Cloudbreak eye drop meets phase 3 pterygium end points; AI flags glaucoma on fundus photos; Medicare fee schedule cuts ophthalmology 3%

• Research Nov 5, 2026
  Cloudbreak's CBT-001 eye drop meets both phase 3 end points in 659-patient pterygium trial, company reports
  Cloudbreak Pharma reported topline results from the double-masked, vehicle-controlled phase 3 CS-301 trial of the CBT-001 eye drop in 659 patients with pterygium. Both doses improved conjunctival hyperemia at month 3 versus vehicle (P < .001) and prevented progression of lesion length at month 12 (P < .001), according to the company. Superficial punctate keratitis was the most common adverse event, in 20% with the 0.1% dose versus 8% with vehicle. The company said it intends to meet with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on next steps.
  Source: PharmaShots
• AI Nov 2, 2026
  Deep-learning algorithm detects perimetric glaucoma on fundus photos with 0.911 AUC in 9,837-person Rotterdam Study validation
  In an external validation in the population-based Rotterdam Study, published online Nov. 2 in Ophthalmology, a deep-learning algorithm read color fundus photographs from 9,837 participants. At the eye level, sensitivity at 95% specificity was 70.6% (95% CI 63.8 to 76.8), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.911. Only 1.1% of eyes had perimetric glaucoma, and the precision-recall area under the curve was 0.343. The authors said correctly identified cases were often flagged at an earlier examination, years before diagnosis; the study measured accuracy, not patient outcomes.
  Sources: Ophthalmology, PubMed
• Payment Nov 4, 2026
  Medicare 2027 fee schedule finalized with estimated 3% cut in total allowed charges for ophthalmology
  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the 2027 physician fee schedule on Nov. 4, with conversion factors of $32.95 for qualifying alternative payment model participants and $32.63 for others, down 1.83% and 2.31% from 2026. The estimated combined impact on ophthalmology's total allowed charges is 3% lower, according to EyeWorld. CMS is phasing out the indirect practice cost index over two years and replacing it with a practice expense stabilizer that generally limits annual changes to 5%. The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) said it will continue to fight the policy.
  Sources: CMS fact sheet, ASCRS, EyeWorld
• Research Nov 5, 2026
  Trabeculotomy is noninferior to combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy at three years in 248-child congenital glaucoma trial
  In a randomized noninferiority trial of 248 children with primary congenital glaucoma, published online Nov. 5 in Ophthalmology, qualified success at 36 months was 82.3% with trabeculotomy and 84.7% with combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy (risk difference -2.4%; 95% CI -11.7 to 6.9; P for noninferiority = .004). The authors said trabeculotomy may be an alternative in patients with a horizontal corneal diameter of 12 to 14 mm.
  Sources: Ophthalmology, PubMed
• Research Nov 4, 2026
  Intravenous bisphosphonates, especially zoledronic acid, tied to short-term uveitis risk in Taiwan nationwide study
  A nationwide case-case-time-control study of Taiwan claims data, published online Nov. 4 in Ophthalmology, linked intravenous bisphosphonates to higher short-term uveitis risk (odds ratio 1.78; 95% CI 1.22 to 2.61), with the highest risk for zoledronic acid (odds ratio 2.82; 95% CI 1.70 to 4.67). Oral bisphosphonates were not associated with uveitis (odds ratio 0.99; 95% CI 0.74 to 1.33). The authors found no clear associations for scleritis or cystoid macular edema.
  Sources: Ophthalmology, PubMed

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