CooperVision has expanded the parameters of its Avaira two-week replacement silicone hydrogel lenses. Currently approved for daily wear throughout the United States, Avaira is now available with sphere powers from -0.25D to -12.00D (in 0.50D steps above -6.00D). The lens has a base curve of 8.5mm and a diameter of 14.2mm. Dk is 100, Dk/t is 125, and water content of the lens is 46 percent. Avaira comes in a six-lens pack or a three-lens trial carton.
     "Now, more patients can benefit from the exceptional comfort, health, and performance of our premium silicone hydrogel lenses. Avaira's exclusive Aquaform technology provides excellent comfort throughout the day," said James Gardner, Senior Director of Marketing, CooperVision.
     For more information, visit www.coopervision.com. 

Blanchard Contact Lens, a Manchester, NH manufacturer of the GP Essential Aspheric Multifocal lenses, has released its new GP multifocal lens for the presbyopic patient, Reclaim HD.  Reclaim HD Bi-Aspheric Multifocal lenses, created with Blanchard's unique S-Form Technology lathing in concert with state of the art Ray Tracing Optical Lathing, represent a significant refinement in design for GP multifocal lenses, according to the company.
     The company states that Reclaim HD lenses deliver all the add needed, aberration control optics, improved contrast and clarity of vision throughout a full range of focal points, while maintaining corneal integrity, in a lens design that's easy to fit from Ks and Rx. No trial set is needed and the company encourages empirical fitting to streamline the fitting experience and reduce chair time required to fit.
     The lenses are offered with a 100% fitting guarantee and liberal warranty exchange policy. For additional information, call (800) 367-4009 or visit www.blanchardlab.com. 

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) has established a corporate presence on Facebook, the popular social networking website that connects people who share common interests, backgrounds, educations and other traits.
     B&L's Facebook page offers participants the opportunity to become fans of B&L and also provides information focusing on the company's products, business units, locations, history and current status in the eye health industry. B&L's page includes numerous videos and photos for fans to browse and view. To view the new B&L Facebook page, click here.

Athletes, teens, part-time wearers, and those who are solution-sensitive, suffer from allergies or frequently travel are all great 1·DAY ACUVUE® MOIST™ Brand Contact Lens candidates. All these patient types and more can benefit from the long lasting comfort of LACREON™ technology, the convenience of fresh lenses every day and the protection of Class II UV blocking.* Improve the quality of life for more patients by prescribing 1·DAY ACUVUE® MOIST™ Brand. To learn more, go to:
*Important Product and UV Information | Important Safety Information
--ADVERTISING

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the TECNIS Multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients. According to the company, the TECNIS Multifocal IOL's unique design gives patients superior near vision and reading speed compared to other presbyopia-correcting IOLs, as well as exceptionally high spectacle independence, with nearly 9 out of 10 patients reporting that they never wear glasses after surgery.
     Other features/benefits include:
       - High-quality vision for near, far and intermediate distances, day or night;
       - First and only pupil-independent, non-apodized, fully diffractive aspheric lens designed to correct the two highest order aberrations - spherical and chromatic - to give patients back their youthful vision;
       - 95 percent patient satisfaction - the highest of any presbyopia-correcting IOL, per AMO.
     AMO plans to ship TECNIS Multifocal IOLs to U.S. surgeons in early 2009.

With bipartisan support, the "Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009" was introduced on January 19, 2009 in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The bill (S. 259/H.R. 577), sponsored by Sens. Christopher "Kit" Bond and Christopher Dodd, as well as Congressmen Gene Green, Bill Pascrell, John Sullivan, Elliot Engel and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, aims to provide children with follow-up care needed after being identified with a potential vision problem by a comprehensive eye exam or vision screening.
     Introduction of legislation with the same language on the same day by both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives is a rare occurrence. With identical language, the bill is more likely to move quickly through the legislative process.
     The legislation is supported by an alliance of industry organizations: The Vision Council, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Optometric Association, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the Better Vision Institute, the National Association of Vision Care Plans, the National School Nurses Association, Prevent Blindness America, Reading Is Fundamental and Vision Service Plan.
     All members of the vision care community are encouraged to contact their congressman and ask for support of this legislation. For more information on the "Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009" or to write to your congressman, visit www.2020advocacy.com.

OccuLogix, Inc. announced that the company will immediately begin conducting business as TearLab Corporation. The official name change will be effective once stockholder approval is received. TearLab Corporation is an ophthalmic device company developing and commercializing lab-on-a-chip technologies (integrating one or several laboratory functions on a chip only millimeters in size) that enable eye care practitioners to test for highly sensitive and specific biomarkers in tears at the point-of-care.
     Eric Donsky, CEO of TearLab Corporation, stated, "Implementing the new name and ticker symbol enables us to align our corporate brand with our vision to become the leader in tear testing and biomarker analysis at the point-of-care."

Multifocal and accommodating intraocular lenses (IOLs) were introduced two decades ago and have gone through several iterations. This technology has allowed ophthalmologists to provide their cataract surgery patients with a broader range of visual function. The purpose of this article is to discuss the currently available presbyopia-correcting IOLs, the role of patient selection, and future technologies.
     Newer versions of both the multifocal and accommodating IOLs offer better vision at distance, intermediate, and near than their predecessors. The procedure remains attractive for patients with cataracts or those who are too hyperopic for corneal surgery. However, following successful implantation of the latest generation of lenses, some patients are still not completely satisfied with their visual results. Additional procedures, such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) capsulotomies or reduction of astigmatism and refractive error or both, may be required to increase patient satisfaction.
     According to the authors, experience has shown that the majority of patients who present with cataracts are potential candidates for multifocal or accommodating IOLs. Familiarity with accommodative and multifocal lenses, in conjunction with careful patient selection, maximizes surgical success in this challenging group of surgical patients
Buznego C, Trattler WB. Presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2009;20:13-8.

When our patients tell us they have torn a lens, we review the following with them:
  · Wet your lenses before sliding and removing.
  · Dump the lenses out of the case; do not "dig" them out with your finger.
  · Use your ring finger when gently digitally cleaning the lenses.
  · Agitate new blister packs before opening to avoid new lenses sticking to the packaging.
Nina Cox, OD
Richmond, VA 

I recently attended the annual Global Specialty Lens Symposium sponsored by Contact Lens Spectrum. This was an absolutely fantastic meeting with topics ranging from pediatric contact lens prescribing and myopia management to keratoconus, presbyopic and toric lens prescribing, and contact lens care and compliance. There were nearly 350 individuals in attendance, including a strong international presence.  Without question, you should consider attending next year's meeting which will also be in Las Vegas. The meeting has become one of the world's premiere clinical contact lens meetings and is certain to be even more diverse in representation and topical coverage in the years to come.
Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: Using silicone hydrogels to mask irregular astigmatism; the relationship between oxygen transmissibility and overnight corneal swelling; and part one of our BCLA 2008 synopsis.