VAUGHAN, Ontario—Global eye health company Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO) announced yesterday that an affiliate has acquired Trukera Medical from its private equity owner, AccelMed Partners, and other shareholders. Bausch + Lomb indicated that the acquisition will expand its surgical presence in the United States and contribute to its position in the field of dry eye. A U.S.-based privately held ophthalmic medical diagnostic company, Trukera Medical commercializes the ScoutPro Osmolarity System, an automated device intended to quantitatively measure the osmolarity of human tears to aid in the diagnosis of dry eye disease (DED) in conjunction with other methods of clinical evaluation. Hyperosmolarity, a condition that is not detectable by slit lamp examination, is a leading indicator and central etiology of asymptomatic DED and ocular surface disease (OSD), the company emphasized; this can negatively affect corneal, cataract and refractive surgery outcomes if not treated effectively prior to the procedure.

“As a global leader in dry eye disease management, as well as cataract and refractive medical devices and implants, we’re uniquely positioned to optimize pre-surgical preparation to help ensure positive post-surgical outcomes,” said Luc Bonnefoy, president, Surgical, Bausch + Lomb. “ScoutPro has already become a valuable preoperative diagnostic tool for many U.S. surgeons, and with our scale we believe it can have an even greater impact.”

“Premium outcomes today are increasingly measured by an ability to deliver both the refractive target and a high quality of vision for each patient. Since hyperosmolarity is known to have a significant negative impact on quality of vision and patient satisfaction after cataract surgery, having an easy-to-use diagnostic tool can help surgeons meet their patients’ increasingly high expectations,” said Adam Szaronos, CEO and president of Trukera Medical. “By joining a global leader like Bausch + Lomb, we are excited to get this valuable tool in the hands of more surgeons to benefit more patients.”

DED is prevalent in cataract surgery candidates, though many are asymptomatic, the company noted, and a gap exists between the need for and implementation of preoperative testing. In a survey conducted by the America Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, less than 10 percent of surgeons reported using point-of-care diagnostic testing in preoperative assessments, despite over 90 percent of respondents agreeing that even mild-to-moderate DED affected patient satisfaction after cataract and refractive surgery. 

“As ophthalmic surgeons, we are committed to using every available measure to ensure the best post-surgical outcomes for our patients,” said Lisa M. Nijm, MD, JD, Warrenville Eye Care and LASIK Center in Warrenville, Il, and chief medical advisor, Trukera Medical. “ScoutPro is an invaluable tool that aids us in optimizing preoperative measurements, helping me provide exceptional refractive outcomes and high patient satisfaction."