FORT WORTH, Texas, May 3, 2017 – Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, will launch its AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 Multifocal Toric intraocular lens (IOL) with ACTIVEFOCUS^™ optical design at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) 2017 annual meeting, taking place May 5 - 9 in Los Angeles. The ACTIVEFOCUS^™toric IOL recently gained Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for use in patients undergoing cataract surgery who choose to address their astigmatism and presbyopia at the same time. The IOL will headline a first-of-its-kind live surgery event that will give surgeons a front-row seat on the new technology and other innovations.  

“This year, Alcon celebrates 70 years of innovating for the benefit of surgeons and patients by continuing to bring forth our most promising best-in-class technologies,” said Sergio Duplan, Region President, North America, Alcon. “We are excited about the lineup of demonstrations and presentations around our latest innovations, including the IOLs with ACTIVEFOCUS^™ optical design. With these products, we are ushering in the new refractive era by transforming the way surgeons are able to address a multitude of optical conditions in one surgery.”

Alcon has planned numerous panel discussions and symposia, highlighting the new ACTIVEFOCUS^™ optical design; celebrating the 50^th anniversary of phacoemulsification while introducing the CENTURION^® Vision System with INTREPID^® Transformer I/A Handpiece; and, featuring the recently launched CyPass^® Micro-Stent technology for patients addressing cataracts and glaucoma at once. 

AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 Multifocal Toric IOL with ACTIVEFOCUS™ Optical Design

The unique optical design of the ACTIVEFOCUS^™ toric IOL gives astigmatic cataract patients quality distance vision and an increased range of vision to potentially reduce dependence on glasses. It is the only multifocal toric IOL in which the central portion is 100 percent dedicated to distance vision.^1,2Previous presbyopia-correcting IOL designs tend to compromise on distance vision in efforts to provide patients with a range of vision. Opportunities for surgeons to learn more about IOLs featuring the ACTIVEFOCUS^™ optical design include:

• Saturday, May 6
  • 2017 Alcon Live Surgery: Innovation in Action, Moderated by Dr. Terry Kim (Registration: 6:30 a.m., Event: 7:00 – 9:00 a.m., EyeWorld Theater, West Hall B, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Presentation: ACTIVEFOCUS™ Toric: A New Option for Presbyopia and Astigmatism Correction with One Lens. Drs. Donald Serafano, Quentin Allen and Jack Chapman (10:30 – 11:30 a.m., iLounge, Alcon Booth #1623)
  • Launch Event: Stop Holding Your Breath: The Most Advanced IOL Technology is Coming Up, Moderated by Dr. Quentin Allen (Registration: 7:00 p.m., Event: 7:30 – 10:00 p.m., The Novo Center by Microsoft, across from the convention center)

• Sunday, May 7
  • Panel Discussion: Correcting Presbyopia and Astigmatism with One IOL: Raise Your Expectations. Deliver Theirs. Moderated by Dr. Robert Cionni (Registration/Lunch: 11:30 a.m., Event: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., EyeWorld Theater, West Hall B, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Presentation: Addressing Your Patients’ Needs with the AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 with ACTIVEFOCUS™ Optical Design, Drs. Randy Epstein, Paul Ernest and Jeff Horn (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., iLounge, Alcon Booth #1623)

• Monday, May 8
  • Scientific Paper Presentation: Intermediate and Near Visual Acuities with a Toric Multifocal or Non-Toric Multifocal IOL, Dr. Stephen Scoper (3:12 – 3:17 p.m., Meeting Room Level, 410, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Scientific Paper Presentation: Contrast Sensitivity and Patient Reported Spectacle Wear with Toric and Non-Toric Multifocal IOLs, Dr. Satish Modi (3:17 – 3:22 p.m., Meeting Room Level, 410, L.A. Convention Center)

50 Years of Phaco and Beyond

This year, Alcon joins ASCRS in celebrating 50 years of phacoemulsification (phaco) technology and delivering ongoing innovations that have helped to improve the refractive outcomes of cataract patients. While the Company looks back at its rich history in the space, it will introduce the new INTREPID^®Transformer I/A Handpiece at the meeting.

The INTREPID^® Transformer I/A Handpiece has been specifically engineered to allow surgeons to easily transition from either coaxial or bimanual cortical removal without changing handpieces during cataract surgery. It allows greater access behind the lens and better positioning in bimanual mode. Surgeons can learn more about phaco technologies at the following events:

• Saturday, May 6
  • Femto + Phaco in Your OR: How to Increase Efficiency, Drs. Kendall Donaldson, Neel Desai and Carlos Martinez (1:00 – 2:00 p.m., iLounge, Alcon Booth #1623)

• Saturday, May 6 – Monday, May 8
  • Exhibition: 50 Years of Phaco. Get a rare glimpse of phaco machines that span across the past five decades of innovation, as well as those in the current Alcon Cataract Refractive Suite (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Alcon Booth #1623)

• Sunday, May 7
  • CENTURION^® Vision System with INTREPID^® Transformer I/A Handpiece: Phaco-Dynamics and Advancements. Drs. Stephen Lane, John Berdahl and Damien Goldberg (1:00 – 2:00 p.m., iLounge, Alcon Booth #1623)

CyPass^® Micro-Stent

The CyPass^® Micro-Stent is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) device to treat adult patients with mild-to-moderate primary open-angle glaucoma in conjunction with cataract surgery. It is the first MIGS device uniquely designed to be implanted in the supraciliary space, utilizing the same outflow pathway as first-line prostaglandin analog medications. Opportunities to learn more about the CyPass^® Micro-Stent include:

• Friday, May 5 – Monday, May 8
  • CyPass^® Micro-Stent Registry Study: Stop by the Medical Affairs desk at the Alcon booth if you are interested in learning about a planned observational study to assess the real-world clinical effectiveness and safety of the CyPass^® Micro-Stent. Scan your badge to receive information about this study.  (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Alcon Booth #1623)

• Saturday, May 6
  • 2017 Alcon Live Surgery: Innovation in Action, Moderated by Dr. Terry Kim (Registration: 6:30 a.m., Event: 7:00 – 9:00 a.m., EyeWorld Theater, West Hall B, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Presentation: CyPass^® Micro-Stent: First Impressions and Surgical Case Reviews, Drs. Brian Flowers, Sameh Mosaed and Nathan Radcliffe (11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., iLounge, Alcon Booth #1623)
  • Scientific Paper Presentation: Early Postoperative Observations of Supraciliary Micro-Stent Implantation for IOP Control in Combined POAG-Cataract Surgery, Dr. Quang Nguyen (2:02 – 2:07 p.m., Meeting Room Level, 410, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Scientific Paper Presentation: Results from the Cycle Study for Supraciliary Micro-Stent Implantation Combined with Cataract Surgery for Open-Angle Glaucoma, Drs. Helmut R. Hoeh and Magda Beatrice Rau (2:07 – 2:12 p.m., Meeting Room Level, 410, L.A. Convention Center)
  • Panel Discussion: Clinical Case Series: Innovation in MIGS via the Supraciliary Space, Co-moderated by Drs. Thomas Samuelson and Ike Ahmed (Registration/refreshments: 4:45 p.m., Event: 5:15 – 6:15 p.m., EyeWorld Theater, West Hall B, L.A. Convention Center)

Important Information About the Alcon Products Featured in this Release

AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 Multifocal Toric IOL with ACTIVEFOCUS™

Side effects associated with the AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 Multifocal Toric IOL include visual disturbances such as glare, rings around lights and blurred vision. These side effects might make it more difficult to see while driving at night or completing tasks in low lighting such as at night or in fog, after surgery as compared to before surgery. This IOL corrects corneal astigmatism only when it is placed in the correct position in the eye. There is a possibility that the IOL could be placed incorrectly or could move within the eye. This may result in less improvement or a reduction in vision because your corneal astigmatism has not been fully corrected, or it may cause visual symptoms.

The safety and effectiveness of the AcrySof^® IQ ReSTOR^® +2.5 Multifocal Toric IOL has not been established in patients with certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy (an increase in eye pressure or complications of diabetes in the eye).

INTREPID^® Transformer I/A Handpiece

Appropriate use of CENTURION^® Vision System parameters and accessories is important for successful procedures. The consumables used in conjunction with Alcon instrument products constitute a complete surgical system. Use of consumables and handpieces other than those manufactured by Alcon may affect system performance and create potential hazards.

CyPass^® Micro-Stent

The CyPass^® Micro-Stent is a prescription medical device that is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients with mild-to-moderate primary open-angle glaucoma. The use of the CyPass^® Micro-Stent is contraindicated in eyes with angle closure glaucoma and eyes with traumatic, malignant, uveitic or neovascular glaucoma or discernible congenital anomalies of the anterior chamber angle. If IOP is not adequately maintained after implantation of a CyPass^® Micro-Stent, additional therapy may be needed for IOP control. 

Additional important information about these products will be available at the Alcon booth #1623.