Summit Autonomous Receives FDA Approval to Expand Clinical Trials Using CustomCornea Wavefront Measurement Technology; Clinical Investigators to Meet May 19, 2000.

Business/Technology Editors and Health/Medical Writers

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--May 9, 2000

Summit Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ Symbol: BEAM) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the Company approval to expand its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) studies for wavefront guided ablations using the combination of its patented CustomCornea(R) Wavefront System and its LADARVision(R) System. In October of 1999, CustomCornea was the first wavefront measurement device of its kind to begin clinical studies in the U.S. The CustomCornea Wavefront System is the only measurement device designed to objectively measure the unique optical aberrations in each patient's eyes and then link the information to the LADARVision System in order to treat the patient with a customized wavefront-guided ablation pattern to reshape the cornea.

The expanded multi-site CustomCornea trials include bilateral LASIK patients. Indications include myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism as well as ocular abnormalities such as irregular astigmatism and irregularities as a result of a prior refractive surgery.

On Friday, May 19, 2000, prior to the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Conference, Summit Autonomous will host a CustomCornea Wavefront Investigators Meeting. The co-chairs of the meeting, Marguerite McDonald, MD, Medical Director of the Summit Autonomous CustomCornea clinical trials and Daniel Durrie, MD, National Director of Refractive Surgery of NovaMed Eyecare, Inc. (NASDAQ Symbol: NOVA) will provide an update on the progress of the clinical trials at this invitational meeting.

"Objective wavefront measurement interfaced with small spot scanning technology using active eye tracking is the future of refractive surgery," commented Robert J. Palmisano, Chief Executive Officer of Summit Autonomous. "The Summit Autonomous LADARVision System offers the only FDA-approved laser eye tracker. Other trackers are merely video-based and are too slow to track and compensate for all saccadic eye movement," he continued. "Only Summit Autonomous has FDA approved claims confirming that active eye tracking with the LADARTracker(TM) improves the accuracy of corneal shaping. Today, no other manufacturer can offer clinical data to support such claims. With the results we have experienced thus far in the trials, I believe the CustomCornea measurement device in conjunction with the LADARVision system will be the first device on the market to offer true wavefront-guided custom ablations," he concluded.

Founded in 1985, Summit Autonomous is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of ophthalmic laser systems and related products designed to correct common vision disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In 1995, Summit Autonomous was the first excimer laser company to receive FDA approval for its excimer laser system for the correction of mild to moderate myopia in the U.S. and in 1999 became the first commercial excimer laser manufacturer to receive FDA approval for the popular LASIK procedure. Autonomous, a wholly owned subsidiary, is engaged in the design and development of next-generation excimer laser instruments for laser refractive surgery. The Company's LADARVision(R) system combines laser radar eye tracking with narrow beam shaping technology and is the only FDA approved laser system to incorporate an eye-tracker during surgery. In addition, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Lens Express, Summit Autonomous sells contact lenses and related products.

Cautionary Statement under "Safe harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements made in this news release contain information about the Company's future business prospects. These statements may be considered "forward looking". These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by such forward looking statements. Among these risks and uncertainties are: competition from other manufacturers and vision correction technologies, delays in obtaining regulatory approvals, challenges to patents owned and licensed by the Company affecting per procedure revenues, adverse litigation results, difficulties in commercializing the LADARVision system and dependence on sole source suppliers.

For additional information and risks associated with the Company's business prospects and future operating results, please refer to Summit's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.