Glaucoma and retinal diagnostic equipment generated nearly 50 percent of the revenues in the entire ophthalmic diagnostic equipment market in 2008. As populations age worldwide and as access to improved healthcare increases in many regions, markets for this specialized diagnostic equipment will grow, particularly in rapidly developing nations. New diagnostic technologies are also providing an unprecedented level of visualization, revealing the intricate layers of the retina and the optic disc with greater clarity and detail than ever before. These and other technologies are refining disease monitoring, providing more accurate measurement, and serving as improved guides for treatment.
Demand for retinal treatments is soaring, spurred by rapid growth in elderly populations, increases in diabetes, greater access to medical care in emerging economies, and higher quality-of-life expectations among the aging. New anti-VEGF therapies are successfully treating vision-threatening retinal diseases that, in the recent past, had been largely untreatable. Investigational pharmaceuticals and biologics are making progress in halting the relentless progression of blinding retinal diseases. The retinal treatment paradigm has shifted, and a wealth of new science, business acumen, and bioentrepreneurial activity promise further transformations.
Our report on the global single-use ophthalmic surgical products market, now in its tenth edition, is a leading industry source for accurate and relevant information on all aspects of the ophthalmic single-use device market. We review cataract surgery, the dominant procedure in this market, as well as cataract surgery providers worldwide. We analyze the following market segments: viscoelastics, knives, disposable instruments, balanced salt solutions, custom-packaged kits, eye drapes, sutures, fluid management devices, eye shields, and hemostatic devices. We analyze worldwide markets using the following geographic/economic categories: the US, Western Europe, Japan, Other Wealthy Nations, China, India, Latin America, and Rest of World. This report includes market data for 2010, and we forecast market performance through 2015.
An aging global population, rising affluence, and expanded access to eye care plus increased computer use and more effective dry eye products are expected to fuel double-digit compounded growth in the dry eye products market during the next five years. We expect much of this growth to occur in the pharmaceutical segment where new pipeline therapies are poised to join two very successful commercialized Rx products.