Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Launches “Eye On OCT”

DUBLIN, CA--(Marketwire - October 06, 2009) - A new online optical coherence tomography (OCT) resource for the eye care industry was launched by Carl Zeiss Meditec during the Retina Congress 2009 convention in New York City this past weekend. Eye On OCT (www.oct.zeiss.com) is the most extensive resource for news and education about OCT technology and clinical application for ophthalmologists, optometrists and other eye care professionals.

“Eye On OCT is the first and only site of its kind for the eye care industry,” said Eric Swanson, founder of OCTnews.org and co-author of the first OCT clinical paper titled “Optical Coherence Tomography” published in the prestigious journal, Science, in 1991. “As a leader in OCT innovation for nearly two decades, it is logical for Carl Zeiss Meditec to deliver a practical resource for clinicians and researchers who seek to stay abreast of the latest developments in OCT technology.”

Eye On OCT, and www.OCTnews.org, the most frequently visited online resource for general OCT information, utilize the same proprietary search engine and user interface technology designed by Cambridge, MA-based HiveFire, Inc. Dedicated exclusively to the eye care industry, Eye On OCT contains a broad compendium of resources for eye care professionals, including:

-- Physician Spotlight - physician demonstrations, interviews and commentary about current OCT applications in ophthalmology and optometry. -- OCT Journal Articles - links to original sources for the latest peer- reviewed journal articles related to ophthalmic OCT. -- News Articles - links to breaking news articles that are continuously updated to keep viewers abreast of the latest OCT data and trends. -- Case Reports and Educational Presentations - dynamic examples showing how physicians use OCT to solve challenging clinical cases. -- OCT Image Gallery - high definition images illustrating a broad range of eye diseases. -- Profiles - spotlights leading physicians, academic centers and companies involved in OCT research and development. -- Calendar of Global Events - lists the most important OCT educational and training seminars. -- User-defined Newsletters - allows subscribers to tailor e-mail newsletter based on their clinical specialty. 

“We are pleased to offer this educational resource to the eye care community as part of our commitment to support the advancement of OCT,” said Michael Kaschke, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carl Zeiss Meditec. “Throughout the years, we have had the opportunity to pioneer many exciting OCT technologies and to watch OCT become the standard of care in ophthalmology and optometry. Now, it is our privilege to provide a venue for practitioners to access new and exciting clinical applications in OCT technology as we prepare for the next level of innovation in this exciting space.”

Developed by advanced software development firm, HiveFire, Inc., Eye On OCT utilizes machine learning, natural language processing, information retrieval and human computer interaction to deliver the most up-to-date information to its users. The site is powered by an engine that surveys and filters thousands of news articles per day from across the web, selecting only the most pertinent content for eye care professionals that are interested in OCT developments and clinical applications.

“It has been an incredible opportunity to partner with Eric Swanson, one of our founding board members, along with Carl Zeiss Meditec, a medical device company that is known throughout the world for its OCT leadership, to develop this highly-tuned resource,” said Pawan Deshpande, Chief Executive Officer of HiveFire. “Our team of software engineers from Google and MIT have developed a publishing platform that enables organizations to establish online resources containing highly relevant content for their respective industry participants.”

Eye On OCT is available to eye care professionals by visiting www.oct.zeiss.com.

Brief profile

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE 0005313704), which is listed on TecDAX of the German stock exchange, is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies.

The Company supplies innovative technologies and application-oriented solutions which enable doctors to improve the quality of life of their patients. The Company offers complete solutions, including implants and consumables, to diagnose and treat ophthalmic diseases. In the field of Neuro/ENT surgery the Company provides innovative visualization solutions. Carl Zeiss Meditec’s medical technology portfolio is rounded off by promising future technologies such as intraoperative radiotherapy.

The Company’s around 2,100 employees generated revenue of about EUR 600 million in fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30). The headquarters of Carl Zeiss Meditec are located in Jena, Germany. In addition to other subsidiaries in Germany, the Company is represented by over 50 percent of its employees at sites in the USA, Japan, Spain and France.

Thirty-five percent of Carl Zeiss Meditec’s shares are in free float. The remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss AG, one of the world’s leading groups engaged in the optical and opto-electronics industry. The five independently run business segments of Carl Zeiss AG operate in the future-oriented markets “Medical and Research Solutions,” “Industrial Solutions” and “Lifestyle Products.” Carl Zeiss AG is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. During fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30) the company generated revenues of about EUR 2.7 billion. Carl Zeiss has around 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries, including more than 8,000 in Germany.

For further information please visit our website at: www.meditec.zeiss.com

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