CONTACT LENSES TODAY
January 7, 2007
Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches more than 12,000 readers in 74 countries.
Bausch & Lomb Announces Management Changes in Americas Region
Following the announcement by Paul G. Howes, currently senior vice president and president – Americas region, that he intends to resign from the company, Bausch & Lomb announced a
realignment of management responsibilities for the region.
Gary M. Phillips, M.D., will head the U.S. pharmaceutical and surgical businesses. Dr. Phillips currently serves as the corporate vice
president – global pharmaceuticals. Angela J. Panzarella, corporate vice president – global vision care, will assume responsibility for the commercial operation in Canada and Latin America in addition to her current
responsibility for global strategy for the contact lens and lens care businesses. Finally, Robert J. Moore will continue his position as vice president and general manager of the U.S. vision care and OTC eye care
business.
FDA Issues Allergan Approvable Letter for Combigan
On December 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an approvable letter for Combigan (brimonidine tartrate/timolol maleate ophthalmic) 0.2%/0.5% for the reduction of
elevated IOP in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. An approvable letter outlines the remaining conditions a company must fulfill in order to obtain FDA final marketing approval. Combigan is already
approved and marketed in Europe, Canada, Brazil and Australia.
“In its approvable letter, the FDA suggested an additional confirmatory study to address certain questions posed by
the Agency," said Scott M. Whitcup, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research and Development. “Allergan already commenced a clinical study at the end of 2005 that addresses the remaining FDA questions."
National Optometry Hall of Fame Calls for Nominations
The National Optometry Hall of Fame selection committee invites nominations for this year’s induction ceremony to be held October 4 at the East West Eye Conference in Cleveland.
Send letters of nomination and supporting documentation via mail to the National Optometry Hall of Fame, P.O. Box 6036, Worthington, Ohio 43085; or fax 614-781-6521; or email info@ooa.org. The deadline for
nominations is March 9.
The members of the National Optometry Hall of Fame selection committee represent the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), the College of
Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), the National Optometric Association (NOA), the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Academy of Optometry (AAO).
A Confident Choice
ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM are the # 1 astigmatic lenses for new wearers. Eye Care Professionals surveyed said the comfort
level of ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand for ASTIGMATISM was superior to other lens designs, and they also gave it high marks for its average settle time of 53 seconds. In a survey of more than
200 ECPs participating in a market test, 99% rated the lens very good to excellent for ease of fit; and 98% agreed the rotational stability and predictable orientation of ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for
ASTIGMATISM was very good to excellent. With the increased comfort, ease of fit and the highest UV protection available, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM is designed to quickly give you complete
confidence in your first choice lens. And now, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM meets more patients' needs with the introduction of -2.25 cylinder.
--ADVERTISING
Global Keratoconus Congress 2007
There is still time to register for the inaugural Global Keratoconus Congress! This important, international event will be held January 26-28, 2007 at Bally’s Hotel and Casino
in Las Vegas. The more than 300 current registrants hail from 28 different countries. Please visit
http://www.GKC2007.com to register or view the most up-to-date educational program agenda, including free paper submissions and scientific posters; information on hotel
accommodations; and a listing of the 30+ meeting sponsors and exhibitors. We look forward to seeing you there!
--ADVERTISING
Paraoptometric Certification Exam Schedule Announced
The Commission on Paraoptometric Certification has announced the preliminary schedule for the 2007 regional and state-sponsored exams for the Certified Paraoptometric (CPO), Certified
Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA) and Certified Paraoptometric Technician (CPOT). Due to excellent response from state affiliates to host exams, regional exams dates have been reduced from four times to two times per
year. The 2007 regional exams will be given April 14 and September 8 in the following cities:
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Birmingham, Ala. |
Detroit |
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Fairbanks, Alaska |
St. Cloud, Min. |
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Tempe/Phoenix, Ariz. |
St. Louis/Kansas City |
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Berkeley, Calif.
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Omaha, Neb. |
|
Denver
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New York |
|
Dover, Del.* |
Raleigh, N.C. |
|
Chicago |
Toledo, Ohio |
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Bloomington, Ind.
|
Harrisburg, Pa.
|
|
Wichita, Kan. |
Nashville, Ten.
|
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New Orleans |
Dallas/Midland* |
|
College Park, Md. |
Salt Lake City |
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Boston Richmond, Va. |
Spokane, Wash.
|
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Madison, Wis.
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St. Petersburg/Ft. Lauderdale/Jacksonville/Lakeland, Fla.
|
|
* indicates April 14 only. |
Additional exam dates and locations will be posted on the AOA Web site as they become available. All study materials are available through the AOA Paraoptometric Section and will need to be ordered separately. Email
PS@aoa.org or call 1-800-365-2219, ext. 4222 for more information.
National Library Service for the Blind Celebrates 75th Year
The Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) celebrates its 75th year of providing free library service to people who cannot
see standard print or who have problems handling print materials. In 2008, NLS will launch a digital talking book system, converting its analog-based system to a digital system and developing new digitally based
talking books and playback machines.
Through its national network of regional libraries, NLS mails books and magazines on cassette and in Braille, as well as audio equipment directly to
enrollees at no cost. For further information on eligibility requirements and enrollment procedures for the program, call 1-888-657-7323 or visit
http://www.loc.gov/nls.
Abstract:
Corneal Conjunctivalisation in Long-term CL Wearers
Researchers at the University of Valladolid’s School of Optometry’s IOBA Eye Institute in Spain recently described the clinical characteristics of a series of long-standing contact
lens (CL) wearers with corneal conjunctivalisation (CC). They analyzed the clinical histories of 594 patients over a one-year period from March 2004 to March 2005. All were myopic and the mean for years of CL wear
was about 17.6 years. All were daily-wear patients with a mean daily-wear time of 12.5 hours a day.
They found 24 eyes of 14 myopic patients had CC without a specific disease entity known to
cause limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Conjunctivalisation occurred in the inferior limbus of three eyes and only four patients reported previous ocular symptoms. Researchers conclude that corneal
conjunctivalisation is a contact lens-related complication in asymptomatic patients and suggest that optometrists can play an important role in early diagnosis, education and management of these
patients.
Martin R. Corneal conjunctivalisation in long-standing contact lens wearers. Clin Exp Optom. 2007 Jan;90(1):26-30.
Editor's Commentary:
Global Keratoconus Congress
I'm getting very excited about our meeting later this month (January 26-28) in Las Vegas. (See advertisement above.)
We will cover the entire scope of
keratoconus, including etiology, clinical research, basic research, contact lens fitting, patient management and coding and billing. This meeting has been a long-term dream of mine and I am thrilled to see
it come to fruition. I’d like to extend special thanks to my colleagues Craig Norman, F.C.L.S.A., Ed Bennett, O.D., Ms.Ed., F.A.A.O., Pat Caroline, F.A.A.O. and Eef van der Worp, B.Sc., F.A.A.O., for their
hard work in planning the program and posters. If you haven't registered yet, we hope you will. You will be joining hundreds of people with a common interest in learning more about caring for these
patients.
Fitting Tip:
Prescriptive Authority
Be a clinician and make individual recommendations. Just like many of us recommend "rubbing" contact lenses despite the "no rub" marketing, it’s also appropriate to prescribe
wearing schedules for your patients — not just using a blanket recommendation from the manufacturer. Hydrogel lenses that were prescribed for quarterly and yearly replacement were successful for years. With
improved solutions and cleaning regimens, patients who are conscientious wearers (keep follow-ups, rub their lenses, clean wearing environment, no history of CL-related problems, etc.) should be able to enjoy
the convenience and lower cost of extended-wear replacement schedules.
Two-week replacement schedules are appropriate for some patients simply because of their cleaning habits,
activities, history, etc. However, I think it is our job as doctors to decide that on an individual basis. We should not be frozen by fear of a lawsuit, but be an advocate for each patient's health, convenience
and pocketbook. That is what prescriptive authority is all about.
Kyle D. Dohm, O.D.
San Diego
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, review the results of a study on non-compliance in contact lens wearers, learn about piggyback fittings of silicone
hydrogels for post-surgical patients, consider the benefits and challenges of spherical lens, soft lenses and silicone hydrogel lenses for toric lens wearers, and evaluate the fitting practices of Canadian
optometrists from 2000-2006.
Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call (800) FDA-1088.
Access
a reporting form for complications you've seen that were a result of contact lenses dispensed without a valid prescription at the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry's (ARBO's) Web
site: http://www.arbo.org/arbo.asp?dt=R&doc=Complications. Complete and send the form online or print it out and
fax it to (866) 886-6164.
Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is selected as 'Best of the Month,' you'll
receive a free
T-shirt (see http://www.CLToday.com for details). Please include your full name, degree or title and city/state/country.
Visit Contact Lens Spectrum ( http://www.clspectrum.com ) for interactive clinical posters and issue archives. Visit Contact
Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips.
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