Month: April 2014

Blindness in millions of people with diseases that starve eye tissue and nerves of oxygen might be averted with a procedure being developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Southern California and the University of Tennessee.

The technique uses a new class of smart prosthetic implants to provide oxygen to retinal tissue being deprived of oxygen because of restricted blood flow. This condition occurs predominantly in patients with diabetic retinopathy (nei.nih/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp), which affects an estimated 5.5 million people each year.

Elias Greenbaum of the Department of Energy’s ORNL noted that this research builds upon the highly successful artificial retina project (artificialretina.energy/) officially kicked off in 2004. For this project, Greenbaum and colleagues at ORNL are joined by Mark Humayun of the Doheny Eye Institute and Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and Dan Close of the University of Tennessee.

“We have assembled a team of researchers with precisely the right capabilities to tackle this problem of immense proportions,” said Greenbaum, lead author of a paper published in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. Animal studies for the metabolic prosthesis technique are under way.

The procedure involves surgically implanting a feedback-controlled three-electrode electrolysis system that stimulates production of oxygen near the retina. The electrodes provide small amounts of current in very short pulses – about 200 microseconds. This results in a rapid production of oxygen and suppressed production of chlorine, which is potentially harmful.

“What we’ve been able to do is find a way to provide oxygen to the retina while avoiding the formation of potentially harmful chlorine,” Greenbaum said.

By using three electrodes and a feedback loop made possible by implanting a “ground” electrode behind the patient’s ear, the research team is able to maintain constant pH in the area being treated. At the same time, any pH drift can be exported to a surface-accessible region where it can be easily dealt with, according to the researchers.

Others involved in this project are Charlene Sanders, Hugh O’Neill and Barbara Evans, who, like Greenbaum, are members of ORNL’s Chemical Sciences Division.

Notes:

Funding for this research is provided by DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research, the National Academies Keck Foundation Initiatives Smart Prosthetics seed grant program and ORNL’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program.

UT-Battelle manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy.

Source: Ron Walli
DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biotechnology company focused on innovative treatments for eye disease, vascular disease and cancer, announces that it has completed patient enrolment for a Phase II trial of microplasmin intravitreal injection for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (MIVI II DME). This trial is designed as the initial step in evaluating the utility of microplasmin in patients with diabetes, a group which is more prone to eye disease such as diabetic retinopathy, due to their underlying medical condition.

The MIVI II DME trial is a Phase II, randomized, double masked, sham injection controlled, dose ascending clinical trial evaluating the safety and initial efficacy of intravitreal microplasmin for the treatment of patients with Diabetic Macular Edema, a particular form of diabetic retinopathy. The trial is primarily intended to evaluate safety in this specific patient population, but will also assess efficacy by measuring the induction of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). The trial recruited over 50 patients across Europe. Patients are to be followed for 12 months, with first unmasked data analyzed after 6 months follow-up, and to be presented towards the end of 2009.

Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of visual loss and the leading cause of blindness in patients aged 20-60. Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is a condition where swelling of the retina occurs in patients with diabetic retinopathy, due to a leakage of fluid from blood vessels within the macula. The only approved treatment for patients with DME is laser photocoagulation; however, this treatment does not improve vision once it is lost. In patients who do not respond to laser photocoagulation, vitrectomy (the surgical procedure used to produce a PVD) is currently used as a treatment, as vitreomacular adhesion is thought to play an important part in the disease.

The Company believes that microplasmin may represent a major advance in this area, as detaching the vitreous from the retina has been associated with greatly reducing the growth of new blood vessels (neovascularization) on the retina, which plays a fundamental role in the loss of vision in many diabetic patients.

Dr. Steve Pakola, Chief Medical Officer of ThromboGenics, commented, “We are very pleased to announce the completion of enrolment in MIVI II DME. This initial study is an important first step in evaluating microplasmin’s effect in the diabetic retinopathy population in general. Microplasmin could represent an important treatment option for this patient population, given numerous studies from various groups showing the clinical benefits of vitreous detachment in diabetic retinopathy.”

About ThromboGenics

ThromboGenics is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of eye disease, vascular disease and cancer. The Company’s lead product Microplasmin is in Phase III clinical development for the non-surgical treatment of back of the eye diseases. Microplasmin is also being evaluated in Phase II clinical development for additional vitreoretinal indications and as a potential therapy for stroke. ThromboGenics is also developing novel antibody therapeutics in collaboration with BioInvent International; these include TB-402 (Anti-Factor VIII), a long acting anti-coagulant, and TB-403 (anti-PlGF) for cancer.

ThromboGenics has built strong links with the University of Leuven and the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and has exclusive rights to certain therapeutics developed at these institutions. ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. The Company is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Brussels under the symbol THR. More information is available at thrombogenics.

Important information about forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered “forward-looking”. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company’s Annual Report.

ThromboGenics NV
thrombogenics

This month’s Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) reports on a national study that finds cataract surgery is likely to benefit patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at all stages of the disease, on a clinical trial showing that the steroid triamcinolone may be effective in advanced diabetic macular edema (DME) patients when standard treatment fails, and on the public’s use of two Academy-sponsored online eye health forums.

Multicenter Study Finds AMD Patients Benefit from Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery improved vision in patients with any stage – from mild to advanced – AMD in the first study to include an adequate number of advanced AMD patients. Data was obtained from the multicenter, prospective Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), which was organized primarily to evaluate the effects of high-dose vitamin and mineral supplements on cataract and AMD. As the American population ages AMD prevalence is expected to rise, and many patients will concurrently develop cataract; both diseases can cause blindness if untreated.

“Earlier epidemiology had suggested cataract surgery might worsen AMD, so the data from the AREDS cohort study were evaluated to answer this important question,” said Emily Y. Chew, MD, who led the study for NEI.

The cohort, comprising 1,939 eyes (1,244 patients) with various stages of AMD, was evaluated for visual acuity (sharpness) after cataract surgery. On average, patients with AMD, ranging from mild to advanced, gained visual acuity after cataract surgery; the best gains were in patients with vision worse than20/40 before surgery. No difference in improvement was noted between patients with “wet” (neovascular) or “dry” (central geographic atrophy) AMD. About one year later vision gains remained statistically significant in the 865 eyes available for follow-up. Results for the primary focus of AREDS, regarding the effect of nutritional supplements, showed that high doses of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene did not affect the development or progression of cataract, but this vitamin combination plus zinc did reduce the risk of progression to advanced AMD by 25 percent in the five years of the study.

Steroids Helps Diabetic Macular Edema Patients When Other Treatment Fails

A five-year study based at the University of Sydney, Australia, found that intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) effectively improved vision in patients with DME, a form of diabetic retinopathy, whose eyes had continued to deteriorate despite receiving standard laser treatment.

“The majority of patients who improved with IVTA after initial treatment continued to enjoy better vision at the five year conclusion of our clinical trial, and no new safety concerns were found in these patients,” said lead researcher Mark Gillies, PhD. “We believe treatment with IVTA may be considered in carefully selected advanced DME patients when standard treatment has failed to improve vision,” he added.

In the first three months after treatment, the patients initially treated with both IVTA and laser showed significantly better gains in vision than control group patients, who were treated with laser only. After two years, patients in the original control group were also treated with IVTA. The beneficial effects persisted in most IVTA-treated patients throughout the five-year study; however, 80 percent of patients in the initial IVTA group developed elevated intraocular pressure and 56 percent of them required glaucoma therapy. Also, two-thirds of all patients required cataract surgery during the study period. Similar outcomes have been noted in other studies of steroid-based treatment and thus were not considered new safety concerns by Dr. Gillies’ group.

What Do People Ask About in Online Eye Health Forums?

To identify the topics of highest interest to people who access eye health information on line, John C. Hagan, MD, and colleagues analyzed 4,485 questions over six months (September 1, 2008 to March 1, 2009) posted on the “Ask a Doctor: Ophthalmology” and “Eye Care Community” forums sponsored by the Academy on MedHelp (medhelp), one of the 10 largest health information websites. Dr. Hagan and three other ophthalmologists provide free, timely advice to a large and growing number of people with eye health and vision problems through these forums. Serious problems, such as life-threatening retinoblastomas in babies, have been caught and treated in time thanks to these forums, as have thousands of other eye and vision problems.

Concerns related to the retina topped the list at nearly 20 percent of all questions; many people asked about “flashes,” “floaters,” or retinal detachment. About 19 percent of questions were related to the cornea, the clear outer surface of the eye that helps focus light to make vision possible. Cataract and implanted lens questions were next in prevalence, followed by brain-eye problems (neuro-ophthalmology), children’s eye alignment (strabismus), eye cancers, and general discomfort or blurry vision. Two-to-three percent of questions related to each of three vision correction topics: refractive surgery (LASIK and others), eyeglasses, or contact lenses. A smaller number were related to eye care products or medical insurance. The analysis also found many people submit postings to express their gratitude for the medical advice provided.

Source:
Mary Wade

American Academy of Ophthalmology

For car designers, secret agents in the movies and jet fighter pilots, data eyeglasses – also called head-mounted displays, or HMDs for short – are everyday objects. They transport the wearer into virtual worlds or provide the user with data from the real environment. At present these devices can only display information. “We want to make the eyeglasses bidirectional and interactive so that new areas of application can be opened up,” says Dr. Michael Scholles, business unit manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden. A group of scientists at IPMS is working on a device which incorporates eye tracking – users can influence the content presented by moving their eyes or fixing on certain points in the image. Without having to use any other devices to enter instructions, the wearer can display new content, scroll through the menu or shift picture elements. Scholles believes that the bidirectional data eyeglasses will yield advantages wherever people need to consult additional information but do not have their hands free to operate a keyboard or mouse. The Dresden-based researchers have integrated their system’s eye tracker and image reproduction on a CMOS chip. This makes the HMDs small, light, easy to manufacture and inexpensive.

The chip measuring 19.3 by 17 millimeters is fitted on the prototype eyeglasses behind the hinge on the temple. From the temple the image on the microdisplay is projected onto the retina of the user so that it appears to be viewed from a distance of about one meter. The image has to outshine the ambient light to ensure that it can be seen clearly against changing and highly contrasting backgrounds. For this reason the research scientists use OLEDs, organic light-emitting diodes, to produce microdisplays of particularly high luminance.

In industry and in the medical field, the interactive data eyeglasses could enable numerous tasks to be performed more simply, efficiently and precisely. Many scenarios are possible, including patients’ vital functions, MRT and x-ray images for the operating surgeon, construction drawings for erection engineers and installation instructions for service technicians. Some users have already tried out conventional HMDs, but the results were not very impressive. In most cases they were found to be too expensive, too heavy, too bulky and not very ergonomic. “We have now overcome these hurdles,” says Scholles. With his team and colleagues from other Fraunhofer institutes he is already working on the next development stage of the bidirectional eyeglasses.

Source:
Michael Scholles

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Scientists at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center have gained new insight into the way an embryonic retina cell develops and then commits itself to a specific role. They have observed a small window of opportunity during which a cell has been designated to play a particular role, but has not yet begun to function as such.

The discovery provides a new vantage point for understanding how a healthy visual system develops. It also raises the possibility of re-directing the production of cell types as needed to stave off eye disease.

The study reports on the role of the gene regulator NRL, which was previously shown to be essential for the development of rods, the light-sensing cells required for vision.

Anand Swaroop, Ph.D., Harold F. Falls Collegiate Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Professor of Human Genetics, is senior author of both studies, the latest of which appears in the March issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

In PNAS, Swaroop’s team reports that NRL is the earliest marker of rod precursors, or cells that are fated to become rods. They achieved this unique and early view of rod development by creating a mouse model using an NRL regulatory DNA sequence to produce a protein that appears as fluorescent green when exposed to blue light. This fluorescent protein allows scientists to identify even a few cells that are destined to be rods at very early stages of development.

“For the first time we were able to see retina cells during early development, allowing us to pinpoint the exact time at which rods are ‘born,'” says Swaroop. “Because the cells have been tagged, we can watch them at each step as they develop into mature and functional rods.” Kellogg scientists then purified the rods at various stages and generated the profile of genes at each stage. This, for the first time, provided a handle for investigating the precise process of rod differentiation.

Rods, along with cones, are photoreceptors, which account for 70 percent to 80 percent of all cells in the adult retina. Rods greatly outnumber cones in the mouse and in humans.

Damage to photoreceptors is at the root of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and macular degeneration. In most instances, including age-related macular degeneration, rod photoreceptors die before cones.

As the mouse eye develops, rods start out as stem cells, meaning they have not yet been assigned a function and could theoretically grow to become any kind of cell. Along the way, these cells change their gene expression and acquire competence to become a specific cell type. At a certain point, cell division stops, and the cell is fated to perform a certain function.

“We can now view rod precursor cells at a crucial juncture,” says Swaroop. “They are committed to becoming rod cells, but they are still adaptable and have not yet ‘become’ that type of cell.” In mouse models, it takes five to fourteen days for rod cells to become functional, whereas in humans this time period is four to five weeks during gestation.

The Swaroop research team also confirmed that when NRL is absent, a rod precursor will change its course and acquire the identity of a cone. “This finding in particular implies the existence of pools of progenitor cells with competence to become either a rod or a cone,” explains Swaroop. “We suggest that during early stages of development, these cells are not completely committed to a specific fate; there is an opportunity for regulators such as NRL to instruct these cells to produce rods or cones.”

With the ability to see greater detail in events along molecular pathways, Swaroop is enthusiastic about finding new methods for disrupting the disease process. There may also be opportunities to promote the production of new rods and cones when others die off.

In future studies, the Kellogg scientist plans to use this new mouse model in conjunction with other mouse models of specific diseases, such as macular and other retinal degenerations. Gene profiling of rods and cones in disease models at various stages of pathogenesis could help scientists identify molecular targets for drug treatment.

Swaroop is hopeful that his research group can use the fluorescent protein to illuminate the chain of events that occurs when a gene mutation interferes with rod — or even cone — development. “This model may give us the earliest look yet at some devastating diseases we are all eager to cure,” he says.

Citation:|Targeting of GFP to newborn rods by Nrl promoter and temporal expression profiling of flow-sorted photoreceptors, PNAS, March 7, 2006; vol. 103, no. 10: 3890-3895

Contact: Betsy Nisbet
University of Michigan Health System

In a study of more than 6,000 Los Angeles-area children — the largest study of its kind — researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) found that both strabismus (commonly known as cross-eyed or wall-eyed) and amblyopia (often referred to as lazy eye) were more prevalent in older children than in younger children. The study is currently available in the online edition of the journal Ophthalmology.

The population for this first phase of the Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study (MEPEDS) was composed equally of African-American and Hispanic youngsters, ages six months to six years, who reside in the Los Angeles County community of Inglewood. The overall prevalence of strabismus was 2.5%; while this finding remained constant regardless of gender or ethnicity, prevalence trended upward with increasing age. The overall prevalence of amblyopia, which was 2.6% in both ethnic groups, similarly trended upward with age, although researchers concluded that this trending stabilizes by three years of age. As with strabismus, researchers found no difference when amblyopia results were stratified by gender.

“This is the first evaluation of strabismus and amblyopia in these two ethnic groups,” says principal investigator Rohit Varma, MD, professor of ophthalmology and preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, and director of the Ocular Epidemiology Center at USC’s Doheny Eye Institute. “What was most surprising about our findings,” he adds, “was that the vast majority of children who we diagnosed with either strabismus or amblyopia had been previously undiagnosed and hadn’t received any care. Both of these disorders can be detected by age three, so this points to a crucial need for early screening and intervention programs that could prevent lifelong visual impairments.”

According to Susan Cotter, OD, the study’s co-principal investigator and a research professor of ophthalmology at the Keck School, “These study results fill an important gap in our knowledge base regarding the magnitude of strabismus and amblyopia in infants and young children, as well as our understanding of age-related differences in these children. MEPEDS results will likely impact the development of vision screening programs and health-care policy.”

This population-based, multi-phased study began in January 2004. With the Inglewood portion of the study completed, USC researchers are now conducting vision screenings in Southern California’s Riverside County. When these screenings are completed, children in the Southern California community of Monterey Park will be assessed. The population for the Riverside and Monterey Park screenings will be Asian American and non-Hispanic White children ages six months to six years. All MEPEDS phases will be completed by 2011, at which time more than 12,000 youngsters will have been screened for strabismus, amblyopia, and other vision conditions including astigmatism as well as near and farsightedness.

“This study, supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institutes of Health, provides new information on the development and extent of eye diseases among infants and preschool children from two major ethnic groups in the United States — African-American and Latinos,” says Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NEI. “The study highlights the importance of early detection and treatment to reduce the burden of visual impairment on children, their families, and society as a whole.”

Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California

Founded in 1885, the Keck School of Medicine of USC is a major center for basic and clinical biomedical research, especially in the fields of cancer, gene therapy, the neurosciences and metabolic disease. The school today has more than 1,100 full-time faculty members and a voluntary faculty of more than 3,700 physicians. These faculty direct the studies of approximately 650 medical students and more than 400 students pursuing graduate degrees. The school’s postgraduate programs provide training for 1,300 residents, fellows and interns annually. The Keck School of Medicine has meant better health for people around the globe in all fields of medical care. Through 14 affiliated hospitals, USC physicians serve more than one million patients each year. Hospitals staffed by USC physicians include USC University Hospital, USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital, Doheny Eye Institute, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, one of the largest teaching hospitals in the nation.

Source: Meghan Lewit

University of Southern California

Boston Micromachines
Corporation (BMC), a leading provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror (DM)
products for adaptive optics (AO) systems, today announced it has
manufactured an enhanced DM capable of meeting the criteria for ultra-high
resolution retinal imaging, which is necessary for early detection of
ocular diseases. The new mirror will meet the demanding requirements of
both OEM retinal imaging systems as well as vision science and microscopy
researchers who use AO for biological imaging.

“This new deformable mirror represents a significant scientific
advancement in the field of biological imaging, specifically vision
science. Until now doctors were limited in their ability to gain a clear
view of the human retina due to image distortion caused by tissue-induced
wavefront aberration. Our deformable mirror corrects for that wavefront
aberration,” said Paul Bierden, president of Boston Micromachines. “This
marked improvement in retinal imaging will provide doctors the technology
necessary to detect the leading diseases of the eye: glaucoma, diabetic
retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration years earlier than
previously possible. Earlier detection will result in earlier diagnosis and
earlier treatment.”

The new mirror, which is an enhanced version of Boston Micromachines’
flagship product the Multi-DM, delivers increased stroke while maintaining
the high resolution afforded by its 140 independently controlled actuators.
The mirror’s 3 kilohertz frequency capability allow for high speed
real-time imaging with a 6mm aperture perfectly suited for a dilated pupil.
In addition, the new Multi-DM also provides the wavefront amplitude
correction needed for older eyes by offering 6 microns of stroke. This
translates to 12 microns of wavefront correction, the most wavefront
correction demonstrated by any MEMS DM on the market today. The development
work on this MEMS device was partially funded by the Center for Adaptive
Optics, a NSF Science and Technology Center, and by a National Eye
Institute Phase I SBIR.

The improved Multi-DM will also enable enhancements in other biological
imaging areas. Biological imaging instruments often suffer from resolution
limitations, constraining the ability of researchers and clinicians to
detect critical detail. This loss in resolution is due to the wavefront
aberrations induced by the tissue media through which light passes to reach
the object of interest, such as a cell, retina, or tumor. The Multi-DM’s
ability to actively correct for these aberrations will restore resolution
and enable the extracting of vital information from biological specimens.

“The ever increasing strokes in deformable mirrors, such as the 6um
achieved with BMC’s new Multi-DM, will allow for deeper AO corrected
imaging in biological specimens, more effective correction when used at
longer wavelengths, and improved performance specifications in systems such
as the Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope (ASOM) and other AO based
imaging systems,” said Ben Potsaid, Research Scientist at the Center for
Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS) located at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

“Commercial systems require low cost DMs. Never before has there been a
compact, affordable DM available with this magnitude of resolution. Ours is
the only technology that meets the criteria of resolution, speed, size,
stroke,” said Bierden. “This will enable adaptive optics to become a
reality for commercial instruments.”

About the Multi-DM

The Multi-DM is the flagship product in Boston Micromachines’ award-
winning suite of MEMS deformable mirrors, which are used to improve
resolution in microscopes, telescopes, and ophthalmic instruments. The
popular and versatile Multi-DM offers sophisticated aberration compensation
in an easy-to- use package. Typical applications include advanced retinal
imaging systems, laser communication and beam forming.

At Photonics West

Boston Micromachines will be demonstrating the new Multi-DM at
Photonics West 2007 (January 20-25) in San Jose, California, at Booth 6180.

Availability

The new Multi-DM is available immediately.

About Boston Micromachines Corporation

Founded in 1999, Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) is the leading
provider of advanced MEMS-based mirror products for use in commercial AO
systems, applying wavefront correction to produce high resolution images of
the human retina and enhance images blurred by the Earth’s atmosphere. The
company’s suite of award-winning compact DM products are the most
economical high-performance mirrors in the market today. They are widely
used in vision science applications such as advanced optic retinal imaging,
long range laser communications and astronomy, including NASA’s search for
planets in other solar systems. Customers include leading manufacturers of
optical imaging and communication systems, governmental agencies and
contractors and vision science research laboratories worldwide, such as
NASA, UCal Berkeley, Lockheed Martin and Boston University. Located in
Watertown, Mass., BMC is privately held and also offers custom
design-manufacturing services. For more information on BMC, please visit
bostonmicromachines.

Boston Micromachines Corporation
bostonmicromachines

An estimated 24 million Americans now have diabetes, with the number expected to grow at least five percent annually in future years. One serious consequence of the disease can be vision loss or blindness. November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology urges anyone who may be at risk for diabetes to see their ophthalmologist and primary care physician. The earlier diabetes is caught and appropriate lifestyle changes and treatment begin, the better the chance of avoiding vision loss and other health consequences.

Hispanic-Americans are especially at risk for diabetes and related eye problems, but most are unaware of their heightened susceptibility, several recent studies show. Among Hispanic-Americans older than 40, one in five is diabetic, and almost half of this group have diabetic retinopathy, abnormal blood vessel changes in the eye’s retina and optic nerve area. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in this ethnic group. Studies show that many do not receive the screening and treatment they need due to obstacles to care, including lack of health insurance and language barriers.

“This is a tragedy waiting to happen,” said Jose S. Pulido, MD, Academy clinical correspondent and professor of ophthalmology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. “Effective treatments, including annual eye exams, can reduce severe vision loss in diabetics by up to 94 percent.”

In the United States, one-third of those with diabetes are unaware of it. Some find out when their ophthalmologist notices changes in their retina-the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye–during a dilated eye exam. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than Type 1; both types can affect eye health. Nearly 5.5 million Americans age 18 and older have diabetic retinopathy. In addition to controlling their blood sugar, people with diabetes should work with their primary care physician to control their blood pressure, since both are important to slowing the development of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetics are also more likely to develop glaucoma, a complex disease that damages the optic nerve, which relays images from the eye to the brain.

The Academy recommends that people with Type 2 diabetes see an ophthalmologist (an Eye M.D.) at the time of diagnosis and annually thereafter. Those with Type 1 diabetes should see an ophthalmologist within five years of diagnosis and then yearly. Women who have either diabetes type should see an Eye M.D. before they become pregnant or early in the first trimester. Also, the Academy now recommends that adults with no signs or risk factors for eye disease get a baseline eye disease screening at age 40, when early signs of disease and changes in vision may start to occur. Based on the results of the initial screening, an Eye M.D. will prescribe the necessary intervals for follow-up exams.

About Diabetic Retinopathy

In the initial stages, people with diabetic retinopathy may not notice their vision changing. Diabetics sometimes experience rapid changes in blood sugar that can temporarily cause blurry vision even when retinopathy is not present. If a person notices a few specks or spots floating in his visual field, this may mean he has developed proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the growth of abnormal new blood vessels on the retina and optic nerve. High blood sugar levels have been linked in studies to retinal blood vessel abnormalities. Blurred vision may occur when the macula–the small area at the center of the retina–swells as it fills with fluid that has leaked from retinal blood vessels. Because damage to the eye often develops slowly, early detection of diabetes and control of blood sugar through diet and medications can make a crucial difference in saving vision.

Effective diabetic retinopathy treatments include laser photocoagulation for early to moderate stages and a microsurgery called vitrectomy for repair of eyes with extensive damage. Injectable and oral medications that act on abnormal blood vessels to control diabetic retinopathy before vision loss occurs are now in development. Early detection would be key to the effectiveness of these treatments, also.

Additional information on diabetic retinopathy can be found on GetEyeSmart.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology

AAO is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons-Eye M.D.s-with more than 27,000 members worldwide. Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery.

American Academy of Ophthalmology

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) announced today that David L. Guyton, MD, has been selected to receive the Association’s 2007 Weisenfeld Award, which is presented annually for Excellence in Ophthalmology. The award will be presented to Guyton during ARVO’s Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in May, 2007.

The Mildred Weisenfeld Award is presented to an individual in recognition of distinguished scholarly contributions to the clinical practice of ophthalmology. Guyton is this year’s recipient for his extraordinary contributions to the clinical and scientific study of strabismus and amblyopia, for his optical innovations and excellence in teaching ophthalmic optics, and for his significant service to the vision community, particularly ARVO.

Guyton is Krieger Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Director of the Krieger Children’s Eye Center at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, Md. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his residency in ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He is the recipient of the Research to Prevent Blindness Senior Scientific Investigator Award as well as the Alcon Research Institute Award. Guyton has been a member of ARVO since 1977 and served on the Association’s Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1997. From 1995 to 1996 he was ARVO’s president.

Established in 1928, ARVO is a membership organization of more than 11,500 eye and vision researchers from over 70 countries. The Association encourages and assists its members and others in research, training, publication and dissemination of knowledge in vision and ophthalmology. ARVO’s headquarters are located in Rockville, Md. For more information about ARVO, logon to the Association’s Web site, arvo/

Contact: Elinore Tibbetts

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc.
(AMO) (NYSE: EYE), a global ophthalmic surgical and eye care products
company, announced today from the XXIV Congress of the European Society of
Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) the launch of the TECNIS(R) CL
intraocular lens (IOL). The TECNIS(R) CL IOL is the latest advance to the
TECNIS(R) silicone IOL.

Design enhancements of the new TECNIS(R) CL IOL include:

— Blue modified C PMMA haptics for better visibility and easier
implantation of the lens

— Frosted OptiEdge(TM) design for reduced edge glare and reduced posterior
capsule opacification

— Proven patented silicone material for long-term biocompatibility
Performance

The TECNIS(R) CL IOL can be implanted with the UNFOLDER(TM) Silver
Series Implantation Systems and the Silver Advanced Cartridge through a
2.8mm incision. It permanently replaces both the Z9000 and Z9001 TECNIS(R)
silicone IOL models.

“The TECNIS(R) CL IOL provides the same FDA-approved claims and
excellent outcomes as the original TECNIS(R) lens but with a more
user-friendly design,” said AMO Corporate Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer Russ Trenary. “We expect the TECNIS(R) CL lens to speed
surgeon migration from older-generation silicone lenses to the superior
TECNIS(R) optical design. The launch of the TECNIS(R) CL lens is an
excellent example of how we’re continuing to refine our IOL offerings
through disciplined product lifecycle management.”

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) extended New
Technology Intraocular Lens (NTIOL) status to the TECNIS(R) CL lens in
August. The TECNIS(R) and TECNIS(R) CL lenses are the first and only
FDA-approved IOLs with claims for reduced spherical aberration, improved
functional vision and improved night driving simulator performance.

NTIOL designation provides for additional Medicare reimbursement of $50
per lens for ambulatory surgical centers, which perform more than half of
all cataract surgeries in the United States. An NTIOL is defined as an IOL
that CMS determines has been approved by the FDA with labeling and
advertising claims of specific clinical advantages and superiority over
existing IOLs with regard to reduced risk of intraoperative or
post-operative complication or trauma, accelerated postoperative recovery,
reduced induced astigmatism, improved postoperative visual acuity, more
stable postoperative vision, or other comparable clinical advantages.

The TECNIS(R) CL IOL is available now in Europe and AMO plans to begin
shipping the lens next month in the United States, Canada and Asia Pacific,
and to Japan by mid-2007. For more information, visit: TECNISIOL.

About Advanced Medical Optics (AMO)

AMO is a global medical device leader focused on the discovery and
delivery of innovative vision technologies that optimize the quality of
life for people of all ages. Products in the cataract/implant line include
intraocular lenses, phacoemulsification systems, viscoelastics, and related
products used in cataract and refractive lenticular surgery. Products in
the laser vision correction line include laser systems, wavefront
diagnostic systems, microkeratomes and related products used in corneal
refractive surgery. AMO owns or has the rights to such ophthalmic surgical
product brands as ReZoom(TM), Clariflex(R), Sensar(R), CeeOn(R), Tecnis(R)
and Verisyse(TM) intraocular lenses, STAR S4 IR(TM) laser vision correction
system, WaveScan Wavefront(R) System, CustomVue(TM) procedure, Sovereign(R)
and Sovereign(R) Compact(TM) phacoemulsification systems with WhiteStar(R)
technology, Amadeus(TM) and Amadeus(TM) II microkeratomes, Healon(R)
viscoelastics, and the Baerveldt(R) glaucoma shunt. Products in the contact
lens care line include disinfecting solutions, enzymatic cleaners and lens
rewetting drops. Among the eye care product brands the company possesses
are COMPLETE(R) Moisture PLUS(TM), COMPLETE(R) Blink-N-Clean(R),
Consept(R)F, Consept(R) 1 Step, Oxysept(R) 1 Step, UltraCare(R),
Ultrazyme(R), Total Care(TM) and blink(TM) branded products. Amadeus is a
licensed product of, and a trademark of, SIS, Ltd. AMO is based in Santa
Ana, California, and employs approximately 3,600 worldwide. The company has
operations in 24 countries and markets products in approximately 60
countries. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at
amo-inc/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about AMO,
including Mr. Trenary’s statements and those relating to the launch and
features of the product. All forward-looking statements in this press
release are based on estimates and assumptions and represent AMO’s judgment
only as of the date of this press release. Actual results may differ from
current expectations based on a number of factors including but not limited
to market developments, expanded clinical experience, unexpected delays in
manufacturing, and unexpected regulatory or quality issues. Therefore, the
reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. AMO
disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking
statements.

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc.
amo-inc/