San Diego Ophthalmologist Discusses Latest Investigational Treatment for Presbyopia

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 24, 2014) - Considered part of the eye's natural aging process, presbyopia is a condition that results in a progressively reduced ability to focus on close objects, causing blurred near vision. It affects as many as hundreds of millions of adults in the U.S., and more than one billion worldwide. Current treatment for presbyopia includes a range of options, from reading glasses to laser surgical correction, but San Diego eye surgeon Michael Gordon, MD says there is a new investigational treatment -- currently being studied in a clinical research trial -- called the Presbia Flexivue Microlens™.

"In this new investigative procedure you literally create a pocket in the cornea and insert a very clear, thin, small lens," says Dr. Gordon. "You're not removing any tissue. It's something that is potentially reversible and it's also potentially upgradeable, meaning you may be able to put a certain power lens in when you're 45 and come back five years later to put a stronger, new lens in. That's the theory behind the Presbia® implant."

As described in "What Causes Presbyopia?" -- the first post of a recent blog series on Dr. Gordon's website -- current treatment options for presbyopia include monovision laser surgery, progressive multi-focal LASIK (PML), or lens-based procedures (similar to the type of lens replacement performed in cataract surgery). Still in an experimental phase, the Presbia® implant is distinguished from these other options by its investigational microlens technology:

"The Presbia® inlay is made of almost a soft contact lens material," says Dr. Gordon. "And it's a refractive inlay. There are other inlays that you can put in that are also being studied, but this is the only refractive inlay, meaning it has a power unto itself. That's why you can, in theory, remove these and put in a stronger power later on in life."

In part two of the blog series -- a post titled, "Dislike Your Reading Glasses? Learn About the Latest Investigative Treatment for Presbyopia" -- the San Diego eye surgeon says the clinical research trial will evaluate the implant's effectiveness in improving patients' ability to see at near distances. "The procedure is for people who are not able to read any longer," he says. "Typically, when we turn right around the age of 40, we start losing enough accommodation where you have to hold things further away to see, and then ultimately you can't hold it far enough away and still read it because it's too small."

"Ideal candidates are people between the ages 40 and 60 who essentially have no prescription for distance, so they don't need distance glasses," says Dr. Gordon regarding the clinical trial. "They currently need reading glasses and have healthy eyes; they can't have had previous LASIK surgery, for instance. Those are the basic criteria."

Dr. Gordon completed the investigational surgery on the first five recipients during the week of June 9th, 2014. As the treatment is a clinical research trial, Dr. Gordon also strongly reminds patients considering the study that procedures must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in order for their safety and efficacy to be proven.

About Michael Gordon, M.D.
Dr. Michael Gordon earned his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and has more than 25 years experience as an ophthalmologist and laser eye surgeon. He is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, is a founding board member of the International LASIK Institute, and holds membership in many medical organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Society for Refractive Surgery. Dr. Gordon is renowned among the world's most experienced laser refractive surgeons and has taught laser vision correction to ophthalmologists worldwide. He was also the first surgeon in the U.S. to use the Summit excimer laser, and he has been awarded the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Achievement Award. He is available for interview upon request.

About Gordon-Weiss-Schanzlin Vision Institute
With over 90 years of collective experience, the team of eye surgeons at Gordon-Weiss-Schanzlin Vision Institute (GWSVI) has served the eye care needs of the San Diego community for more than 20 years. They provide an extensive range of vision correction procedures and implement the latest advancements in laser technology and refractive surgery. The ophthalmologists and optometrists at GWSVI are board-certified, members of numerous prestigious medical organizations, and have been widely recognized as leaders in the field of clinical research. GWSVI offers comprehensive options for LASIK vision correction and provides surgical treatment for cataracts, corneal disorders, and other eye diseases.

For more information about Gordon-Weiss-Schanzlin Vision Institute, please visit gwsvision.com and facebook.com/lasiksandiego.

To view the original source of the press release, click here: http://www.gwsvision.com/latest-news/san-diego-ophthalmologist-discusses-latest-investigational-treatment-for-presbyopia/