Professor Stanga photocoagulates using the new OptiMedica PASCAL® Pattern Scan Laser Photocoagulator system. The PASCAL® laser uses a semi-automated pattern generation method. As many as 25 spots can be delivered in 0.5 sec. This new system significantly reducing both treatment time and patient discomfort. The PASCAL® laser may allow for more rapid, precise, and safe treatment. One thousand burns can be carried out within an average time of four minutes and generally more comfortably for the patient than when using standard single spot argon lasers.
Laser photocoagulation remains the most widely used primary treatment for PDR and macular oedema for the time being.
Click here for more information on the PASCAL® Pattern Scan Laser Photocoagulator System
To learn more about the Pascal® by Optimedica click here 
Professor Stanga is also a principle investigator in the Argus II Clinical Trial. The Argus II Study Group comprises 11 sites located throughout Europe, the United States, and Mexico. A 2-patient pilot study commenced in 2006 and was followed by 30 patients enrolled to date. As of August 2010, the equivalent of 60 patient-years experience has been gathered overall.
Since early 2009, Professor Paulo E. Stanga and his team have contributed to the advancement of the study through their ongoing research with the enrolled patients. Testing and training with shapes, letters, and short words are helping people to better identify those things which were once so familiar to them. For many of these people, who have gradually lost their sight over time, the brain needs to learn how to recognize the various images that the system sends. Real-world tasks such as the identification of moving & stationary cars or bus stop poles, finding doors & windows, following a crosswalk across the street, localising light sources, and sorting dark & light laundry are also being addressed by the team.
The Argus™ II Retinal Prosthesis System is exclusively for clinical investigation only.
The implant is an epiretinal prosthesis that includes a receiving coil, an electronics package, and an electrode array that are surgically implanted in and around the eye.
The entire Argus Il system collects video data and wirelessly transmits the signal to the implant, the on-board electronics drive appropriate currents to each electrode in the array, and the electrodes then stimulate remaining viable cells in the inner retina. This is intended to produce the perception of spots of light that provide some useful vision.
The external components include glasses, a video processing unit (VPU) and a cable.
The glasses include a miniature video camera, which captures video images, and a coil that sends data and stimulation commands to the implant. The VPU converts the video images into stimulation commands and is worn on the body while the cable connects the glasses to the VPU.
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