Top five stories we have been keeping an eye on
This week in ophthalmology: expert pearls on posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery, new clinical data for MHB018A in thyroid eye disease, uncontrolled blood pressure in patients with diabetes attending retina care, practical B-scan ultrasound guidance for retina clinics, and the opening of the 40th World Ophthalmology Congress in Prague. Here are five stories to catch up on this week.
Don’t miss out on hearing about our latest peer-reviewed articles, expert opinions, conference news, podcasts and more.
1. Expert pearls in posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery
A new Expert Pearls article with Dr Joobin Khadamy explores practical decision-making around posterior capsule opacification after cataract surgery.
The discussion covers when to consider Nd capsulotomy, why treatment may need to be delayed in patients with active inflammation, recent cystoid macular edema, unstable retinal disease or recent symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment, and why an intact posterior capsule should be preserved when future intraocular lens rotation or exchange remains a realistic possibility.
Dr Khadamy also shares practical technical considerations, including using the lowest effective energy, tailoring capsulotomy size to the patient and IOL, avoiding unnecessary IOL pitting, and recognising when dense fibrotic membranes may be better managed surgically. For cataract surgeons, the article also highlights steps at the time of surgery that may reduce PCO risk, including meticulous cortical clean-up, complete OVD removal, good capsulorhexis overlap and appropriate IOL design.
→ Read the full article here
2. MHB018A shows clinical activity in active and chronic thyroid eye disease
Minghui Pharmaceutical has presented complete Phase I/II clinical data for MHB018A, a novel subcutaneous anti-IGF-1R antibody, in patients with active and chronic thyroid eye disease.
At the recommended Phase III dose of 450 mg once every 4 weeks, the company reported clinical activity across both active and chronic TED populations. In active TED, Week 12 data showed an 81% proptosis response and an 85% diplopia response, while chronic TED Week 24 data showed a 76% proptosis response and a 61% diplopia response.
The company also reported that MHB018A was generally well tolerated, with most adverse events described as mild and consistent with IGF-1R inhibition. With ongoing Phase III evaluation in China and global Phase III development planned, the data add to the growing interest in subcutaneous IGF-1R-targeted approaches for TED.
→ Read the press release here
3. Retina clinics may help identify uncontrolled cardiovascular risk
A new JAMA Ophthalmology study by Samayamanthula and colleagues reports a high prevalence of elevated or uncontrolled blood pressure among adults with diabetes presenting for retina care.
In this single-site case series of 172 adults with diabetes, only 8.1% had normal blood pressure, while 52.9% had stage 2 hypertension and 10.5% met criteria for hypertensive crisis. Among patients without a prior hypertension diagnosis, 85.7% had above-normal blood pressure readings.
The findings support a broader discussion around the role of the retina clinic as a potential point of contact for identifying systemic vascular risk. For ophthalmologists, this raises practical questions about whether opportunistic blood pressure assessment, patient counselling and primary care referral pathways could become part of routine retina visits for patients with diabetes.
→ Read the full article here
4. Practical approaches to B-scan ultrasound in retina practice
A new practical guide with Dr Mohan outlines a systematic approach to posterior segment B-scan ultrasonography in eyes where the fundus view is limited by media opacity, vitreous haemorrhage or trauma.
The discussion focuses on how to approach scanning in a structured way, how dynamic examination can help distinguish retinal from vitreous pathology, and how to avoid common interpretive errors. The article also includes practical tips for improving image quality and building confidence with ultrasound interpretation in busy retina clinics.
For clinicians, the key message is that B-scan ultrasound is not simply a fallback when the retina cannot be visualised. Used systematically, it can provide clinically important information for diagnosis, triage, monitoring and surgical planning.
→ Read the full article here
5. World Ophthalmology Congress 2026 opens in Prague
The 40th World Ophthalmology Congress opens today in Prague, Czech Republic, running from 26 to 29 June 2026.
Organised by the International Council of Ophthalmology, WOC2026 brings together eye care professionals from around the world for scientific sessions across ophthalmic subspecialties, expert-led symposia, panel discussions, accredited courses, networking and an international exhibition.
With cataract, glaucoma, retina, cornea and broader global ophthalmology topics represented across the programme, the congress is expected to be an important source of clinical and surgical updates over the coming days.
→ Learn more about the congress hereÂ
Cite: This week in ophthalmology | June 26, 2026. touchOPHTHALMOLOGY. 26th June 2026.
Acknowledgment: This content was created by the touchOPHTHALMOLOGY team utilizing AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT (GPT-5.4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.) The content was developed and edited by human editors. No funding was received in the publication of this article.
Editor: Nicola Cartridge, Director of Content
