News & Events

BD Medical – Ophthalmic Systems, a unit of BD, announced today the launch of the BD Atomic Edge Limbal Relaxing Incision (LRI) Knives for surgical correction of astigmatism at the 2008 American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference held in Atlanta on November 8-11.

“The BD Atomic Edge LRI Knives use single-crystal silicon to deliver performance equal to that of a diamond blade, at the cost of a single-use blade. In addition, these knives have a retractable safety shield to protect healthcare professionals from sharps injuries,” said Doug Lawrence, Vice President and General Manager, BD Medical – Ophthalmic Systems.

A study of 65 ophthalmic surgeons conducted at the 2007 American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference compared the performance of single-use BD Atomic Edge LRI Knives to a reusable diamond LRI blade and a single-use metal LRI blade. According to the study protocol, each surgeon must have performed at least one LRI procedure in the six months prior to the study. He or she was then asked to compare the following five blade characteristics: incision smoothness; how well the curvature of the cornea was tracked; incision control; overall incision quality; and blade sharpness.

The study participants reported that across all compared characteristics, the performance of the BD Atomic Edge LRI Knife was equivalent to the diamond knife and superior to the metal knife. Most importantly, BD Atomic Edge LRI Knives were found to be clinically acceptable to more than 95 percent of the surgeons with respect to tracking across the cornea.

“Ophthalmic surgeons appreciate working with a silicon blade that rivals a diamond blade for performance. Patients benefit by having procedures performed with a single-use blade, and the ophthalmic surgical team benefits from the silicon blade’s innovative sharps protection features,” said Randall Olson, MD, CEO of the John A. Moran Eye Center and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Utah.

LRI surgical procedures are often combined with cataract surgery. Groove arcuate incisions are made near the limbus to allow the cornea to become more spherical when it heals, resulting in improved postoperative vision.

BD is committed to ensuring patient safety by providing high quality, innovative single-use instruments for ophthalmic surgery, which are designed to eliminate the risk of transmitting infectious agents. BD is also dedicated to reducing the risk of sharps injuries associated with ophthalmic surgery. All BD ophthalmic safety knives feature an advanced retractable safety shield designed to protect the ophthalmic surgical team.

About BD

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 28,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.