JCRS highlights chosen by Professor Thomas Kohnen, European editor, JCRS

GEL STENT FOR GLAUCOMA

A novel gel stent combined with phacoemulsification reduced intraocular pressure (IOP) and medications without significant complications in patients with open-angle glaucoma and cataract. A non-randomised prospective clinical trial enrolled 37 eyes of 37 patients with a mean preoperative IOP of 22.4mmHg on a mean of 2.5 medications. Two patients were intolerant to medications and were not on topical therapy before surgery. Three patients had previous cyclodestructive procedures. No patient had previous incisional glaucoma surgery. Patients received one of two models of a gelatine stent (Xen140 and Xen63) at the time of cataract surgery without mitomycin-C. Twelve months postoperatively, the mean IOP was reduced to a mean 15.4mmHg on a mean of 0.9 medications (P < .0001). This resulted in a qualified success of 85.3 per cent, and a complete success rate off medications of 47.1 per cent. There were no failures. A Sheybani et al, JCRS, "Phacoemulsification combined with a new ab interno gel stent to treat open-angle glaucoma: Pilot study", Published online 15/10/15.

BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL

Do blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) intraocular lenses (IOLs) make a difference in terms of fundus autofluorescence over time? Japanese researchers compared imaging studies in patients who received blue blocker IOLs or conventional colourless ultraviolet light-filtering IOLs. The prospective study enrolled 52 eyes with yellow-tinted IOLs and 79 eyes with conventional colourless IOLs. Abnormal fundus autofluorescence did not develop or increase in the yellow-tinted IOL group over a two-year period. However, progressive abnormal fundus autofluorescence developed or increased in 12 eyes (15.2 per cent) in the colourless IOL group. New drusen, geographic atrophy, and choroidal neovascularisation were observed mainly in the colourless IOL group. H Nagai et al, JCRS, "Prevention of increased abnormal fundus autofluorescence with blue light–filtering intraocular lenses", Published online 12/10/15.

ADD-ON IOL FOR AMD

A new IOL with a central magnifying portion that is implanted in the ciliary sulcus of pseudophakic eyes shows promise for improving near vision in patients with AMD. Eight patients with advanced AMD received the macular add-on IOL (Scharioth Macula Lens A45SML). Near vision improved in seven eyes and was stable in one eye. The corrected near visual acuity improved by 4.4 lines with the macular add-on IOL at 15cm versus with glasses at 40cm. It improved by 2.1 lines with the macular add-on IOL at 15cm versus with glasses at 15cm. Distance vision was stable in all eyes. No intraoperative or postoperative complication occurred. G Scharioth, JCRS, "New add-on intraocular lens for patients with age-related macular degeneration", Volume 41, Issue 8,1559–1563.