Encore Vision Delivers Big Payday to Angel Investors

Big winners in Novartis AG’s acquisition of Encore Vision for $465 million are members of a network of angel investors in Fort Worth, TX, that bet $4 million on the presbyopia-correcting eye drop that Encore Vision president and CEO Bill Burns has been working on for about nine years. The $4 million the Cowtown Angels…

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Eye on Five – January Edition

OIS-Eye-On-Five

Alcon Turnaround Has Novartis Exploring Spin-off With its Alcon turnaround plans on track, Novartis AG revealed it is exploring options that include spinning off Alcon or issuing an IPO for the eye-care unit – or even keeping it. Alcon lost $120 million in fourth-quarter 2016 and $132 million for the year versus a profit of…

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PowerVision’s Cheskin Delivers 20/20 Update

Barry Cheskin

Barry Cheskin, co-founder, president, and CEO of PowerVision Inc., delivers an update on the company’s next iteration of IOL, Fluidvision 2020. Cheskin tells OIS-TV the company is enrolling patients in a clinical trial to test the new IOL, which stands to provide nearly double the improvement over previous iterations. Participant: Barry Cheskin Barry Cheskin is…

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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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Surgeons Welcome Tecnis Symfony to Grow Premium Channel

Surgeons Welcome Tecnis Symfony to Grow Premium Channel - OIS - Eye On Innovation Article - Healthegy

With the FDA’s approval last week of Abbott Medical Optics’ Tecnis Symfony IOL (intraocular lens), cataract and refractive surgeons have a new alternative to monovision correction for presbyopes that they think will give the premium IOL channel a much-needed boost. Two and a half years after scrapping plans for its Synchrony accommodating IOL in the…

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AcuFocus Outlines Kamra Launch

The KAMRA small-aperture corneal inlay from AcuFocus was approved by the FDA in April 2015 for the treatment of presbyopia, and the company began a controlled commercial launch in June. Nicholas Tarantino, OD, chief clinical and regulatory officer of AcuFocus, said that the US rollout has exceeded every internal company metric. During the first year…

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Encore Vision Reports Positive Phase I/II Results

Results from a Phase I/Phase II study of EV06 ophthalmic solution for the treatment of presbyopia show “it works to restore bilateral near vision. It is safe and well-tolerated,” said president and CEO Bill Burns. Encore Vision has just come off a round of successful capital financing that should see it through the next phase…

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ReVision Optics Eyes Panel Discussion in Q3

The Raindrop Near Vision Inlay for the treatment of presbyopia boasts a 2-mm diameter, 80% water composition, the same refractive index as the natural cornea, and is removable, said ReVision Optics’ president and CEO John Kilcoyne. “This is profocal shape-changing technology,” he said. “The Raindrop changes the anterior curvature of cornea to improve near and…

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Refocus VIS Requires No Compromise

Refocus Group’s goal, according to CEO Mike Judy, is to become the preferred surgical alternative for the treatment of presbyopia. The VisAbility Implant System (VIS) is a “simplified procedure that delivers secure, uncomplicated, and consistent placement of the scleral implants,” he said. “This platform offers the only presbyopic solution that provides a full range of…

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Five Novel Innovations from WTF@OIS

The “What’s the Future@OIS” session at OIS@ASCRS 2016 showcased five novel innovations in ophthalmology that are difficult to place into any existing categories of ophthalmic devices and drugs. Here’s a quick look at them. Depressurizing goggles for glaucoma. Equinox is developing the Balance Goggles, which create a small vacuum on the eyes for people with…

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Close-Up Look at Progress in Surgical Presbyopia Correction

Close-Up Look at Progress in Surgical Presbyopia Correction - OIS News

Presbyopia, the age-related loss of accommodation and near/reading vision, typically begins at about age 40 and affects nearly everyone over age 50. This huge opportunity is inviting several companies to pursue disruptive approaches. Stephen Lane, MD, from the University of Minnesota, opened the Breakfast Breakout session at OIS@AAO with an overview of current presbyopia treatment…

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Tarantino on How AcuFocus Found Success Rolling Out KAMRA

Acufocus’ Nick Tarantino, Chief Global Clinical Research & Regulatory Affairs Officer, explains how AcuFocus is taking a “nice and measured” approach to rolling out its KAMRA inlay as a treatment for presbyopia. The KAMRA inlay received US approval on April 17, 2015, making it the first corneal inlay to achieve this landmark. Since approval, the…

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