Mirror Telescopes For Lasik Eye Surgery

Americans are living longer than ever in the 21st century, and as we age, many, if not most of us, will develop some kind of vision problem. If you already suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common vision problem for people over 60, a new study inspires hope for your condition. VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., a company specializing in the development of sophisticated visual prosthetic equipment for people suffering from AMD, has recently proclaimed the exciting results of a two-year study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology. An implantable mirror telescope with an intraocular lens has helped study patients in End-Stage AMD regain sight lost for many years.

The eyesight of 60% of the group in the study improved dramatically, gaining three lines or more on standard eye charts. The report on this study was released in early November 2008. The mirror telescope, called the Lipshitz macular implant, also developed by VisionCare, is the first implantable device of its kind to be used on ophthalmology patients with AMD. An enthusiastic European Union has already received CE Mark approval to begin implanting the telescopic device in AMD patients. In the United States, the macular implant is still under investigation and regulatory review by the Food and Drug Administration.

The Lipshitz macular implant, with its telescopic mirror, has been evaluated by eye surgeons in India for its intrinsic use in patients with age-related macular degeneration, as well as other macular diseases. Professor Amar Agarwal and Dr. Athiya Agarwal from Tamil Nadu, India, along with Dr. Isaac Lipshitz from Ophthalmic Health Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, together concluded that “The LMI may be an effective solution…increasing the central image on the retina, while preserving peripheral vision.”