Us: Lasik Market Dips, Cataract Procedures Steady

LASIK procedures in Usa continued to weaken, Market Scope reported. An estimated 253,300 procedures were done in Q3-2002, down 11.5 percent as compared to the same quarter last year and a decrease of 19.5 percent as compared to the previous quarter.

This year's third quarter number is also the lowest in three years. Year-to-date, procedures added up to 923,400, 13.8 percent lower than year ago. The sluggish LASIK market was primarily blamed on the nation's economic outlook. More prospective LASIK patients have delayed having the procedure due to economic concerns. The full year procedure forecast has been further revised down to 1,150,000, a decline of 12.2 percent versus last year.

While the LASIK market suffers, the cataract market appears to be growing steadily. Total Usa cataract procedures were 680,000 in Q3-2002, up 3.8 percent as compared to the same period last year and a slight increase of 0.6 percent over the preceding quarter. Year-to-date, procedures total just over 2.0 million and are expected to reach 2.7 million for the full year, a 3.7 percent climb as compared to last year. Better access to cataract surgery and an aging population have fueled slow but steady growth in cataract surgery over the past several years.

(Source: AP Biscom)