Innovative Device Offers Proactive Approach for Preventing Blindness: MacuScopeTM Assesses Risk of Developing Macular Degeneration, Aids in Prevention
West Bloomfield, MI, March 01, 2008 --(PR.com)-- MacuChek, a medical technology company based in West Bloomfield, Mich., has pioneered a device that is the first available to eye care professionals to aid in the prevention of the leading cause of legal blindness, macular degeneration which affects approximately 30 million worldwide.
The first commercially available, scientifically validated instrument that accurately measures macular protective pigment density, the MacuScope™ assesses a patient’s risk of developing macular degeneration, decades before symptoms begin. With increasing lifespan and an aging population, the number of people affected by the disease is expected to double in the next 20 to 30 years.
The MacuScope™ will be displayed at SECO International 2008 (booth #153) in Atlanta from February 28 – March 2, 2008.
“Early detection of macular degeneration and its major risk factors, prior to symptomatology, as well as monitoring their status are critical to preserving a patient’s vision. This opportunity has not been possible until now,” said Dr. David Segel, president and CEO of MacuChek. “The MacuScope™ provides patients with a new sense of hope and should alleviate a patient’s greatest fear, the possibility of going blind.”
Macular degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness, is caused by damage to the delicate macular tissues. It can severely affect a person’s central vision, making it difficult to read, drive or perform other activities that require sight. It is a disease with both genetic and environmental components and is without cure.
Following a painless, non-invasive and brief examination, the MacuScope™, is able to quantify macular protective pigment density changes (MPPD) in the macula and then categorizes patients as either high-risk or low-risk for developing macular degeneration. Proactive treatment programs using ocular supplements, like LMZ3, to re-pigment the macula are then developed by an eye-care professional for patients at high risk of developing the disease in an attempt to manage the macular protective pigment deficiency. Research has proven that treatment with specific ocular supplements can increase macular protective pigment density by up to 40 percent within six months.
“There was a recent case in Ireland where the MacuScopeTM was used in assessing and treating a patient who was told he would be blind within a year,” Segel said. “Through the proper combination of MacuScopeTM screenings and corresponding dosage of ocular supplements, LMZ3 (MacuShield in Europe), he has been able to regain his sight and begin driving again within six months.”
MacuScopeTM is currently being used in 21 states throughout the United States. It is also available in Canada, Europe and will soon be accessible to eye care professionals in China and Korea. For more information on MacuScope™, please call 1-800-404-4170, or visit www.macuscope.com.
About MacuScopeTM
The MacuScopeTM, developed by MacuChek, is the proactive solution for preventing macular degeneration. It is the first commercial instrument available that accurately measures macular protective pigment density in order to proactively treat the major risk factor for macular degeneration – decreased macular pigment. The MacuScopeTM is registered with the FDA as a class 1 exempt device and is manufactured in an FDA-approved facility to standards set by the FDA. The MacuScopeTM meets comparable medical and safety guidelines worldwide. It has been validated in research laboratories by reproducing the same protective pigment densities as other research companions. For more information, visit www.macuscope.com.
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The first commercially available, scientifically validated instrument that accurately measures macular protective pigment density, the MacuScope™ assesses a patient’s risk of developing macular degeneration, decades before symptoms begin. With increasing lifespan and an aging population, the number of people affected by the disease is expected to double in the next 20 to 30 years.
The MacuScope™ will be displayed at SECO International 2008 (booth #153) in Atlanta from February 28 – March 2, 2008.
“Early detection of macular degeneration and its major risk factors, prior to symptomatology, as well as monitoring their status are critical to preserving a patient’s vision. This opportunity has not been possible until now,” said Dr. David Segel, president and CEO of MacuChek. “The MacuScope™ provides patients with a new sense of hope and should alleviate a patient’s greatest fear, the possibility of going blind.”
Macular degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness, is caused by damage to the delicate macular tissues. It can severely affect a person’s central vision, making it difficult to read, drive or perform other activities that require sight. It is a disease with both genetic and environmental components and is without cure.
Following a painless, non-invasive and brief examination, the MacuScope™, is able to quantify macular protective pigment density changes (MPPD) in the macula and then categorizes patients as either high-risk or low-risk for developing macular degeneration. Proactive treatment programs using ocular supplements, like LMZ3, to re-pigment the macula are then developed by an eye-care professional for patients at high risk of developing the disease in an attempt to manage the macular protective pigment deficiency. Research has proven that treatment with specific ocular supplements can increase macular protective pigment density by up to 40 percent within six months.
“There was a recent case in Ireland where the MacuScopeTM was used in assessing and treating a patient who was told he would be blind within a year,” Segel said. “Through the proper combination of MacuScopeTM screenings and corresponding dosage of ocular supplements, LMZ3 (MacuShield in Europe), he has been able to regain his sight and begin driving again within six months.”
MacuScopeTM is currently being used in 21 states throughout the United States. It is also available in Canada, Europe and will soon be accessible to eye care professionals in China and Korea. For more information on MacuScope™, please call 1-800-404-4170, or visit www.macuscope.com.
About MacuScopeTM
The MacuScopeTM, developed by MacuChek, is the proactive solution for preventing macular degeneration. It is the first commercial instrument available that accurately measures macular protective pigment density in order to proactively treat the major risk factor for macular degeneration – decreased macular pigment. The MacuScopeTM is registered with the FDA as a class 1 exempt device and is manufactured in an FDA-approved facility to standards set by the FDA. The MacuScopeTM meets comparable medical and safety guidelines worldwide. It has been validated in research laboratories by reproducing the same protective pigment densities as other research companions. For more information, visit www.macuscope.com.
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Contact
MacuChek
Kristin Mullen
248-851-3993
www.macuscope.com
Kristin Mullen
248-851-3993
www.macuscope.com
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