OkuStim® Therapy:Changing the course.
OkuStim® therapy can slow down the progression of visual field loss in patients with
retinitis pigmentosa. This offers the chance to postpone the onset of severe limitations due to visiual impairment.
How to use theOkuStim system
The OkuStim system consists of the neurostimulator OkuStim, the electrode holder OkuSpex and the OkuEl electrodes. You place these hair-thin electrodes on the lower edge of the eyelid. With the help of the OkuSpex, the electrodes are held in place for the duration of the treatment. Via the OkuSpex, the electrodes are connected to the OkuStim, which controls the current. The stimulation parameters are set individually for each patient by the doctor. The treatment is carried out once a week for half an hour.
News
27. February 2023
New evidence of efficacy of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES)
A new exploratory evaluation of a previous study has now provided further evidence of the effectiveness of OkuStim® therapy. The data show that after one year of TES treatment, visual field deterioration in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) was slowed depending on the stimulation intensity.
12. August 2022
New Partners in Frankfurt
We are pleased to have won two new partners in the provision of the OkuStim therapy for you: the Augenzentrum Frankfurt and Teichmann Ohren- und Augenwelt.
Short waiting times for appointments, good transport connections and international expertise are now available close to you.
17. March 2022
Imminent blindness comparable to state of emergency
A recent social court ruling paves the way for the retroactive reimbursement of OkuStim therapy for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). A patient had filed a lawsuit because her health insurance company had refused to cover the costs, as there was no threat of blindness and the therapeutic benefit of TES had not yet been evaluated by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).
7. October 2021
Electrical Stimulation as Therapy Option for RP
The amendment of the ophthalmological guideline for hereditary retinal, choroidal and visual pathway diseases now also refers to electrical stimulation as a therapy option for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). This gives ophthalmologists a concrete option for the symptomatic treatment of RP.
27. March 2021
Retina UK Konferenz 2021
Retina UK's professional and annual conferences will be held online in April. Registration is now open.
We will be presenting OkuStim Therapy as part of the "Update from Industry" session in the Annual Conference programme on 17 April.
OkuStim therapy has been available in the UK since December 2020.
26. February 2021
RP, a rare disease
Most of the more than 6,000 different rare diseases are of genetic origin. Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is one of them.
There are therapies for only about 3% of rare diseases - OkuStim therapy for RP is one of them. It can preserve vision.
This is why electrostimulationhelps you
In degenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, Usher syndrome and cone-rod dystrophy, the light-sensitive nerve cells in the retina gradually decay. As a result, vision becomes increasingly constricted. The aim of electrostimulation is to keep the remaining nerve cells functioning for as long as possible. Scientific studies show that weak electrical currents stimulate the metabolism of the nerve cells and elicit protective effects. Clinical studies show that with such strengthened nerve cells, the degeneration processes in the retina can at least be slowed down.
This is your path to the treatment
Therapy with the OkuStim system requires a prescription. If your ophthalmologist determines that electrostimulation is an option for you, he or she can write you a prescription for it. Specialists with extensive experience with the therapy called “TES” (TES stands for transcorneal electrostimulation) can be found here. You can then order the OkuStim system from a qualified optician. They will instruct you in the handling.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We would be happy to hear from you!
At present, OkuStim therapy is not universally covered by the health insurance funds. Reimbursement is therefore a case-by-case decision that you have to clarify with your health insurance company. The reimbursement situation differs from country to country. Please talk to our local OkuStim affiliates for detailed information related to your country.
What the users say
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Retinitis Pigmentosa: keeping active is the key
Being active against the everyday limitations and in slowing down the disease – this has been the right way for Ines to deal with the disease since her early years.
“For me, the method is plausible and makes sense. And the study results so far are promising. I am not chasing a stand-still by all means, but I believe that my disease will progress more slowly with the treatment,” she is convinced.