Vison

Week in review: New IOP-lowering drops, post-lockdown intravitreal injections, air pollution and glaucoma





Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Glaucoma, Retina/Vitreous

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

FDA approves first-in-class drops for reducing IOP. On September 22, 2022, the FDA approved OMLONTI (omidenepag isopropyl ophthalmic solution) 0.002% for lowering IOP in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Developed by Santen and UBE, OMLONTI is a first-in-class, relatively selective prostaglandin EP2 receptor agonist that facilitates aqueous humor drainage through both the trabecular and uveoscleral outflow pathways. OMLONTI was first approved in Japan in October 2018 and has been available in several Asian countries since February 2021. Business Wire

Post-lockdown, some patients aren’t receiving intravitreal injections. A retrospective study of 292 patients treated in the intravitreal injection clinic of the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Health Administration system prior to, during, and immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown period found that its general patient volume returned to nearly 100% of pre-pandemic levels, while other ophthalmology clinics in the system had up to 50% fewer patients. Organ transplant patients and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were less likely to return to the injection clinic. Interestingly, more Hispanic patients received injections during lockdown than in the post-lockdown period. Given their findings regarding higher-risk patients, the authors conclude that these groups may need greater safety measures and targeted outreach programs to encourage them to return to the injection clinic. Clinical Ophthalmology

Worse air pollution is linked with greater risk of acute glaucoma. Chinese investigators studied whether urban air pollutant levels affect the incidence of acute glaucoma attacks, using records from 14,385 patients treated for glaucoma between 2015 and 2021 and data from air quality monitoring stations during the same time period. There was a significant association between higher exposure to air pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide, and the risk of developing acute glaucoma. The authors recommend conducting large-scale, multicenter clinical trials to verify these findings. BMC Public Health



Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button