Originally Published MDDI January 2005
NEWSTRENDS
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| Carl Zeiss Meditec's Stratus OCT imaging system measures the thickness of a retinal nerve fiber layer, while LDT's GDxVCC evaluates any tissue changes that signal the onset of glaucoma. (click to enlarge) |
Two companies in the ophthalmic market have merged and will focus on treating a potentially blinding disease that affects more than 60 million people worldwide. Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc. (Dublin, CA) has acquired Laser Diagnostic Technologies Inc. (LDT; San Diego) as part of a plan to improve its glaucoma detection and treatment system.
Glaucoma causes irreversible damage to the optic nerve caused by high eye pressure. To provide the earliest diagnosis of the chronic condition, the companies will combine the use of two products that analyze different qualities of the retinal nerve fiber layer. A change in this retinal nerve tissue is one of the first signs of glaucoma. Carl Zeiss Meditec's Stratus OCT imaging system measures the thickness of the fiber layer, while LDT's GDxVCC product evaluates any characteristic tissue changes.
Carl Zeiss also provides eye-care products to treat refraction, cataract, and retinal disorders. Its acquisition of LDT coincides with the expanding worldwide market for glaucoma technology, which is projected to grow 10% each year.
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