30-Second Takeaway
- ETEAS reduces incident myopia and slows progression in pre-myopic children without observed safety signals over 48 weeks.
- Faricimab T&E maintains DME vision and anatomy over 4 years with extended intervals and low intraocular inflammation rates.
- OCT-based Paton’s folds, PPW, RNFL, and ONH volume thresholds help distinguish pediatric papilledema from pseudopapilledema.
- Strong bidirectional associations between uveitis and systemic IMIDs support proactive systemic workup and coordinated follow-up.
- AI tools, ablation-guided K, OCT biomarkers, ICIs, and UVC systems may refine cataract planning, RRD prognosis, AMD hypotheses, and infection control.
Week ending January 17, 2026
New data in pediatric myopia, DME durability, pediatric papilledema, IMID–uveitis links, cataract AI, post‑LASIK IOL power, RRD prognosis, AMD–ICI association, and point‑of‑care UVC
ETEAS lowers myopia incidence and slows progression in pre-myopic children
In 680 pre-myopic children aged 6–12, home-administered eye-transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (ETEAS) reduced 48-week myopia incidence versus sham (29.0% vs 38.1%). ETEAS also slowed cycloplegic SER shift and axial elongation over 48 weeks compared with sham treatment. Treatment was delivered at least three times weekly for 24 weeks using customized masks, followed by 24 weeks of observation. No treatment-related adverse events were reported, suggesting good short-term tolerability for regular use in children.
Faricimab shows 4-year durable DME control with extended dosing intervals
In the RHONE-X extension of YOSEMITE/RHINE, 1474 DME patients received faricimab using a treat-and-extend regimen up to Q16W. Visual gains from the parent trials were maintained, with adjusted mean BCVA improvements around +9–11 letters from original baseline. CST reductions near 200 μm persisted, and over 90% of patients had absence of DME at study end. Injection burden was low, with a median 7–8 injections over 2 years and about 80% reaching ≥Q12W dosing. Safety was favorable, with 1.5% discontinuations from adverse events and 1.3% intraocular inflammation.
OCT Paton’s folds, PPW, and quantitative metrics aid pediatric papilledema diagnosis
Among 84 papilledema and 92 pseudopapilledema eyes, retinal folds or peripapillary wrinkling were present in 90.2% versus 38.6%, respectively. Retinal folds provided higher sensitivity (79.2%) but modest specificity (67.4%), whereas PPW were highly specific (92.9%) with lower sensitivity (43.5%). Transverse OCT best detected retinal folds, while en face OCT better identified peripapillary wrinkling. RNFL ≥163 μm and optic nerve head volume ≥5.43 mm³ showed high AUCs and combined sensitivity–specificity for distinguishing papilledema. The authors recommend integrating PPW, folds, and these OCT thresholds to support decisions in borderline pediatric disc swelling.
Systemic IMIDs carry high bidirectional risk with uveitis
Using EHR data, patients with each of 12 immune-mediated inflammatory diseases had significantly increased risk of developing uveitis. Highest relative risks occurred in ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and systemic vasculitis. Patients with uveitis had higher odds of a prior IMID diagnosis and higher risk of a subsequent IMID. These bidirectional associations support targeted systemic evaluation in new uveitis and timely ophthalmic assessment in IMID patients.
References
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Additional Reads
Optional additional studies from this edition.