Optos Plc : First Shipments of Daytona Devices

LONDON, UK, 30 March 2012 - Optos plc (LSE: OPTS), a leading medical retinal imaging company, today announces it has delivered the first Daytona devices to customers in line with expectations. 

Daytona represents the next generation of Optos ultra-widefield retinal imaging technology, and has been scaled to accommodate smaller office spaces while providing high resolution imaging, and adding new auto-fluorescence capabilities.  Weighing only about 25 kg, Daytona's new, ergonomic body is designed to increase patient comfort, as well as make it easier to correctly position the eye.  In addition to the smaller, sleeker design, Daytona features an improved user interface with its intuitive, workflow based software.  It also offers "plug-n-play" installation, a modular robust build-design to simplify product support, image review capabilities and electronic image storage options. 

Daytona was designed to allow the globalisation of the core Optos imaging technology, giving the opportunity to offer the benefits of optomap technology to more eyecare professionals and their patients around the world.

Today's news follows the agreement to supply 160 Daytona devices to Luxottica's OPSM optometry stores in Australia and New Zealand during 2012, announced earlier this month.

Roy Davis, CEO, commented:  "We are pleased to announce shipment of our first devices on schedule.  Following the unveiling of Daytona in October, we have seen growing demand for the product and over the coming months we will be increasing our manufacturing capacity accordingly.  We believe Daytona represents an excellent growth opportunity for Optos and we look forward to providing a detailed update at our interim results presentation in May."

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About Optos Plc
Optos plc has the vision to be The retina company.  We aim to be recognised as a leading provider of devices and solutions to eyecare professionals for improved patient care.  Optos' core devices produce ultra widefield, high resolution digital images (optomaps®) of approximately 82% of the retina, something no other device is capable of doing in any one image.  Our recent acquisition of OPKO instrumentation brings the group optical coherence tomography ("OCT") diagnostic devices and optical ultrasound scanners, used in the diagnosis and management of eye disease and conditions.

Optos' widefield retinal imaging technology, combined with the specific data that can be derived from OCT images, has the potential to offer ophthalmologists and optometrists the most powerful tools for disease diagnosis and management.  The optomap images provide enhanced clinical information which facilitates the early detection, management and treatment of disorders and diseases evidenced in the retina such as retinal detachments and tears, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.  Retinal imaging can also indicate evidence of non-eye or systemic diseases such as hypertension and certain cancers.  OCT delivers an image that shows a three dimensional, cross-sectional view of the retina in any particular area, typically in the central pole area of the retina around the optic nerve and macula and is used to detect the presence of and understand the severity of disease, determine treatment approaches and monitor post-treatment effect.

Optos has a range of imaging devices that support different customer segments and patient levels: the P200 and 200Dx devices are concentrated on wellness screening carried out by optometrists and ophthalmologists in primary care; the P200C devices are designed to meet the need for more exacting clinical imaging capabilities and standards in secondary care within the ophthalmology market and at optometric practices that are clinically managing a patient base with advanced ocular disease; and the P200MA and 200Tx devices supports ophthalmologists and retinal specialists in the medical care market.  Our expanded product range includes visual acuity, perimetry and treatment laser products

For more information please visit our website www.optos.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates and projections about its industry, its beliefs and assumptions.  Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions shareholders and prospective shareholders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.