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Accutome offers a variety of vitrectomy instruments for the removal of vitreous, blood and membranes of the eye.

FORCEPS AND SCISSORS

Accutome offers a line of vitectomy forceps and scissors. The company's Vitreo Retinal Forceps are available in seven designs, including the stainless-steel Capsulorhexis Forceps (pictured, left), which have a curved shank.

Accutome's Vitreo Retinal Microscissors are available in five stainless-steel designs, including 80º Vertical Scissors, 45º Vertical Scis-sors (pictured, right) and Angled 45º Horizontal Scissors.

The first two cut perpendicular to the retina; the third cuts parallel to the retina.

Accutome
Phone: (800) 979-2020
E-mail: eyeopenr@accutome.com
Web: www.accutome.com

FINANCING PRE-APPROVAL

CareCredit now offers Pre-Ap-proval, which, the company says, "helps practices improve refractive volume by decreasing appointment 'no-shows' and increasing conversion to surgery."

Pre-Approval lets practices know in advance whether CareCredit will approve a patient before the financial discussion or the appointment, so the patient knows he has a way to pay before cost becomes a barrier.

Practices can also pre-approve patients before asking them to complete an application. And unlike a standard credit inquiry, the Pre-Approval process doesn't affect a patient's credit bureau report.

CareCredit
Phone: (800) 300-3046, ext. 215
E-mail: info@carecredit.com
Web: www.carecredit.com

The OLCR Pachymeter is a noncontact instrument that eliminates the need for dilation and poses no risk of infection.

OLCR PACHYMETER

At this month's American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Haag-Streit unveiled the OLCR Pachymeter, which uses technology known as Optical Low Coherence Reflectometry. Through an invisible light beam, OLCR measures corneal thickness with an accuracy of ±1 µm.

The measuring head of the OLCR emits two red LED-aiming beams that converge at the point of focus of the invisible OLCR beam. You place the aiming beams on the cornea at the measuring point and move the slit lamp back and forth until the two beams merge. Audible signals act as a guide.

You can also enter a glaucoma patient's previously measured to-nometry reading and the OLCR Pachymeter will provide a corrected IOP, taking into account the cor-neal thickness just acquired. This feature uses a factory-default formula as a guideline, but you can enter additional formulas based on your own experience or guidelines.

Haag-Streit says you can mount the OLCR Pachymeter to any of its slit lamps, or to any slit lamp that accepts the C/M-type Goldmann Tonometer.

Haag-Streit
Phone: (800) 787-5426
E-mail: hssales@haag-streit-usa.com
Web: www.haag-streit.com

NEW IOL INSERTERS

AMO will soon be launching two new inserters. Emerald-Ease and Silver-Ease are Simple Syringe Unfolder systems designed for the acrylic and silicone OptiEdge IOLs. They allow rotation-free advance of the IOL with controlled unfolding and placement in the capsular bag.

AMO
Phone: (800) 979-8327
Web: www.amo-inc.com

VISTAKON TOOLS

As part of its ongoing Acuvue EyeHealth Advisor program, Vista-kon is distributing an array of materials designed to assist you in man- aging staff and educating patients.

To help manage staff, a humorous training module called "Where Did My Day Go?" is available, with a facilitator's guide, video and workbook designed to help increase productivity and eliminate stress.

A two-part brochure on teen contact lens wear is also available. The first part, "So Your Teen Is Considering Contact Lenses," an-swers many questions parents have, and addresses issues such as appropriate age, ability to follow proper lens wear and care, and the benefits of playing sports while wearing contact lenses.

The second part of the brochure, "Hey Teens . . . Open Your Eyes to a New You," dispels myths by answering questions such as "Does it hurt to put on and take off contact lenses?" and "Can the lenses get lost behind my eye?"

Reminder postcards are also available. The reminders not only let patients know it's time to make an appointment, but also highlight the numerous conditions a doctor can detect during an exam.

Vistakon
Phone: (877) 334-3937
Web: www.ecp.acuvue.com

The Grieshaber Revolution DSP line includes (from top to bottom): Vertical Scissors, End Grasping Forceps and Fiber Optic Forceps.

NEW DISPOSABLES

The Grieshaber Revolution DSP instruments are disposable versions of Alcon's Grieshaber Revolution vitreoretinal tools. They allow 360º actuation, eliminate cross-contamination concerns and reduce cost of ownership, according to Alcon.

The DSP line includes three instruments. The Fiber Optic Forceps eliminate passive egress; the Vertical Scissors have a distal design to aid in establishing the cleavage plane; and the End Grasping Forceps have a fine tip to enhance visualization.(The End Grasping Forceps are now available in both 25- and 20-gauge sizes.)

Alcon
Phone: (800) 862-5266
Web: www.grieshaberrevolution.com

You can customize Ophthalmology Office to meet your practice needs.

SOFTWARE LAUNCHED

Ophthalmic Imaging Systems (OIS) has launched two new products: Ophthalmology Office and AutoMontage.

Ophthalmology Office is a Windows-based suite of applications that integrates electronic medical records and enterprise practice management. "Ophthalmology Office is a flexible system that lets you customize your own information," says Greg Rosenthal, M.D., "and the savings on coding and transcription alone have more than paid for my investment."

AutoMontage merges multiple retinal images into a single, color-corrected view. Within seconds, you can see a widefield view of the retina, providing "crystal-clear details in a seamless montage."

OIS
Phone: (916) 646-2020
E-mail: info@oisi.com
Web: www.oisi.com

NEW ODYSSEY IMPLANTS

New to Odyssey Medical's dry eye line: Extend Absorbable Synthetic Punctal Implants, which provide occlusion for up to 3 months. They're designed for patients with short-term dry eye.

Extend Implants are available in three sizes, and in a variety pack. The implants come sterile in boxes of 20, available at an introductory price of $150 per box.

In other Odyssey Medical news, the company has signed an agreement with Vision Source as a punctum-plug provider for its members. The agreement entitles Vision Source members to special pricing on Parasol Punctal Occluders and other Odyssey items.

Odyssey
Phone: (888) 905-7770
Web: www.odysseymed.com

B&L says the 25-gauge TSV system, which is part of the Millennium system, provides streamlined entry while being efficient and cost-effective.

MILLENNIUM TSV

B&L's Millennium Microsurgical System includes the 25-gauge TSV system for transconjunctival standard vitrectomy. The system provides access through a micro-incision, eliminating the need for conjunctival dissection and a large scleral incision.

The TSV system uses microsurgical alignment cannulas, and illumination is provided via a 25-gauge, high-output mercury-vapor system. A range of 25-gauge reusable and single-use instruments are available for the TSV system, including pick forceps.

Bausch & Lomb
Phone: (800) 531-2020
Web: www.bausch.com

Lumenis says the portability and the high-energy delivery potential of the Novus TTx makes it suitable for both outpatient clinics and operating rooms.

LUMENIS APPROVAL

Lumenis has received marketing clearance from the FDA for its Novus TTx, 810 Nanometer Infrared Diode Photocoagulator.

The Novus TTx lets you treat such retinal conditions as choroidal neovascularization, age-related macular degeneration, premature reti-nopathy and intraocular tumors.

Lumenis says the Novus TTx is the only ophthalmic 810-nm diode photocoagulator with four delivery modes, letting you control the amount of energy used during each customized laser treatment.

Lumenis
Phone: (877) 586-3647
E-mail: information@lumenis.com
Web: www.lumenis.com

CIBA VISION NEWS

To help simplify lens selection for astigmats, CIBA Vision has created an educational toolkit for eyecare professionals. The kit contains a reference guide card to help practitioners determine the best CIBA Vision contact lens for the patient's prescription, as well as a poster that identifies the features and fitting characteristics of each CIBA Vision lens used to correct astigmatism.

In other CIBA Vision news, the FDA has cleared the solutions Aosept Clear Care and Solo-Care Plus for use with silicone hydrogel lenses. The company notes, "While Night & Day lenses can be worn safely for up to 30 continuous days and nights and don't necessarily require the use of lens-care products, some patients may choose to remove their lenses before the 30-day replacement schedule."

CIBA Vision
Phone: (800) 241-5999
Web: www.cibavision.com

Rhein Medical's 20-gauge vitrectomy instruments are available in irrigating and nonirrigating models.

VITREORETINAL TOOLS

Rhein Medical's line of vitreoretinal surgical tools encompasses more than 60 instruments, including scissors, graspers and forceps. These can be used to incise and grasp tissue or remove foreign objects from the posterior segment.

Different configurations are available, including black and silver handles.

Rhein Medical
Phone: (800) 637-4346
Fax: (813) 885-9346
E-mail: info@rheinmedical.com
Web: www.rheinmedical.com

The Mesh-Wrapped Bioceramic Orbital Implant is half the weight of HydroxyAppetite.

MESH IMPLANT

FCI Ophthalmics has just received FDA approval to market the Mesh-Wrapped Bioceramic Orbital Implant for use in enucleation procedures.

The implant is made of the porous, non-brittle biomaterial alumina. It features interconnected pores about 500 µm in size. The vicryl mesh-wrapping lets you suture the muscles directly into the implant.

The Mesh-Wrapped Bioceramic Orbital Implant is available in four diameters, from 16 mm to 22 mm.

FCI
Phone: (800) 932-4202
Web: www.fci-ophthalmics.com

ELECTRO COAGULATOR

Kirwan Surgical says its new Aura line includes the most progressive 20-watt bipolar electrosurgical coagulator on the market.

The compact, lightweight coagulator features adjustable display settings and an adjustable audible tone that's heard during output power activation.

The unit weighs less than two pounds and has a carrying handle. The front panel angles up approximately 30º for ease of reading the display panel.

Kirwan Surgical
Phone: (888) 547-9267
Web: www.kirwans.com