Week in review: Celebrity cataracts, turf battle, drop-sized lawsuit

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

Orbis' Flying Eye Hospital, the world's only U.S.-accredited teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, is currently providing ophthalmic training in Trujillo, Peru. The 3-week program combines simulation technology, virtual reality and the latest scientific and medical advances to train ophthalmologists, nurses and anesthesiologists. ORBIS International

A handful of drug makers—including Allergan, Bausch & Lomb, Merck and Pfizer—have asked the Supreme Court to settle a debate on whether eyedrop bottles should be redesigned to release smaller drops. In Alcon Laboratories v. Leonard Cottrell, patients with glaucoma and other eye conditions allege that current bottle designs dispense oversized drops, causing at least half of every drop to go to waste. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, the courtroom drama will play out this fall. Herald Courier

Ophthalmologists in Illinois are contesting legislation that could expand the scope of practice for the state’s optometrists. Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules is expected to decide within the next few months if optometrists can perform 8 surgical procedures—including biopsies, corneal debridement and subconjunctival injections—after completing 32 hours of training. State Journal-Register

During a Holy Thursday visit to Rome's Regina Coeli prison, Pope Francis encouraged inmates to practice “cataract surgery for the soul” by shedding the cloud of disillusionment and cleansing their view on life. The Pope, age 81, revealed that he has cataracts (real ones!) and plans to undergo surgery next year. Reuters

AbbVie’s blockbuster drug, Humira, will face a rival in European markets this fall. AbbVie and Samsung Bioepis have signed a licensing agreement to settle pending patent litigation and clear the way for the worldwide commercialization of Samsung's Imraldi, a biosimilar for Humira (adalimumab). The deal allows AbbVie to fend off competition in the American market until at least 2023. Reuters