EUROPEAN OPHTHALMIC REVIEW – VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 – WINTER 2011

It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend to the readers this interesting issue of the European Ophthalmic Review for its wide-ranging coverage of hot topics and innovations in all subspecialities of ophthalmology. Each review stands for itself in being comprehensive and fascinating; nonetheless, the common denominators of the included papers are remarkable.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of irreversible vision loss among the elderly worldwide. It is estimated that approximately 30 % of adults older than 75 years have some sign of AMD and that approximately 10 % of these patients have advanced stages of the disease.1–4 AMD can be classified in two forms: […]

There are many advantages of using digital image analysis to quantify the extent of retinal pathology in vascular diseases, diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related maculopathy and other conditions. The key benefits include immediate viewing, image management systems that allow disease progression to be monitored by reviewing sequential images and patient education.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Glaucoma A report on a presentation by Shlomo Melamed and Eric Sellem In spite of many existing therapies, refractory glaucoma continues to be an unsolved challenge. According to the World Health Organisation, glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide, with approximately 67 million patients affected.1 The proportion […]

Controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) has proven efficacy in preventing glaucoma progression and remains central to disease management.1–3 Reducing IOP prevents or delays the onset of open-angle glaucoma in patients with ocular hypertension and slows progression among those with open-angle glaucoma. Medication can preserve visual function long term, but poor adherence is a major issue affecting […]

Why Treat Open-angle Glaucoma?

Growing scientific evidence supports the beneficial role of lutein in eye health. Lutein is found, together with its isomer zeaxanthin, in almost all the structures of the eye. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only two dietary carotenoids selectively concentrated in the lens and in the macula, where they are the key components of the macular […]

Chemical or thermal ocular burns represent about 10 % of ocular traumas.1,2 Generally, bilateral burns are found in young male subjects. Work-related, domestic or recreation accidents, as well as assaults, are the main sources of ocular burns. Epidemiology

The IOLMaster®, first launched as a novel approach to obtaining biometric data, has evolved over the past decade to become the predominant device and standard routine used in a surgeon’s intraocular lens (IOL) calculations prior to cataract surgery. Previous surveys by SM2 Strategic documented its value as a tool in modern cataract surgery as well […]

Glaucoma is defined as a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy with loss of retinal ganglion cells and their nerve fibres. One of the most important and the only modifiable risk factor is intraocular pressure (IOP), which gets higher than the (unknown) individual tolerance level (of the optic disc). IOP is not a static value during 24 […]

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a major complication of rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RD), with a prevalence of almost 10 %. It also accounts for approximately 75 % of all primary surgical failures. It was identified as an independent clinical entity in 1983 by the American Retina Society Terminology Committee, which proposed a classification of PVR into […]

Macular pigment, which consists of lutein and zeaxanthin, is a key component of the protective system of the retina.1 In addition to its significance within the antioxidant protective system, macular pigment also has a direct influence on contrast sensitivity.2 It is therefore reasonable to conduct routine and objective clinical follow-up of ophthalmology patients, especially those […]

Age-related macular disease (ARMD) is a degenerative disease of the macula, most common over the age of 50 years.1 It is the leading cause of visual loss within western industrialised countries.2–4 The number of blind registrations attributable to the disease increased by 30–40 % between 1950 and 19903 and the number of cases each year […]

Diabetic retinopathy is considered the most frequent retinal vascular disorder and is detectable in about 40 % of diabetic patients 40 years of age and older.1 Today, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of acquired blindness among young adults throughout developed countries.2 Population-based epidemiological studies have estimated that, after 20 years, diabetic retinopathy can be […]