Practice Tip: Use portable devices to improve access to care
Portable devices, such as handheld diagnostic equipment, can be used to easily improve access to care among your patients, writes Frances Bynum, OD, in her August article, “Increase Access to Eye Care at Your Practice.” It is easy to take these devices outside the office to locations such as nursing homes, and when used in the office can help free up space by being brought to the patient instead of moving them elsewhere in the clinic, Dr. Bynum writes. For the full article, see www.optometricmanagement.com/issues/2023/august-2023/increase-access-to-eye-care-at-your-practice.
All About Vision receives Digital Health Awards
The online portal All About Vision (AAV) (allaboutvision.com) was recognized with four awards at the Digital Health Awards. AAV received bronze awards for two articles, “Are Eye Exams Just as Important as Other Health Exams?” and “What Your Eye Doctor Can Tell About Your Heart Health,” and a merit award for “A Guide to Vision Changes that Can Occur After a Stroke.” All About Vision also earned a bronze award in the Web Portal category for its myopia hub (www.allaboutvision.com/myopia).
Euclid opens scholarship submissions
The Euclid 2023-2024 Resident Scholarships include the Tim Koch Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the George E. Glady Scholarship ($1,000), and the Joann Simonsen Scholarship ($1,000). The Euclid scholarship submissions may include myopia-related presentations/lectures, clinical case reports/series, journal articles, research study projects, or business proposals for new myopia management innovation/technology. Submissions must incorporate the use of Euclid Ortho-K lenses. Euclid will provide complimentary lenses related to the pursuit of these scholarships. The final submission deadline is May 1, 2024. For more information and submissions, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DQOD2F-r6-x6bSEXiZfb2e1yYoBrrx9qPllgJtpnP74/viewform?edit_requested=true.
FDA issues label guidance for hydrogen peroxide-based contact lens products
The FDA has offered consumer labeling recommendations for hydrogen peroxide-based contact lens care products (HPCPs) submitted in premarket notification (510(k)) submissions. The recommendations are intended to help manufacturers develop labeling with information about specific risks and directions for use of the HPCPs in conjunction with a user’s prescribed contact lenses, in order to promote the safe and effective use of HPCPs. More information can be found at www.fda.gov/media/160909/download.
International Association of Contact Lens Educators honor 2023 award recipients
The International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) announced the winners of the 2023 IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Awards to recognize and reward achievement in contact lens education. The award, sponsored by CooperVision and the British Contact Lens Association, were given out on June 7 at the IACLE’s 4th World Congress on Contact Lens Education. The winners were:
- Dr. Myriam Teresa Mayorga, La Salle University, Bogotá, Colombia (IACLE Americas Contact Lens Educator of the Year)
- Isha Dave, Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai, India (IACLE Asia Pacific Contact Lens Educator of the Year)
- Dr. May Bakkar, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Ar-Ramtha, Jordan (IACLE Europe/Africa/Middle East Contact Lens Educator of the Year)
LEOPARD trial tests efficacy, safety of CME therapy
The first patient has been enrolled in the LEOPARD trial, an investigator-initiated study following positive data from the OCS-01 eye drops, from Oculis Holding AG. The drops are a novel concentration, preservative-free topical OPTIREACH formulation of dexamethasone for the treatment of cystoid macular edema (CME). The LEOPARD trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of OCS-01 eye drops in the management of two forms of CME, uveitic macular edema and post-surgical macular edema. It is a prospective, multi-center, open label, single-armed trial which plans on enrolling 24 eligible subjects (12 with UME and 12 with PSME). Two different doses will be used, and the total treatment period is 24 weeks. The primary endpoints, which will be assessed at 12 weeks, are improvement in central subfield thickness (CST) and visual acuity.
Myopia Profile launches website for inaugural Myopia Action Month
Myopia Profile, a clinical myopia management information center for eye care professionals (ECPs), has prepared a website for the first Myopia Action Month, to be held in September. The website, www.myopiaaction.com, is designed to be a central hub for exclusive news, resources, and activities updates related to Myopia Action Month. A survey is also available for ECPs to share insights regarding the educational and clinical materials they want come September.
Oculis shares results of Phase 3 OPTIMIZE trial
Oculis announced results of its Phase 3 OPTIMIZE trial of its OCS-01 eye drops, a once-daily, high concentration, preservative-free, topical OPTIREACH formulation of dexamethasone for the treatment of inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. OCS-01 met its primary endpoints, demonstrating superior reduction in inflammation and pain compared to vehicle following cataract surgery. More information can be found at bit.ly/OPTIMIZEtrial.
Prevent Blindness adds to advocacy efforts
Prevent Blindness has launched its advocacy effort, Eyes on Capitol Hill, which can be found at advocacy.preventblindness.org. The new website and legislative action center will educate and empower advocates with information and tools to pursue policies that preserve sight. The new website is an extension of the legislative day by the same name, which is now in its 18th year.
Visionary Optics opens applications for scholarships
Visionary Optics is offering three $1,000 scholarships. The scholarships, which aim to identify innovators in the field of specialty contact lenses, were created to honor the enduring impact of Dr. Rob Breece, a pioneer of the modern specialty contact lens industry who was instrumental in initiating key advances in the field. The scholarship parameters require submissions be a case report or clinical study using VO scleral lenses — Europa (standard), Europa Tangent, or Latitude (freeform) lenses. Submission deadline is May 1, 2024. For more information about the VO scholarship, visit www.visionary-optics.com/dr-breece-scholarships/.
World Council of Optometry updates pledge milestone to 100,000
The World Council of Optometry has set a new goal of 100,000 pledges for its Myopia Management Standard of Care Pledge challenge, after beating its current goal of 50,000. The pledge challenge, conducted in partnership with CooperVision, began last year, and since then 130 global eye care organizations and 50,375 individuals have so far pledged to adopt myopia management as the standard of care. For more information, go to bit.ly/WCOMyopiaPledge.
OD Notebook is published weekly on Wednesdays. Unless otherwise noted, the information presented is based on press releases and/or announcements by the respective organizations. Find earlier editions here. To submit a press release to be considered for publication, click here.