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Latanoprost Preserves Vision in Open-Angle Glaucoma
Lancet
Published online Dec. 19, 2014
Garway-Heath et al. assessed the ability of latanoprost to prevent vision loss in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and found that the drug was effective at preventing visual field (VF) loss in a short observation period.
The researchers enrolled 516 patients with newly diagnosed OAG and randomized them to receive either placebo or latanoprost 0.005 percent, once a day.
Baseline mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 20.1 mmHg in the control group (n = 258) and 19.6 mmHg in the treatment cohort (n = 258). A strong initial pattern of IOP reduction diminished after six months. By the 24-month mark, mean IOP had dropped by 0.09 mmHg in the control group and by 3.8 mmHg in the latanoprost group.
With regard to VF preservation, 94 patients had VF deterioration consistent with glaucomatous progression during the study. Of these, 59 were in the control group and 35 were in the treatment cohort. In addition, time to first deterioration was longer in the latanoprost group than in those who received placebo drops.
Rapid Corneal Cross-Linking Produces Negative Outcomes
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
2014;55(12):8371-8376
Brittingham et al. compared outcomes seen with two corneal cross-linking (CXL) protocols—standard and rapid—for keratoconus. They found that when compared with standard CXL protocol, rapid CXL negatively influenced the occurrence and depth of the demarcation line in the early posttreatment period.
For this retrospective analysis, the researchers evaluated 131 eyes with progressive keratoconus. Two treatment protocols were used: the standard Dresden protocol (30 minutes irradiation, 3 mW/cm2) or a rapid protocol (10 minutes irradiation, 9 mW/cm2). The presence and depth of the corneal demarcation line was assessed one month after treatment.
Sixty-two of the 81 corneas (76.5 percent) treated with the standard protocol revealed a demarcation line one month after treatment. In contrast, only 11 of the 50 corneas (22 percent) treated with the rapid protocol revealed a demarcation line at that time. Moreover, the demarcation line was significantly more superficial in this rapid protocol group.
Glaucoma and Automobile Accidents
PLoS One
2014;9(12):3115572
Does the presence of glaucoma contribute to the likelihood of having a car accident? Yuki et al. found no direct correlation between central binocular visual field (VF) damage and a history of car accidents in a group of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
The researchers evaluated 371 patients with POAG and asked them to answer a number of questions regarding their driving experience and habits. After further analysis, data was available for 247 patients. Of this group, 196 (79.4 percent) had no history of a car accident. Those who had experienced an accident tended to limit their driving.
In evaluating those who previously had an accident, no association emerged between the patients’ accident history and their integrated binocular VFs. In addition, none of the principal components that might play a role in driving safety (including visual acuity in the better- and worse-seeing eye) were related to accident history.
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Roundup of Other Journals is written by Jean Shaw and edited by Deepak P. Edward, MD.
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