Neurostimulation technology is migrating into the ophthalmology field, and the implications could be significant for the millions of patients worldwide with degenerative eye diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, as well as those with moderate-to-severe dry eye disease. Companies active in this space include Second Sight Medical Products, Retina Implant AG, Pixium Vision, Nano Retina, and many others.

Advances in imaging and interventional endoscopy are improving cancer detection and enabling less invasive approaches to diagnose and treat disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. These emerging procedures are poised to fuel growth in the $7 billion global market for GI endoscopy.

Ethicon finally received FDA approval in May for its SEDASYS System, a computer-assisted personalized sedation system that allows physician-led teams to safely administer the anesthetic agent propofol during certain gastroenterology procedures, including colonoscopy. The approval opens up a whole new product category for the company with a market potential of 15 million procedures in the US alone.