FOR RELEASE MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health company, has introduced the ZeroPhaco™ I/A handpiece, a first-of-its-kind device specifically designed for femtocataract surgery.  The disposable I/A handpiece with either 15° or 30° bevel needle is designed for the removal of soft cataracts  following femtosecond laser fragmentation without the use of ultrasonic energy.  Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery has been shown to produce less corneal swelling in the early postoperative period and potentially less trauma to the corneal endothelium  than standard phacoemusification.1

“With the availability of advanced femtosecond systems, we are witnessing the next evolutionary step in cataract surgery, one in which our outcomes are further enhanced by the precision of bladeless incisions and the elimination of ultrasound energy from the eye,“ said Frank W. Bowden, III, M.D., founder of Bowden Eye Associates in Jacksonville, FL. “TheZeroPhaco I/A handpiece complements the vacuum aspiration capabilities of the Stellaris® platform beautifully and seems to manage the laser treated fragments much more effectively than peristaltic aspiration systems.  Together, the ZeroPhacoI/A handpiece and the CapsuleGuard® handpiece provide the perfect one-two punch for lens removal and cortical clean-up in femtocataract procedures.“

Pre-assembled with a standard infusion sleeve, the coaxial handpiece is designed to work with the Stellaris and StellarisPC systems for lens removal using an I/A mode.  The handpiece is used as replacement for the ultrasound phacoemulsification handpiece and is green-colored to avoid confusion with the I/A handpiece for cortical cleanup. In addition to the standard incision format (for incision sizes greater than 2.4 mm), the ZeroPhaco I/A handpiece is also available for use in a MICS 2.2mm incision as well. 

The ZeroPhaco I/A handpiece joins a complete family of purpose-designed, single-use Bausch + Lomb instruments for the rest of the femtocataract procedure, including fixation forceps, lens manipulators and lid speculum.

About Cataract Surgery  
According to the World Health Organization, there are about 100 million people in the world today who are 80 years old or older.  That number is expected to almost quadruple by 2050.  Aging is the leading cause of eye diseases, such as cataracts.  A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens in the eye.  It also happens to be the leading cause of blindness in the world.  According to the U.S. National Eye Institute, cataract surgery is one of the safest, most common and effective surgical procedures.  Worldwide, over 20 million cataract surgeries are performed annually. Cataract surgery is a simple procedure during which the natural lens in the patient's eye is surgically replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL).

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb, a Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. company, is a leading global eye health organization that is solely focused on protecting, enhancing, and restoring people’s eyesight. Our core businesses include ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. We develop, manufacture and market one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in our industry with products available in more than 100 countries. 

®/™ are trademarks of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.

© 2014 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.

News Media Contacts:
Kristy Guerra 
Manager, Product PR, Bausch + Lomb
(585) 338-8095 or kristy.guerra@bausch.com

Tad Heitmann
BioComm Network on behalf of Bausch + Lomb
(714) 273-2937 or theitmann@BioCommNetwork.com