Survey of Intacs® Surgeons Indicates Transplantation Low after Surgery

Oct. 26, 2008 - PRLog -- Des Plaines, IL (September 16, 2008) – How successful are Intacs corneal implants in delaying a corneal transplant for keratoconus patients?
According to Addition Technology, Inc., maker of Intacs corneal implants for the treatment of keratoconus and myopia and the AlphaCor™ artificial cornea, the answer is 93.0 percent of the time. That’s based on the company’s survey of 76 U.S. refractive ophthalmic surgeons who performed 2,136 Intacs surgeries between August 2004 and April 2008, of which 584 were specifically identified as keratoconus.  Of that total, 41 received a transplant, which amounted to 1.9% of all procedures performed by these surgeons.
   Intacs are approved for the reduction of myopia and astigmatism in patients who suffer from keratoconus, who are contact lens intolerant, have clear corneas and where a corneal transplant is imminent and may be potentially deferred.  
The survey also asked surgeons the reason for performing a transplant following the removal of Intacs.  In less than 1 percent of all cases performed, the patients didn’t receive a satisfactory visual effect after Intacs.  Surgeons indicated that they didn’t envision any difficulties with performing a corneal transplant post Intacs removal.  
“We are very satisfied with the survey results, which support our view that Intacs are a standard of care for keratoconic patients who are contact lens intolerant” said William M. Flynn, president and chief executive officer. “We are also grateful to the surgeons who responded to this survey; their feedback helps us assess the benefits Intacs offer’s patients and provides valuable insights on where to extend our technology.”     
    According to recent Eye Bank Association of America data, there are approximately 4,700 to 4,800 corneal transplants performed in the U.S. annually for keratoconus.  Prior to Intacs, a corneal transplant was the only option for contact lens intolerant keratoconus patients.
   Addition Technology, Inc., a privately held eye care company, specializes in novel solutions for sight-threatening eye indications. Intacs® and Intacs SK Corneal Implants and the AlphaCor™ artificial cornea are patented devices, and the first of their kind, approved by the FDA and granted CE Mark certification in Europe in addressing vision threatening conditions of the cornea.  Intacs Corneal Implants are indicated for keratoconus and myopia.  AlphaCor artificial cornea is indicated as an alternative for high-risk, repeat graft failures. Both products are distributed worldwide.  
   Visit www.IntacsForKeratoconus.com and www.AlphaCor-ati.com for more information.

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Addition Technology, Inc. is a privately held eye care company, specializing in novel solutions for sight-threatening eye indications.