Amniotic Membrane Transplants are the newest wave in ocular surgery. Cryopreserved amniotic membrane is used to restore ocular tissue with minimal scarring and inflammation. The donor tissue is screened for HIV, Hepatitis, Syphilis, West Nile virus and is sterile and contains no micro-organisms. This tissue is used for patients who have pterygium, chemical and thermal burns, persistent epithelial defects, recurrent corneal erosions, and other corneal problems. I have used amniotic membranes in surgery and found it to speed would healing, decrease post surgical pain and prevent scarring. Hopefully the reader will never need this, but it is available for severely damaged eyes as well as for cosmetic improvement.This procedure is FDA approved in the United States.

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Xeomin (incobotulinum Toxin A) is the newest of the Botox like drugs to become FDA approved. Xeomin is manufactured by Merz pharmaceuticals and is the third botulinum toxin available in the US to treat cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, and glabeller lines. It joins Botox (onabotulinum toxin A, Allergan) and Dysport (abobotulinum toxin A, Medicis). These neurotoxins also have many “off-label” uses including migraine treatment, forehead lines, “crows feet” as well as for decreasing sweating. Xeomin is marketed as a “purer” botulinum toxin and seems to have a faster onset of action than Botox. It is also supplied similarly to Botox, available in both 50 and 100 unit vials.

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Lately there has been a lot of discussion about “laser cataract surgery”. Cataract surgery is typically performed with an ultrasonic unit called “phacoemulsification:. With this technique, which is the standard around the world, sound waves break up the cataract into little pieces that can be aspirated from the eye. After the cataract, or “cloudy lens”, is removed, an intraocular lens is inserted in the eye so the patient can see.

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