Intraocular Telescope

It was a full day at the conference. One of the really nice things about the conference this year is that the organizers have set up wireless access in the main lecture hall. So, as new information is being given that I want to incorporate into Marianas Eye Institute, I just end off email to various people in my office to get things started -- check about pricing on this drug, send me a copy of that form to review, check the model number of this piece of equipment in the office. It's really nice to get things started while we're fresh.

The conference is being held at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, which is a huge property, with its own tram, and it's own boat taxi, and its own dolphins, and insanely, its own oversize air-conditioners that require you to wear a winter coat in the conference rooms.

Cool new technology currently under FDA trials: an intraocular telescope. This is a tiny telescope that is implanted into the eye for astronomy buffs. No, silly. Many people very poor vision due to macular degeneration and require lots of magnification to see anything. They often carry around a little telescope with them. This implants the telescope into the eye. Very few people will need them, but it can change their lives. About 20 have been implanted so far in the FDA trial.

"New Pill Promises No More Periods"

That's the headline. Here's the story. It's hot off the press from one of the medical news story services I subscribe to (or for those who speak and write proper English, "to which I subscribe.")

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce approval of a new birth control pill, called Lybrel, which would be the first to be taken continuously and suppress menstrual periods indefinitely. Gynecologist say they have seen a steady increase in the number of women seeking to limit and even stop monthly bleeding. Surveys have found up to half of women would prefer not to have any periods at all, and most would prefer to have periods less frequently. (Reported by ABC News)

And this, referring to a story in the Wall Street Journal:

"The reason most traditional oral contraceptives have [placebo-pill] periods during which bleeding occurs was to increase women's comfort levels with taking something they might otherwise view as an unnatural disturbance of menstrual cycles," according to the Journal. But, "[t]here's no real medical need to have the withdrawal bleed at all," Paula Amato, a gynecologist and professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said, adding that there are advantages to eliminating the withdrawal bleed, such as reducing pain, headaches, moodiness and bloating. Women without periods also could improve their productivity at work and would not have to purchase feminine products, which could save them money, she said. Women's perceptions of Lybrel still could pose challenges to Wyeth, according to the company. Some women might think that not having a period is "unnatural," be concerned that daily doses of hormones could harm their health or worry that they will not be able to menstruate normally or become pregnant after taking the drug, according to the Journal. "There are some women who feel they need to have a period," Ginger Constantine, vice president of Wyeth's pharmaceutical unit of women's health care and bone repair, said. However, Lybrel is no less "natural" than other oral contraceptive pills and has similar risks, including blood clot, stroke and heart attack, she added.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this in the weeks ahead.