All 12 TLC Laser Eye Centers in Southern California are changing their names to NVISION Laser Eye Centers. The name change accompanies the sale of TLC Vision’s interest in the 12 centers to Medical Director Dr. Tom Tooma to become a separate LASIK brand. The new brand will operate as NVISION Laser Eye Centers and will have the same 12 Southern California locations, same surgeons and staff. In fact, the only thing that will change is the name to reflect additional eye care services now available for Southern California residents…

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) will present its highest honor - the 2010 Laureate Recognition Award - to Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD, for his distinguished career and contributions to ophthalmology. Dr. Straatsma is to be honored with the award on Oct.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning people that a manufacturer, Abbott Medical Optics (AMO), is recalling two lots of AMO Complete multi-purpose contact lens solution because of the potential to cause eye infections. AMO Complete multi-purpose contact lens solution may have poor fitting caps on the bottles and so the solution may not be sterile. Two specific lots are being recalled…

Patients with corneal damage and considerable vision loss had biosynthetic corneas implanted into their eyes with FibroGen’s proprietary rhCIII (recombinant human type III collagen), which restored their vision and promoted nerve regeneration. A report on this 2-year Phase I clinical trial has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine. The authors explain that damage to the cornea and corneal disease are major causes of blindness globally. Some countries have cornea tissue banks - corneas are collected from human donors…

A new study from researchers in Canada and Sweden has shown that biosynthetic corneas can help regenerate and repair damaged eye tissue and improve vision in humans. The results, from an early phase clinical trial with 10 patients, are published in the August 25th, 2010 issue of Science Translational Medicine. “This study is important because it is the first to show that an artificially fabricated cornea can integrate with the human eye and stimulate regeneration,” said senior author Dr…

A 13-member research team led by University of Oregon scientist Dr. Albert O. Edwards has found a gene likely responsible for Fuchs corneal dystrophy, an inheritable genetic disorder and leading cause of corneal transplant operations. Edwards performed a genome-wide analysis comparing patients with and without typical age-related Fuchs, finding an alteration in the transcription-factor-4 gene (TCF4). Fuchs — pronounced FEWKS or FOOKS — generally emerges in middle-aged, roughly age 40, and older people. The discovery appears online Wednesday, Aug…

IRIDEX Corporation (Nasdaq: IRIX) announced the receipt of issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,771,417, titled “Laser System with Short Pulse Characteristics And Its Method Of Use.” This patent applies to the company’s MicroPulse™ technology which provides the ophthalmologist with fine dose control of laser energy during eye surgery. Ophthalmologists are using MicroPulse technology to treat patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy and other sight-threatening retinal and glaucoma disorders…

This month’s Ophthalmology includes surprising research from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary on the relation of body weight to the risk for glaucoma. Also, researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University report on the first specific map of myopic maculopathy, an illness that affects many severely nearsighted people. Their report also discusses the “map” as a tool for predicting which myopic maculopathy patients will be most likely to lose vision from the illness. Ophthalmology is the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology…

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) considers this study reliable evidence that diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy are increasing in adults over age 40 in the United States and that more Americans, especially non-Hispanic black Americans, will be vulnerable to potentially-blinding diabetic retinopathy in coming years. The Academy reminds those who have diabetes or are at risk for the disease-especially people with black, Latino, Native American or Pacific Islander heritage-that having an annual dilated eye exam by an Eye M.D…

Patients with glaucoma appear to have more rapid visual field change if they are older or if they have abnormal levels of anticardiolipin antibody (an antibody directed against a certain protein in the body), according to a report posted online today that will appear in the October print issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Reducing intraocular pressure - the pressure within the eyeball - modestly in these patients appears to ameliorate the rate at which they experience declines in visual field…