Jena, Germany, Mar 6, 2008 - (ABN Newswire) - Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------



Innovative VisuMax® laser system ready for worldwide sales following clearance in major markets (Jena, March 6th, 2008) With the sale of the first VisuMax femtosecond laser system in Japan, Carl Zeiss Meditec has entered a promising new market for refractive lasers in Asia. Dr. Tomoaki Nakamura, one of the leading ophthalmologists in Japan and head of an ophthalmologic laser center in Nagoya, a city of 2 million inhabitants, is the first surgeon in Asia to use the VisuMax femtosecond laser. "When I first saw the femtosecond laser at an international convention in late 2007, I was certain that I wanted to use this technology for my patients. I am very pleased with the treatment outcomes thus far," as the eye specialist reports. Refractive laser treatments are very popular in Japan. One of the pioneers of refractive laser surgery in Japan, Dr. Nakamura is an active member of various Japanese and international ophthalmologic organizations, and has published widely. He has been using refractive lasers from Carl Zeiss since 2004, after working with lasers of other suppliers, including those of Japanese manufacturers, for several years. "With the market launch of the VisuMax, Carl Zeiss Meditec has positioned itself as the only provider of a truly integrated systems solution for refractive laser surgery. With leading-edge technologies for every step along the treatment chain, Carl Zeiss Meditec covers the complete spectrum from diagnosis to therapy planning, flap incision, refractive correction and follow-up examinations. Femtosecond lasers have tremendous potential for refractive corneal surgery, and we expect a rapid development of the technology. Broadening its clinical utilization is therefore one of the major objectives of our research," as Ulrich Krauss, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec, explains. Following European certification (CE Mark) and FDA approval in the US, Carl Zeiss Meditec recently also reached major milestones for the product's worldwide launch with market clearances in Korea and Canada. The VisuMax marks a new dimension of safety and accuracy in refractive laser surgery. With its laser technology, treatments are smooth, precise and highly reproducible. The most widely used laser surgery procedure for treating refractive errors is the so-called LASIK method. Following the creation of a thin corneal flap, an excimer laser is used to perform the actual refractive correction. Until now, corneal incisions were largely conducted mechanically with a so-called mikrokeratome. The laser technology of the VisuMax is, by comparison, much smoother, as well as more precise and reproducible. "When combined with our MEL 80 excimer laser, the clinical results of the VisuMax are truly convincing. Ever since its excellent treatment outcomes were made public, we have received support and encouragement from experienced refractive surgeons from around the world," Krauss adds

Brief profile Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE 0005313704) is one of the world's leading medical technology companies. This market position is based on over 160 years of experience in optical innovation. The company has two primary areas of activity: In the field of ophthalmology Carl Zeiss Meditec offers integrated solutions for treating the four main eye diseases: vision defects (refraction), cataracts, glaucoma and retinal disorders. The company's system solutions are employed in all phases of the disease management, from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. Carl Zeiss Meditec has always applied its technological expertise to product innovations. These innovations range from basic systems such as slit lamps and fundus cameras to standard setting diagnostic systems such as the Humphrey® Field Analyzer, the Stratus OCT(TM) and the IOLMaster®, through to the surgical microscopes and innovative treatment systems in refractive laser surgery. The product portfolio in ophthalmic surgery is rounded off by intraocular lenses and consumables. In the field of neuro and ENT surgery, Carl Zeiss Meditec is the world's leading provider of surgical microscopes and microsurgical visualization solutions for a very broad range of applications, such as tumor and vascular surgery in the head region and/or spinal surgery. The most recent example of our innovative performance in the area of microsurgery is the OPMI Pentero® visualization system, which allows efficient and ergonomic patient treatment. Carl Zeiss Meditec will systematically expand its product range in this area and become a solution provider in neuro and ENT surgery as well. Carl Zeiss Meditec's medical technology portfolio is rounded off by visualization systems for doctors in private practice and promising future technologies such as intraoperative radiation therapy, which allows the targeted treatment of breast cancer and brain cancer directly during surgery. An aging global population, rising expectations of doctors and patients, together with innovative treatment methods in medical technology are expected to promote market growth in the long term. Carl Zeiss Meditec holds an optimum position for future developments in the health sector. The company focuses its solution portfolio on the three medical challenges with a significant social and economic impact: loss of mobility, vision and cognitive abilities. The goal is to deliver technologies and application-oriented solutions that allow doctors to improve the quality of life of their patients and to further improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. Carl Zeiss Meditec AG is based in Jena, Germany, with subsidiaries in Germany (Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH, Carl Zeiss Meditec Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, *Acri.Tec AG and Carl Zeiss Medical Software GmbH), the USA (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin), in Japan (Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., Tokyo), Spain (Carl Zeiss Meditec Iberia S.A., Madrid) and France (Carl Zeiss Meditec S.A.S., La Rochelle, and Carl Zeiss Meditec France SAS, Le Pecq). Thirty-five percent of the Carl Zeiss Meditec shares are in free float. The remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss, one of the world's leading international groups engaged in the optical and opto-electronics industry. Contact Public Relations Kerstin Nössig/ Public Relations Göschwitzer Straße 51-52 07745 Jena Telefon: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 3 35 Telefax: +49 (0) 36 41 - 2 20 - 2 82 E-Mail: k.noessig@meditec.zeiss.com Web: http://www.meditec.zeiss.de

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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG Goeschwitzer Strasse 51-52 Jena Germany

WKN: 531370; ISIN: DE0005313704; Index: Prime All Share, TECH All Share, TecDAX; Listed: Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart, Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin, Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover, Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Geregelter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse;

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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

www.meditec.zeiss.com

ISIN: DE0005313704

Stock Identifier: XFRA.AFX