Telescope Implant for End-State Macular Degeneration Now on the Federal Supply Schedule and Available at Department of Veteran’s Affairs Hospitals Across the Country

Telescope Implant for End-State Macular Degeneration Now on the Federal Supply Schedule and Available at Department of Veteran’s Affairs Hospitals Across the Country Via MellingMedical

Telescope Implant for End-Stage Macular Degeneration is FDA Approved and Available to Patients 65 Years and Older Who Have Not Had Cataract Surgery

from BusinessWire.com 

SARATOGA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VisionCare, Inc. (“VisionCare”), a developer of advanced visual prosthetic devices for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), today announced that MellingMedical will distribute the Implantable Miniature Telescope (by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz) to Department of Veteran’s Affairs hospitals, military hospitals and other federal government healthcare facilities in the United States. 

MellingMedical provides medical supplies, equipment, devices and pharmaceuticals to federal health facilities across the country under the VA’s “Veterans First” procurement program. The CVE-verified Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) holds a Medical Equipment and Surgical Supply Schedule (Med/Surg), as well as a Pharmaceutical Schedule, enabling it to deliver timely innovation where it is needed most. 

The telescope implant is part of the CentraSight^® treatment program, which is for people 65 years and older diagnosed with end-stage, age-related macular degeneration who meet specific eye health and vision requirements, and for whom common treatments such as glasses, vitamins, drugs or cataract surgery will not lead to vision improvement. Per current labeling, the telescope implant is contraindicated in patients with previous intraocular or corneal surgery of any kind in the operative eye, including cataract surgery. 

“We are excited to work directly with MellingMedical to offer the CentraSight treatment program to Americans who rely on the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and other federally run agencies for their health care needs,” stated Blake Michaels, President and CEO of VisionCare, Inc. “Now ophthalmologists working at these facilities across the country will be able to offer the telescope implant for their patients with the most severe form of AMD, which is proven to improve vision and quality of life.”

“The CentraSight treatment program is the latest example of our company’s commitment to serving America’s veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Christopher Melling, CEO and founder, a Desert Storm Navy veteran. “Veterans gave their best when they served and they deserve the best care in return, including groundbreaking technology like this. We’re especially excited to add the telescope implant to our portfolio because of its potential life-changing impact on millions of older adults who live with diminished or blocked vision due to macular degeneration. It is a truly unique device.” 

Macular Degeneration Affects Millions of Older Adults
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of permanent vision loss in Americans aged 60 and older, affecting an estimated 15 million people.ⁱ Of those, 2 million Americans are living with End-Stage AMDⁱⁱ and that number will increase as the Baby Boomer cohort ages. Advanced age-related macular degeneration cannot be corrected by any other treatment including glasses, vitamins, drugs or cataract surgery and is associated with increased stress and depression as vision diminishes.<sup>iii

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