GLG News by Refractive Surgeons in Private Practice (US)

Alcon has had recent problems with its LadarVision device.  Surgeons not previously exposed to the Alegretto machine have been pleasantly surprised.  The Alegretto is easy to use, fast and accurate.  While Alcon will initially compete with itself, marketing two devices, it will keep surgeons...

I have been working on a cell transfer device designed to optimize wound healing after PRK laser vision correction. Essentially, we plan to coat a silicone hydrogel contact lens with a thin dissolvable layer of collagen on the concave surface. Cultured epithelial cells would be seeded onto the collagen...

Alcon has suffered with its LADARVision system recalls and lawsuits, and has looked particularly troubled following AMO's acquisition of VISX.  Although AMO/VISX remains the market leader for refractive correction, the Allegretto represents new technology with potential advantages in terms of accuracy...

The FDA has just approved a "bifocal LASIK" technique from Advanced Medical Optics using their CustomVue Excimer laser platform.   It has been approved as " a new device". In actuality, it is neither a new device nor does it provide bifocal vision.

Currently the ophthalmic device market is organized into an oligopoly including Alcon, AMO and Bausch.  AMO has shown fairly dramatic growth with its acquisition of VISX, Intralase and Wavefront Sciences.  However, AMO's potential acquisition of Bausch is on a grander scale.  There are...

The VEGF Trap from Regeneron is a protein made up off human VEGF receptors fused to human immunoglobulin. This compound binds VEGF, preventing VEGF from binding to its natural receptors, interrupting the angiogenic cascade. The phase II study presented at 2007 ARVO showed promising results in patients...

At the recent ARVO meeting, Italian researchers performing a randomized clinical trial on patients with wet AMD found that patients treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with Visudyne (verteporfin, Novartis) plus Lucentis(ranibizumab, Genentech) had a better visual result than patients treated with...

Refractive surgery is taken for granted by patients to "get rid of their glasses and contact lenses". They rarely consider the possibility of loss of vision.

    The VEGF Trap from Regeneron is a protein made up off human VEGF receptors fused to human immunoglobulin.  This compound binds VEGF, preventing VEGF from binding to its natural receptors, interrupting the angiogenic cascade.    The phase II study showed promising...

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has ruled that beneficiaries may pay out of pocket for additional non-covered services related to presbyopia and astigmatism correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) that are provided by surgeons and facilities (such as Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Hospital...