Bio-Light Israeli Life Sciences Investments Ltd. (TASE:BOLT) portfolio company IOptima Ltd. has begun a series of demonstration surgical procedures of its IOptimate laser system at the Montchoisi Hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland. IOptimate is a carbon dioxide laser for non-penetrating surgery of the eye wall for the treatment of glaucoma and cataracts.
The procedures will be carried out by Dr. Andre Mermoud, one of the world's top glaucoma surgeons. Montchoisi Hospital carries out around 2,000 glaucoma procedures a year.
Procedures will be carried out on 15 patients, some of whom will receive two procedures in the same operation: one to treat glaucoma, and the other to treat cataracts. Patients often suffer from both glaucoma and cataracts. IOptima says that treating both diseases with a single operation is possible due to the system's reliability, safety, and speed. Successful single procedures for both glaucoma and cataracts could increase the number of physicians who might use the IOptimate by adding cataract surgeons to glaucoma specialists who use it.
IOptima says that the IOptimate procedure is safer and more efficient, and risks fewer complications, than the standard glaucoma treatment, trabeculectomy, which involves full penetration of the eye wall. The company says that its procedure is also cheaper than current procedures on the market.
Biolight's share price rose 1.2% in early trading today to NIS 0.438.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 13, 2010
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