Dry Eye Newbie Xiidra Grabs Large Market Share

Dry Eye Newbie Xiidra Grabs Large Market Share

During the run-up to the launch of Shire’s dry eye drug Xiidra (lifitegrast), it seemed as though everyone was wondering what kind of threat – if any – it would pose to Allergan’s Restasis (topical cyclosporine 0.05%). With an estimated 30 million dry eye sufferers and only 1 million or so on prescription treatment, many…

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Carl Zeiss Meditec Taps Mazzo To Lead Consolidated Unit

OIS board member Jim Mazzo joins Carl Zeiss Meditec

Carl Zeiss Meditec has moved to consolidate its diagnostic and surgical products in ophthalmology and has brought in well-known ophthalmology industry veteran, James V. Mazzo, to head up the new unit. Mazzo joins CZM as Global President of the ophthalmology unit with responsibility for the new strategic business unit along with overseeing CZM’s US sales…

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Is Surprising Raindrop Approval a Sign of Friendlier FDA?

One of the takeaways that ophthalmic innovators might be reading into the unexpected and somewhat sudden approval of the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay is that the FDA may be becoming more responsive and industry friendly. But that wouldn’t be the only takeaway. The FDA surprised virtually everyone in the ophthalmic surgical community June 29 when…

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Avedro Plots Future of Corneal Cross-Linking

Just about two weeks after getting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its corneal crosslinking platform, Avedro Chief Medical Officer Rajesh K. Raipal, MD, outlined the company’s next steps to advance its position in the crosslinking space during the Ophthalmology Innovations Showcase at OIS@ASCRS 2016. The FDA approved three components of the crosslinking platform:…

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Steinert Honored for His Career of Innovation

In a packed ballroom at the Intercontinental Hotel, OIS attendees recognized the achievements of one of ophthalmology’s physician-innovators. Roger F. Steinert, MD, was honored as this year’s OIS Lifetime Innovator Award. OIS Co-Chair Bill Link told attendees Steinert “had an impactful career” in ophthalmology. “Roger has been an innovator in our field from the beginning…

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Diagnostics on the Rise

Richard Lindstrom, MD, opened up the Diagnostics-Impact on the Premium Channel with an overview of the market including a look at competitors. Video Highlights 00:37 – Global revenues in diagnostics continue to grow. 00:55 – There are 700 diagnostic products and 85 manufacturers. 01:35 – Investment in funding imaging, OCT, optical biometry and operating microscopes.…

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Alcon’s Suite Approach to Building the Premium Channel

As cataract patients’ expectations rise, demanding visual performance on par with refractive surgery, Alcon is striving to meet those high expectations through its Cataract Refractive Suite, Seba Leoni, vice president and global head, Surgical Suite for Alcon reported during the panel on diagnostics and the premium channel at OIS@ASCRS 2016. Leoni quoted results that showed…

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LacriScience Enters Next Chapter

Chris D. Geddes, Ph.D, and Paul Gavaris of LacriScience share the prototype of the LacriPen, a handheld, portable, diagnostic tool that measures osmolarity to within 2 mOsml and can detect other viruses and bacteria including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Highlights 00:24 – “This has been a pivotal moment.” 00:53 – “We’ve had a lot of traction…

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TearScience Pivots to Focus on Early-Stage OSD

TearScience, the device company focused on the role of the meibomian glands in dry eye, has pivoted its business model to concentrate more on early-stage meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) with the LipiFlow thermal pulsation device and high-definition imaging of the meibomian glands, President and CEO Joseph Boorady, OD, told OIS@ASCRS 2016. Dr. Boorady himself is…

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TearLab Targets Multiple Biomarkers in Dry Eye

A physiologically stable ocular surface is a big determinant in cataract and refractive surgery outcomes, so TearLab Corp. is looking to build out its lab-on-a-chip platform to evaluate the ocular surface for additional biomarkers, CEO Seph Jensen told the panel on diagnostics and the premium channel at OIS@ASCRS 2016. The TearLab Osmolarity Test, for diagnosing…

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New CEO Boorady Explains TearScience’s Strategic Shift

TearScience, the device company focused on the role of the meibomian glands in dry eye, has pivoted its business model to concentrate more on early-stage meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) with the LipiFlow thermal pulsation device and high-definition imaging of the meibomian glands. Highlights 00:39 – When did you join TearScience and what changes did you…

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Cassini Bets on Total Corneal Analysis to Drive Premium Channel

The key to growing the toric intraocular lens (IOL) sector for cataract surgery lies in obtaining more accurate measures of total corneal astigmatism, and Cassini thinks it has that key in its novel total corneal analysis (TCA), Chief Medical Officer Mark Packer, MD, said at OIS@ASCRS 2016. Cassini uses patented, colored, LED ray-tracing technology to…

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