Revolutionizing Eye Care: Innovative Technologies for Glaucoma and Dry Eye Disease
By: Ayesha Rashid, PhD
Interviewee: H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, VP Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, Inc.
Revolutionizing Eye Care: Innovative Technologies for Glaucoma and Dry Eye Disease
By: Ayesha Rashid, PhD
Interviewee: H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, VP Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, Inc.
Innovations in eye care are paving the way towards a clearer future where patients will have better options, both in quality and quantity, driven by advances in technologies and eye care education among patients, healthcare providers and industry.
Xtalks spoke with H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, VP Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, an eyecare technology company, to hear about the latest innovations in eye care that the company is working towards.
Sight Sciences is developing and commercializing transformational technologies that address both the current and future needs of patients with glaucoma and ocular surface diseases like dry eye disease.
These include the OMNI® Surgical System, a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) technology indicated for canaloplasty followed by trabeculotomy to reduce intraocular pressure in adult patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness. The company’s TearCare® System has US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for the application of localized heat therapy in adult patients with evaporative dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), when used in conjunction with manual expression of the meibomian glands. MGD is the leading cause of dry eye disease.
Transforming Glaucoma Treatment with MIGS
Over the past decade, the landscape of glaucoma treatment has been dramatically reshaped with the advent of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). These procedures have gained prominence for their effectiveness, safety and potential to reduce the reliance on medications or more intrusive glaucoma surgeries.
Simon explains how Sight Sciences is deeply involved in this evolution, aiming to build a robust portfolio that addresses both present and future needs in glaucoma intervention.
Across multiple studies, the company’s OMNI Surgical System has demonstrated consistent intraocular pressure outcomes, achieving around 15 to 16 mmHg, irrespective of the type of patient or procedure (standalone or in conjunction with cataract surgery). Additionally, the studies show the potential of the OMNI Surgical System to decrease the reliance on IOP reducing medications.
With shorter recovery times as compared to more intrusive procedures, effective reduction of intraocular pressure and a much lower risk of complications due to their minimally invasive nature, MIGS technologies hold great promise as the field continues to evolve with new innovations.
Innovative Approaches to Ocular Surface Diseases
When it comes to ocular surface diseases like dry eye disease, over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription eye drops have traditionally dominated the market.
Sight Sciences is focusing on dry eye disease to elevate the treatment paradigm from prescription and OTC eye drops space with a device that “can be just as, if not more effective, while potentially decreasing the burden of taking daily medications,” explains Simon.
Unfortunately, the general perception towards dry eye is that it’s not nearly as daunting of a disease as glaucoma which can ultimately lead to blindness, explains Simon. But he says, “If you talk to dry eye patients, these patients are truly suffering. Their quality of life may be decreased, their eyes are always itching or feeling scratchy.”
This makes it important to recognize the profound impact of conditions like dry eye on patients’ quality of life.
The company’s ocular surface portfolio focuses on building robust clinical data demonstrating high efficacy consistently and over time. Simon says strong clinical evidence is one of the keys to becoming a trusted partner in the eyecare community while bringing transformational technologies to market.
Sight Sciences’ TearCare System aims to not just address symptoms, but the root causes of dry eye disease.
Partnerships: The Patient and the Healthcare Professional
In eyecare, Simon says it’s important to keep your customers and all stakeholders in mind — the patients and the doctors that utilize the technologies and products to enhance patient lives and ultimately their vision.
A cornerstone of Sight Sciences’ strategy is the close collaboration with eye care professionals. By involving healthcare providers in the early stages of product development and evolution, the company aims to ensure its technologies meet the real and evolving needs of patients. This partnership is pivotal in creating solutions that are both relevant and revolutionary.
Simon explains how Sight Sciences ensures that the company partners with MDs, ODs, and the eye care community throughout the process of product innovation as well as future product revolution to meet the needs of patients now and in the future.
It’s therefore important to not only identify the needs in glaucoma or dry eye and other eye diseases today, but also anticipate future needs to ensure developing technologies are not just for the present moment.
“By partnering with the eyecare community to identify unmet needs, we ensure that what we bring to market remains necessary, strong and highly effective.”
— H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, VP Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, Inc.
“By partnering with the eyecare community to identify unmet needs, we ensure that what we bring to market remains necessary, strong and highly effective.”
— H. B. Pierre Simon Jr., MBA, VP Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, Inc.
Staying Ahead in a Competitive Market
In a market as competitive as eyecare, differentiation is key. Sight Sciences sets itself apart through a focus on transformational technologies, becoming a trusted partner in eyecare and ensuring the company’s innovations are backed by solid clinical evidence.
The company’s OMNI Surgical System and TearCare System are testaments to the company’s commitment to developing clinically proven solutions that offer significant benefits to patients.
For its TearCare System, Simon says “if it’s put up against the number one prescribed eye drop right now for dry eye disease, TearCare is meeting and exceeding expectations. Sight Sciences believes in strong clinical evidence, and we’re consistently showing the eyecare community what our technologies will do for them and their patients.”
Leaning into consistent, robust clinical evidence, as well as working with key opinion leaders, doctors and patients are important factors leading the evolution of the company’s portfolio. This involves identifying the needs in the market for each area.
Educational Initiatives and Overcoming Challenges
A major challenge in the adoption of new technologies is the inertia of habit across healthcare, patients and industry. Sight Sciences says it is important to tackle this by pairing technological advancements with comprehensive educational efforts. By demystifying new procedures and demonstrating their benefits, the company aims to foster a receptive environment for innovation in eyecare through continuing education.
Habit is not something that’s difficult to break, explains Simon. “We just have to make sure that we provide the ‘what,’ which is the transformational technologies, the ‘why,’ which is the benefits to the patients and the ‘how,’ which is how to implement, utilize and become consistent with the technologies and the benefits they offer patients.”
Simon explains that oftentimes the technology a doctor trains on during their residency or their fellowship is what they’re going to use when they exit residency. This makes it important to partner the advancement of technology with the education.
“We can’t just tell doctors that we’re building products that are going to innovate the market — we have to ensure that we’re educating per the science, per the procedure and based on the implementation and utilization within their clinical practice.”
With respect to patients, the patient is more informed than ever in today’s era of readily accessible information, which allows patients to be keenly aware of the latest technologies as they become available.
Since the patient is more informed, it’s important that treating physicians are several steps ahead in being well-informed and trained on these newer technologies.
“It is our job to not only continue to optimize the technologies, but to educate the eyecare community on their benefits and applications. So, when a patient walks into Dr. Smith’s office and says, ‘I heard that this less invasive procedure is available,’ Dr. Smith has been trained on it and is well aware of its capabilities, applications, and indications.”
The Future of Less Invasive Eye Care
Embracing technology is key to innovation.
The trend towards less invasive procedures is gaining momentum, driven by their effectiveness, safety and potential quicker recovery times they offer patients. Advancing the technologies is key to this shift in earlier intervention.
Sight Sciences says it is focused on this paradigm shift, not only by advancing technologies but also by ensuring the eyecare community is well-informed about their benefits.
Less invasive technologies like MIGS are expected to play an increasingly central role in the personalized management of glaucoma, offering hope for preserving vision with fewer risks and less patient burden.
For Sight Sciences, innovation is not just about enhancing the company’s portfolio in glaucoma and ocular surface diseases; it’s about developing transformative, interventional technologies that allow eyecare providers to procedurally elevate the standards of care — empowering people to keep seeing.
Through continuous collaboration with key opinion leaders, healthcare professionals, overcoming industry challenges and a commitment to robust clinical evidence, the company is poised to help lead the way in delivering transformative eye care solutions.
ABOUT H. B. Pierre Simon Jr.
H. B. Pierre Simon Jr. is currently the Vice President, Global Head of Marketing at Sight Sciences, a role he has held since April 2023. Prior to this, he worked at Alcon for a significant duration, starting in 2008.
Pierre completed his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) with a dual concentration in Finance and Marketing from the University of Houston.
In 2020, Pierre completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Sales Leadership and Business Development from the University of Houston-Downtown.
In addition to his formal education, H. B. Pierre Simon Jr. has also obtained several certifications. In 2021, he received certifications in A2E Business Fundamentals, Management Accelerator Program, Problem Solving, and Business Strategy. all from McKinsey & Company.