I just think we all need to take these procedure/machine placement "projections" (they're really just best guesses) with some caution. Remember how "big" 1996 was supposed to be? I rather doubt there will necessarily be over 1,000 lasers in place at a million procedure count level. Maybe, maybe not. It seems reasonable to assume LCAV, LVCI, Beacon, and others may strive to maximize revenue/volume per laser and consolidate. Remember, all the prime laser locations are already taken.
However, it looks like 1997 will be 200,000+ procedures with about 400 lasers in place all over the country, which will probably handle demand thru 1,000,000+ procedures annually. Up in Canada, some clinics do 3,000+ procedures annually on one laser. Above 3,000 annually, and patient care may suffer, at least until better lasers and procedures arrive. That LaserSight LSX supposedly won't require pupil dilation, unlike other lasers available now, or planned. |
