ABBOTT PARK, Illinois, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced that the TECNIS® Toric 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and is launching in the United States for the treatment of cataract patients with pre-existing corneal astigmatism.

Corneal astigmatism is a condition where the curvature of the cornea is uneven, preventing light rays from focusing clearly on the retina, resulting in blurred vision. Intraocular lenses are implanted in a patient's eye after the removal of the natural lens that has become clouded by a cataract. Unlike conventional IOLs, the TECNIS Toric 1-Piece IOL can correct a patient's loss of focus due to pre-existing corneal astigmatism of one diopter (a unit of measurement of the refractive power of a lens) or greater.

The average age for the cataract surgery patient in the United States is approximately 68 years with more than 3.5 million procedures performed annually. As the U.S. population continues to age, the number of cataract surgeries is expected to grow nearly 3 percent each year, increasing patient demand for improved, precise visual outcomes and independence from glasses.

"The TECNIS Toric 1-Piece IOL represents the latest advancement in cataract technology and expands Abbott's portfolio of the TECNIS family of IOLs," said Murthy Simhambhatla, senior vice president, Medical Optics, Abbott. "The TECNIS Toric 1-Piece IOL allows surgeons to offer an additional lens option that provides proven visual outcomes to increase patient satisfaction."

Along with delivering precise visual outcomes for patients, rotational stability is an important attribute of a toric IOL. The TECNIS Toric 1-piece IOL remains very stable once inserted into the eye, and meets the new standard for toric IOL rotational stability, as approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

In addition to providing astigmatism correction, the TECNIS Toric 1-Piece lens minimizes imprecise light focusing (spherical aberration) to provide sharper distance vision for the patient.

"The TECNIS Toric IOL decreases astigmatism while improving visual quality, with improved functional vision," said Kevin Waltz, O.D., M.D., Eye Surgeons of Indiana, and clinical investigator for the TECNIS Toric IOL. "Having implanted several TECNIS Toric IOLs within clinical trials, I find it delivers excellent patient results."

Additional information about the TECNIS Toric 1-Piece IOL, including important safety information, is available at www.tecnistoriciol.com.

About Abbott Medical Optics (AMO)

Abbott Medical Optics is focused on delivering life-improving vision technologies to people of all ages. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of cataract, refractive and eye care products. Products in the cataract line include monofocal and multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs), phacoemulsification systems, viscoelastics, and related products used in ocular surgery. Products in the refractive line include wavefront diagnostic devices, femtosecond lasers and associated patient interface devices; excimer laser vision correction systems and treatment cards. Products in the eye care line include disinfecting solutions, enzymatic cleaners, lens rewetting drops and artificial tears. For more information, please visit www.abbottmedicaloptics.com.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 70,000 people. 

Visit Abbott at www.abbott.com and connect with us on Twitter at @AbbottNews.

SOURCE Abbott