3/10/2010-Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) said Wednesday that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the TECNIS(R) Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia.
Intraocular lenses are implanted in a patient's eye after the removal of the natural lens that has become clouded by a cataract, though conventional intraocular lenses do not correct presbyopia, a condition usually found in older people where the eye cannot focus at different distances.
The TECNIS lens has also received presbyopia-correcting IOL status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), providing Medicare beneficiaries with the option to receive a TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece lens for an additional fee as part of cataract surgery.
Jim Mazzo, senior vice president, commented, "With this approval, Medicare cataract patients have a new opportunity to enjoy near, intermediate and distance vision without needing glasses, with nearly 9 out of 10 patients reporting that they never wear glasses following surgery. As an added benefit, surgeons now have the clinical benefits and high patient satisfaction rates they have come to expect with the TECNIS Multifocal 3-Piece IOL in a next-generation, easy to insert, one-piece design."
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Ticker(s): ABT
