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Tag: Eye Health

Lazzaro Medical, the Boulder-Based Medical Device Venture, Secures $1M from Northwell Health

Lazzaro Medical, a Boulder-based medical device company seeking to help millions of people suffering from Tracheobronchomalacia (TBM), received a $1 million strategic investment from Northwell Health, New York State’s largest healthcare provider.

The investment aims to support restoring healthy breathing in previously untreated patients while addressing a large untapped market with Lazzaro Medical’s Robotic Minimally Invasive Tracheal Repair (MITR™) surgery using its newly patented LM Scaffold System™. Pioneered by world-renowned, robotic thoracic surgeon Dr. Richard Lazzaro, the system is designed to increase safety and decrease time to perform this procedure.

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“In the United States, TBM is estimated to be present in half of the nation’s 16 million COPD patients. Previous treatment was worse than the disease for many potential patients,” said Dr. Lazzaro, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Lazzaro Medical. “The LM Scaffold System™ will dramatically reduce operating times by an estimated 50% and shorten patient recovery time from months to weeks.”

The funding will be used to prepare the company’s 510K FDA submission and support its forthcoming commercial launch. Subsequent rounds will support Lazzaro Medical’s platform expansion, which includes a game-changing diagnostic endoscope, comprehensive training programs for thoracic surgeons and additional devices to further simplify the procedure.

“Dr. Lazzaro’s work is truly life-changing for so many people,” said Richard Mulry, President & CEO of Northwell Holdings. “We look forward to seeing the company’s progress and are delighted Northwell can play a part in supporting these efforts.”

With Northwell’s strategic investment, Lazzaro Medical has raised a total of $2 million from investors, including a $250,000 grant from the Global Business Development division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program. Bolstering Lazzaro Medical’s remaining $3.5 million convertible note offering is an investment commitment from another strategic partner. These strategic partner investments help further validate Lazzaro Medical’s mission of helping people breathe better again.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this strategic investment from Northwell, a world-class leader driving innovation in patient outcomes and care,” said Rob Israel, Co-Founder and CDO of Lazzaro Medical. “We’ll be able to expedite our regulatory process and bring our LM Scaffold System™ solution to market more quickly while adding to our growing patent portfolio.”

Lazzaro Medical was founded in 2019 with a mission to help millions breathe easily again by bringing awareness to TBM as a largely under or misdiagnosed disease and offer a less invasive and risky repair option to those suffering from this degenerative condition that causes the collapse of the airway due to the softening of cartilage in the trachea.

 

ABOUT LAZZARO MEDICAL
Lazzaro Medical is a Boulder, Colorado-based medical device company on a mission to restore healthy breathing in millions of people suffering from tracheal and bronchial maladies with a transformative platform of life-changing, minimally-invasive, robotic procedures, devices, and diagnostics. Co-Founded by Dr. Richard Lazzaro, a world-renowned thoracic surgeon with 35 years of specialized expertise in minimally invasive and robotic thoracic surgery, the company’s platform is based off his groundbreaking firsts in robotic thoracic surgery and his leading the largest tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) programs in the nation. For more information on Lazzaro Medical, please visit Lazzaromed.com, or follow @Lazzaro Medical on LinkedIn.

ABOUT NORTHWELL HEALTH
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals, 850 outpatient facilities and more than 12,000 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 80,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,900 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Tips to Help Block Blue Light in an Increasingly Remote World

With persistent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in Colorado and nationwide, some traditionally in-person activities — work, school and social interactions — will likely remain remote more often than usual for the foreseeable future.

As a result, the use of digital devices has surged significantly, with Americans logging an average of 13 hours per day watching screens. That compares to between seven and 10 hours per day before the COVID-19 pandemic started, with the increase in screen time likely contributing to more exposure to blue light.

While this low-wavelength, high-energy light offers some benefits, such as boosting alertness, too much of it may cause problems.

Researchers continue to evaluate the potential short- and long-term health implications that may come from excessive exposure to blue light, including potential damage to retina cells, particularly in children and teens; increased incidences of age-related macular degeneration; disrupted sleep cycles; and digital eye strain.

In fact, nearly 60 percent of adults in the U.S. report symptoms of digital eye strain, which may result from extended computer and smartphone usage and can contribute to dry eyes, headaches, and neck or shoulder pain.

With that in mind, here are three tips to consider as the consistent use of digital devices remains a fact of life for most people:

Considering these tips can help people maintain or improve their eye health as part of an overall focus on whole-person well-being.

Use the 20-20-20 Rule, or Other Rest Tactics

20 20 20 rule

It is important to give your eyes some rest during the day, by breaking up long stretches of screen time.

The 20-20-20 rule recommends: that after 20 minutes of computer work, people take 20 seconds to look at something that’s approximately 20 feet away.

Other strategies: keep devices at least 30 inches from the eyes, as this separation can help reduce blue-light exposure; and switch to a task so the eyes don’t have to focus on something up close, such as returning a call.

Also, getting outside may reduce the risk of developing nearsightedness, which has become increasingly common in part due to the increased use of screens and today affects 41 percent of Americans – up from 25 percent in 1970.

Leverage Blue-Light Blocking Technology

Many smartphones now include a “night mode” feature, which adjusts the screen’s setting to help filter out blue light.

Likewise, specialized screen protectors can feature blue-light filtering properties, while also helping prevent cracks or scratches.

To help block blue light at the source, some computer manufacturers are embedding blue-light filtering technology into the screens, helping ensure color clarity while reducing exposure to blue light.

Another option, is to get glasses with premium anti-reflective coating, which may help prevent harmful reflective glare and reduce the risk of digital eye strain. 

Glasses,on,table

Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam

It’s a good idea for computer users to get an eye exam every year, according to the American Optometric Association.

If you experience ongoing symptoms of digital eye strain, prescription lenses for computer viewing may be needed.

Plus, a comprehensive eye exam may uncover other health conditions not usually associated with the eyes, including diabetes and some types of cancer.

For children, remember that a school’s vision check is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam, as screenings usually focus on measuring acuity levels and might miss conditions such as poor eye alignment, focusing problems, and farsightedness.

As we contend with the ongoing pandemic and transition to an increasingly virtual world, considering these tips can help people maintain or improve their eye health as part of an overall focus on whole-person well-being.

 

Dr Scott Edmonds UhcDr. Scott Edmonds is Chief Eye Care Officer and Senior Medical Advisor at UnitedHealthcare, Co-Director of Low Vision Contact Lenses at Wills Eye Hospital, Chief Medical Officer at March Vision Care, and Partner at Edmonds Consulting, LLC.