Pennsylvania's Tribune-Democrat (7/27, Griffith) reports that "a new generation of artificial implanted lenses has" eliminated "the need for glasses after cataract surgery." Recent "advances have introduced multifocal implants and accommodating implants that provide both near and far vision" for patients. The "multifocal lenses have different surfaces for each distance, much like a progressive bifocal in glasses," and "accommodating lenses flex with the eye like the natural lens." Unfortunately, these lenses are "not covered by Medicare or many other insurance policies," resulting in an out-of-pocket cost of "about $2,000 to $3,000" or more to patients. As for the cataract surgery itself, it is "minimally invasive," and "uses an ultrasound device to break up the damaged lens so it can be removed through a tiny incision." The procedure "takes about 10 to 15 minutes and uses only local anesthesia," with "full recovery...expected in a few weeks."
FDA approves ketorolac tromethamine solution to treat pain, inflammation after cataract surgery.
Medscape (7/24, Waknine) reported that the Food and Drug Administration "has approved a 0.45 percent ophthalmic solution of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketorolac tromethamine (Acuvail, Allergan, Inc) for the treatment of pain and inflammation after cataract surgery." According to the agency, "the recommended dose is one drop applied to the effective eye twice daily, starting one day before surgery and continuing through the first two weeks of the postoperative period." The FDA based its approval "on clinical study data derived from more than 500 patients, showing that use of ketorolac solution significantly improved the summed inflammation score and ocular pain relief after cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (32 percent vs. 17 percent for vehicle alone)."
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