BELMONT, Calif., July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerVision, Inc., a medical device company developing the world’s first fluid-based accommodating intraocular lens, today announced that Douglas D. Koch, M.D., the Allen, Mosbacher, and Law Chair of Ophthalmology, and Professor of Ophthalmology, at Baylor College of Medicine has joined the company’s Scientific Advisory Board.
As a recipient of several prestigious honors, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Lifetime Achievement award, Koch will join the distinguished group who will guide PowerVision’s team in the development of the FluidVision lens, the first fluid based accommodating intraocular lens designed to permanently restore clear vision at all distances for patients with cataracts and presbyopia, as the company works to secure its European approval, launch its pivotal study in the U.S. and prepare for a U.S. launch. The panel provides guidance on all aspects of product development, including surgical technique, design of the delivery system, clinical trial design and market positioning.
“I believe the FluidVision lens’s distinctive shape-shifting and accommodative capabilities could be life-changing,” said Koch. “Many people still carry reading glasses post-surgery, since current procedures have yet to provide adequate visual clarity at all distances. The FluidVision lens addresses the other half of vision impairment problems, and will alleviate a source of frustration for my future patients. I’m excited and extremely happy to play a role in the development of a truly groundbreaking technology that can revolutionize the capabilities of intraocular lenses.”
In addition to Prof. Koch, PowerVision’s Scientific Advisory Board currently includes:
- David Chang, M.D., an internationally acclaimed cataract surgeon with a private practice in Los Altos, Calif.
- Ralph Chu, M.D., an expert in cataract and refractive surgery and Medical Director at Chu Vision Institute in Bloomington, MN
- Adrian Glasser, Ph.D., Professor of Optometry and Vision Sciences and Biomedical Engineering at University of Houston’s College of Optometry and one of the world’s experts in the physiology of accommodation.
- Terry Kim, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology at Duke University’s Eye Center in Durham, NC and a leading specialist in cataract surgery, corneal transplantation, and refractive surgery
- Steve Lane, M.D., Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Minnesota and an expert in cataract and refractive surgery
- Sam Masket, M.D., former ASCRS president and an expert ophthalmic surgeon at Advanced Vision Care in Los Angeles, CA
- Louis (Skip) Nichamin, M.D., a thought leader in cataract and refractive surgery
- Liliana Werner, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Utah’s Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City, UT
In the U.S. alone, there are currently three million cataract patients every year who receive traditional intraocular lens implants. These implants are thin pieces of plastic that allow patients to see far distances, but typically do not eliminate the need for additional corrective lenses. FluidVision lenses provide True Accommodation by simulating a healthy eye’s ability to change shape and adjust focus. The lens is implanted with the same surgical techniques used for traditional intraocular lens procedures.
“We are honored to welcome Dr. Koch and his wealth of knowledge to the board,” said Mr. Barry Cheskin, PowerVision’s President & CEO and Co-Founder. “There is a large market of vision-impaired patients who are looking for an all-purpose solution. Koch and the other members’ experience will be integral in helping FluidVision address this unmet need, as we are in the process of completing our CE Mark trial and preparing for our US study. With the additional expertise of PowerVision’s world-class Scientific Advisory Board, we believe this accommodative lens could have an impact on vision care beyond what we’ve seen anywhere else.”
According to PowerVision’s most recent pilot study data, which was presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Symposium in April, patients who received the FluidVision lens in one eye during cataract surgery had impressive results of 20/33, 20/25 and 20/20 respectively for near, intermediate, and distance vision.
By the end of 2014, PowerVision will have completed patient enrollment for its CE mark study, which will lead up to a subsequent U.S. study in 2015.
About Presbyopia and Cataracts
Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult to focus on close objects. Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-40s. Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process of the eye. It is not a disease, and it cannot be prevented.* The potential market for presbyopia treatments exceeds $5 billion annually in the U.S alone.
A cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Depending upon its size and location, it can interfere with normal vision. Most cataracts develop in people over age 55, but they occasionally occur in infants and young children. The treatment of cataracts is based on the level of visual impairment they cause. When a cataract progresses to the point that it affects a person’s ability to do normal everyday tasks, surgery may be needed. Cataract surgery involves removing the diseased lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Cataracts affect millions of Americans and Medicare currently spends $3.4 billion to treat these cataracts annually.
About PowerVision
PowerVision, Inc. is a private company focused on developing a novel accommodating intraocular lens, which, it believes, will be the first to restore True Accommodation. Its innovative FluidVision accommodating intraocular lens (IOL) aims to restore the vision of youth to older individuals affected by presbyopia and/or cataracts. PowerVision’s mission is to provide a family of fluid-based lens implants that meet the clinical and lifestyle needs caused by these conditions, and develop the most significant innovation in vision correction surgery since the introduction of the intraocular lens. The FluidVision lens is an investigational device that is not available for sale and is available for use only by the investigators participating in the multi-center clinical study.
*American Optometric Association: http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/presbyopia
Contact:
Barry Cheskin
President & CEO, Co-Founder
Phone: 650-620-9948 x212
E-mail: bcheskin@powervisionlens.com
Media Contact:
Hollister Hovey
Lazar Partners Ltd.
Phone: 646-871-8482
E-mail: hhovey@lazarpartners.com
SOURCE PowerVision, Inc.
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