The dermatology segment by application is estimated to lead the market growth during the forecast period.
According to The Insight Partners market research study of “North America Medical Laser Systems Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis by Product Type, Application, End User and Country.” The North America medical laser systems market is expected to reach US$ 2,257.13 million by 2028 from US$ 919.72 million in 2021; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.7% from 2021 to 2028. The report highlights trends prevailing in the North America medical laser systems market and the factors driving market along with those that act as hindrances.
Corneal diseases are the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide, after cataracts. In addition, the prevalence of corneal diseases varies with the countries and populations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2.2 billion people in the world were expected to have near or far vision impairment by February 2020. In at least 1 billion (i.e., nearly half) cases, visual impairment could have been prevented or has not been corrected. These 1 billion people include people with moderate or severe distance vision impairment or blindness due to refractive errors (88.4 million), cataracts (94 million), glaucoma (7.7 million), corneal opacity (4.2 million), diabetes retinopathy (3.9 million), trachoma (2 million), and near vision weakness due to unresolved presbyopia (826 million).
Regarding regional disparities, the prevalence of distance vision impairment is predicted to be four times higher in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income ones. The rate of unresolved near vision defects in West, East, and Central sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to exceed 80%. The rates of near vision defects in high-income regions such as North America, Australasia, Western Europe, and Western Europe are similar. Population growth and aging would further propel the risk of visual impairment among a larger number of people. According to the National Eye Institute, the number of persons suffering from cataracts would rise from 24.4 million in 2010 to ~50 million by 2050. Also, according to the WHO, cataracts affect ~65.2 million people and cause moderate to severe vision loss in over 80% of cases. As populations age and average life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, the number of people with cataracts will continue to grow.
Furthermore, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), it is estimated that 57.5 million people worldwide are affected by primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). People over 60 years of age; steroid users; family members of those who have been diagnosed with glaucoma; and people who have diabetes, high myopia, hypertension, and eye injuries are at a greater risk of glaucoma. The number of people suffering from glaucoma is estimated to reach 111.8 million by 2040 from ~76 million in 2020. Based on the March 2020 data of the WHO, 137 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness.
Laser vision correction is one of the most common surgical procedures. Primary reasons for the increasing preference of patients for laser vision correction are the continued improvements in the visual results achieved and the constant reduction in the incidence of postoperative complications. Advances in flap formation technology, such as the use of the femtosecond laser, have resulted in an improved quality of vision and a lower incidence of flap complications and postoperative dry eye disease (DED). In addition, advances in laser ablation profiles have resulted in a better quality of vision, including better night vision. Thus, the rising prevalence of eye diseases worldwide highly demands medical lasers.
The US was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the North American region. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about technological changes critical to better care. Due to the spread of COVID-19, many cities were closed, resulting in treatments cancellations from doctors/surgeons. During the initial surge in the COVID-19 cases, healthcare systems in the US quickly adapted to reduce disease transmission and reserve capacity for the infected. Although elective and non-urgent procedures were initially required to be delayed, prolonged delays or cancellations could lead to other public health crises due to preventable and chronic diseases. The disease was increasingly becoming a cause for concern throughout the healthcare field, including dermatology, ophthalmology, gynecology, dentistry, cardiology, urology, and other communities. According to the National Eye Institute, more than 150 million Americans have a refractive error, the most common type of vision problem. According to NVISION Eye Centers, as of June 2018, about 9.5 million Americans had undergone surgery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued mitigation plans, including a recommendation to cancel or reduce elective procedures. Surgeons had to seriously consider both the intensity of clinic scheduling and the issue of elective surgeries, particularly in elderly patients and those with chronic medical conditions.
As surgeons resumed the full spectrum of surgical practices, they tested on how the COVID-19 pandemic would affect surgical decision-making, particularly regarding the indications for preoperative testing of patients and personal protective equipment (PPE) by surgeons and personnel during surgical interventions. In general, the scientific basis for assessing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in most surgeries is early and evolving. Even after the easing of the restrictions, the fear of infection led many patients to cancel or postpone appointments for examinations and voting procedures with physical visits. Refractive surgery has indeed proven to be an exception and hereby appears to have benefited from a kickstart during the COVID-19 era. Laser vision correction (LVC) procedures have been put on hold, including LASIK, SMILE, and PRK.
As public health and safety pressures have created several factors motivating people to reassess their eye health and vision correction options, the demand for LVC procedures continues to grow. According to the Refractive Surgery Council (RSC), consistently strong growth in the volume of LVC surgery has been reported since the fourth quarter of 2020. While 2020 was a year of disruptions, 2021 showed a clear outlook, as the intervention volume picked up where it broke off in 2018.
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