2010 YEAR IN REVIEW: Ophthalmology Trends on Eyetube

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Yesterday Yahoo! released 2010 YEAR IN REVIEW which detailed their top 10 search terms for 2010. Eyetube.net has also been keeping track of ophthalmology’s most sought after surgical videos. Sorry folks, you won’t see trampy starlets, vuvuzelas, or “Beiber fever” on our list. But you will find several of today’s hottest innovations in ophthalmology plus some time-honored techniques.

1. Capsulorhexis: It has been said that a well-constructed capsulorhexis is the foundation of complication-free phacoemulsification and IOL surgery so it is no surprise that this technique tops the charts. View the dozens of capsulorhexis videos on Eyetube.

2. Vit Buckle Society: The Vit-Buckle Society was originally formed by a group of vitreoretinal surgical fellows in 2006. The mission of the group was to form a new vitreoretinal society for emerging physicians that fostered an open forum for innovative vitreoretinal surgeons to encourage the development and use of novel surgical technologies and strategies for retinal diseases. The VBS has partnered with Retina Today and Eyetube to participate in a regular column highlighting topics of interest to the membership and to produce corresponding video content. View the Vit-Buckle Societies video page.

3. Meibomian Gland Probing: Steven Maskin, MD, introduced a novel dry eye treatment using tiny wire probes to “unplug” the meibomian gland. Some physicians have discovered this can be a time consuming procedure and, not to mention, uncomfortable for the patient. Plus, many wondered if it really worked. Study results released in the October issue of Cornea show that 96% of MGD patients saw immediate relief which grew to 100% after four weeks. Dry eyes rejoice (if you don’t mind a little prodding, that is)! The Meibomian Gland Probe is available from Rhein Medical. Watch Dr. Steven Maskin’s Meibomian Gland Probing technique.

4. EndoSaver: Difficulties related to current DSEAK graft insertion methods, such as endothelial cell damage and cumbersome maneuvering in shallow anterior chamber require experienced and dexterous hands. Lucky for cornea surgeons, there was a spur of innovation in DSAEK graft inserters in 2009. One such device is the EndoSaver (by Ocular Systems, Inc.) which rolls the tissue, rather than folding. The sheath retracts from the graft after the tip is positioned in the AC to minimize stress on the tissue. Watch Dr. Keith Walter demonstrate a DSAEK procedure with the EndoSaver.

5. Ozurdex: In 2009, posterior segment folks gained access to novel therapeutic drug delivery systems for retinal disease. The Ozurdex dexamethasone 0.7 mg intravitreal implant (Allergan, Inc.) received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of macular edema following branch or central RVO. The implant is biodegradable and is administered via a 22-gauge applicator. Watch a video of the injection technique.

6. Subluxated lens: Surgical extraction of a subluxated lens can prove challenging. Watch videos demonstrating the many techniques and devices developed to stabilize the eye when dealing this complication.

7. Scleral buckle procedure: Just as a Texas sized belt buckle can be handy in holding in and hiding belly fat, a scleral buckles are widely used retina detachment repairs to push in the sclera toward the middle of the eye. Watch the various surgical SBP strategies.

8. Malyugin Ring: Being described as “floppy” and “small” is a frat boy’s worst nightmare. This situation is also lamentable when the aforementioned attributes describe the iris. Thanks to the development of the Malyugin ring (by Micro Surgical Technologies), ophthalmologists have a defense against IFIS and small pupils. The device is a square-shaped temporary implant that hold the iris to dilate the pupil and provide stable mydriasis with little trauma to the iris tissue. Watch demonstrative videos of Malyugin Ring implantations.

9. OZil IP: The latest development in OZil Torsional Technology (Alcon Labs, Inc.) is Intelligent Phaco (IP), which is an intelligent energy software package. IP senses vacuum levels at the phaco tip (the surgeon presets the activation threshold for IP to his or her preference) and responsively emits pulses of longitudinal ultrasound to keep lens material at the ideal shearing plane. Eyetube.net has dozens of videos demonstrating surgeons’ experiences with this technology. Find the OZil IP videos on Eyetube.

10. J Fernando Arevalo, MD: The only person to make Eyetube’s Top 10 is Dr. J. Fernando Arevalo, MD, a member of Retina Today’s editorial advisory board. Dr. Arevalo has authored clinical videos on Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) and EBPFB for Diabetic Tractional Retinal Detachment. He was also a gracious participant in EyetubeTV’s coverage on developments in vitreoretinal surgery in Pan-America. Find all of Dr. Arevalo’s videos on Eyetube.