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Medicare Approval of Multi-Focal Cataract Lens is
Boom for Seniors, Surgeons, Lens Makers
 May
19, 2005 The announcement by Medicare on May 3 that beneficiaries now
may choose a cataract replacement lens that corrects close, intermediate
and distance vision, rather than just the lens for distance vision
correction, has caused excitement among senior citizens, eye surgeons
and certainly at the companies that makes the approved intraocular lens
(IOL).
Crystalens, made by Eyeonics, Inc., is the only
FDA-approved naturally focusing vision-correction lens replacement for
adults with cataracts and presbyopia, says the company. Eyeonics claims
they led the way in affecting this policy change, working with U.S.
Congressman Christopher Cox ( Newport Beach, Calif. ), the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services, physicians and ophthalmic industry
leaders.
"More than 2.2 million cataract surgeries are
performed each year on patients age 65 and over," said J. Andy Corley,
co-founder, chairman and CEO of Eyeonics. "Yet as vision technologies
advanced, Medicare reimbursement did not keep pace."
"We applaud CMS for its decision to allow Medicare
patients access to new technologies, like the recently approved
AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) IOL," said Cary Rayment, chairman, president and
chief executive officer, Alcon, Inc. "Physicians and patients now have
the freedom to select technology to treat cataracts consistent with the
patient's lifestyle needs."
Approved on March 21 by the FDA, AcrySof(R)
ReSTOR(R) is the first and only IOL that uses apodized diffractive
technology to provide cataract patients with and without presbyopia a
quality range of vision, the company said. In clinical trials, 80
percent of AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) patients reported never wearing reading
glasses or bifocals following bilateral cataract surgery.
"This policy change means that patients will have
the right to choose a vision correction technology that best meets their
lifestyle and visual demands. It also gives doctors the freedom to offer
innovative technologies such as the crystalens for their Medicare
patients," said ophthalmologist Steven J. Dell, MD, of the Texan Eye
Care in Austin, Texas.
 The
CMS ruling now opens the path for senior citizens, the same quality of
premier care and quality vision as LASIK patients have enjoyed for a
decade, said Dr.Kerry Assil, of the Assil Sinskey Institute in Santa
Monica, CA, a pioneer in modern cataract surgery and the primary
investigator for the FDA, specializing in testing for lenses such as the
ones used in this surgery. He is also frequently seen on television news
as an expert reference and was the eye surgeon on the FOX reality show
The Swan.
Another eye surgeon who regularly does cataract
surgery said he is approaching the multi-focal lenses with caution. I
would like to see a higher patient satisfaction level, he said.
The catch is that the new choice doesnt come
without a price.
The IOL is designed to treat two conditions:
cataract removal with lens replacement ( a procedure covered by Medicare
) and presbyopia ( a non-covered service ). Patients who select IOL will
receive the standard Medicare reimbursement for cataract surgery, and
can now pay privately for the presbyopic portion of the treatment, which
is estimated at about $2,500.
Medicare patients were excluded from receiving this
type of lens before this ruling due to these lenses being produced at a
greater cost than Medicare was willing to pay. They were not allowed for
Medicare patients, even if they paid the extra cost.
Presbyopia is an inevitable age-related eye
condition that makes it difficult to read or see objects up-close
without the use of reading glasses. Presbyopia is the first sign of a
cataract and is the most prevalent eye condition in America. It causes
the crystalline lens to increasingly stiffen, lose flexibility and
cloud, diminishing its focusing ability.
These lens correct vision at all distances and in
most cases eliminates the need for glasses and contacts for everyday
tasks. Its ability to focus at all distances frees most patients from
the need for glasses following cataract surgery. In clinical trials,
nearly three-times the number of patients ( 85 percent ) who received
the crystalens could see at all distances compared to a standard IOL,
according to the company.
Eye surgeons see this as a business boom that is a
good reason to hang on to Medicare patients that many had considered
dropping due to Medicare payment levels.
The vast majority of cataract surgery patients -
over two million a year - are on Medicare, since the problem usually
develops late in life. A cataract is a clouding of the eyes lens that
usually occurs as part of the aging process. Cataracts affect about 50%
of Americans between the age of 65 and 75, and nearly 70% of people over
75.
Not all cataracts require surgery and the presence
of cataracts does not always produce impairments, therefore cataract
surgery should only be performed if the patient chooses.
For more information:
For more information on the procedure or questions
about cataract surgery: Dr. Kerry Assil at the Assil Sinskey Eye
Institute, 310-828-2082 or visit
www.assilsinskey.com to email the institute directly.
About Crystalens
The crystalens is the result of more than 14 years
of research and development by J. Stuart Cumming, M.D., F.A.C.S., and
was approved by the FDA in November 2003. More than 24,000 lenses have
been implanted worldwide to date. During clinical trials, all of the
patients who received the crystalens greatly reduced their need for
corrective lenses or eyeglasses. The patented crystalens technology is
designed to allow the lens to move in the eye in a manner similar to the
natural lens. By using the eye's muscle to move the lens back and
forwards naturally, patients can focus through a continuous range of
vision including near, far and everywhere in between. All other
intraocular lenses are designed to remain fixed in the eye. For more
information about the crystalens go to
http://www.crystalens.com
About AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) IOL
The AcrySof(R) ReSTOR(R) IOL features a unique,
proprietary apodized diffractive optic design that provides the ability
to focus images from various distances correctly on the retina without
mechanical movement of the lens. This optic design results in an
increased range of quality vision that delivers a high level of
spectacle freedom. Apodization improves image quality by optimizing
light energy delivered to the retina by distributing the appropriate
amounts of light to near and distant focal points, regardless of
lighting situation. This new IOL is particularly well-suited for
patients who wish to reduce their dependency on reading glasses and
bifocals once their cataractous lens is removed. For more information on
Alcon, Inc., visit the company's Web site at
www.alconinc.com.
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