ALISO VIEJO, CA & MUNICH, GERMANY — Bausch + Lomb, the global eye health company, announced today that its VICTUS® femtosecond laser platform received CE mark in the European Union (EU) for the creation of corneal incisions in patients undergoing cataract surgery. Virtually blade-free cataract surgery is now possible with this addition of corneal incisions using the femtosecond laser. In addition to corneal incisions, two other new indications were granted CE approval on the VICTUS platform, including penetrating keratoplasty and the creation of intrastromal channel incisions for intracorneal ring segments.
The VICTUS femtosecond laser platform, offered by Bausch + Lomb Technolas, now has CE mark for all critical steps of laser-assisted cataract surgery, including capsulotomy, lens fragmentation and corneal incisions. In addition to these cataract and corneal incision procedures, the VICTUS femtosecond laser platform also has CE mark for creation of flaps (relevant for LASIK treatments), arcuate corneal incisions and INTRACOR.
Bausch + Lomb Technolas (Technolas Perfect Vision GmbH) has been installing VICTUS platforms in leading surgery centers globally since it received CE mark in November 2011 and U.S. FDA clearance in July 2012. “With these additional CE approvals for corneal incisions, penetrating keratoplasty and intrastromal channel incisions for intracorneal ring segments on the VICTUS platform, Bausch + Lomb now offers the most versatile femtosecond laser system for cataract and refractive surgery in the European Union,” said Kristian Hohla, Ph.D., president of Bausch + Lomb Technolas.
"In addition to our innovative femtosecond laser platform, we are proud to offer one of the broadest portfolios of intraocular lenses, specialized cataract/femtosecond instruments and high-performance phacoemulsification systems on the market," said John Barr, executive vice president and president, Bausch + Lomb Global Surgical. “When it comes to ophthalmic surgery, Bausch + Lomb is a true partner with surgeons in delivering innovations that improve patients’ vision and eye health.”
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 Femtosecond Lasers
Femtosecond lasers emit optical pulses of extremely short duration in the domain of femtoseconds, as short as one-quadrillionth of a second. These ultra-short pulses do not transfer heat or shock to the material being cut and can make surgical incisions with extreme precision. The technology was developed in the early 1990s at the University of Michigan Engineering Center. The first commercial platform was introduced in 2002 and the original approval was for flap creation during LASIK surgery. Recent platform approvals have been expanded to include additional corneal/therapeutic procedures and cataract applications.
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is a leading global eye health company that is solely focused on protecting, enhancing, and restoring people’s eyesight. Our core businesses include ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. We globally develop, manufacture and market one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in our industry, which are available in more than 100 countries. Founded in 1853, our company is headquartered in Rochester, NY, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide.
REFERENCES
1. Reddy KP. Evaluation of the Precision and Predictability of Anterior Capsulotomy using a Femtosecond Laser. Presented at: The Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO); October 22 - 25, 2011; Orlando, Florida.
2. Reddy KP. Investigation into the precision and accuracy of femtosecond laser cataract surgery. Presented at: The Annual Meeting of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS); September 8-12, 2012; Milan, Italy.
3. Soong HK, Malta JB. Femtosecond lasers in ophthalmology. Am J Ophthalmol. 2009 Feb;147(2):189-197.e2.
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© 2013 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.
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News Media Contacts:
Jeanie Herbert
Global Surgical Communications, Bausch + Lomb
(949) 521-7948, (714) 325-3584 (mobile) or jeanie.herbert@bausch.com
Tad Heitmann
BioComm Network, on behalf of Bausch + Lomb
(714) 273-2937 or theitmann@BioCommNetwork.com
Lindsay Brooks
Medical Communications, Bausch + Lomb Technolas
+44 7825 769 007 (mobile) or lindsay.brooks@bausch.com
United States
