BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Patricia Buehler, MD, MPH, an ophthalmologist from Bend, and founder and CEO of Osheru, won the Eyecelerator People’s Choice Award for her innovative new blepharoplasty or blepharoplasty device, the Ziplyft.
Ziplyft has secured consecutive prestigious awards from Eyecelerator, a leading innovation catalyst in ophthalmology.
At Eyecelerator’s annual Innovator Sessions prior to the American Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Meeting on April 5 in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Buehler’s Ziplyft won the coveted People’s Choice Award, as chosen by attendees. This recognition celebrates an outstanding cutting-edge startup in the ophthalmic space and follows Ziplyft’s triumph last year when it won the Winning Pitch Award.
Upper eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, is consistently among the top five most popular cosmetic surgeries performed in the United States1highlighting the significant demand and market potential for innovative solutions in this area.
Traditional blepharoplasty techniques have remained largely unchanged for more than 50 years, often requiring invasive surgical methods, extended recovery times, and posing risks of postoperative complications such as bruising, asymmetry, and suture problems.
Utilizing her 25+ years of surgical experience as an Ophthalmologist, Dr. Buehler developed and patented Ziplyft, a minimally invasive alternative to the traditional blepharoplasty technique. Ziplyft is designed to offer reduced downtime, post-operative bruising, and the need for stitches while providing symmetrical results.
“As a woman who has had blepharoplasty and a surgeon who has performed thousands of blepharoplasty procedures, I was in a unique position to identify pain points for surgeons and for my patients with the traditional blepharoplasty technique,” says Dr. Buehler.
Launching in early 2025, Ziplyft is poised to revolutionize the procedure, providing a long-awaited solution to the limitations of conventional blepharoplasty techniques.
The achievement of Dr. Buehler is unprecedented, winning Eyecelerator awards and further highlights his ingenuity, the potential to transform upper eyelid surgery, and the remarkable progress of Osheru and Ziplyft.
About Osheru and Ziplyft:
Osheru is an innovative medical device company revolutionizing blepharoplasty procedures. The company’s groundbreaking Ziplyft product facilitates minimally invasive blepharoplasty (blepharoplasty) for ophthalmologists, ophthalmic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons. Scheduled for commercialization in early 2025, Ziplyft’s proprietary design introduces a new surgical
approach to removing excess eyelid skin through an advanced outpatient procedure. This specialized device is designed to improve the surgical process and reduce recovery time compared to traditional methods. Learn more at: https://www.ziplyft.com/.
About Eyecelerator:
Eyecelerator advances innovation in eye care by connecting entrepreneurs, investors, physicians and business leaders through next-generation conferences. The company provides seed investment, guidance and strategic connections to turn new ophthalmology concepts into successful businesses. Learn more at https://www.eyecelerator.com/.
1American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2020 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report
