FDA Research at Newsom Eye Benefits Local Celebrity

Tampa, FL, July 18, 2010 --(PR.com)-- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the new Softec HD™ intraocular lens, but not without the help of local ophthalmologist T. Hunter Newsom, MD and Newsom Eye. Newsom was hand-selected to participate in this study, and as a result has had the honor of enabling this new lens to be placed in the hands of surgeons throughout the country. Newsom states, “We are proud of our relationship with Lenstec, and thrilled to help patients like local celebrity John Meder benefit from our research.” Meder of WWOJ 99.1 FM’s Meder in the Morning show was the first patient in Central Florida to benefit from this successful FDA study by having the Softec HD™ implanted in both eyes during his cataract surgery. “Before my surgery, I could barely see to drive. It is a miracle that I’m free of glasses for reading, distance, and driving. I just cannot believe how much my vision has improved. Choosing this surgeon and this lens was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” states Meder. His radio personality broadcasts throughout central Florida on WWOJ.

With its approval, the Softec HD™ offers a new level of precision for patients undergoing lens replacement or cataract surgery. Based on Lenstec's proprietary lens manufacturing technology, the Softec HD™ is designed to make cataract surgery more predictable by reducing the variability inherent in any manufactured lens. The Softec HD™ is manufactured with a tolerance of just 0.125D (diopters), which is up to three times more precise than cataract replacement lenses manufactured under less stringent International Organization of Standardization (ISO) standards.

In addition to reducing variability, Lenstec's high-precision manufacturing process makes it possible to produce Softec HD™ lenses in 0.25 diopter increments for prescriptions from +18D to +25D. A diopter, or D, is the unit of measurement of the refractive power of lenses. 0.25D is one click of the apparatus that an eye doctor uses to check your vision, while 0.50 D is two of these clicks. In contrast, standard IOLs from other manufacturers are available only in 0.5D increments, which means they may not be perfectly accurate with a patient’s prescription.

Newsom looks forward to being a part of future advances in surgical procedures through involvement with more FDA studies of this nature. “Being involved in these studies helps us deliver a more customized product to our patients. We have come a long way over the years. The clinical trials that we are conducting are giving us the opportunity to be at the forefront of modern medicine and to drive the direction of advanced medical technology,” states Newsom. He continues, “When performing FDA studies, like the Lenstec study, there is a lot of time and effort spent ensuring that strict FDA guidelines are followed, but working with a staff and facility as advanced and efficient as Newsom Eye’s makes the process run flawlessly. In the end it is well worth it to provide thoroughly-tested products to our patients and surgeons throughout the country.”

###