Latest news with #ophthalmology
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Avant Technologies' Joint Venture Partner Presents AI Technology at Roche Ophthalmology Conference
LAS VEGAS, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avant Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI) ("Avant" or the "Company"), an emerging technology company developing healthcare solutions using both artificial intelligence (AI) and developments in biotechnology, today announced that Vinicio Vargas, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Avant's partner, Ainnova Tech, Inc., (Ainnova), was a featured speaker Friday and Saturday at Roche's Latin America "Macular Spectacular" Ophthalmology conference in Cartagena, Colombia. The conference highlighted the latest in scientific advances in treatments for the most common eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy, while also focusing on strengthening collaboration between industry specialists in Latin America. Ainnova's CEO, Vinicio Vargas, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of Ai-nova Acquisition Corp. (AAC), the company formed by the partnership between Avant and Ainnova to advance and commercialize Ainnova's technology portfolio, discussed the status of AI and its uses in the industry to improve patient outcomes. Vargas and a host of renowned speakers that included Dr. Laura Velásquez, Dr. Roberto Gallego, Hugo Ocampo, and other ophthalmologists and experts presented the latest tools to transform visual health in the region, reflected on unmet needs, and explained how innovation can help build stronger, accessible, and patient-centered health systems. In Q4 2024, Ainnova entered a strategic alliance with global biotech, Roche, and leading prepaid health plan provider, Salud 360, to start a pilot program to combat diabetic retinopathy using Ainnova's AI-powered, cutting-edge technology, Vision AI. The alliance aims at improving access to vision screening in patients with uncontrolled diabetes with the hope of decreasing the risks of diabetic retinopathy. If the program is successful, Avant and Ainnova hope to implement a similar program in the United States, Canada, and Europe through AAC. AAC has the worldwide licensing rights for Ainnova's technology portfolio, which includes Ainnova's Vision AI platform. About Ainnova Tech, Inc. Ainnova is a Nevada-based healthtech startup with headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Houston, Texas. Founded by an experienced and innovative team that is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence for early disease detection. Recognized with multiple global awards and renowned partnerships with hospitals and medical device companies, we proudly introduce Vision AI – our cutting-edge platform designed to prevent blindness and detect the early onset of diabetes. Explore how Ainnova is revolutionizing healthcare through advanced technology and proactive solutions. About Avant Technologies Inc. Avant Technologies Inc. is an emerging technology company developing solutions in healthcare using artificial intelligence and biotechnologies. With a focus on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in AI and biotechnology, Avant serves a diverse range of industries, driving progress and efficiency through state-of-the-art technology. More information about Avant can be found at You can also follow us on social media at: Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements because of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website ( In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date after the date of the press release. Contact: Avant Technologies Logo - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Avant Technologies Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Battling Dry Eyes? Here's What Actually Helps
Credit - Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Images: Digicomphoto—Science, Isabel Pavia—Getty Images) Last October, when Talia Rotenberg was traveling to Europe, her eyes became bloodshot, watery, and painful—the same feeling she would expect if she had a torn contact lens in her eye. She was baffled, but assumed the unfamiliar environment might be triggering some sort of allergy. When she got back home to Los Angeles, however, the symptoms persisted. Rotenberg, who's 31, was surprised when her eye doctor told her what was going on: She had dry eye disease. 'I'd never really heard of dry eyes,' she says. Flash forward a year, and her days are consumed with managing her condition; she's traded her contacts for glasses, and even the slightest AC breeze bothers her eyes. She recently started new prescription eye drops, and hopes to see improvement within a few months. Dry eyes affect millions of people each year, and research suggests the condition is on the rise. Yet, like Rotenberg, many people are surprised by their diagnosis—dry eyes aren't on their radar. 'People know their eyes are being bothered, but they don't know why,' says Dr. Penny Aswell, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center who has researched dry eyes. Many people put off seeing an eye doctor. 'A lot of them are out there walking around with dry eyes, and they're not being taken care of.' We asked experts exactly what it means to have dry eyes, why it happens, and how to find relief. What is dry eye disease? Our eyes need to be well-lubricated all day in order for us to be comfortable and see clearly. For that to happen, there needs to be adequate tear film (a layer of fluid) on the surface of the eye, says Dr. Daniel Brocks, a corneal specialist and chief medical officer of BostonSight, a nonprofit that treats people with severe dry eye disease. When there's not enough tear film—either because your eyes don't make enough tears, or because the tears don't work correctly—you end up with dry eyes. People with dry eyes commonly experience 'irritation, or a sensation like grittiness or sand in the eye—we call it foreign body sensation, like there's constantly a lash in the eye,' Brocks says. 'You might also have red and inflamed eyes and sensitivity to light, all the way up to severe pain and inability to open the eyes.' Many people describe stinging or burning in their eyes and blurry vision; over time, infections and ulcers can develop. Read More: Should You Shower in the Morning or at Night? Research suggests that dry eye disease makes people less productive at work; the worse the dryness, the lower the person's productivity. That extends beyond the workplace, too. 'We get patients coming in who say, 'I can't read as much as I want to. It's interfering with my driving,'' Aswell says. Dry eye disease can be debilitating, Brocks stresses. 'People truly suffer and can't go outside or partake in their daily activities,' he says. 'It really runs their lives.' What causes dry eyes? Dry eyes are most common among people ages 50 and over—though even kids can be affected—and women are at greater risk than men, Aswell says. Wearing contacts also plays a role: The thin lenses can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the cornea, interfere with the production of tears, and generally irritate and dry out the eyes. Plus, dry eye disease is often linked to autoimmune conditions like lupus and Sjögren's syndrome. One survey suggests that 95% of people with Sjögren's, for example, suffer from dry eyes. Environmental factors can contribute, too. Living in a dry area is much more difficult than living somewhere that's humid year-round. 'A humid environment is much more gentle on your eyes—there's more moisture in the air,' Brocks says. 'We'll even have patients who literally move from [the North] down to Florida or whatever more humid location to have a better life.' Read More: The Best Science-Backed Way to Stop Chafing When patients come in complaining about dry eyes, Brocks usually asks how many glasses of water they drink each day, as well as how much coffee. 'Caffeine is a diuretic—it gets rid of moisture—so some people just have the wrong balance of providing their body with proper moisture,' he says. He tells them to drink more water and cut back on caffeine, and when they come back for a follow-up, their eyes are dramatically less dry. Certain medications, like those taken to lower blood pressure, can also exacerbate dry eyes. Allergy medications, including oral antihistamines, can cause or worsen the situation, too. 'I always recommend anyone who has dry eyes have their doctors take a look at those medications, and sometimes there can be adjustments,' Brocks says. Lifestyle and environmental modifications One of the biggest reasons why dry eye disease is on the rise has to do with increased screen time. Blinking plays an essential role in tear production, and while our normal blink rate is about 15 to 20 blinks per minute, that plummets to 4 to 6 blinks per minute when we're looking at a screen. 'That can absolutely factor into dryness,' says Dr. Ami Vadada, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and ophthalmologist at AdvantageCare Physicians in New York. To counteract the problem, she suggests following the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away from your screen for 20 seconds, which gives your eyes a much-needed break. There are other things you can do at home. Artificial tears and lubricants, which are sold over the counter in a variety of brands, mimic your own tears and help rewet the eyes. 'They can be used as often as you need,' Vadada says. 'You can't overdose on them.' She encourages patients to use gel drops at bedtime—they can cause blurred vision, which is why nighttime use is best, but they're thicker than liquid drops and stay in the eye for longer. Many people also find it soothing to run a towel under warm water and gently massage their eyes, Vadada says. Certain environmental modifications can help, too. Vadada suggests using a humidifier at home to keep your surroundings moist, and avoiding direct winds, like those blasting out of the AC in your car. 'You don't want to put the air conditioning directly into your face, which can dry out the eyes,' she says. More aggressive treatment options In particularly severe cases—especially when someone has an underlying autoimmune disease—OTC eye drops and lifestyle modifications will likely fall short. Some patients benefit from punctal plugs, which are tiny devices inserted into the tear ducts that help block the drainage of tears, helping the eyes retain more moisture. The procedure is quick and happens in the eye doctor's office; typically, a patient's eyes are numbed before the plug is inserted. 'When the person makes tears, those tears will still go down the drain, but much more slowly,' Brocks says. 'It's like putting a plug in a sink.' A variety of prescription eye drops also exist, and more are in the pipeline—Brocks describes it as 'an area of huge growth.' One of the most effective options is cyclosporine, which reduces inflammation in the eyes and increases tear production. There's even a nasal spray called Tyrvaya designed to activate the nerves in the nose, which in turn stimulates tear production in the eyes. Brocks' patients with severe dry eyes sometimes benefit from autologous serum eye drops, which are made from a patient's own blood. 'It's been known for a while that there are a lot of healing properties in our blood, so we'll send some patients to a lab to have them get a blood draw, and the lab will spin down their blood and take the clear liquid portion called the serum,' he says. 'They'll mix that with an artificial tear and create serum tears, which are drops given to you to use anywhere from four to 10 times a day.' They help heal the surface of the eye, in the process alleviating bothersome symptoms, and are 'quite effective' for some people, he says. According to one randomized study, patients who used serum eye drops experienced significant improvement after two weeks of treatment. Read More: What to Do About Your Red, Itchy Eyes Another technique, called amniotic membrane graft, involves placing thin layers of tissue from a donated placenta onto the surface of the eye to promote healing. Amniotic membranes have anti-inflammatory properties, which can benefit the surface of the eye. 'It's sterilized and put into a contact lens,' Brocks says. 'That's placed on the eye for a short period, usually five to seven days, and then it dissolves. It has a lot of healing properties that can't be found anywhere else.' In one study, the treatment improved symptoms for about 88% of participants who had been experiencing dry eyes; the researchers also noted that no adverse effects were reported. Brocks focuses much of his attention these days on scleral lenses, which are large-diameter contact lenses that rest on the whites of the eyes, keeping the cornea hydrated and protecting it from irritation. 'They're customized to each person's eye,' he says. 'The lens is filled with saline every morning—it's like a bowl, basically, and then that bowl is placed on the eye, and you've created this moisture chamber for the eye.' Looking forward, Brocks is optimistic about how treatment options might improve for people with dry eye disease. 'There's a lot of new mechanisms being found, and there's a lot of new medications in the pipeline that people are waiting for,' he says. 'It's one of these diseases that's a little more complex than it sounds, and extremely common, especially as age increases. There's such a variety of things that can cause it that we try to pinpoint,' and increasingly, an effective selection of current and emerging treatments. Contact us at letters@
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I'm an eye doctor and this is the dangerous condition on the rise that everyone is missing... you must take this simple precaution to save your vision as you age
Examining his patient's red, painfully inflamed eye, Australian ophthalmologist Emil Kurniawan was in no doubt that she had a pterygium, a benign but potentially vision-altering growth on the surface of the eye. Linked to prolonged UV exposure, it is commonly found in people living in sunny regions – including many parts of Australia.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
NHS patients blinded after locum doctor botched their cases
It discovered some patients returned with 'permanent visual damage', which led to a review regarding one locum consultant. The individual no longer works at the organisation. An external review of the ophthalmology service was then commissioned and found problems including a failure to give the right medication to some patients, and refer others for help they needed. Clinical notes of 278 patients who had been seen by the locum consultant were reviewed by an independent consultant. The review discovered 104 cases had a 'deviation' from guidance. The patients were contacted in April 2024 and requested to return for a full clinical review. The trust also revealed that its incident reporting system had identified two cases of severe harm and one case of moderate harm of patients being treated with glaucoma by the same locum consultant, with similar concerns raised, in 2023. Glaucoma is a common condition in adults over 50 and can be treated using eye drops, laser treatment or surgery. Early detection and treatment are crucial to preserving vision, as poor management can lead to blindness. A GEH spokesman said: 'All patients affected have been contacted and we are offering our full support; we have extended our sincere apologies to them. 'Incorrect processes, carried out by an individual who no longer works for the trust, identified significant harm, up to and including sight loss, relating to a small number of patients. 'A full investigation is still currently underway into the clinical appropriateness of the ophthalmology care provided. 'New processes and oversight have already been introduced to provide safe and effective service for our patients.' At a board meeting last month, the trust's chief medical officer said there were also more recent concerns about the trust's optometry services. Najam Rashid, the chief medical officer, said: 'We found some evidence that some of the guidelines haven't been followed. 'The governance teams and the speciality teams are looking at the pathways and doing a more in-depth analysis.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. Announces Positive Phase 2 Results for CBT-004 in Patients with Vascularized Pinguecula
Novel preservative-free CBT-004 eye drop formulation demonstrates statistically significant improvements in conjunctival hyperemia and patient-reported symptoms with excellent safety profile IRVINE, Calif., July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. a clinical-stage ophthalmology company developing innovative therapies for ocular surface diseases, today announced positive topline results from its Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating CBT-004 ophthalmic solution in patients with vascularized pinguecula and associated conjunctival hyperemia. Key Phase 2 Results Primary Endpoint Achieved: Both investigated concentrations of CBT-004 demonstrated statistically significant improvements in conjunctival hyperemia compared to vehicle at Day 28, as assessed by an independent reading center using digital imaging. Rapid Onset and Sustained Efficacy: Significant improvements were observed as early as Day 7 with the highest investigated concentration CBT-004 , with benefits persisting through the 28-day treatment period. Significant Symptom Relief: Both CBT-004 concentrations showed statistically significant improvements in five common patient-reported symptoms including burning/stinging, itching, foreign body sensation, eye discomfort, and pain compared to vehicle. Excellent Safety Profile: No treatment-related adverse events were observed. Most adverse events were mild to moderate. No clinically meaningful changes in visual acuity or intraocular pressure were reported. Addressing a Significant Unmet Medical Need Vascularized pinguecula affects millions of Americans and represents a substantial unmet medical need in ophthalmology. This common, benign conjunctival growth can become problematic when it develops abnormal blood vessels and inflammation, which can lead to persistent redness, irritation, pain, and foreign body sensation. Current management options are limited, with many patients relying on off-label corticosteroids or surgical excision, both of which carry significant limitations and potential complications. Study Design and Results The multicenter, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled Phase 2 study enrolled 88 adult patients with vascularized pinguecula and associated conjunctival hyperemia. Participants were randomized to receive one of two concentrations of CBT-004, or vehicle. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in conjunctival hyperemia at Day 28, as measured by an independent reading center using standardized digital imaging protocols. Expert Commentary "There is a significant unmet need for patients suffering from symptomatic pinguecula, as current therapies are largely off-label and may carry safety concerns with long-term use," said Dr. John Hovanesian, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and recognized key opinion leader in anterior segment disease. "The results from this trial are exciting, as they demonstrate that a targeted, non- steroidal therapy can meaningfully improve both the clinical signs and symptoms that impact patients' quality of life." "As a principal investigator in this study, I was impressed by the consistency and magnitude of improvement in both objective redness and patient-reported discomfort with CBT-004," commented Dr. Sherif El-Harazi, Medical Director at Global Research Management. "The safety profile was excellent, and I believe this therapy could represent a meaningful advance for our patients with vascularized pinguecula." About CBT-004 CBT-004 is a novel, preservative-free topical ophthalmic solution containing a potent and selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors. The formulation is specifically designed to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and inflammation associated with vascularized pinguecula while minimizing potential ocular surface toxicity through its preservative- free composition. Next Steps and Regulatory Strategy Based on these positive Phase 2 results, Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. plans to advance CBT-004 into Phase 3 development and initiate discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish the regulatory pathway toward potential approval. The company anticipates providing updates on Phase 3 study design and timing in the coming months. Market Opportunity The vascularized pinguecula market represents a significant commercial opportunity with limited therapeutic options. The prevalence of pinguecula increases with age and UV exposure, affecting a substantial portion of the aging population. With no FDA-approved treatments specifically indicated for this condition, CBT-004 has the potential to become a category-defining therapy in this underserved market. About Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. is a clinical-stage ophthalmology company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for ocular surface diseases with high unmet medical need. The company's pipeline focuses on novel treatments targeting inflammation, vascularization, and other pathological processes affecting the ocular surface. Cloudbreak is committed to improving outcomes for patients with challenging eye conditions through scientifically-driven therapeutic development. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential therapeutic benefits of CBT-004, the company's clinical development plans, regulatory strategy, and market opportunity. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty of clinical trial results, regulatory approval processes, competitive developments, and other risks detailed in the company's filings. The company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law. Please note that the information contained in this press release may not be complete. For further details about Cloudbreak Pharma Inc., and our drug candidates, please refer to our company's website (at View source version on Contacts Contact Information: Cloudbreak Pharma media@ Web: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
