STAAR Surgical Releases New Intraocular Lenses – Alternative to Lasik Surgery

This is fascinating as now there’s an alternative to Lasik surgery with implants. They can be removed and replaced as well. It is implanted with a very small incision and can have the same effect with not having to wear glasses.

CMS has given it’s stamp of approval on the lenses, but when it comes to reimbursement, always good to check with Medicare first, although the release gives a few numbers below relative to reimbursement. A video at the site gives details about the procedures and device. BD

MONROVIA, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA) a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, today announced the release of its Afinity Collamer Aspheric Single Piece New Technology Intraocular Lens (NTIOL). NTIOLs are Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) as providing new clinical benefits. The STAAR lens can be delivered into the eye through a 2.2 mm micro-incision using STAAR's new nanoPOINT Injector System which is the smallest incision of any NTIOL on the market. The Collamer material is a unique lens material composed of collagen, a UV-absorbing chromophore, and a poly-HEMA based copolymer.

"Release of our new Collamer Afinity Aspheric Single Piece NTIOL continues this momentum in the marketplace for our entire IOL product line," said Barry G. Caldwell, President and CEO of STAAR Surgical. "This is the third STAAR IOL in the market with NTIOL approval, which means that Medicare will reimburse an additional $50 per lens when provided to a Medicare patient in an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC). The vast majority of cataract procedures performed by STAAR customers and well over half of all procedures in the U.S. are performed in an ASC environment. Our NTIOL focused strategy in the U.S. has resulted in an enhanced gross margin and growth in our two NTIOL products delivered to the market in 2008.