Printer Friendly
The Free Library
4,474,226 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

LCA-Vision U.S. Centers Report a 281% Gain in 1997 Procedure Volume With a Total of 11,268 Laser Eye Surgeries for the Year.


CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 6, 1998--

Impact Of Word-Of-Mouth, Media Exposure Felt As Patient Acceptance

Of New Vision Correction Treatment Continues To Gain Momentum

LCA LCA - Labor Condition Application
LCA - Laboratory for Computational Astrophysics
LCA - Laboratory for Computer Architecture (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; University of Texas at Austin)
LCA - Lake Carriers Association
LCA - Lambda Chi Alpha (fraternity)
LCA - Lancaster County Academy (Pennsylvania)
LCA - Landing Craft, Assault
LCA - Landscape Character Areas
LCA - Landscape Character Assessment (UK landscape planning)
-Vision Inc. (NASDAQ:LCAV), the nation's largest operator of stand-alone laser eye surgery centers, today reported a total of 11,268 procedures were performed at its U.S. locations in 1997, or a 281 percent increase over the previous year.

The firm's affiliated ophthalmologists performed 7,246 more eye surgeries in the U.S. to correct nearsightedness nearsightedness /near·sight·ed·ness/ (ner-sit´ed-nes) myopia.

near·sight·ed·ness (nîrs
 or astigmatism
compound astigmatism  that complicated with hypermetropia or myopia in all meridians.
corneal astigmatism  that due to irregularity in the curvature or refracting power of the cornea.
irregular astigmatism  that in which the curvature varies in different parts of the same meridian or in which refraction in successive meridians differs irregularly.
 from January 1 through December 31, than they did in the previous 12-month period. Concurrently, LCA-Vision's U.S.-based centers also posted impressive year-to-year increases in "same store" patient volume, for the four quarters of 1997 compared to the previous year, registering gains of 337, 125, 104, and 74 percent, respectively.

Commenting on the year's threefold-plus increase in procedure volume, LCA-Vision CEO Dr. Stephen Joffe said: "Our strong l997 totals clearly demonstrate that patient acceptance of laser vision correction is growing rapidly and consistently. The momentum is there, reflecting the impact of very positive word-of-mouth from thousands of enthusiastic patients and continued favorable media exposure for a unique vision correction treatment that is fast, safe, non-invasive, and effective."

He noted that close to 98 percent of LCA-Vision patients have been restored to 20/40 or better vision after treatment, enabling them to discard eye glasses and contact lenses.

Another factor contributing to the steadily growing acceptance of laser vision correction in 1997, according to Dr. Joffe, was a significant rise in the number of patients selecting LASIK treatment, an advanced, state-of-the-art laser technique which virtually eliminates post-operative discomfort. Patients experience corrected vision almost immediately after the brief procedure is completed. The preferred treatment for more severe cases of myopia or nearsightedness, LASIK currently represents over 40 percent of the laser vision correction performed at LCA-Vision centers.

Dr. Joffe also pointed out that the potential patient population for laser eye surgery expanded again in April of l997 when the FDA approved the procedure for the treatment of astigmatism using the VISX laser. The FDA green light for treating farsightedness farsightedness /far·sight·ed·ness/ (fahr-sit´ed-nes) hyperopia.

far·sight·ed·ness (färs
 is also anticipated some time later this year. More than half the U.S. adult population, or as many as 150 million Americans, now require some kind of vision correction for either nearsightedness, astigmatism, or farsightedness.

In addition to its 27 U.S.-based facilities, LCA-Vision operates laser vision correction centers in Toronto and Ft. Erie, Canada and Helsinki, Finland. Well over 20,000 successful procedures have now been performed at LCA-Vision facilities with more than 600 affiliated physicians and some 800 referring optometrists.

LCA-Vision also manages laser, and minimally invasive, multi-specialty programs for major hospitals across the country.

CONTACT: Dr. Stephen Joffe or Larry Rapp

LCA-Vision Inc.

(513) 792-9292

or

Joel Pomerantz

The Dilenschneider Group

(212) 922-0900
COPYRIGHT 1998 Business Wire
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1998, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Business Wire
Date:Jan 6, 1998
Words:469
Previous Article:Empire Company Declares Dividends on Series 2 & Series 3 Preferred Shares.
Next Article:Connetics Announces Submission of a New Drug Application for betamethasone Mousse.
Topics:



Related Articles
LCA-Vision reports first quarter results.
LCA-Vision Opens Tenth U.S. Laser Eye Surgery Center in Florida To Serve Large Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater Metro Area.
LCA-Vision Opens Fast-Growing Company's 17th Laser Eye Surgery Center To Serve Patients In California's Silicon Valley Area.
LCA-Vision announces fourth quarter and year-end results.
LCA-Vision Will Close Approximately 10 Laser Eye Treatment Sites to Focus Resources on Best-Performing Locations Following Recent Acquisition of...
Laser Vision Centers Case Volume Up 455% in December.
High Volume LCA-Vision Baltimore Center Opens Satellite Facility in Annapolis to Meet Strong Area Demand for Laser Vision Surgery.
LCA-Vision Posts 161 Percent Increase in Quarterly Revenues.
LCA-Vision Performed a Record 5,677 Laser Vision Correction Procedures in Second Quarter, Up 103 Percent Over a Year Ago.
LCA-Vision Reports Record 6,093 Laser Vision Correction Procedures In Third Quarter, Up 122 Percent Over Year Ago.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles