Zacks_Analysts' Blog : New Eye Patent for BIOLASE - Analyst Blog

Leading dental laser maker BIOLASE Technology (BLTI) has secured a new patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which covers the application of its laser technologies for treating vision conditions.

The new patent, dubbed “Methods for Treating Eye Conditions," covers the architecture and techniques for treating eye conditions including presbyopia (loss of near vision) using laser energy.

Presbyopia is an age-related eye condition characterized by the loss of the ability of the lens to focus, making it difficult to see objects from close range. The condition affects more than 100 million Americans and over 2 billion people globally.

The new patent also has applications for other eye conditions including glaucoma, retinal disorders and cataracts. It represents BIOLASE’s ninth U.S. patent issued under the "Methods for Treating Eye Conditions" patent family.

BIOLASE currently holds an aggregate of 15 issued and 20 pending U.S. and international patents in five families in the ophthalmology field. These patents offer the company and its fully-owned subsidiary OCCULASE Inc a vast range of potential applications and coverage in this field.

BIOLASE develops and markets lasers and related products for applications in medicine and dentistry. Its key products are dental laser systems that perform a broad spectrum of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications.

The company’s sales more than doubled year over year in third-quarter 2011 to $13.1 million. BIOLASE stated that the healthy growth was mainly attributable to its exit from an exclusive distribution arrangement with Henry Schein (HSIC) and return to a direct sales and multi-distributor model.