedule a consultation today.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com

October 12, 2022

Performing Simultaneous Cataract Surgery

Age-related cataracts can affect both eyes, requiring the endogenic lens to be replaced with an artificial Intraocular Lens (IOL) surgically. Generally, there is a lapse in time between surgeries for each eye, but the surgery can be performed on both eyes on the same day.

A study by Cochrane suggests that there are unlikely to be any large, clinically significant differences between both approaches, though the overall quality was assessed as moderate to very low.

Several advantages to performing the surgery in both eyes simultaneously include fewer hospital visits, faster bilateral vision recovery, and lower procedure costs.

Risks of simultaneously performing cataract surgery in both eyes consist of developing a postoperative complication in both eyes, and not being able to use the visual acuity from the first operation during the second procedure, since there would only be one.

The Cochrane review authors noted that the complications generally occurred up to three months post-op, and there were little- to no differences noted between the two methods. Most of the study results were limited by an overall small number of endophthalmitis, postoperative complications, and a lack of specific data, among other variables.

Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD, chair of the German Commission for Refractive Surgery (KRC), set up by the German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG), and the Professional Association of German Ophthalmologists (BVA) at the University Clinic Frankfurt, said, “In Germany, there is only very little data on ISBCS because it is barely a topic here. “We have very good medical infrastructure with widespread and prompt ophthalmological care, such that even people living in the countryside do not have to travel great distances or experience long waiting times for a first or second cataract surgery, which is different from many places abroad. The procedure with bilateral operations on the same day is not recommended in the guidelines from our professional societies, [because] any complications that occur postoperatively could potentially entail lengthy legal liability procedures for the surgeons.”

In Germany, sequential bilateral cataract surgery is typically performed with two outpatient operations spaced several days (or weeks) apart. Medical, social, or personal reasons can create exceptions to the rule, requiring both eyes to be operated on with a shorter amount of time between each procedure, under general anesthesia in one sitting, or with an overnight gap.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you. Call us at 877-579-0202 to learn more.Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

September 20, 2022

FDA Seeks to Improve Patient Communication

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued draft guidance to help ensure that information is available to both patients and health care professionals that clearly communicates the benefits and risks of LASIK devices. Manufacturers are prompted to include this data within their product labeling. In addition, the FDA recommends that manufacturers consider including information about how to use their devices safely and effectively and any clinical trials performed on their products.

The FDA has been concerned that patients may not get all the information they need about LASIK surgery, which can sometimes lead to complications. Patient safety is a top priority for the FDA; therefore, they brought forward this guidance to improve patient communication.

“It is important to provide patients with comprehensive labeling that clearly describes the risks involved with LASIK surgery, including potential adverse effects such as dry eye, pain and discomfort, and visual symptoms,” said Jeff Shuren, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

Dr. Shuren continues, “These proposed labeling recommendations, based on extensive consultation with stakeholders and patients, are intended to present information about LASIK in language that is easy to read and understand and include images that convey visual symptoms that could occur following LASIK.”

This draft guidance is based on the FDA’s understanding of current industry practices for labeling LASIK devices and feedback from patient groups, industry representatives, and other stakeholders. The agency believes this guidance will help ensure that all the necessary information is available to the patients and health care providers to communicate without leaving any stone unturned about the benefits and risks of LASIK surgery.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

August 23, 2022

Cataract Surgery with Irregular Corneas

Irregular corneas can throw a wrench into one of the most common, successful, and safest procedures throughout the United States: cataract surgery. Happy patients are ever present thanks to advances in lens design and preoperative refractive calculations. But there are challenges with patients who present irregular corneas, which can lead to cataract surgery complications.

Irregular corneas are considered either obstructed, which means a scar in the visual axis is occluding the patient’s view, or distorted, which means the shape of the cornea is irregular.

Surgeons must figure out what sort of asymmetry is present in the patient’s eye before they can perform a successful surgery. By mapping the cornea, surgeons can closely examine the surface to reduce adverse outcomes.

Irregular astigmatism can result from damage to the cornea due to an infectious or inflammatory process that affects the shape. Ocular surface disease is the most common form of corneal irregularity, including tear film instability and dry eye disease. Dry eyes can dramatically affect refractive outcomes in patients. Other typical origins of irregular corneas include keratoconus, anterior basement membrane dystrophy, and Salzmann’s nodular degeneration. In patients with these conditions, the surgeon will need to see improvement on a topography prior to lens selection and surgery.

In specific cases for patients with regular astigmatism, the solution can be simple: pick out a toric lens. Unfortunately, this is not an option for many corneal disease patients. Scleral lenses are an option for patients who have irregular astigmatism. These come in both hard and soft forms, and a newer option such as the Prose device, which boasts more specific patient customization.

Before the patient can have cataract surgery, treatments for corneal issues should be addressed and fully healed. If any of the underlying issues (dry eye, for example) return, a more intense regimen is administered to ensure the disease turns around more quickly.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/