Author: Gary Boas This article was published in the United States "BioPhotonics"
Compilation: Optoelectronic News Network Zeng Cong
The medical laser market is huge and diverse, ranging from diagnostics to treatment. This article will explore trends in this area and analyze its impact on the laser market.
Personal budget has fallen
Today, we discussed the market's inability to evade the economic crisis. The subprime mortgage crisis, the credit crunch and the unemployment tide followed, shocking consumers' confidence and disrupting market order.
In such an era, people are trying to cut costs. Not surprisingly, medical related expenses may be removed. Regarding the medical laser market, consumers may choose to postpone treatments that do not require immediate treatment, such as laser corneal repair surgery (laser treatment of myopia).
The impact of the economic environment on the laser vision correction market began to appear in November last year, and in 2008 related eye companies such as Advanced Medical Optics Inc and other related service providers were affected.
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The laser eye market is a microcosm of the medical laser market. The laser myopia correction market is shrinking, while laser surgery is relatively stable. The coherent Genesis 577 laser is an example of laser coagulation for the treatment of age-related freckles.
"People are always sick..."
In the medical laser market, laser surgery is more stable. There is no need to wait for the economic recovery. This kind of surgery can also be reimbursed for related insurance. For example, it is also ophthalmology, the market for cataract surgery is still good, and the number of related services and products has increased by single digits.
Coherent has introduced a yellow laser based on pumped laser diode technology for the treatment of age-related freckles and fundus diseases (AMD). Fundus diseases are caused by retinal hemorrhage, which causes many people to become blind in Western countries. In 2004, the National Institute of Ophthalmology reported that 1.75 million Americans suffered from disease, and will increase to 3 million in 2020.
Laser coagulation (refers to the use of a laser beam or the like to coagulate tissue, used to treat diseases such as retinal detachment), used to treat retinal hemorrhage, appeared 30 years ago. Initially, a 514 nm argon ion laser was used, which was later changed to a 532 nm wavelength Nd:YAG laser. The 561 nm Nd:YAG laser has recently been found to work better because the absorption peak of hemoglobin is 577 nm.
It has been around for a year and a half, and the latest optically pumped semiconductor lasers have an emission wavelength of 577 nm. Lasers that do not have a medium absorption wavelength often cause discomfort to the patient.
"The prospects for this type of laser are very good," said Matthias Schulze, director of marketing for coherent supervisor OEM components and instruments. He pointed out that a large number of Ophthalmology Association member manufacturers have introduced instruments using such lasers, but this does not mean that the market will rise in a straight line, only that the market for certain products is relatively stable.
Highlights in the optional medical field
Some good news came from some corners of the cosmetic industry, although the industry suffered a shrinking market similar to the laser myopia correction, as customers cut spending. But the following markets are stable or growing, they are hair regeneration, light whitening skin and laser body contour transformation.
In a survey by the American Society of Plastic Surgery, 62% reduced cosmetic spending in the first half of 2008, and 73% said non-traumatic cosmetic expenditures remained stable.
In this regard, the investigators listed a number of reasons. “Many people choose non-traumatic cosmetic surgery, mainly because of the economic downturn that they have to consider delaying more expensive traumatic surgery,†said Dr. Richard D'Amico, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgery.
In addition, more and more consumers are beginning to care about the risks of beauty, especially after the rock star Kanye died of complications caused by liposuction, more people tend to adopt non-invasive facelift, efficient and cheap.
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Bauman Medical Group is a practitioner of medical cosmetic surgery and recently installed a laser scanner manufactured by Erchonia Medical of McKinney for liposuction and non-traumatic changes to body contours.
There is also the power of culture. There is no doubt that Americans are more concerned with the beauty of physical fitness. Although cosmetic surgery is one of the options, it is only done in an emergency, especially during the recession, where consumers are looking for low-cost beauty.
Laser beauty market
It is unrealistic to say which market is not affected by the economic downturn, especially those that are not compulsive – alternative projects. But medical device manufacturers should see market opportunities from non-invasive instruments. For example, Gaurav Rohatgi of Continuum is developing a laser treatment device for the treatment of skin surface infections, and they do not believe that the trend is slowing down.
The market is currently debating which type of laser to use in these instruments. “The medical laser is still a very professional therapeutic application, all we have to do is customize the laser according to customer needs,†he said.
The following experiences can provide some tips. First, the equipment should be designed for professional technicians rather than experts. Each state has regulations on how long it must be trained to operate the laser. Many medical lasers can only be operated by a doctor. "You have to consider all the costs, and these are one of the market's limiting factors," Rohatgi said.
The use of lasers can reduce the total cost of treatment, and equipment manufacturers are calling for this technology. “The doctor’s income model affects the performance of lasers in this market,†he pointed out.
In addition, consumers are increasingly concerned about the long-term risks of certain treatments, such as the effects of UV light, for which reason Rohatgi evades the problem of UV equipment.
Will the recession become a good thing? Yes, a bit
According to a recent survey, 73% of professional women believe that young and beautiful women can help find a job or achieve professional success, especially during a recession. Accordingly, 13% of respondents said they are preparing for plastic surgery in order to achieve greater competitiveness in the workplace, and 3% of respondents said they are already undergoing plastic surgery.
The study cited an example of an insurance broker who used chemical methods to transfer fat from the abdomen to the face. She said: "People are beautiful, confidence is there, and they feel more competitive in the workplace, and customers are starting to like me."
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