Nidek Co. Ltd. announced the global launch of its NP-T PreLoaded Toric IOL Injection System—previously only available in the Japan commercial market.
To note: The system is now widely available outside of (as in: excluding) the U.S. commercial market.
First up: Nidek.
The Japanese-based manufacturer—with U.S. headquarters in San Jose, California—specializes in a product portfolio of:
- Ophthalmic diagnostic equipment
- Customized refractive surgery tools
- Ophthalmic lasers
And prior to this latest product news, its 2024 U.S. launches have also included:
Now to this injection system.
As a fully preloaded injection system, NP-T includes an aspheric hydrophobic soft acrylic toric lens designed to provide “superior operability and reliable intracapsular fixation.”
What this enables: A two-step process:
- Step 1: The ophthalmic viscoelastic device (OVD) is filled in the injector
- Step 2: The plunger is then pressed
- To note: A dual silicone ring located on the plunger targets an optimal and constant resistance—ideally translating to a “stable, consistent, and safe IOL delivery,” according to Nidek.
The intent: To eliminate the need for a surgeon to load an IOL in the cartridge.
Talk more about the preloaded component.
The system is preloaded with the company’s Aktis Toric IOL (designed with a stable lens material) that, once placed in the bag, is reported to have an average absolution rotation of 2.1°± 1.7° from 1 hour to 6 months postoperatively.
As far as stability goes: The company stated that a wide contact area located between the long haptics, capsule, and 90° haptic design is intended to provide “stable, well-centered IOL implantation.”
- About this clinical data: This was provided by Nidek and is not publicly available.
Tell me more about the system’s power ranges.
The NP-T—as well as Nidek’s prior injection systems of NP-1 and NP-1C—has a wider power range extending from 1.0 to 3.0 D as well as a cylinder power on the IOL plane from 0.75 to 6.00 D.
As an added bonus: Toric and non-toric IOL implantation using these three (NP-T, NP-1, and NP-1C) can be delivered within the same system—as well as via the same technique.
- It’s important to note, however, that the available model and diopter ranges may range from country to country.
What else should I know about this?
To start, NP-T is implantable via a small incision:
- 2.2 mm at the corneoscleral junction
- 2.4 mm clear corneal incision
Also: NP-T is reportedly less affected by temperature and “unfolds gradually” to facilitate axis alignment. See how this compares to Nidek’s NP-1 system
And the system’s astigmatism correction capabilities during cataract surgery?
Nidek reported that the system provides "excellent functional vision” by correcting astigmatism during cataract surgery.
Any clinical data to back that up?
Yes! A 2022 study published in BMC Ophthalmology evaluating the use of NP-T to implant a toric IOL in patients with age-related cataracts found:
- At 6 months postoperatively: Visual acuity (VA) with spherical addition of 0.1 logMAR or better was achieved in 90% of eyes
- At 12 months postoperatively: Sphere-corrected VA was ≥ 0.1 logMAR in 98% of cases
While we’re on the subject of postop, how does it control complications?
An optimized lens design with a true 360° sharp square edge is designed to prevent posterior capsule opacification (PCO), according to Nidek.
The system also provides:
- Long-term material stability (see how)
- Minimization of dysphotopsia (see how)
- Quick and smooth unfolding (see how)
- Tinting and spherical aberration (for clear and natural vision)
Nice! So, how can I add this to my practice?
Contact the company to request more information—or reach out to a distributor.
Editor's note: This article was updated on Dec. 6, 2024, to clarify that the NP-T Preloaded Toric Injection System is not currently available in the U.S. commercial market.