PRACTICE TIP: Try switching glaucoma medications to alleviate DED symptoms
If a glaucoma patient is suffering from dry eye disease (DED) symptoms, one of the reasons might be the use of medication containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK). Consider switching the patient to a combination glaucoma medication and/or a preservative-free glaucoma medication, writes Dr. Jill Gottehrer in her article “Ocular surface health in glaucoma patients.” Read Dr. Gottehrer’s article for more tips on how to deter DED symptoms in glaucoma patients, by clicking here.

Alcon announces new chief medical officer/head of global medical safety
Terry Kim, MD, has been named by Alcon as the company’s new chief medical officer and head of global medical safety. Dr. Kim specializes in cornea, cataract, and refractive surgeries with multiple leadership roles across the Duke University Eye and Sports Vision Centers. He will be replacing Dr. Stephen Lane, who is retiring from Alcon.

American Optometric Association Announces 2024 award recipients
The American Optometric Association (AOA) announced the 2024 recipients of the organizations’ annual awards, including the AOA Excellence awards, AOSA Student of the Year, National Optometry Hall of Fame, Dr. W. David Sullins Jr. InfantSEE Award, Dr. Jerry P. Davidoff Vision Care Award, and Paraoptometric Professional awards. Excellence Award winners include: Matthew Jones, OD (Optometrist of the Year), Kelly Deering, OD (Young Optometrist of the Year), Andrew Cook, OD (Distinguished Service Award), Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD (Optometric Educator of the Year), and Maggie Dunn (Student of the Year). The full list can be found by going to the AOA’s website here. Award recipients will be honored throughout Optometry’s Meeting in Nashville, Tenn., on June 19-22, 2024. 

Aurion Biotech doses subjects in U.S. Phase 1/2 trial
Aurion Biotech has dosed the first Canadian subject in its Phase 1/2 U.S. clinical trial for a cell therapy for the treatment of corneal edema secondary to corneal endothelial dysfunction. AURN001 is a combination cell therapy product (biologic/drug) comprised of neltependocel (allogeneic human corneal endothelial cells) and Y-27632 (an inhibitor of Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase). AURN001 is intended to be administered to the eye as a one-time, intracameral injection. The study will evaluate three different doses of neltependocel used in combination with Y-27632. Approximately 100 subjects will be randomized in sites in the U.S. and in Canada.

Azura Ophthalmics to present new data at ASCRS and ARVO
Azura Ophthalmics will present new data at upcoming conferences highlighting positive efficacy and safety data from Phase 2 studies of the company’s lead drug candidate, AZR-MD-001, for treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Data from 10 abstracts will be featured at the upcoming annual meetings for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. This includes new, long-term data at ASCRS, showing improvement in both signs and symptoms in MGD and Contact Lens Discomfort.  

Carrera previews new “Festival Edition Capsule” styles
Carrera launched a global preview of its new “Festival Edition Capsule” eyewear styles. The collection includes eight sunglass styles, offered in a mix of male, female, and unisex designs, with special lens treatments that give the glasses an iridescent effect. All the styles also include a gift — black-colored neoprene croakies with an iridescent-colored Carrera logo and racing stripes. The Carrera Festival Edition Capsule is sold in North America at the web address us.carreraworld.com.

Clinical trial results: minocyline fails to slow GA in AMD
The drug minocycline, an antibiotic that also decreases inflammation, failed to slow vision loss or expansion of geographic atrophy in people with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a phase II clinical study at the National Eye Institute (NEI). This study tested whether inhibiting microglia with minocycline might help slow geographic atrophy expansion and its corresponding vision loss. The trial enrolled 37 participants and compared their rate of geographic atrophy expansion while taking minocycline to their baseline rate. The clinical trial can be read on JAMA Ophthalmology.

EssilorLuxottica and World Council of Optometry team up against presbyopia
EssilorLuxottica and the World Council of Optometry have announced a global partnership to raise awareness and understanding of presbyopia and the aging eye. The aim of the partnership is to establish standards of care for eye care professionals to following when managing the condition. To ensure accessibility, assets will be published on both the WCO microsite and EssilorLuxottica’s learning platform, Leonardo. Further updates on the available content and resources will be announced in the coming months.

LENZ Therapeutics completes acquisition of Graphite Bio
LENZ Therapeutics, Inc., announced the completion of its merger with Graphite Bio, Inc. The new combined company has begun operating under the name LENZ Therapeutics, Inc., and has commenced trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LENZ. In other news, the company also announced topline data from Phase 3 CLARITY Trials for LNZ100 and LNZ101 is expected in April. 

NORA conference registration is now open
Registration has begun for the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, International (NORA) 34th annual conference, which will take place Sept. 19-22, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando, Lake Buena Vista South in Kissimmee, Fla. NORA members receive discounted pricing and are eligible for early-bird pricing if registered by May 27, 2024.  For information on conference agenda, speaker bios, registration and more, click here.

OKYO Pharama announces additional findings for OK-101 in treatment of DED
OKYO Pharma Limited announced additional key findings from analyses of the clinical dataset from the 240 patients in a Phase 2, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of OK-101 ophthalmic solution for the treatment of DED. New findings include: a statistically significant and durable reduction in ocular pain; statistically significant improvement in tear film break-up time throughout the study; and multiple symptomatic improvements as observed by both data obtained from the patient clinic visits, as well as from the patients’ daily symptom diaries. 

Prevent Blindness offers educational resources for Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Prevent Blindness has declared the month of April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month, and, in collaboration with the Delta Gamma Foundation, is offering educational resources to help patients learn more on these topics. Additionally, Lauren C. Ditta, MD, Pediatric Neuro-Ophthalmologist, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, will be participating in a new episode of the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Expert Series, to address children’s vision and parent advocacy. More information can be found on Prevent Blindness’ website.

REGENXBIO presents new study on gene therapy treatment for wet AMD
REBENXBIO announced that a Phase 1/2a study evaluating ABBV-RGX-314 as a one-time gene therapy for wet AMD has been published in The Lancet. The paper, titled “Gene therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration by subretinal delivery of RGX-314: a phase 1/2a dose-escalation study,” found ABBV-RGX-314 to be “generally well-tolerated” and “provides a novel approach for sustained VEGF-A suppression in patients with nAMD,” while reducing treatment burden.   

United Opticians Association names CEO
The United Opticians Association (UOA), whose formation was announced last week as a merger between The Opticians Association of America (OAA), and the National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS), has named James M. Morris, Esq. as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Morris is the Executive Director of American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners. The UOA will being operations on July 1.

The Vision Council shares solar eclipse viewing guide
To prepare the public for the April 8 solar eclipse, The Vision Council has released a viewing guide listing eye wear that will be safe to use for viewing and tips on how to safely take a photo. The guide can be shared with patients and the public at the link here.