U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                                    SEC FILE NUMBER   1-11140
                                                    CUSIP NUMBER
                                   FORM 12b-25


        NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING

            (Check One:)



|X| Form 10-K and  10-KSB  |_| Form 20-F |_| Form 11-K |_| Form 10-Q and  10-QSB
|_| Form N-SAR

        For Period Ended:  August 31, 1998 [ ] Transition Report on Form 10-K
        [ ] Transition  Report on Form 20-F [ ] Transition Report on Form 11-K [
        ] Transition Report on Form 10-Q [ ] Transition Report on Form N-SAR
        For the Transition Period Ended:                          

If the notification  relates to a portion of the filing checked above,  identify
the Item(s) to which the notification relates:
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PART I -- REGISTRANT INFORMATION
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Full Name of Registrant                           Ophthalmic Imaging Systems
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Former Name if Applicable
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Address of Principal Executive Office                221 Lathrop Way, Suite I
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City, State and Zip Code                         Sacramento, California 95815
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PART II -- RULES 12b - 25(b) and (c)
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If the subject report could not be filed without  unreasonable effort or expense
and the registrant seeks relief pursuant to Rule 12b-25(b), the following should
be completed. (Check box if appropriate.)
        (a)    The reasons  described in  reasonable  detail in Part III of this
               form  could  not be  eliminated  without  unreasonable  effort or
               expense;
|X|            (b) The subject annual  report,  semi-annual  report,  transition
               report on Form  10-K,  Form 20- K,  Form  11-K,  Form  N-SAR or a
               portion thereof will be filed on or before the fifteenth calendar
               day following the prescribed  due date; or the subject  quarterly
               report or transition  report on Form 10-Q or portion thereof will
               be filed on or  before  the  fifth  calendar  day  following  the
               prescribed due date; and
        (c)    The  accountant's  statement  or other  exhibit  required by Rule
               12b-25(c) has been attached if applicable.



2

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PART III -- NARRATIVE
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State below in  reasonable  detail the  reasons why Form 10-K and 10-KSB,  20-F,
11-K, 10-Q and 10-QSB,  N-SAR, or the transition report or portion thereof could
not be filed within the prescribed period.

     On February 25, 1998, The Company  entered into a Stock Purchase  Agreement
with Premier Laser Systems, Inc., a California corporation ("Premier"), pursuant
to which,  among other  things:  (i) Premier  agreed to commence a tender  offer
("Tender Offer") to acquire all shares of the Company's common stock not held by
Premier or its  affiliates  in exchange  for a  combination  of cash and Premier
securities;  and (ii) the Company agreed to recommend that  shareholders  tender
their  shares  of the  Company's  common  stock in the  Tender  Offer and not to
solicit any competing  acquisition  proposals.  In August 1998, Premier notified
the  Company  that  Premier  would be  unable  to  consummate  the  transactions
contemplated under the Stock Purchase Agreement.
     As previously  disclosed,  because of certain  conflicts with Premier and
the status of the  Company as a  subsidiary  of  Premier,  the  Company's  prior
accountants  terminated their  relationship  with the Company on August 21, 1998
(10 days prior to the end of the period).  Newly hired  accountants  have had to
undertake an initial audit of the Company on short notice and to seek resolution
of  complex  accounting  issues  resulting  from the  above  referenced  aborted
transaction (see attached letter from accountants dated November 25, 1998).

     As a result of the  foregoing  change  of  accountants,  together  with the
impact of an anticipated  reorganization  with Premier pending completion of the
transaction,  the subsequent  collapse of the  transaction  with Premier and the
limited  resources and staff of the Company  maintained in  contemplation of the
collapsed  transaction,  without unreasonable effort or expense, the Company has
been unable to complete the information  required for inclusion in the currently
due  report on Form  10-KSB as it has in prior  periods  and  requires  the time
allowed under Rule 12b-25 to complete the report.

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PART IV -- OTHER INFORMATION
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        (1) Name and  telephone  number of person to  contact  in regard to this
notification.

 Steven Lagorio                                   (916)           646-2020   
(Name)                                         (Area Code)   (Telephone Number)

        (2) Have all other periodic  reports  required under section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 or section 30 of the Investment  Company
Act of 1940 during the  preceding 12 months or for such shorter  period that the
registrant was required to file such report(s) been filed?  If the answer is no,
identify report(s).
                                       |X| Yes               |_| No


        (3)  Is it  anticipated  that  any  significant  change  in  results  of
operations  from the  corresponding  period  for the last  fiscal  year  will be
reflected by the  earnings  statements  to be included in the subject  report or
portion thereof?
                                       |X| Yes               | | No

     The  Company  will  be  reporting   significantly   increased  general  and
administrative  expenses  in  1998  versus  1997,  due,  in  large  measure,  to
substantial  investment  banking,  legal, and other  professional fees and other
expenses incurred in connection with the collapsed transaction with Premier.

                           Ophthalmic Imaging Systems
                  (Name of Registrant as specified in charter)

has  caused  this  notification  to be signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned
thereunto duly authorized.

Date:   November 30, 1998                     By:/s/ STEVEN VERDOONER       
        ------------------------------           ------------------------------
                                                 Steven Verdooner,
                                                 Chief Financial Officer and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer



                              
                                Perry-Smith & Co.
                          Certified Public Accountants
                          400 Capitol Mall, Suite 1200
                              Sacramento, CA 95814


                                            November 25, 1998


Mr. Steven C. Lagorio
Director of Finance
Ophthalmic Imaging Systems
221 Lathrop Way, Suite I
Sacramento, California 95815

Dear Steve:

        In  connection  with our  engagement  to audit the  Company's  financial
statements  for the year ended  August 31,  1998,  we have been unable to obtain
certain  evidential  matter.  The significance of the evidential  matter is such
that we are unable to complete our audit procedures at this time.

          Specifically,  we have been unable to confirm with Premier Laser  
          Systems,  Inc. (Premier):

        o       The amount and repayment terms for the advances made to the 
                Company;

        o      Premier's  confirmation  that $500,000 of the amount  advanced to
               the Company is to be set off against a $500,000  termination  fee
               due to the Company from Premier (as defined in the Stock Purchase
               Agreement).

        The  Company has  recorded  approximately  $963,000  payable to Premier.
However, absent their written confirmation as to the repayment terms, we believe
the notes  payable must be recorded in the Company's  financial  statements as a
current liability.

        We understand  that  Management  of the Company is actively  negotiating
with  Premier to finalize  the terms of  repayment.  Upon  receipt of  Premier's
confirmation,  we will promptly complete our audit and issue our report.  Filing
an  extension  with the SEC for the Form 10K may  provide  the  additional  time
require to complete our  procedures.  Please call me at 441-1000 if you have any
questions.

                                            Very truly yours,


                                         /s/ TOM PERRY-SMITH
                                            -------------------
                                            Tom Perry-Smith 
                                            Partner