Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis (NVS), said that it has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration or FDA for its AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 Diopter or D Intraocular Lens or IOL for patients undergoing cataract eye surgery who choose to address their near, intermediate, and distance vision needs at the same time.
The AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOL is the latest addition to Alcon's broad portfolio of intraocular lenses for cataract patients and provides an additional option to meet the visual needs of each individual patient.
More than three million cataract surgeries are performed each year in the United States.
Without presbyopia-correcting IOLs, most patients undergoing cataract surgery experience poor near vision requiring vision correction such as reading glasses or contact lenses. The AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOL is indicated for adult patients with and without presbyopia undergoing cataract surgery who desire near, intermediate and distance vision with increased spectacle independence.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or CMS added the AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOL to the list of CMS recognized presbyopia-correcting IOLs, confirming that AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOLs will be eligible for reimbursement as both a Medicare-covered service (treatment of cataract) and as a non-covered service (presbyopia correction).
Alcon noted that it will commercialize the AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOL in the United States in the near future. The product is already commercially available in the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan and countries in Central and South America. Close to 27,000 AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +2.5 D IOLs have already been implanted in the countries where they are commercially available.
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