NVISION Eye Centers Successfully Implants Its First Miniature Telescope

ALISO VIEJO, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 4, 2016) - NVISION Eye Centers, one of the leading providers of LASIK and cataract surgery in the U.S., has successfully performed its first CentraSight® procedure, which involves implanting a mini telescope into one eye to treat end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). NVISION performed the first-of-its-kind procedure on Thursday, January 14 at the Box Canyon Surgery Center in Las Vegas. Highly regarded ophthalmologist Dr. Paul Casey performed the procedure, and is not only pleased with the outcome, but also thrilled with how well his patient is recovering.

"The surgery involves removing the cataract and placing a tiny telescope in the eye," said Dr. Casey, who practices at both of NVISION's Las Vegas offices and is part of CentraSight's initial care team. "Everything went smoothly and the telescope device was implanted successfully. The procedure could not have gone more seamlessly."

The first-of-its-kind telescope implant is integral to CentraSight, a new patient care program for treating patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration, the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.

AMD is the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 60 and nearly 15 million seniors in the United States are battling severe vision loss because of the disease. Patients with end-stage AMD have a central blind spot or missing area in their vision that makes it difficult or impossible to see faces, read or perform everyday activities.

Smaller than a pea, the telescope implant uses micro-optical technology to magnify images which would normally be seen in one's "straight ahead" or central, vision. The images are magnified and projected onto the healthy portion of the retina not affected by the disease, making it possible for patients to see or discern the central vision object of interest.

"I am deeply honored to be among the first to perform this revolutionary procedure," said Dr. Casey. "To restore vision to this wonderful patient by utilizing groundbreaking technology is both exciting and humbling."

The procedure employs the expertise of a variety of medical professionals, including retina specialists, who confirm the AMD diagnosis; low-vision optometrists and occupational therapists, for pre- and post-op training and rehabilitation; and skilled surgeons, who perform the surgery.

"I could not be more pleased with Dr. Casey and his team," said patient Bonnie James. "They took a great deal of time to speak with me before and after the procedure and made sure I felt completely comfortable. It takes a lot of talent to perform this procedure successfully, and Dr. Casey went above and beyond."

For more information about NVISION Eye Centers, please visit www.NVISIONCenters.com.

ABOUT NVISION EYE CENTERS: NVISION Eye Centers is the premier provider of LASIK and cataract surgery in the U.S., with 26 centers in California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona. An innovative leader in ophthalmology, NVISION is dedicated to providing the best patient experience through the use of the latest technology and treatment by the most talented and experienced surgeons in the industry. NVISION was founded in 2010 by Tom Tooma, M.D., one of the earliest pioneers of LASIK who has performed more than 100,000 procedures throughout his esteemed career. With more than 1,900 eye doctors referring their patients and trusting their own eyes to NVISION surgeons, NVISION Eye Centers is the Eye Doctors' #1 Choice®. For more information, visit www.NVISIONCenters.com or call (877) 455-9942.