Patients Win with Immediate Avastin Payment Reversal 11/18/2009
(Washington, D.C.) – Following efforts by the American Academy of Ophthalmology with the help of the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Macula Society, the Retina Society and Congressional allies, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said that it will retract an Oct. 1 payment policy for small doses of Avastin. Avastin, a cancer drug, is used in smaller doses to treat eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
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Medical Groups Applaud CMS Adoption of Long-Awaited Practice Expense Update 11/16/2009
(Washington, D.C.) – A coalition of medical specialties today congratulated the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for its careful and reasoned implementation of up-to-date practice expense rates into its physician payments. The new practice expense rates that were recently issued by CMS use accurate data from a rigorous survey supported by more than 70 medical and health care professional groups, and they begin a long-needed correction that should remain untouched by Congress. The new practice expense rates recognize that overhead costs differ among physician specialties, and rely upon data that was independently corroborated by a respected third-party survey firm.
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Cataract Surgery Benefits AMD Patients; Steroid Drug May Restore Vision in DME Patients; Top Online Eye Health Forums Analyzed 11/02/2009
This month’s Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) reports on a national study that finds cataract surgery is likely to benefit patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at all stages of the disease, on a clinical trial indication that the steroid triamcinolone may be effective in advanced DME patients when standard treatment fails, and on the eye health and vision problems addressed on two Academy-sponsored online forums.
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American Academy of Ophthalmology Announces New Drive for Thousands to Get Diabetic Eye Exam 10/30/2009
SAN FRANCISCO – Diabetes causes more new cases of legal blindness among working-age Americans than any other disease. If diabetics are monitored regularly by their ophthalmologist, this vision loss is almost always avoidable. Yet, tragically, more than half of all people living with diabetes do not get the recommended annual dilated eye exam. As the number of people with Type 2 diabetes rises in the U.S., the CDC projects that the number of adults with diabetic retinopathy will double by the year 2050. Yet 90 percent of diabetic eye disease can be prevented simply by proper regular examinations and treatment and by controlling blood sugar.
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Strong International Presence and High Attendance Mark American Academy of Ophthalmology Joint Meeting 10/29/2009
SAN FRANCISCO - Turnout was strong for the largest and most comprehensive ophthalmic educational meeting in the world, the 2009 American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) --Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) Joint Meeting, held in San Francisco October 25 to October 27. Preliminary figures for attendance at the meeting were approximately 25,000, a 17 percent increase over 2008. More than 6,000 international physicians attended the meeting, an increase of 50 percent compared to 2008. Preliminary figures for attendance at the Subspecialty Day events October 23 and 24 also showed a strong increase, totaling more than 7,100, a 37 percent rise over the previous year.
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TBI-Vision Loss Impacts Vets' Lives; Hallucinations Caused by Low-Vision 10/27/2009
Today’s Scientific Program, 2009 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) - Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) Joint Meeting, includes a Veterans Administration study that indicates that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with vision loss from traumatic brain injury have significantly poorer quality of life than comparable civilian patients, and a Harvard doctor’s insights on how to best evaluate and care for low-vision patients who experience vivid visual hallucinations due to Charles Bonnet syndrome.
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AMD Medication May Raise IOP; Making Good Vision Accessible 10/26/2009
A first-time finding of intraocular pressure increases in patients with no personal or family history of glaucoma following anti-VEGF treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and a report on a simple, low-cost method that could revolutionize vision screening and treatment in developing countries, are highlights of today’s Scientific Program of the 2009 Joint Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO).
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American Academy of Ophthalmology President Leads Alliance Work to Rebuild Healthcare in Iraq 10/26/2009
Dr. Brennan leads a team of dedicated American physicians working with Iraqi physicians to provide improved care as the country recovers from the traumas of war. He was just honored by the Iraqi Ophthalmological Society with a humanitarian award, presented at the 2009 Academy - Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology Joint Meeting in San Francisco.
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American Academy of Ophthalmology Honors Military Doctors 10/25/2009
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) will present Military Ophthalmologists with the Distinguished Service Award for their ongoing notable service and contributions to vision care.
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Don’t Put Your Eye Health in Jeopardy this Halloween 10/25/2009
SAN FRANCISCO— Halloween is right around the corner, and you may be thinking about finishing off your costume with zebra-striped or glow-in-the-dark decorative contact lenses. But do you know the risks associated with these lenses? Buying decorative lenses without a prescription is dangerous, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) warns consumers that purchasing or wearing these contact lenses improperly can cause serious eye disorders and infections.
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