In instances of repeated corneal transplantation, ulcers and persistent epithelial defects are relatively commonplace, according to a study published in the August 2008 issue of Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.

The fourth-generation Crystalens HD (Bausch & Lomb) accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) has received FDA marketing approval, five years after the lens was initially launched on the market.

Corneas from donors up to the age of 75 are suitable for transplantation, according to a study published in the April 2008 issue of Ophthalmology.

Corneal grafts obtained from cancer patients may be associated with an increased risk of infection for the recipient, according to a study published in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

Sreening for early ectatic disease is essential in the evaluation of the refractive surgical candidate. There have, however, been many cases of severe post-LASIK ectasia without evidence of preoperative risk factors. Improving preoperative screening with better detection of subtle corneal topographic abnormalities may therefore help eliminate these rare but devastating cases.

The clinical assessment of an anterior chamber inflammatory reaction may be difficult to determine in eyes where corneal clarity is reduced by corneal oedema. Slit lamp examination is currently the gold standard method to assess inflammation1-3 but in conditions such as poor corneal clarity, the clinician routinely encounters difficulties.

New developments in diagnostic technology should enable better screening and follow-up of refractive surgery patients, said Dan Z. Reinstein, MD, delivering a keynote address during the refractive surgery subspecialty day preceding the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in November 2007.

A half-top-hat wound configuration is a valid option for penetrating keratoplasty (PK) as it offers better apposition of donor and recipient corneas, improved tectonic strength and the possibility of early suture removal.

Pigment-epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), which is known for its importance in the prevention of neovascularization of the retina, can be found in measurable amounts in the human tear fluid of healthy subjects. It may therefore be important in the regulation of corneal vascularization.