Week in review: Atropine microdose, errant injection, ocular COVID

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

Bausch Health has acquired the rights to an investigational formulation of atropine. Of particular interest is Eyenovia’s proprietary microdose dispenser, which is designed for comfort and ease-of-use in children while potentially limiting systemic and ocular drug exposure. The agreement grants Bausch exclusive rights to the treatment in the United States and Canada. Bausch Health

Acucela was among 6 recipients of the FDA’s orphan products grants program, according to an announcement by the agency. The company’s emixustat hydrochloride treatment for Stargardt disease, which is currently in phase 3 trials, will receive a $1.6-million boost over 3 years. Emixustat, a non-retinoid small molecule inhibitor of RPE65, previously snagged orphan drug designations in the United States and in Europe. FDA

Surgeons should exercise caution with facial injections. A new case in Ophthalmology details a 22-year-old who had no light perception 1 hour after an injection of hyaluronic acid gel in the forehead. She had complete ptosis and edema in 1 eyelid, ophthalmoplegia (image above), conjunctival erythema, corneal edema, a dilated pupil, IOP of 6 mm Hg and retinal edema. The left ophthalmic artery appeared absent on angiography and MRI showed extraocular muscle enlargement and cerebrospinal fluid pooling around the optic nerve. Her doctors concluded she had suffered from retrograde embolization of hyaluronic acid gel into the left ophthalmic artery. Ophthalmology

SARS-CoV-2 viral antigens are present in ocular tissues months after recovery from the disease, according to the new JAMA Ophthalmology study. The single-patient case study details a 64-year-old woman who experienced an acute glaucoma attack 2 months after recovering from COVID-19. Although viral antigens were not present in the plasma, specimens collected during ophthalmic surgery revealed viral nucleocapsid protein antigen in the conjunctiva, trabecular meshwork and iris. Investigator have yet to determine whether these antigens are infectious or could spur ocular damage. JAMA Ophthalmology

Scientists have established a way to make biodegradable nanocoating with antimicrobial, anti-reflective and self-cleaning properties, inspired by the protective coating on fruit flies’ eyes. They accomplished this by separating the insect’s protective coating into its components—the protein retinin and corneal wax—and then reassembling it onto glass and plastic. According to the press release, this development could provide a cost-effective way to produce nanostructured coatings, with applications in medicine, electronics and more. Far Eastern Federal University, Nature