Abbott receives FDA approval for intraocular lens

Abbott has been granted Food and Drug Administration approval for a new intraocular lens (IOL) designed for cataract sufferers.

The Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece is designed as a replacement for natural lenses for cataract patients with and without presbyopia, as it is designed to provide adjustable focal length, unlike conventional monofocal IOLs.

In addition, other elements of its design are intended to reduce spherical aberration and increase image quality while also being easy to insert.

Jim Mazzo, senior vice president of Abbott Medical Optics, stated that these design advantages mean that the majority of patients will not need glasses once the lens has been fitted.

He added: “Surgeons now have the clinical benefits and high patient satisfaction rates they have come to expect with the Tecnis Multifocal 3-Piece IOL in a next-generation, easy to insert one-piece design.”

Earlier this month, the company entered into collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline on the development of a molecular diagnostic test for a developmental GSK skin cancer treatment.