Lexington, KY – December 2, 2014

Omega Ophthalmics is pleased to announce that a patent for a prosthetic capsular bag has been issued by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO).

The patent for invention number 8,900,300 is for a “prosthetic capsular bag and method of inserting the same.”

Omega CEO Rick Ifland notes that the issuance of the patent is a crucial first step in the FDA approval process. He notes, "This core patent represents several years of hard work on our cutting-edge, proprietary technology. We are pleased to have secured this acknowledgement of our intellectual property with the US Patent and Trade Office since it represents the heart of our initial discovery and will be instrumental as we expand our IP protections around the globe."

Originally filed in February 2012, Omega’s patent was granted for “[helping] to maintain the volume of the natural capsular bag, thereby stabilizing the effective lens position of an IOL so that refractive outcomes may be improved with cataract surgery. The prosthetic capsular bag further provides an integrated refractive surface, providing a means for experimentally determining an effective lens position prior to inserting an IOL.”

This marks Omega’s first issued patent, which was acknowledged by both the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CA 2,864,882). The patent is accompanied by various other patents, including pending patents for the same technology in Australia, Europe, India, Japan, and several provisional United States and PCT patents.

While the patent was in process, Omega Ophthalmics has been conducting studies as part of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process for medical devices. Clinical animal studies has shown this capsular bag to be remarkably effective in helping maintain effective lens position as compared to other intraocular lenses, a critical component of cataracts surgery that determines whether or not a patient will need post-operative corrective lenses. Human trials are scheduled to start later this year.

 

Cataract surgery is the single most common surgical procedure performed in the United States annually. With the global cataracts market currently projected to reach $4.3 billion by 2017, Omega’s capsular bag is well-positioned to become the new standard lens for cataract surgery.

---

ABOUT OMEGA OPHTHALMICS

Omega Ophthalmics is a medical device company making significant advancements in the global ophthalmology industry through its patent-pending, proprietary technologies for intraocular lenses, capsular bags, and high technology applications within the eye. Founded by Gary Wörtz, MD and Rick Ifland, Omega is headquartered in Lexington, KY.

For more information about Omega Ophthalmics, contact Rick Ifland, CEO.

For more information about Omega's technology, contact Gary Wörtz, MD, CMO.