Philadelphia Eye Associates

Corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used prophylactically to control inflammation after ocular surgery. When prescribed as eye drops, as has been longstanding tradition, anti-inflammatory success is out of surgeons’ hands, dependent on patient compliance and proper instillation technique. Sustained-release, intraoperatively administered anti-inflammatory drugs are emerging as another option. DEXYCU (dexamethasone intraocular suspension) 9% is the first and only intraocular corticosteroid FDA-approved for postoperative inflammation, whose sustained-release formulation provides a high initial release of drug, followed by a gradual tapering. Administration of the drug directly into the capsular bag following cataract surgery enables reliable placement proximal to target tissues, ensuring surgeon control and visibility of delivery, safety, and efficiency. This technique also minimizes contact with metabolically active tissues such as the corneal endothelium, iris, and ciliary body. In this paper, we review the available literature on dexamethasone intraocular suspension and summarize surgeons’ consensus on best practices for intracapsular administration.

Abstract During 1998–2007, a majority of Central and Eastern European (CEE) governments enacted laws obligating workers to save for retirement in privately managed individual accounts. The governments funded these accounts with a portion of public pension revenues, thus creating or increasing deficits in public systems. After the onset of the global financial and economic crisis (2008), most CEE governments reduced these funding diversions and scaled back the accounts. Now, a decade after the crisis, this article examines the benefits that the accounts are beginning to pay retiring workers. In general, these benefits are shown to be disadvantageous compared with public pensions. Some pay lump sums in lieu of regular monthly benefits, most fail to adjust pensions regularly for inflation, and some pay women less than men with equal account balances. In several countries, pensioners with individual accounts receive lower benefits than those without them. To enable retiring workers to avoid these disadvantages, several CEE governments have allowed them to refund their account balances and receive full public pensions. Yet while this strategy diffuses worker dissatisfaction, it also places strains on public pension finance. To assist second‐pillar account holders without weakening public pensions, governments should consider making private pension savings voluntary and financing these schemes independently of public pensions – i.e. by worker and employer contributions and, possibly, direct state support.

ABSTRACTObjective: To evaluate by survey the comfort upon instillation of timolol hemihydrate compared to timolol maleate with potassium sorbate.Design: A prospective, multicenter, observational, non-interventional study.Participants: One hundred and three patients of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were ≥21 years old and were currently prescribed timolol hemihydrate (once or twice daily) or timolol maleate with potassium sorbate once daily as monotherapy or as a part of two-drug therapy.Materials and methods: Study was performed at seven clinical sites in the United States. Patients were surveyed on comfort upon instillation of timolol hemihydrate compared to timolol maleate with potassium sorbate.Results: A difference between timolol hemihydrate and timolol maleate with potassium sorbate for questions 1 (burning/stinging on instillation, p < 0.001) and 4 (tearing on instillation, p = 0.024) was noted. There were no differences between treatment groups for any other question (p > 0.05).Conclusion: This survey suggests that timolol hemihydrate is associated with less stinging/burning and tearing than timolol maleate with potassium sorbate.How to cite this article: Stewart WC, Oehler JC, Choplin NT, Markoff JI, Moster MR, Ichhpujani P, Nelson LA. A Comfort Survey of Timolol Hemihydrate 0.5% Solution Once or Twice Daily vs Timolol Maleate in Sorbate. J Current Glau Prac 2013;7(1):11-16.

Sweat sodium losses have never been reported in a large cohort of American football players. To compare sweat rates (SwtRs), sweat sodium concentrations (SwtNa(+)), and sodium losses in 3 groups of players (backs and receivers [BK], linebackers and quarterbacks [LB/QB], and linemen [LM]) to determine if positional differences and, therefore, size differences exist. Observational study. Data were collected during practices in the second week of 2 consecutive training camps. The wet bulb globe temperature was 78.5 degrees F +/- 3.5 degrees F (25.9 degrees C +/- 1.9 degrees C). Eighteen BK, 12 LB/QB, and 14 LM volunteered. Sterile sweat patches were applied to the right forearm after the skin was appropriately cleaned. The patches were removed during practice, placed in sterile tubes, centrifuged, frozen, and later analyzed by flame photometry. Sweat rate, SwtNa(+), and sodium loss. We calculated SwtR by change in mass adjusted for urine produced and fluids consumed divided by practice time in hours. Other than age, physical characteristics were different among groups (P < .001). The SwtR was different among groups (F(2,41) = 7.3, P = .002). It was lower in BK (1.42 +/- 0.45 L/h) than in LB/QB (1.98 +/- 0.49 L/h) (P < .05) and LM (2.16 +/- 0.75 L/h) (P < .01), but we found no differences between SwtRs for LB/QB and LM. The SwtNa(+) was not different among groups (BK = 50 +/- 16 mEq/L, LB/QB = 48.2 +/- 23 mEq/L, and LM = 52.8 +/- 25 mEq/L) and ranged from 15 to 99 mEq/L. Sweat sodium losses ranged from 642 mg/h to 6.7 g/h, and findings for group comparisons approached significance (P = .06). On days when players practiced 4.5 hours, calculated sodium losses ranged from 2.3 to 30 g/d. The BK sweated at lower rates than did the midsized LB/QB and large LM, but LB/QB sweated similarly to LM. Sweat sodium concentration and daily sodium losses ranged considerably. Heavy, salty sweaters require increased dietary consumption of sodium during preseason.

A 94-year-old monocular woman with a posterior communicating artery aneurysm developed a compressive third nerve palsy with complete blepharoptosis and abduction of her seeing eye. It was believed that she was not a good neurosurgical candidate for aneurysm repair. Her ptosis was managed successfully with an in-office Whitnall sling procedure combined with a superior tarsectomy. The author describes this safe and effective method for surgical management of complete ptosis with zero levator function.

Denileukin diftitox (DD; Ontak, Eisai, Woodcliff Lake, NJ) is an FDA-approved targeted therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) [1]. This recombinant fusion protein (human interleukin 2 {IL-2} ...

When selecting library management software it is very important to develop a thorough acquaintance with what is available and to know what questions to ask. But, no matter how much you finally know about the range of library management software available in today's market, you cannot properly apply that knowledge towards making a cost‐effective purchase until you have a clear idea of the proportions of your library's automation project. Correctly matching a software system to the functions to be automated requires careful analysis of the information necessary to perform each function and the flow of information between them. Developing a function profile form (see page 42) is an easy method of gathering and organizing this information. The three‐part form allows librarians to clearly identify who needs the information, when and how often the information is accessed on the computer, the kinds of formats used, and the specific data required to perform a given task.