Winning design
OptiMedica has won the gold award at this year's Medical Design Excellence Awards for the development of a laser photocoagulator.
Santa Clara, California-based OptiMedica has won the gold award at this year's Medical Design Excellence Awards in New York for the development of an innovative laser photocoagulator called Pascal.
Laser photocoagulation to treat retinal diseases caused by diabetes has changed little in the past 35 years. Laser photocoagulation involves the controlled destruction of the peripheral retina using targeted laser pulses.
While this type of treatment has proven effective at reducing the chances of vision loss by as much as 50 percent, it can be very tedious to both patients and doctors. Ophthalmologists can deliver only one burn at a time, and treatment can require as many as 2,000 burns. A full course of treatment typically requires two to four sessions, each lasting 12 to 15 minutes.
The Pascal photocoagulator reduces this treatment duration as well as patient discomfort. It also can reduce the number of treatment sessions, reducing costs to both doctors and patients.
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