TruForm Optics, Inc., a manufacturer of custom gas permeable contact lenses, announced that they received a patent for Quad Technology, which is used specifically for manufacturing their proprietary QuadraKone keratoconus contact lens design. QuadraKone is exclusively manufactured in Paragon HDS, Paragon Thin and FluoroPerm materials.
     According to the company, QuadraKone features a customized and symmetrical fit for keratoconus patients with asymmetric eyes allowing practitioners to fit irregular corneas by treating each of the four quadrants separately.
     For more information about QuadraKone contact TruForm Optics at 1-800-792-1095.

Bausch & Lomb announced that it has completed its acquisition of Eyeonics, Incorporated, a privately held ophthalmic medical device company headquartered in Aliso Viejo, CA. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
     Eyeonics now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bausch & Lomb. Its Crystalens intraocular lens (IOL), the first and only U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved accommodating IOL for the treatment of cataracts, joins Bausch & Lomb's portfolio of ophthalmic surgical products for cataract, vitreoretinal and refractive markets.

EyeQuip announced the introduction of the Piccolo Corneal Topographer, the third addition to the Keratron Topographer line. According to EyeQuip, the Piccolo offers the same software features as the Keratron and Scout topographers but in a much smaller form. Per the company, the Piccolo is designed to mount on most slit lamps and connects to any recent Windows computer. Features include: standard maps including Corneal Wave Front, auto-capture, keratoconus detection, spherical aberration measurement, repeatability check, free software updates and networking and Wave Contact Lens Design Software. For additional information call 800-393-8676 or visit www.eyequip.com.

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Christopher Gardner, author of the book The Pursuit of Happyness, will be keynote speaker for this year's Optometry's Meeting, organized by the American Optometric Association. Gardner's speech will be held during the opening general session on June 26, sponsored by Essilor. The 2008 Optometry's Meeting will be held in Seattle, June 25 through 29.

Optometrists are invited to join the CIBA Vision Cycle-4-Sight 2008, to be held in Napa Valley from May 5-9, and help raise money for Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) on behalf of the 300 million people who are blind or vision-impaired due to refractive error.
     Cycle-4-Sight 2008 will take up to 39 optometrists on amazing bike rides through Napa Valley, California's wine country, with stops at 15 vineyards over the course of the 5-day ride. The event also offers participants the opportunity to earn 5 hours of COPE CE.
     All participants in the ride are required to raise at least $1,000, either in sponsorships or as a personal donation to OGS. These funds will be directed to projects that give sight to people who are blind or vision impaired due to uncorrected refractive error.
     Availability is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information and to register, visit www.givingsight.org or email kevin.roe@cibavision.com.

Prevent Blindness America announced that more than 70 applicants have been selected as delegates for the Eyes on Capitol Hill campaign to be held in Washington, DC. Delegates will represent more than 20 states across the country. The event will be held February 12-14, 2008.
     Eyes on Capitol Hill is a program designed to give constituents who have been affected by vision loss an opportunity to discuss vision issues with their respective government representatives. In addition, delegates will also learn how to become effective advocates for vision health in their own state after returning home. After hundreds of essay submissions, a volunteer review committee awarded scholarships to cover travel, meal and hotel expenses.
     For more information on Eyes on Capitol Hill, call Prevent Blindness America at 1-800-331-2020 or visit www.preventblindness.net/eoch.

Researchers from the University of Connecticut Health Center looked to assess the extent of noncompliant behavior of contact lens wearers and to develop strategies of engaging and educating patients to increase compliance with safe contact lens practices. The literature regarding noncompliance with medical regimens, contact lens wear, and cleaning was reviewed. One hundred eleven contact lens wearers from a college campus, a dental clinic, and ophthalmology clinics were surveyed in a pilot study regarding their contact lens knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Statistical analysis of the results was performed with SPSS software.
     A review of the literature found overall rates of noncompliance with medical regimens varies from 24.8% to 44%, and the rates reported for contact lens wearers varies from 50% to 99%. Noncompliant behavior affecting the safety of contact lenses is more common than behavior affecting lens comfort. This study found that many lens wearers thought they were compliant, but actually reported a wide variety of noncompliant behaviors.
     The authors concluded that although there have been remarkable advances in contact lens science, noncompliance with lens-wearing schedules, replacement schedules, and lens care regimens remains a significant problem of contact lens complications and lens failure. Noncompliant behavior is a complex phenomenon that involves knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and available resources. Data regarding strategies for increasing compliance are scant. Noncompliance must be considered in the development of future lens care products and must be addressed by eye care professionals when patients are fitted with contact lenses and at each follow-up appointment.
     Donshik PC, Ehlers WH, Anderson LD, Suchecki JK. Strategies to better engage, educate, and empower patient compliance and safe lens wear: compliance: what we know, what we do not know, and what we need to know. Eye Contact Lens. 2007 Nov;33(6 Pt 2):430-3; discussion 434.

I think we have all experienced frustration when we call a contact lens manufacturer to order diagnostic lenses for a patient and we are told "You don't have any more trial contact lenses in your bank" - or words to that effect. When this happens to me, I ask the sales representative, "Which of your competitor's products would you suggest I start using?" Some contact lens manufacturers don't seem to understand we can't fit their products if we don't have access to diagnostic lenses. I refuse to beg for trial lenses. From now on, I plan to fit contact lenses only from those companies who freely and willingly supply me with an adequate amount of diagnostic lenses, and I will actively refit patients from the other brands into lenses from companies with policies that are more doctor (and therefore patient) friendly. I suggest that others do the same.
Rick Barganier, O.D.
Wichita Falls, TX

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit China and learn a great deal about the contact lens industry from a global perspective. Most of us, contact lens practitioners in the United States, think little (if ever) about the international contact lens industry. It amazes me how U.S. based contact lens companies must work to develop business strategies and positioning statements that reach and appeal to a global audience. In China for example, the optical industry is just starting to see some early forms of regulation and contact lenses are chosen by the consumer straight off the shelf. The first recommendation and branding are key drivers for consumer preference. I hope you've had a chance to read the annual International Contact Lens Prescribing in 2007 featured in our January issue of Contact Lens Spectrum. This article gives a great overview of the vastly different global prescribing trends.
     You have certainly noticed our new look in this week's issue. While I'm sure some of you wondered what took so long and some of you wish we'd go back to the less flashy version, we hope that most of you, both in the U.S. and our readers representing 74 other countries, find this new look globally appealing.
Carla Mack, O.D., F.A.A.O.

This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org consider whether silicone hydrogels require one or more unique FDA class(es); review the case of a pediatric patient successfully fit with silicone hydrogels after a diagnosis of unilateral congenital cataract; read about a study designed to determine the quantity and identity of protein deposited on silicone hydrogel lenses; and review the latest silicone hydrogel research in part two of our synopsis of the 2007 BCLA meeting.