News Release Details

Educational campaign aims to raise awareness among the optometric community of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) as an earlier surgical intervention for glaucoma

MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sight Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGHT), an eyecare technology company focused on creating innovative solutions intended to transform standards of care and improve patients’ lives, today announced the launch of its “Don’t Wait for Too Late” educational campaign designed to raise awareness among the optometric community of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) as an earlier surgical intervention for glaucoma.

Glaucoma, known as the silent thief of sight, is the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. Vision loss from glaucoma cannot be recovered, so early intervention is critical to preserving sight. Traditionally, early intervention in glaucoma has been limited primarily to prescription eye drops, with surgery reserved for more severe cases. However, prescription medications are only effective if they are taken as prescribed, and compliance can be a major issue.

Today, advances in glaucoma management with MIGS are presenting new opportunities for early surgical intervention in patients with mild to moderate glaucoma. Patients who receive MIGS earlier in their disease management may benefit from less reliance on adherence to prescription eye drops, slowed progression of disease, improved management of intraocular pressure (IOP), and most importantly, sight preservation.

“As optometrists, we are really in a unique position when it comes to glaucoma management, particularly when it comes to earlier surgical intervention, because we are often the gatekeepers for our patients,” said Justin Schweitzer, OD, FAAO, Vance Thompson Vision. “Early intervention in glaucoma is critical to managing IOP and preserving vision, and this intervention starts on the frontlines with optometrists. It is essential that we are empowered with the information necessary to make the best recommendations for our patients. The ‘Don’t Wait for Too Late’ campaign will play an important role in educating the optometric community on the safety, efficacy and benefits of MIGS as an earlier surgical treatment option, an important step to expanding patient access and ensuring appropriate and timely referrals to our ophthalmology partners.”

While MIGS first entered the market as an implant-based procedure performed only at the time of cataract surgery, the OMNI^® Surgical System*, an implant-free MIGS, is now cleared by the FDA more broadly for use not only in combination with cataract surgery but also as a standalone procedure to lower IOP in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), the most prevalent form of glaucoma. Cleared for IOP lowering in POAG across the spectrum of disease severity and irrespective of lens status, the OMNI^® Surgical System expands the reach and impact of MIGS as an earlier surgical treatment option for adult patients with mild to moderate POAG. This is a particularly meaningful advancement for patients who have already had cataract surgery but could still benefit from a MIGS procedure to manage their glaucoma and lower their IOP. Approximately 85 percent of adult patients with POAG could benefit from a standalone MIGS procedure.¹

“At Sight Sciences, we believe everyone deserves the chance to protect their vision from glaucoma before it’s too late, and the optometric community is a vital partner to achieving that goal,” said Paul Badawi, Co-Founder and CEO, Sight Sciences. “In 2020, POAG affected over 60 million people worldwide and 4.1 million people in the United States. We believe MIGS has the potential to transform the treatment paradigm for these patients across the spectrum of disease severity both in combination with cataract surgery and as a standalone procedure. We are proud to spearhead this important educational campaign and look forward to partnering with the optometric community to expand the reach and impact of MIGS in 2022 and beyond.”

About Sight Sciences

Founded in 2011, Sight Sciences develops and commercializes intelligently designed and engineered products that target the underlying causes of the world’s most prevalent eye diseases. The company currently markets two products, the OMNI^® Surgical System and the TearCare^® System. For more information, visit www.sightsciences.com.

About OMNI^®

The OMNI^® Surgical System is a handheld, single-use therapeutic device for minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). It is indicated for canaloplasty (the microcatheterization and viscodilation of Schlemm’s canal) followed by trabeculotomy (the cutting of trabecular meshwork) to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. OMNI^® allows surgeons to access 360 degrees and all three primary points of resistance of an eye’s diseased conventional outflow pathway (trabecular meshwork, Schlemm’s canal, and collector channels) through a single clear corneal microincision.

*OMNI^® is indicated by the FDA for canaloplasty (the microcatheterization and viscodilation of Schlemm’s canal) followed by trabeculotomy (the cutting of trabecular meshwork) to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. OMNI^® has a CE Mark for the catheterization and transluminal viscodilation of Schlemm’s canal and the cutting of trabecular meshwork to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with open-angle glaucoma.

OMNI^® should not be used in any situations where the iridocorneal angle is compromised or has been damaged since it may not be possible to visualize the angle or to properly pass the microcatheter. Do not use the OMNI^® in patients with angle recession; neovascular glaucoma; chronic angle closure; narrow-angle glaucoma; traumatic or malignant glaucoma; or narrow inlet canals with plateau iris or in quadrants with previous MIGS implants.

OMNI^® received its first FDA clearance in 2017 and is protected by a global patent portfolio including 32 issued patents worldwide.

OMNI^® is a registered trademark of Sight Sciences.

© 2022 Sight Sciences. All rights reserved.

+Dr. Schweitzer is a paid consultant for Sight Sciences.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, together with other statements and information publicly disseminated by the Company, contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions.   Any statements made in this press release or during the earnings call that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations, including descriptions of our business plan and strategies. These statements often include words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “suggests,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “estimates,” “targets,” “projects,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “may,” “will,” “forecast” and other similar expressions. We base these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, plans and assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry, as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances at such time. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors could affect our business, results of operations and financial condition and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. The forward-looking statements are subject to and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the following: estimates of our total addressable market, future revenue, expenses, capital requirements, and our needs for additional financing; our ability to enter into and compete in new markets; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, our customers’ and suppliers’ businesses and the general economy; our ability to compete effectively with existing competitors and new market entrants; our ability to scale our infrastructure; our ability to manage and grow our business by expanding our sales to existing customers or introducing our products to new customers; our ability to establish and maintain intellectual property protection for our products or avoid claims of infringement; potential effects of extensive government regulation; our abilities to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals and clearances for our products that support our revenue projections, business strategies and growth; our ability to successfully execute our clinical trial roadmap; our ability to obtain and maintain sufficient reimbursement for our products; our abilities to protect and scale our intellectual property portfolio; our ability to hire and retain key personnel; our ability to obtain financing in future offerings; the volatility of the trading price of our common stock; our expectation regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”); our ability to maintain proper and effective internal controls; and the other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as may be updated from time to time in subsequent filings. These cautionary statements should not be construed by you to be exhaustive and are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Media contact:
Shay Smith
Health+Commerce
707.971.9779
shay@healthandcommerce.com

Investor contact:
Philip Taylor
Gilmartin Group
415.937.5406
Investor.Relations@Sightsciences.com

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1. Unpublished internal analysis of Market Scope 2021 Glaucoma Surgical Device Market Report