Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Ophthalmology for July 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Even Midrange Vision Impairment Can Negatively Affect QOL
THURSDAY, July 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients with even moderately impaired vision may face a higher risk of unemployment, poverty, and mental health problems, according to research published online July 28 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
American Red Cross Says Blood Donations Needed Urgently
TUESDAY, July 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The American Red Cross says it has an urgent need for blood donations, with less than a five-day supply of blood on hand to help those who need it.
Medical Students Often Track Progress of Former Patients
TUESDAY, July 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many U.S. medical students use electronic health records to track the progress of their former patients and confirm the accuracy of their diagnoses, according to research letter published online July 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
‘Walking Meetings’ Feasible Strategy for Employee Wellness
MONDAY, July 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Converting a single weekly meeting to a walking meeting can help raise work-related physical activity levels of white-collar workers, according to a report published online June 23 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Health Expenditures Rising for Middle Class, Wealthy
THURSDAY, July 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — While overall U.S. medical spending growth slowed between 2004 and 2013, expenditures rose for middle- and high-income Americans, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
Disclosure of Adverse Events May Impact Surgeon Well-Being
THURSDAY, July 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Surgeons who are less likely to discuss the preventability of an adverse event are more likely to be negatively affected by disclosure of these events, according to a study published online July 20 in JAMA Surgery.
Medicare Spending Up for Decedents Versus Survivors
WEDNESDAY, July 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Medicare per capita spending was much higher for beneficiaries who died during 2014 than for those who survived the entire year, according to a report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Labor Compensation, Purchased Goods, Service Biggest Spends
TUESDAY, July 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Labor compensation remains the single largest contributor to costs among physicians’ offices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers, according to a report published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
Burnout Can Have Acute Personal, Professional Consequences
MONDAY, July 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Stress and burnout are increasingly prevalent among physicians, with serious personal and professional consequences, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Stellate Ganglion Block Beneficial in Postherpetic Neuralgia
MONDAY, July 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The therapeutic benefit of stellate ganglion block for debilitating photophobia secondary to trigeminal postherpetic neuralgia has been described in a case report published online July 5 in Pain Practice.
Male→Female Corneal Transplants at Greater Risk of Failure
FRIDAY, July 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women who undergo a corneal transplant may have a worse outcome if their donor is male, according to a study published online July 14 in the American Journal of Transplantation.
Growth in U.S. Health Spending Set to Average 5.8 Percent
FRIDAY, July 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Growth in U.S. health spending is expected to average 5.8 percent for 2015 to 2025, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
Three-Year Delays Seen in First Referral for Diabetic Retinopathy
FRIDAY, July 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — An average delay of 3.1 years for an initial diabetes eye exam was found in a recent Australian study. The findings were published online in a letter to the editor June 27 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
Supreme Court Ruling Could Impact Med School Admissions
THURSDAY, July 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the University of Texas at Austin’s consideration of race and ethnicity in college admissions has implications for medical schools, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
Intraocular Pressure Down With Anesthesia in Children
THURSDAY, July 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia have reductions in intraocular pressure (IOP), with the lowest IOP measured after induction of anesthesia, according to a study published online July 5 in Pediatric Anesthesia.
Differences in Salary for Male, Female Faculty Physicians
WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For physicians with faculty appointments at 24 U.S. public medical schools there are significant salary differences between men and women, even after adjustment for confounding variables, according to a study published online July 11 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
ICD-9 Codes Not Accurate Enough for Ocular Disease
WEDNESDAY, July 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes are not accurate enough for diagnosing ocular diseases, according to a study published online July 7 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Gene Therapy, Visual Stimulation Aids Vision Restoration
TUESDAY, July 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A combination of gene therapy and visual stimulation prompts partial regrowth of the optic nerves, restoring some communication between the brain and the eye, according to an experimental study published online July 11 in Nature Neuroscience.
FDA Approves Xiidra Eye Drops to Treat Dry Eye Disease
TUESDAY, July 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Xiidra (lifitegrast) eye drops have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat symptoms of dry eye disease.
No Response to First Antifungals Tied to Worse Keratitis Outcomes
MONDAY, July 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Fungal keratitis patients pretreated with antifungal medication appear to have worse outcomes, according to a study published online June 21 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
Retinoblastoma Mortality Up With Eye-Preserving Radiotherapy
FRIDAY, July 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Short-term survival of heritable retinoblastoma is high, but long-term mortality remains a challenge, according to a study published online July 5 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
VA Appealing to Physicians to Join Agency
FRIDAY, July 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is appealing to physicians to join the agency as part of its recovery from a 2014 scandal linked to excessive wait times, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Medical Marijuana Laws Affect Medicare Part D Spending
FRIDAY, July 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Legalization of medical marijuana and its associated availability have affected prescribing patterns and spending in Medicare Part D, according to a study published online July 6 in Health Affairs.
Nurses, Doctors Report Health Issues Tied to Surgical Smoke
FRIDAY, July 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Nurses and doctors commonly report problems as a result of surgical smoke exposure, but they do not take effective protective measures, according to a study published online June 27 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Eyelid Position Changes With Transcutaneous Blepharoplasty
FRIDAY, July 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Transcutaneous skin-muscle lower eyelid blepharoplasty is associated with a small increase in distance from the pupil and lateral limbus to the lower eyelid margin, according to a study published online July 7 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Diabetic Retinopathy Independently Tied to Depression
THURSDAY, July 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or PDR, but not diabetic macular edema (DME), is associated with depressive symptoms, according to a study published online July 7 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Many Clinical Trials Are Not Listed in Data-Sharing Repository
WEDNESDAY, July 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Only about half of trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov are listed in the largest data-sharing repository, according to a research letter published online June 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Brain Stimulation Could Restore Vision in Glaucoma Patients
TUESDAY, July 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Electrical pulses to the brain may help restore vision in some partially blind patients, according to a study published online June 29 in PLOS ONE.
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U.S. Cancer Survivors Aging, Battling Other Chronic Disease
FRIDAY, July 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In 2016, nearly 62 percent of almost 16 million cancer survivors are aged 65 or older; and, by 2040, an estimated 73 percent of 26 million cancer survivors will be 65 or older, according to a report published in the July 1 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
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