Ophthalmology

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Seeing possibilities in ophthalmology

In 2016, 200 million patients worldwide were treated with Novartis ophthalmic products. As a leading ophthalmology company, we produce therapies that treat both front- and back-of-the-eye disorders, including retinal diseases, glaucoma, dry eye and other external eye diseases.

Vision hacker

Novartis researchers make clinical tools to help retinitis pigmentosa patients.

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Ophthalmology Focus Areas
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Retinal Diseases

We have pioneered treatments for many retinal diseases. One of our current focus areas is neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects an estimated 20 to 25 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of severe vision loss.

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Dry Eye Diseases

Dry eye, a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, impacts more than 344 million patients worldwide. Dry eye can result from a range of genetic diseases and inflammatory disorders, and patients experience a range of symptoms that can lead to impaired vision. While palliative treatments such as artificial tears provide transient relief, we are working on novel, target-specific therapies designed to address the root causes of the disorder.

 

A specialist conducting an eye examination

Other External Eye Diseases, Including Presbyopia

We are investing in developing the first pharmaceutical treatment with potential disease-modifying activity for presbyopia, a disease that affects 85% of people over 45 years old. There are currently no disease-modifying pharmacological treatments available or in clinical development to reverse the loss of near-distance vision.

 

A specialist conducting an eye examination

Glaucoma

More than 60 million people globally are affected by glaucoma, which can lead to progressive damage of the optic nerve. We provide treatment options for patients living with glaucoma to reduce the burden of disease around the world. 

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Ophthalmic Facts and Figures
  • 285M

    People are visually impaired worldwide

  • 80%

    Of vision problems worldwide can be avoided

  • 82%

    Of people living with blindness are aged 50 and above

  • 90%

    Of the world's visually impaired live in low-income settings

  1. World Health Organization, Visual impairment and blindness - Media Centre.
    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/ [Accessed October 2017]
“Disease by disease, we’re making progress toward eliminating blindness.”
Cynthia Grosskreutz Global Head of Ophthalmology, Novartis
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