Week in Review: 3D Printing of IOL Prototypes, Poor Visual Outcomes of JIA-Associated Uveitis, Omega-3 Fatty Acids for DED

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

Need to create IOL prototypes quickly and easily? 3D printing could make that happen. Researchers at the University of East Anglia conducted a proof-of-concept study to test a foldable IOL prototype created by a computer-aided design printing process, using the stereolithography (SLA) technique. The prototype was tested and found to be well-formed, with clearly defined haptics and optics, and was easily implanted into a model of a human capsular bag. The authors conclude that “The rapid fabrication of IOLs using SLA could accelerate the prototyping process, eliminating the need for molding or extensive lathing procedures,” but note that while this model had good transparency and high accuracy, this is just the start of a long research process. Current Eye Research

Race and insurance coverage may affect the prevalence of poor visual outcomes of JIA-associated uveitis. A study using data from 1346 children included in the Intelligent Research In Sight (IRIS) Registry who had diagnoses of both juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and uveitis found that while 72% of patients were female, males were more likely to develop blindness (best-corrected visual acuity ≤20/200) in at least 1 eye. Other risk factors for blindness included Black race and having Medicaid insurance coverage (vs commercial insurance coverage). Even though the IRIS Registry primarily includes patients from community ophthalmology centers rather than academic health or tertiary care centers, and that both the JIA and uveitis diagnoses were identified solely through ICD-10 codes, these findings indicate that there are still sociodemographic factors that could lead to disparities in patient care. Clinical Ophthalmology

The efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplements to ease DED symptoms remains unclear. Data from published studies have offered conflicting information as to the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in treating the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). A double-masked, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial conducted in South Korea compared the re-esterified triglyceride form of omega-3 fatty acid supplements with grapeseed oil supplements (antioxidants) in 132 patients with DED plus MGD. After 12 weeks of treatment, there were no differences in tear changes, corneal staining score changes, and other measurements of DED between the groups. As the study population size was relatively small and the treatments were only assessed for 12 weeks, additional clinical trials are recommended to provide more definitive evidence for or against the use of omega-3 fatty acids for DED symptom relief. JAMA Ophthalmology