Zeiss gains FDA approval for new excimer laser system for vision correction

15 Jan 2025

‘MEL 90’ laser extends company’s LVC market position with treatment for myopia, hyperopia, and mixed astigmatism.

Zeiss Medical Technology (ZMT) has announced that its MEL® 90 ophthalmology system has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), giving the excimer laser technology simultaneous approval for all three major indications, including myopia, hyperopia and mixed astigmatism.

The MEL 90 fully integrates into the Corneal Refractive Workflow to offer U.S. surgeons a fast, reliable, and streamlined surgery experience, complementing the Visumax 800 with Smile pro, which Zeiss states, will “broaden a surgeon’s refractive business with improved patient attraction and positive clinical outcomes”.

“The increasing global adoption of laser vision correction reflects the advancements and positive impact the technology continues to have on the quality of life for patients,” said Magnus Reibenspiess, Head of Strategic Business Unit Ophthalmology at ZMT. "With the integration of the MEL 90, surgeons can care for their patients with greater workflow efficiency and enhanced outcomes.”

Andrew Chang, Head of Global Sales, added, “With the availability of the MEL 90 in the U.S. market, surgeons can now offer an integrated workflow of refractive technology to help reach new patients. The FDA approval is a game changer for refractive surgery in the U.S. This advanced technology, with its Triple-A ablation algorithm and fast ablation speed, sets a new benchmark for precision, safety, and efficiency.”

Furthermore, Dr. John Doane, Refractive Surgeon, at Discover Vision Centers, Kansas City, commented, “The integration of the MEL 90 with the Visumax 800 femtosecond laser opens new doors for streamlined workflows and optimal patient outcomes.”

Technical performance

The MEL 90 offers Triple-A (Advanced Ablation Algorithm), which is a single ablation profile for a range of sphero-cylindrical (SCA) corrections that simplifies treatment planning. Its preinstalled functions also offer surgeons optimal support for achieving excellent treatment results and gentle treatments of standard, higher and lower levels of ametropia and astigmatism, states Zeiss.

When performing LASIK for myopia at 500 Hz, the MEL 90 can intra-operatively ablate 1 diopter in as little as 1.3 seconds. The excimer laser technology is equipped with an active eye tracker which is said to deliver an “excellent response time, providing a high level of treatment safety with stable results.”

The excimer laser can be configured to match the surgeon and the OR team’s needs. The system’s graphic user interface supports fast treatment procedures, and the touch screen can be positioned to enable the surgeon to have good ergonomic position throughout an operation. An HD video port, network printer connection, and PDF export capabilities offer additional workflow support.