Week in review: Crab eyes, Aurinia vs. Allergan, it’s a tie!

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

Wearing a tie not only increases IOP – it also restricts cerebral blood flow, researchers reported in the journal Neuroradiology. Their study is titled, “Should you stop wearing neckties?” and their conclusion is “Yes.” MRI findings from 30 volunteers, including 15 who wore a necktie during the scan, suggest that “socially desirable strangulation” significantly decreases blood flow to the brain but doesn’t impede venous flow. Business Insider

A California company that developed the world’s first modular, fluid-optic, curvature-changing IOL just received 2 patents and a $15.4 million funding boost, propelling the technology closer to market. LensGen’s product, called Juvene, aims to restore clear vision at all distances for patients with cataracts and presbyopia. LensGen

Male crabs from the coast of Argentina track their prey’s movements by combining input from both eyes and processing these signals early on in the visual pathway, according to a study in the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers made the discovery by placing crabs in front of a computer screen and recording neuronal activity while the crustaceans followed a moving bar with their widely spaced eyes. EurekAlert!

A nanomicellar formulation for dry eye syndrome is embarking on a multicenter phase 2 trial. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals’ voclosporin ophthalmic solution will go head-to-head with Allergan’s blockbuster drug Restasis in a 4 week, 90-patient study. Stay tuned for the winner. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals

Retina-AI says they’ve released the first artificial intelligence app for eye-care providers. Called Fluid Intelligence, the app claims to detect macula edema and subretinal fluid on OCT retinal scans with greater than 90% accuracy. PR Newswire