Implantable Miniature Telescope

(VisionCare) VisionCare’s lead product is the Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT? by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz). The IMT is a micro-sized precision telescopic device, which has been developed to provide improved vision and quality of life for individuals with moderate to severe vision loss caused by dysfunction of the macula, a specialized area of the retina that is responsible for detailed central vision.

The IMT, together with the cornea, provides magnification of 3.0X or 2.2X, depending on the model used. The IMT is designed to project magnified images over a wide field of the retina to improve the ability to recognize images that were either difficult or impossible to see. By magnifying images for patients with central vision loss, the relative size of the blind spot can be reduced to enhance vision. If needed, higher magnification power may be provided with eyeglasses for reading and other near vision activities.

The IMT is implanted by an ophthalmic surgeon in an outpatient surgical procedure. The device is implanted in one eye, which provides central vision, while the non-implanted eye provides peripheral vision for safe mobility and navigation. After the surgical procedure, the patient participates in a structured training program to maximize their ability to use the IMT. Being an ocular prosthesis, the IMT allows patients to use natural eye movements to scan the environment and reading materials. Approximately 300 individuals have been implanted with the IMT in clinical investigations in Europe, the U.S., and other markets. The Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT? by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz) is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use. VisionCare, headquartered in Saratoga, CA, with research facilities in Yehud, Israel, was founded in 1997 by Yossi Gross, Dr. Isaac Lipshitz, and David Lifschitz. The IMT was invented by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz and Mr. Gross.