BOSTON—New England College of Optometry (NECO), the oldest continually operating college of optometry in the U.S. and a leader in advancing the optometric profession, announced that it has partnered with Lumenis to educate students on the fundamentals of lasers, microsurgical procedures and IPL. As part of NECO’s Advanced Surgical and Laser Procedures course, students will have practical training with the Digital Duet SLT-YAG platform and Optima IPL system. “We are dedicated to keeping pace with new technologies, so students are prepared to practice to the full extent of their license and scope of practice in any state. It’s our mission to make sure that all of our students are on the leading edge of this rapidly evolving profession,” said Kristen Brown, OD, FAAO, associate dean of Clinical Affairs.

NECO students will get an in-depth look at the science of microsurgical and light-based procedures and how they are used to treat glaucoma, lid lesions and ocular rosacea. By offering access to Lumenis technologies, NECO is ensuring students have the knowledge and skills they need to perform the latest techniques in the evolution of these essential procedures, its announcement said.


Dr. Elena Biffi (c) demonstrates a microsurgical procedure in an expanded course at NECO, which also covers laser and IPL procedures using the latest Lumenis equipment.
“It’s incredibly exciting that NECO students will not only receive education to the highest level of optometric privileges in the United States, but they will also do it by using the newest cutting-edge technologies,” said Elena Biffi, OD, MSc, FAAO, associate professor of optometry and the instructor of record for the Advanced Surgical and Laser Procedures course. “With in-depth training in the theoretical and practical basis of advanced ophthalmic techniques, we are preparing optometrists to deliver the most comprehensive care, including new opportunities in the treatment of dry eye and glaucoma as they emerge.”

Released in 2020, the Lumenis Digital Duet is the first digital SLT-YAG system, a comprehensive digital and imaging solution with state-of the art optics and precise SLT-YAG capabilities. Digital Duet is also the ideal platform for teaching institutions because multiple students can watch the procedure in real time without an observation tube. Made by the inventors of IPL, Optima IPL is the leading intense pulsed light system, with more than 20 studies demonstrating how this root-cause therapy breaks the dry eye vicious cycle of inflammation.