Alcon, a global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, has introduced Contoura Vision, the latest advancement in its WaveLight refractive portfolio during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in Las Vegas, November 14-17, 2015. Alcon also presented new research findings in glaucoma, cataract and refractive surgical procedures at AAO.

Building on its broad portfolio of ophthalmic surgical innovations, Contoura Vision is a topography-guided LASIK treatment designed to provide surgeons the ability to perform more personalised laser procedures for patients with nearsightedness, or nearsightedness with astigmatism, based on the unique corneal topography of each eye. In 2014, more than 630,000 LASIK procedures were performed in the US alone.

"We are pleased to provide surgeons with a technology that has been shown to deliver visual acuity better than glasses or contact lenses for nearly one-third of patient eyes in a clinical trial setting," said Franck Leveiller, head of research & development for Alcon's Surgical Franchise.

"Backed by FDA approval and very positive clinical trial outcomes, surgeons can now offer a topography-guided treatment option for refractive surgery patients in the US."

Multicenter clinical trial results demonstrate that the personalised topography-guided LASIK procedure Contoura Vision redefined the standard practice terminology of "quality of vision" which is visual acuity combined with visual symptoms, with more than 30 per cent of eyes achieving better unaided visual acuity 12 months after surgery than with glasses or contact lenses prior to surgery. In this US-based clinical trial, 92.6 per cent of eyes that received topography-guided LASIK treatment achieved 20/20 vision or better: specifically, 64.8 per cent experienced 20/16 vision or better, and 34.4 per cent could see 20/12.5 or better, 12 months after surgery. The procedure also showed statistically significant reductions in some of the visual symptoms associated with LASIK, such as glare, light sensitivity, difficulty driving at night and difficulty while reading.

Contoura Vision is performed with Alcon's WaveLight Allegretto Wave Eye-Q or WaveLight EX500 Excimer Laser Systems, in conjunction with the WaveLight Topolyzer Vario Diagnostic Device. Alcon plans for broad commercial release of Contoura Vision in the US in early 2016.

In addition to its Contoura Vision launch, Alcon also presented data and clinical results for current pipeline and product innovations: two studies on fixed combination Brinzolamide 1 per cent/Brimonidine 0.2 per cent (BBFC) used adjunctive to Prostaglandin Analogs (PGAs): Findings show additive effect of BBFC therapy in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were inadequately controlled on PGA alone.

The data also includes study comparing intraoperative aberrometry versus a toric calculator in determining toric IOL cylinder power and Axis: refractive outcomes in post-hyperoptic LASIK cataract patients in which intraoperative aberrometry was used to Determine IOL power; postoperative uncorrected visual acuity vs preoperative best corrected visual acuity with the WaveLight Refractive Suite; comparing aphakic refractive measurements in eyes in which BSS and an ophthalmic viscosurgical device were used with an intraoperative aberrometer.

WaveLight Excimer Lasers are prescription medical devices that are approved for use in performing laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) to correct certain kinds of nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. Only doctors who have been trained in laser refractive surgery (including laser calibration and operation) should use a WaveLight Excimer Laser.