Second Sight Medical Products Inc.
04.07.2013 09:00
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In Amsterdam, a New Center of Excellence That Provides This Innovative
Treatment to Restore Vision in Blind Patients
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, 2013-07-04 09:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Second Sight announces today that Argus II Bionic Eye is now also available in
the Netherlands. Many patients suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa have now the
possibility to regain some functional vision with this treatment.
Dr. Marco Mura, vitreo-retinal surgeon at Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal and AMC,
Amsterdam, marked an important milestone when two patients blinded by Retinitis
Pigmentosa (RP) were implanted with an Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System
(Argus II), becoming the first patients in the Netherlands to be implanted with
sight restoring technology manufactured by Second Sight Medical Products Inc.
'Being able to restore eyesight to the blind is the realisation of my dream. I
became a doctor to improve people's quality of life; I became an
ophthalmologist to cure those with eye disorders,' Dr. Mura said after these
first operations.
RP is a rare, hereditary disease that causes a progressive degeneration of the
light-sensitive cells of the retina, leading to significant visual impairment
and ultimately blindness. The Netherlands has 45,000 blind people. Of these
people, approximately 4,700 suffer from retinitis pigmentosa, of whom
approximately 50 lose their sight annually. The disease is a collective term
for a group of eye conditions that lead to poor vision in the dark (night
blindness) and to a very gradual reduction of the visual field which ultimately
results in tunnel vision. The condition does not have a standard course, but
most of the patients lose their sight by the age of forty.
In the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System a mini camera mounted on sunglasses
captures the scene. The images are first processed by a video processing unit;
this data is then transmitted wirelessly to the implant that stimulates the
remaining healthy cells of the retina, inducing pattern of lights that the
brain interprets as shapes and movements. This technique allows blind people
who suffer from the hereditary condition to distinguish light and contours
again. Clinical results have demonstrated that Argus II is reliable over the
long term and provides benefit to implanted patients followed up to 5 years. In
daily life activities, profoundly blind Argus II users improved dramatically in
their ability to conduct visual tasks and complement to other assistive means
used by the blind. It may also enable other life style tasks generally
considered impossible for the blind (for example reading). For all users, it
means being connected to the visual world again, with all its associated
advantages in terms of social interactions, and independence. The treatment has
been commercially available till now in many hospitals worldwide, located in
Germany, Italy, England, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and the USA.
Gregoire Cosendai, PhD, Head of Europe for Second Sight. 'We are very pleased
to introduce our treatment for the blind people in the Netherlands, in a center
of excellence in eye care such as Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal Amsterdam. They are
the clear example of how a leading center in the application of modern
ophthalmology technologies can find the perfect synergy with Second Sight, the
company that offers the first treatment for blindness. Leading ophthalmologists
in the north of Europe can now refer to Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal Amsterdam and
offer the benefit of Argus II to their patients. '
About Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal:
Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal has specialised in ophthalmology for more nine years.
With eleven locations in the Netherlands, it is the largest national provider
of eye care. Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal's rapid growth is compelling evidence
that patients choose it for the quality of its care. The number of patients
with eye problems reporting to one of its hospital locations is growing
annually. In 2013 the hospital expects to surpass 200,000 patient visits. The
entire organisation is prepared to meet this increased demand for specialist
and standard eye care. Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal's legal form and its
patient-oriented culture provide space to continuously invest in technical
improvements and innovation. Oogziekenhuis Zonnestraal's vision 'healthy eyes
contribute to quality of life', underscores its ambition to continually improve
the quality of eye care for its patients. For more information see
www.oogziekenhuiszonnestraal.nl/retinachip
About the Second Sight Retinal Prosthesis System:
The system works by converting video images captured by a miniature camera,
housed in the patient's glasses, into a series of small electrical pulses that
are transmitted wirelessly to an array of electrodes on the surface of the
retina. These pulses are intended to stimulate the retina's remaining cells
resulting in the corresponding perception of patterns of light in the brain.
Patients then learn to interpret these visual patterns thereby regaining some
visual function. Six of the first 60 patients were implanted with a first
generation Argus I system, that was attached to an electronic implant inserted
invasively in the skull behind the ear with a wire connecting to the eye under
the skin. The last 55 patients have received the second generation Argus II
system, which is much less invasive and is implanted only in and around the
eye. Second Sight gained European approval (CE Mark) for the Argus II system in
2011 - the first and only approval of a retinal prosthesis anywhere in the
world. In February 2013, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
Argus II.
About Second Sight:
Second Sight Medical Products Inc., located in Los Angeles, California, was
founded in 1998 to create a retinal prosthesis to provide sight to patients
blinded from outer retinal degenerations, such as RP. Through dedication and
innovation, Second Sight's mission is to develop, manufacture and market
implantable visual prosthetics to enable blind individuals to achieve greater
independence. European Headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. For more
information, go to www.2-sight.com.
CONTACT: Second Sight Medical Products
Maura Arsiero, PhD
publicrelations@2-sight.com
Tel: +41 21 693 91 51
Mobile: +41 76 570 88 70
News Source: NASDAQ OMX
04.07.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP -
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Language: English
Company: Second Sight Medical Products Inc.
United States
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ISIN: US9902302374
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DGAP-News: Second Sight's Argus(R) II Retinal Implant Now Available Also in the Netherlands
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