VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies reported that the first patient with end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been treated with the Implantable Miniature Telescope procedure introduced by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz and approved by FDA, to improve vision.
The first patient has received the procedure and was evaluated by Kristin Carter, M.D. and Henry L. Hudson, M.D., retinal experts at Retina Centers. P.C. Carter and Hudson are a part of the CentraSight provider team from Tucson, Arizona. They performed the telescope implant procedure on outpatients at St. Joseph's Hospital, part of Carondelet Health Network, in Tucson.
With this first treatment, VisionCare is launching its CentraSight treatment program, a latest patient care program that uses the first-of-type telescope implant to treat patients with advanced stage of AMD. Regional CentraSight Centers of Excellence - teams of multidisciplinary healthcare providers trained in surgical treatment, visual rehabilitation and patient evaluation - are moving to treat patients this month.
Medicare's Administrative Contractor for Arizona, Noridian Administrative Services, was the earliest Medicare contractor to incorporate the telescope implant treatment for Medicare beneficiaries blinded by end-stage AMD.
The telescope implant is aimed to enhance visual acuity. The implant provides the magnification to reduce the effect of the blind spot induced by end-stage AMD. This disease causes severe to low central vision loss in the eyes because of wet AMD that goes on to injure the macula in spite of dry AMD or drug treatments.
Results derived from the two clinical trials conducted at 28 ophthalmic centers in the US have been published in journals including Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology and American Journal of Ophthalmology.
Source: http://www.visioncareinc.net/