CINCINNATI, Feb. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VEO Ophthalmics, LLC announced today that, in honor of Rare Disease Day, it is collaborating with the Masket Foundation to raise awareness of aniridia and treatment options for aniridia. Aniridia is a serious ophthalmic rare disease in which a patient's iris does not develop properly. VEO Ophthalmics is the U.S. distributor for the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS, a custom-made artificial iris implant that addresses both symptomatic and cosmetic aspects of iris defects. VEO Ophthalmics and the Masket Foundation are working together to expand patient access.

Rare Disease Day^®, which takes place on the last day of February each year, was created to raise global awareness about rare diseases and their impact on patients' lives. The campaign targets the general public, as well as policy makers, public authorities, industry representatives, researchers, and health professionals.

Ron Gilliland, President and CEO of VEO Ophthalmics stated: "Symptomatic aniridia is a serious condition with far-reaching lifestyle implications. Following the FDA approval of the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS, many patients have benefited from this unique technology. To raise awareness of this disease among the general public, we are honored to support the Masket Foundation, whose crucial work in ophthalmic research stands to help many patients suffering from aniridia and other ophthalmic diseases."

"The work we do at the Masket Foundation is largely driven by our strategic partnerships with industry, and our partnership with VEO Ophthalmics is a shining example of that," said Samuel Masket, MD, Founder of the Masket Foundation. "A core part of our mission is to raise awareness of many rare or orphan-status ophthalmic diseases, including symptomatic aniridia. We are grateful for VEO Ophthalmics' support and look forward to continuing our work during Rare Disease Day – and beyond."

About the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS
The CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS is a foldable iris prosthesis, custom made for each individual patient, replicating the natural appearance of the patient's eye. The CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS is the first and only FDA approved device for treating full or partial aniridia or other iris defects in adults and children.

In a non-randomized clinical trial of 389 adult and pediatric patients who had the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS implanted in one or both eyes for the treatment of congenital aniridia or other iris defects (Sponsor Clinical Research Consultants, Inc.; Cincinnati, OH), 72% of eyes reported no or mild glare during the day or at night.  There was reported an overall significant improvement in photosensitivity symptoms, quality of life, and vision in pediatric and adult subjects.

The CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS was approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. on May 30, 2018.  The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS transitional pass‐through payment status, effective January 1, 2020. The HCPCS code for the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS that is associated with pass‐through payment is: C1839 Iris prosthesis.

About the Masket Foundation
The Masket Foundation is the research and education arm of Advanced Vision Care in Los Angeles, California. It was established in 2013 to help support eye surgery research, as previously available funding sources have become severely limited. Additionally, the Foundation seeks to inform patients and the profession about our ongoing research and its impact on patient care. We at Advanced Vision Care believe that patients have the Right to See, that the public has the Right to Know, and that physicians have the Right to Learn. Where appropriate The Foundation provides the CUSTOMFLEX^® ARTIFICIALIRIS and surgery to needy patients at no cost.

To learn more, visit https://www.masketfoundation.org/.

About VEO Ophthalmics
Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, VEO Ophthalmics, LLC, is a developer and distributor of ophthalmic surgical technologies. VEO focuses on improving patient care by partnering with leading ophthalmic surgeons to develop innovative tools for today's challenging surgical environment. Close relationships with ophthalmic healthcare customers and business partners help VEO ensure that its products and service experience meet the highest standards.

To learn more, visit VEO at www.veo-ophthalmics.com.

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SOURCE VEO Ophthalmics