Herzig Eye Institute named TearScience's first Center of Excellence

TearScience, Inc.Dec 5 2011

TearScience, Inc., a privately-held medical device company, today announced Toronto-based Herzig Eye Institute, one of the leading authorities in laser vision correction and advanced cataract and refractive surgery, as its first Center of Excellence.

“Herzig is the perfect model for helping other eye care practices become effective at integrating the LipiFlow® treatment. Given Herzig's excellent clinical results using LipiFlow® and how they have optimized patient flow, Herzig serves as a model of efficiency from which others can benefit.”

As a Center of Excellence, Herzig Eye Institute will educate eye care practices on how best to successfully implement TearScience's LipiFlow^® Thermal Pulsation System within a busy practice setting. TearScience's system effectively distinguishes and treats one of the primary causes of dry eye disease.

"Herzig Eye Institute is one of the most innovative eye care centers in North America," said Jeff O'Hara, vice president of North American sales. "Herzig is the perfect model for helping other eye care practices become effective at integrating the LipiFlow^® treatment. Given Herzig's excellent clinical results using LipiFlow^® and how they have optimized patient flow, Herzig serves as a model of efficiency from which others can benefit."

Evaporative dry eye is caused by a deficiency in the lipid layer of the eye's natural tear film, resulting from blockages in the lipid-producing meibomian glands located in the eyelids, called meibomian gland dysfunction. A lipid deficiency can lead to evaporation of tears at a faster rate than normal, which can leave eyes feeling dry, irritated, tired, and red. TearScience's LipiFlow^® system unblocks and evacuates obstructed meibomian glands during a 12 minute in-office procedure under the care of a physician. Post treatment, the meibomian glands may resume their natural production of lipids needed for a healthy tear film.

"Herzig Eye Institute is very pleased to be TearScience's first Center of Excellence," said Dr. Sheldon Herzig, co-founder and medical director of the Herzig Eye Institute. "The Center of Excellence concept is a valuable service that TearScience provides to forward-thinking eye care practices embracing dry eye treatment as a new service. We are glad to assist other eye care professionals in implementing this important treatment system to better serve dry eye patients."

TearScience's system is comprised of the LipiView^® Ocular Surface Interferometer and the LipiFlow^® Thermal Pulsation System. LipiView^® allows physicians to image the tear film of dry eye patients. LipiFlow^® applies precise directed energy in a combination of heat and pulsatile pressure to a patient's eyelids to facilitate the release of lipids from blocked meibomian glands.