Description

Dr. Arthur Cummings surveyed some of Europe’s top ophthalmic experts about the innovations they’re most excited about.

Dr. Arthur Cummings recently polled several of his European colleagues about the cutting-edge technologies and tools that they’re most excited about right now to share at the AECOS conference in Aspen, Colorado. And now, he’s sharing these exciting insights with us on this episode of the Business of Eye Innovation podcast.

Key Takeaways:

Dr. Arthur Cummings asked many of his European colleagues what innovations they’re excited about right now. Here is who he spoke to, and what they had to say:

• The Medical Device Regulations (MDR) in Europe: Kris and Dr. Cummings discussed the most recent news in the regulations space, including six important points:
  1. It takes no longer to get clinical studies approved under MDR than under the MDD
  2. There is a shortage of notified body bandwidth, but that’s due to improve imminently.
  3. Obtaining a CE mark is one of the most cost-effective investments a company can make because the CE is also accepted in many Asian countries.
  4. The cost for obtaining a CE is still a fraction of the cost of obtaining FDA approval.
  5. There are good alternatives by going outside the US and Europe, but there are obstacles that can arise.
  6. Studies can currently be up and running in the UK, Spain and other EU countries within three months.

• Dr. Cummings talks about what a company called Bynocs is doing with developments related to the brain, including a neuro-adaptation program for unhappy multi-focal patients, as well as therapy for adult amblyopia.
• Dan Reinstein commented on his success with the ZEISS Visumax(R) 800 laser partially because the entire lenticule incisions and dissection is done in approximately 9 seconds, where previously it was 25 seconds. Dr. Reinstein is also excited about the Artemis Insight digital ultrasound that can map the individual layers of corneal tissue to 1/1000mm accuracy. He is seeing 96% of patients land up with a predicted vault within the eye within 300 microns of target.
• Dr Burkhardt Dick spoke with Dr. Cummings about the BELKIN Vision Eagle DSLT which has a three-second treatment time with automatic limbus detection and active eye tracking, and also a very quick recovery. This is a treatment that can be delivered without requiring a glaucoma specialist. 
• Francesco Carones, MD noted the positive results he’s seeing with the Hoya Vivinex(TM) lens, which he often uses for a monofocal for one eye.
• Jorge Alio expressed his enthusiasm for the Lumina(R) accommodative IOL that works differently with two pyramid-shaped components to the lens that slide over one another and increase the power. He also spoke about corneal stroma regeneration with cellular therapy.
• Erik Mertens was excited about the new Schwind ATOS(R) lenticule extraction device, which he has used for more than 120 eyes without any nomogram adjustment and not a single retreatment. Dr. Mertens is also using a lens from Pablo Artal called the ArtIOL, which is meniscus-shaped and conceived to mimc the natural crystalline lens so that it takes better care of peripheral astigmatism than current lenses do.
• Pavel Stodůlka shared his experience with the LuxSmart(TM) lens that has an increase range of focus that’s not diffractive. He commented that this lens isn’t getting enough exposure, given how good it is.

Disclaimer: Belkin and Zeiss are clients of Medevise.