MEACO-MIOC 2023
The MEACO-MIOC Congress is a prestigious event focussing on ophthalmology in the Middle East and Africa. The congress brings together leading professionals, researchers, practitioners and industry experts in ophthalmology to discuss the latest developments, research findings and innovations in the field.
During this 3-day congress, over 100 experts will present various publications, studies and other research findings. Dr Kermani will present the clinical results of patients who have decided to implant an IOL after laser treatment. This additional lens allows for fine corrections to achieve optimal vision. During this presentation, Dr Kermani also highlights the challenges associated with this treatment. Often, traditional biometric formulas are not adapted for pre-treated eyes, and options for possible follow-up treatments, such as corneal correction, are limited.
Dr Kermani chaired an event organised by the American Academy of Ophthalmology together with MEACO, which consisted of three parts, each with three speakers.
The main topics were: "The transition to refractive surgery", "No Capsule- no problem" (the possibilities of performing vision correction without a capsule) and the co-morbidities of cataract surgery. Dr Kermani gave a lecture on "Custom Made Anterior Chambers IOL - Case Reports". You can find the lecture as PDF here.
Das erste transplantierte Auge
In his new article "Sehr her!" Jörg Zittlau reports on Aaron James, who survived a serious
electrical accident. He lost parts of his left arm, his nose, lips, parts of his chin and his left
eye. Under the direction of Dr Eduardo Rodriguez at NYU Langone Health in New York City,
he received the world's first facial transplant with a complete eye during a 21-hour procedure
in May 2023.
The donor eye was transferred along with the eye socket and surrounding
tissues, connecting blood vessels and the optic nerve.
The hope was that visual signals could be transmitted from the new eye to the brain. Despite
intensive observation, there is no evidence to date that nerve signals from the transplanted eye
reach the visual cortex. Although the eye has not been rejected and shows some functional
aspects, there is no clear evidence of visual perception.
The controversy in professional circles centres on the question of whether the transplantation
is merely a cosmetic success or represents a significant advance in medicine. Some argue that
the regeneration of complex nerve connections, particularly in the optic nerve, is not
sufficiently realistic to restore immediate vision. Muscle functions, particularly the control of
eye movement, are also critical to vision.
Ophthalmologist Dr Omid Kermani from the Artemis Eye Clinic in Cologne reports on
controversial discussions. Some see transplantation as a door opener for new areas of
research, while others regard it as a mere spectacle that raises exaggerated hopes. Kermani
emphasises that the restoration of functional nerve cords, especially in the optic nerve, is a
complex challenge
Many experts therefore see transplantation as an important step for science, but are sceptical
about the brain's ability to interpret the signals from the transplanted eye. Further research is
needed to clarify the long-term potential of eye transplants. Future developments could
include gene therapy and innovative approaches to bypass damaged neural pathways.
Quelle: Zittau, Jörg. Sehr her! (2023). Welt am Sonntag. Ausgabe 47. S. 63.
Refractive surgery - Risks and benefits
Zittlau describes the challenges associated with visual aids such as glasses or contact lenses. Everyone who relies on visual aids is probably familiar with foggy glasses or itchy eyes. Laser eye surgery is therefore the long-awaited solution for many patients.
In his article, Zittlau addresses the recent debate about the risks and side effects of refractive surgery in the USA. According to Thomas Kohnen, Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at Frankfurt University Hospital, refractive surgery in Germany is much more advanced than in the USA. A separate commission has been set up to assess the safety of the current procedures, LASIK, Femot-LASIK and the SMILE procedure. The Komission Refraktive Chirurgie (KRC) sets restrictions, for example, on the maximum dioptre values or the minimum thickness of the cornea. Kohnen sees this as the reason for the increasingly loud debate in the USA about the risks of laser eye treatment. Patients with chronically dry eyes or very thin corneas who would be excluded from the procedure in Germany are also lasered there. As a patient, you should therefore realise that you may also be rejected by an eye clinic if your own eyes are not suitable for laser treatment. The high safety standards are reflected in the results: Dr Kermani's re-treatment rate for short-sighted patients is less than 5 per cent in the first 15 years. It is important to realise that every result can always change. "The eye is a living organ that changes throughout life," Dr Kermani is quoted as saying in the article. If this is the case, there is also the option of using an implantable contact lens.
Source: Zittau, Jörg. Das kann ins Auge gehen. (2023). Welt am Sonntag. Ausgabe 41. S. 61.
Femto-LASIK Sets High Bar for Myopic Correction
That's the message from Miguel A. Teus, PhD, professor of ophthalmology in Madrid, at the ESCRS Winter Meeting in Vilamoura, Portugal, 2023. He addresses the comparison between femtosecond LASIK (FS-LASIK) and lens extrusion procedures, such as the SMILE procedure.
The SMILE procedure uses a high-precision femtosecond laser to change the shape of the cornea. A lens, called a lentricle, is formed within the cornea. The advantage of the SMILE procedure is the avoidance of complications, fewer dry eyes, and increased biomechanical stability because more fibers of the cornea are preserved. However, the symptomatology of dry eye in particular is not clearly provable, Dr. Teus said. Most studies conclude that nerve regeneration and corneal sensitivity develop about the same with both procedures.
The major disadvantage of the SMILE procedure over excimer laser correction is the greater loss of corneal tissue in low myopia. To avoid damage to the lens created by the SMILE procedure, the optical zone must be enlarged and a thicker lens thickness must be set. Consequently, more corneal tissue is removed than with excimer laser surgery, especially for lower myopias.
You can find the whole article here: https://www.escrs.org/eurotimes-articles/femto-lasik-sets-high-bar-for-myopic-correction/