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Biotech / Medical : VISX -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jack Jackson who wrote (1389)	11/18/1999 5:29:00 PM
From: Jack Jackson	Respond to of 1754

New Instrument Makes Glaucoma ScreeningMore Accessible Worldwide; GDx Access ''Fee-Per-Exam'' ProgramProvides Clinical Advances Without Traditional Capital Investment November 18, 1999 11:01 AM Eastern Time SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 18, 1999--Laser Diagnostic Technologies unveiled the GDx Access(TM), a glaucoma detection instrument that makes its advanced nerve fiber technology more accessible to the marketplace -- and patients -- by providing it in a unique "fee-per-exam" program with no capital investment. GDx Access is a new incarnation of the original GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer technology developed by LDT which is reorganized around the world as the most advanced technology to detect glaucoma by objectively and quantitatively measuring the eye's retinal nerve fiber layer. The new GDx Access uses the same technology but uses a fee-per-exam program that makes the instrument more affordable to doctors as they are not required to purchase the instrument, a capital equipment cost which may be difficult or undesired by many doctors. In the Access program, doctors pay a one-time initial placement fee for the instrument and then pay per exam. This program lowers the up-front costs to less than one-tenth the cost of the original GDx. In addition, the commitment to pay per-exam gives doctors free lifetime service and software updated on the GDx Access, eliminating the fear of obsolescence often associated with a capital purchase. "We realized that to fight this sight-threatening disease most effectively we had to make our technology as accessible as possible -- and this meant considering the financial stresses that health care providers face in today's marketplace," said Andreas Dreher, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of LDT. The success of VISX VISX , an excimer laser manufacturer, which charges a royalty on a per-exam basis, provided an idea. "By offering GDx Access on a fee-per-exam basis, we could minimize the doctors' initial investment and eliminate the after-purchase costs associated with the service and maintenance. "This program allows us to partner with our eye care providers by helping to bring this advanced technology to patients and sharing in the risks typically associated with capital equipment purchases," stated Dreher. "The more people who can take advantage of this cutting-edge technology, the more we can realize the dream of stopping glaucoma from robbing people of their vision." Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States. It causes blindness by damaging the retinal nerve fiber layer, a series of cables that conduct the visual signal from the rods and cones of the retina to the brain via the optic nerve. Unfortunately, the patient notices no symptoms in the early stages of glaucoma, and the disease often goes undetected until the patient begins to experience a loss of peripheral vision -- typically when 40-60 percent of the nerve fiber layer has already been damaged. There is no cure for the disease, but it can often be successfully controlled if diagnosed early. By measuring the thickness of the nerve fiber layer and comparing the results to a data pool of healthy, glaucoma-free eyes, doctors can assess whether glaucomatous damage has occurred. "Our fee-per-exam program is a win-win-win solution," explained Dreher. "Doctors get the technology they need to provide better care to patients, we're compensated as more exams are provided, and more patients receive this potentially sight-saving exam." Laser Diagnostic Technologies, an eight-year-old, venture-funded, medical device company in San Diego, specializes in developing diagnostic products for eye care and currently manufactures the GDx(R) Nerve Fiber Analyzer, the TopSS(R) Topographic Scanning System and the AngioScan(R) ICG Angiography System. Information on the GDx Access(TM) is also available at: www.laserdiagnostic.com LDT participates in the glaucoma market with companies such as Allergan and Bausch & Lomb . JS/np CONTACT: Laser Diagnostic Technologies, San Diego June Rennie, 858/558-9144 or 800/722-6393

To: Jack Jackson who wrote (1389)	11/18/1999 5:31:00 PM
From: Jack Jackson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1754

Vision Twenty-One Opens TenthRefractive Eye Laser Center November 18, 1999 08:30 AM Eastern Time LARGO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 18, 1999--Vision Twenty-One, Inc. EYES , today announced the opening of its tenth eye laser center with the Arizona Eye Laser Center at Scottsdale. The company's newest center is located at 9201 East Mountain View, Suite 120, Scottsdale, AZ. "Our decision to add a third refractive surgery center to the Arizona market is supported by the positive response we've received from local ophthalmologists wanting to expand their refractive surgery practices," said Theodore N. Gillette, chief executive officer of Vision Twenty-One. The Arizona Eye Laser Center at Scottsdale currently has approximately four refractive surgeons performing laser vision correction surgery using the latest VISX Excimer Laser System VISX technology. In addition to the Scottsdale center, Vision Twenty-One operates the Arizona Eye Laser Center at Phoenix, (opened in 1998) and the Arizona Eye Laser Center at Tucson (opened in 1999). Vision Twenty-One also manages three ambulatory surgery centers in the Phoenix and Tucson markets. Recently, Vision Twenty-One announced a number of key developments in support of its corporate restructuring into a vision care company focused on refractive eye laser and surgery center development. It also announced it is exiting the physician practice management (PPM) business and exploring a number of strategic alternatives intended to maximize shareholder value. Vision Twenty-One is a vision care company focused on the development of refractive eye laser and surgery centers. The company is headquartered in Largo, FL, and maintains regional offices in Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Somerset, NJ. For more company information visit our Web site at www.visiontwentyone.com. CONTACT: Vision Twenty-One, Largo Mary Laurinaitis Corporate Communications 727/545-4300, ext. 5-2400 or Heidi Hart Investor Relations 727/545-4300, ext. 5-2124