Carl Zeiss Meditec: Research Project for Innovative Laser Launched
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First-of-its-kind procedure in the world for retinal laser treatment
currently under development
Jena, June 11, 2008 In cooperation with leading scientific
institutions, Carl Zeiss Meditec is currently developing a new
technology for laser treatment procedures on the retina. "Together
with our partners, we are currently working on an optimized, low-pain
treatment solution which is designed to support eye specialists in
efficiently treating patients suffering from a widespread eye
disease. The efficient therapy is capable of further reducing
possible side-effects of the treatment for patients. Moreover, the
new procedure will presumably require fewer treatment stages,
therefore saving additional costs over the mid-term," as Ulrich
Krauss, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec, points out. Among
the cooperation partners joining the medical technologies company are
the Medical Laser Center Lübeck, an internationally recognized
research and development institute, the Institute of Biomedical
Optics of the University of Lübeck, as well as the Eye Clinic of the
University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany,
The research project was officially launched by the German Federal
Ministry for Education and Research. The concept behind the project,
which was selected as the winner of the "Innovation Competition for
the Advancement of Medical Technology" by the ministry, has already
been successfully tested on an experimental basis. The project, which
is slated to run for 3 years, is unprecedented anywhere in the world.
The research project is aimed at implementing an exact dosage of the
laser radiation for each individual eye - even for each treatment
area within the eye - during retinal procedures by ensuring that the
laser automatically adjusts to the optimal temperature needed for a
specific treatment. The new laser ensures that treatments are
conducted at the lowest temperature required for the therapy,
therefore largely eliminating side-effects and pain. The new
technology is used to treat widespread eye diseases such as diabetic
retinopathy.
Laser irradiations of the retina, so-called photocoagulations, are
the most successful laser procedures in ophthalmology and have been
used to treat retinal diseases for over three decades. In Germany,
approximately one million photocoagulations are performed on the
retina every year. Diabetics suffering from diabetic retinopathy are
the most commonly affected. The disease causes hemorrhaging in the
eye. The retina becomes detached at the blood leakage points,
resulting in visual impairment. Left untreated, it can lead to
blindness. With the help of laser light, hemorrhaging blood vessels
can be re-sealed. As a result, blood supply to the center of the eye,
and thus also central vision, are restored. In many instances,
however, the laser light not only sealed the defective blood vessels,
but also resulted in temperature increases in the surrounding tissue,
causing potential damage. It was also painful for patients. With the
new laser, complications of this nature are no longer an issue.
Carl Zeiss is a pioneer of laser applications in ophthalmology. The
first ZEISS photocoagulator was developed in 1956 in cooperation with
the ophthalmologist Dr. Gerd Meyer-Schwickerath from the University
Eye Clinic Hamburg. Today, Carl Zeiss Meditec is one of the leading
manufacturers of ophthalmic lasers.
Diabetic retinopathy is the most frequent cause of blindness among
people of working age in Europe and North America. Some 30,000 people
lost their eyesight as a result of diabetic retinopathy in Germany
alone within the past few years. Ocular thrombosis as well as
age-related macular degeneration can also be treated with the new
method.
Brief profile
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE 0005313704) is one of the world's
leading medical technology companies. This market position is based
on over 160 years of experience in optical innovation.
The company has two primary areas of activity: In the field of
ophthalmology, Carl Zeiss Meditec offers integrated solutions for
treating the four main diseases of the eye: visual defects
(refraction), cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disorders. The
company's system solutions are employed in all phases of disease
management, from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. Carl Zeiss
Meditec has always applied its technological expertise to product
innovations. These innovations range from basic systems such as slit
lamps and fundus cameras to standard-setting diagnostic systems such
as the Humphrey® Field Analyzer, the Cirrus HD-OCT(TM) and the
IOLMaster®, through to the surgical microscopes and innovative
treatment systems in refractive laser surgery. The product portfolio
in ophthalmic surgery is rounded off by intraocular lenses and
consumables.
In the field of Neuro and ENT surgery, Carl Zeiss Meditec is the
world's leading provider of surgical microscopes and microsurgical
visualization solutions for a very broad range of applications, such
as tumor and vascular surgery in the head region and/or spine
surgery. The most recent example of our innovative performance in the
area of microsurgery is the OPMI Pentero® visualization system, which
allows efficient and ergonomic patient treatment. Carl Zeiss Meditec
will systematically expand its product range in this area and also
become a solution provider in neuro and ENT surgery.
Carl Zeiss Meditec's medical technology portfolio is rounded off by
visualization systems for office-based doctors and promising future
technologies such as intraoperative radiation therapy, which allows
the targeted treatment of breast cancer and brain cancer directly
during surgery.
An aging global population, rising expectations of doctors and
patients, together with innovative treatment methods in medical
technology are expected to promote market growth in the long term.
Carl Zeiss Meditec holds an optimum position for future developments
in the health sector. The company focuses its solution portfolio on
the three medical challenges with a significant social and economic
impact: loss of mobility, vision and cognitive abilities. The goal is
to deliver technologies and application-oriented solutions that allow
doctors to improve the quality of life of their patients and to
further improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG is based in Jena, Germany, with subsidiaries in
Germany (Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH, Carl Zeiss Meditec
Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Acri.Tec GmbH and Carl Zeiss Medical
Software GmbH), the USA (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin
California), in Japan (Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., Tokyo), Spain
(Carl Zeiss Meditec Iberia S.A., Madrid) and France (Carl Zeiss
Meditec S.A.S, La Rochelle, and Carl Zeiss Meditec France SAS, Le
Pecq).
Thirty-five percent of the Carl Zeiss Meditec shares are in free
float. The remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss, one of the
world's leading international groups engaged in the optical and
opto-electronics industry.
Contact
Kerstin Nössig/ Public Relations
Goeschwitzer Straße 51-52
07745 Jena, Germany
Telefon: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 3 35
Telefax: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 2 80
E-Mail: k.noessig@meditec.zeiss.com
Web: http://www.meditec.zeiss.com
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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Goeschwitzer Strasse 51-52 Jena Germany
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