SofPort lenses win NTIOL status

Bausch & Lomb has received new technology intraocular lens (NTIOL) status for the regular and violet-filtering models of its SofPort Advanced Optics intraocular lenses (IOLs).

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the US has increased the current reimbursements for both lenses by $50. Only ASC-based surgeons are entitled to this additional reimbursement, however, this does represent a large portion of the cataract procedures performed in the US.

According to Bausch & Lomb, this new reimbursement will cover the entire cost of the IOLs, which means that patients will no longer have to pay for any additional costs.

Bausch & Lomb's SofPort lenses, which feature an aberration-free design, were able to demonstrate clinical benefit at least equal to the Tecnis IOL (Advanced Medical Optics), which established the NTIOL subset for aberration reduction.

The increased reimbursements will remain in effect until February 26, 2011.