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Biotech / Medical : ATCI: The Future of Laser Vision Correction? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Instock who wrote (6)	2/12/1998 10:37:00 AM
From: A.J. Mullen	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 27

I've been interested in Laser Correction for last couple of years. At one time I owned both SUmmit and Visx, and later just Visx. I couldn't understand why the technology was slow in being adopted. I have good eyesight but thought I would leap at it rather than wear glasses or contacts. That is until I encouraged a girlfriend to look into it. She reported that there was a significant chance or the best corrected vision ending up worse than before. After the operation your vision, with or without glasses, might be substantially worse than it was with glasses before. I agreed with her that it wasn't worse the risk unless one's eyesight was very bad in the first place. This was the reason for the slow adoption. I sold. A month ago I heard presentations from both Visx and ATCI. VISX downplayed the possibility of loss of 'best correct vision acuity' (BCVA). ATCI gave the figures they were presenting to the FDA: VISX is good down to -6 Diopta, ATCI can be used to -10 Dioptas. 58% VISX patients were corrected to 20/20 vision, versus 72% ATCI 9.6% VISX patients lost two lines of eyechart BCVA, versus 1.5% ATCI. 10% chance of loosing two lines on an eyechart would scare me, but I might risk 1.6%. ATCI's technology seems much more advanced to me. They also plan to assault Pillar point (Visx and Summit) on patents. They don't think they are valid and are offering doctors a choice. They can pay the fee per operation, or they can pay it into escrow. ATCI will fight in court and split whatever they win with the doctors. If ATCI loose, then the escrow account will pay the fees and (I guess) ATCI will be liable for all costs. ATCI are concentrating on the doctors who have already made a success of the business using existing machines, almost exclusively VISX. Those machines have already paid for themselves. Seems like a good plan to me. there is no need to sell the concept, just point out the superior technology and superior results. Clearly the increase in the last few days is anticipation of FDA acceptance. I only bought a week or so ago.

To: Instock who wrote (6)	2/12/1998 5:21:00 PM
From: Scott	Respond to of 27

The FDA meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow (2-13-1998) from 1-6pm. This is what the receptionist at Autonomous told me, so I think it's pretty accurate. Anyone else who would like to get in touch with these folks you can check out their web page at autonomous.com or contact them directly at: Autonomous Technologies Corporation 2800 Discovery Drive Orlando, Florida 32826 Telephone: 407.384.1600 FAX: 407.384.1699 Best of luck to anyone gambling with this one. I like what I see, though the end of the day drop was a bit unnerving. Scott.