Illuminating Innovation

Oertli has been setting the standard in cataract, vitrectomy, and glaucoma surgery for more than 60 years, creating a portfolio of products that add value for surgeons – and benefits to patients. But Oertli is not a company to rest on its laurels. In keeping with its values of continuous innovation, the company set its sights on a new challenge: the retina, knowing that, for clinicians to operate in the periphery, tissue must be simultaneously moved and illuminated.

Traditionally, this was done in one of two ways – with an unlit scleral “dent” made by an assistant or the use of a chandelier light – but neither was perfect. Oertli decided to change that, designing a superior solution for a superior outcome: the ViPer (Visible Periphery Illuminated Scleral Indentor).

Developed in partnership with Matthias Bolz from Kepler Universitätsklinikum in Linz, Austria, the ViPer simplifies work in the periphery by ensuring simultaneous indenting and transscleral illumination in the posterior eye segment. The result? Faster, easier and more efficient retinal surgeries for all. The Swiss-engineered device boasts a semi-transparent design, making it free from glare and backscattered light.

Consistent illumination of the indented tissue guarantees an optimal view of the retinal periphery, while the smooth 360° tip ensures easy application and excellent mobility. A slim profile also ensures sufficient space between the eye speculum and bulb wall, eliminating the risk of wrinkle formation and injury to the conjunctiva.

With ViPer’s CE-mark pending, its impact in Europe is inevitable. The device is currently not available for sale in the USA.