LOCAL EYE DOCTOR OFFERS NEW PROCEDURE AND NEW HOPE

DEVICE MAY RESTORE VISUAL FUNCTION, COULD DEFER NEED FOR CORNEAL TRANSPLANT

AMHERST, NY - OCTOBER 12, 2006 - Dr. Michael Endl, of Fichte-Endl Eye Associates, has performed the area’s first procedures implanting
Intacs inserts for the treatment of keratoconus. This disease, which causes a progressive thinning of the cornea, affects up to 300,000 people in the United States.

In keratoconus, normal outward pressure within the eye causes the cornea to progressively bulge into a cone-like shape. The change can have a dramatic impact on one’s vision. In more severe cases, normal everyday activities such as driving and reading can be difficult to perform.

The implantation of Intacs inserts is a new option when it comes to restoring and improving the vision in patients with keratoconus. Originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1999 for mild myopia, Intacs (Addition Technology, Des Plaines, Ill.) are two tiny, clear crescent-shaped pieces of a plastic polymer that are inserted into the cornea. The FDA in July 2004 granted Intacs a Humanitarian Device Exemption to allow corrections of keratoconus largely because of Intacs' safety record and because only a few treatment options, such as corneal transplants, are available for keratoconus.

“I’m very pleased with the results our keratoconus patients have experienced following their Intacs procedure” said Dr. Michael Endl, ophthalmologist and partner at Fichte-Endl Eye Associates. “It’s less invasive and quicker healing than a corneal transplant, and has allowed patients to obtain functional vision when contact lenses were no longer working well.”

Fichte-Endl Eye Associates has offices in both Erie and Niagara county, with three specialized, board certified ophthalmologists and five highly experienced optometrists. Both locations feature comprehensive eye care, including medical, surgical and pediatric services, and offer the widest range of eye services in Western New York.