Carl Zeiss Meditec's IOLMaster® becomes Gold Standard

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10,000th IOLMaster® placed at customer site
(Jena, November 7th, 2008) Carl Zeiss Meditec AG achieved its
10,000th IOLMaster® placement earlier this month. The IOLMaster® is a
diagnostic system to calculate all necessary eye measurements for
determining the most appropriate replacement implant lens during
cataract surgery, the most frequently performed surgery worldwide.
Additionally, the IOLMaster® is a completely non-invasive biometry
system that does not make contact with the patient's eye.
Douglas Liva, MD, a Paramus, New Jersey based ophthalmologist,
received the landmark 10,000th IOLMaster®. "We chose to invest in the
IOLMaster® because it is the most accurate method for determining the
best lens for our cataract patients," said Dr. Liva. "The system is
more precise, easier to operate and, ultimately, more comfortable for
our patients than immersion ultrasound. For doctors that are
implanting premium lenses, this technology is essential to the
practice in terms of clinical benefits, technician workflow and
patient satisfaction."
First introduced in September 1999, the IOLMaster® quickly and
conveniently measures axial length as well as corneal curvature and
anterior chamber depth, all of which are used to identify the most
optimum artificial intraocular lens (IOL) for implantation during
cataract surgery and other, refractive procedures. Without the
IOLMaster®, ophthalmologists must use ultrasound, a diagnostic
procedure that is more time consuming, less accurate and less
comfortable for the patient.
The IOLMaster® Advanced Technology Software, Version 5, has been
available since April 2007 and is even more precise and user-friendly
than the first-generation system. Advanced keratometry provides more
consistent and faster measurements, greater accuracy, fewer outliers
and increased user independency. In two separate studies conducted
by Dr. Wolfgang Haigis, and Warren Hill, M.D., more than 95% of all
cataract patients were measurable. Using state-of-the-art calculation
methods, even IOLs for cataract patients who have previously
undergone refractive laser correction can be determined easily.
"Our most recent version of the IOLMaster® is our response to the
high demands that patients and doctors place on the results of
cataract surgery," said Dr. Michael Kaschke, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. "Today, when an
artificial lens is inserted, it not only has to restore sight but
also must facilitate optimum vision without the need for eyeglasses
or contact lenses. This requires precise measurement and IOL
refractive power calculation before surgery- which are exactly what
the IOLMaster® offers. "
According to a study conducted by the American Society of Cataract
and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) [1], the IOLMaster® is the instrument
of choice for measuring the axial length of the eye among
ophthalmologists in the United States, and more than half of American
surgeons use the IOLMaster®. In Germany the figure is as high as
three out of every four cataract surgeons.
The IOLMaster® is part of the Carl Zeiss Meditec universal workflow
system. The new DICOM gateway makes seamless data integration
possible and the IOLMaster® can also be connected to the VISUPAC Star
storage and review system, the clouded natural lens can be replaced
by one of Carl Zeiss' innovative premium IOLs, and Carl Zeiss
Meditec's comprehensive range of products offer postoperative
check-ups and care.
According the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 75 million
people worldwide have cataracts, a clouding of the eye's natural
lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. Cataracts are
responsible for 20 million cases of blindness in the world. Cataract
surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries (on
outpatient basis) worldwide, with more than 15 million operations
carried out per year.
The procedure involves removing the natural lens and replacing it
with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL) that
becomes a permanent part of the eye.

[1] Survey: 2007 Practice Styles and Preferences of U.S. ASCRS
Members David V. Leaming

Brief profile
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE 0005313704) is one of the world's
leading medical technology companies. This market position is based
on over 160 years of experience in optical innovation.
The company has two primary areas of activitiy: In the field of
ophthalmology Carl Zeiss Meditec offers integrated solutions for
treating the four main eye diseases: vision defects (refraction),
cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disorders. The company's system
solutions are employed in all phases of the disease management, from
diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. Carl Zeiss Meditec has always
applied its technological expertise to product innovations. These
innovations range from basic systems such as slit lamps and fundus
cameras to standard setting diagnostic systems such as the Humphrey®
Field Analyzer, the Cirrus(TM) HD-OCT and the IOLMaster®, through to
the surgical microscopes and innovative treatment systems in
refractive laser surgery. The product portfolio in ophthalmic surgery
is rounded off by innovative premium intraocular lenses and
consumables.
In the field of neuro and ENT surgery, Carl Zeiss Meditec is the
world's leading provider of surgical microscopes and microsurgical
visualisation solutions for a very broad range of applications, such
as tumor and vascular surgery in the head region and/or spinal
surgery. The most recent example of our innovative performance in the
area of microsurgery is the OPMI Pentero® visualisation system, which
allows efficient and ergonomic patient treatment. Carl Zeiss Meditec
will systematically expand its product range in this area and become
a solution provider in neuro and ENT surgery as well.
Carl Zeiss Meditec's medical technology portfolio is rounded off by
visualisation systems for doctors in private practice and promising
future technologies such as intraoperative radiation therapy, which
allows the targeted treatment of breast cancer and brain cancer
directly during surgery.
An aging global population, rising expectations of doctors and
patients, together with innovative treatment methods in medical
technology are expected to promote market growth in the long term.
Carl Zeiss Meditec holds an optimum position for future developments
in the health sector. The company focuses its solution portfolio on
the three medical challenges with a significant social and economic
impact: loss of mobility, vision and cognitive abilities. The goal is
to deliver technologies and application-oriented solutions that allow
doctors to improve the quality of life of their patients and to
further improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment.
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG is based in Jena, Germany, with subsidiaries in
Germany (Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH, Carl Zeiss Meditec
Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, *Acri.Tec AG and Carl Zeiss Medical
Software GmbH), the USA (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin
California), in Japan (Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., Tokyo), Spain
(Carl Zeiss Meditec Iberia S.A., Madrid) and France (Carl Zeiss
Meditec S.A.S, La Rochelle, and Carl Zeiss Meditec France SAS, Le
Pecq).
Thirty-five percent of the Carl Zeiss Meditec shares are in free
float. The remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss, one of the
world's leading international groups engaged in the optical and
opto-electronics industry.
Contact
Kerstin Nössig/ Public Relations
Goeschwitzer Straße 51-52
07745 Jena, Germany

Telefon: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 3 35
Telefax: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 1 12

E-Mail: k.noessig@meditec.zeiss.com
Web: http://www.meditec.zeiss.com

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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Goeschwitzer Strasse 51-52 Jena Germany

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