CONTACT LENSES TODAY

We regret the late delivery of CLToday this week due to weather and computer problems beyond our control.

February 16, 2003

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches 9,312 readers in 74 countries.

Rosenthal's Success Stories Make Headlines
A recent (February 3) appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show brought Perry Rosenthal, M.D., developer of the Boston Scleral Lens, into the limelight. The Boston Scleral lens costs $5,500 for a pair, according to the story. Dr. Rosenthal says he hopes his appearance on Oprah's show will help change the policies of health insurers, which either refuse to pay for the lenses or reimburse only a small fraction of the actual cost. He's started a program, financed by Johnson & Johnson, to train other doctors to perform his procedures. The first affiliated clinic is in Tokyo, Japan. For more information visit http://www.bostonsight.org.

New GP Lens Offers High Dk, Reduced Mass and Full Range Optics
X-Cel Contacts and Blanchard Contact Lens have developed a new GP contact lens design. Using Blanchard's proprietary "S-Form Technology" for the aspheric multifocal posterior surface and X-Cel's proprietary Solution Bifocal for the anterior surface design, the ESSential Solution lens provides a full range of vision correction, according to the companies. The lens is available from all X-Cel Contacts laboratory locations. For more information, call (800) 241-9312.

New OTC Artificial Tear Product Available
Novartis Ophthalmics has developed a new, preservative-free artificial tear product (Genteal PF) that contains all the ions found in natural tears. According to the company, Genteal PF is for doctors and patients who prefer single-dose units and is also effective for patients who experience dry eye following refractive surgery.

The lenses you prescribe determine the direction of your practice. If you're looking to drive patient loyalty, then fitting the same, ordinary soft lenses isn't going to cut it. You need to offer your patients CooperVision premium lenses with tangible, differentiating benefits. Let your patients experience the best vision possible with the Frequency 55 Aspheric or the unrivaled, all day comfort of Proclear Compatibles. Visit http://www.coopervision.com.
--ADVERTISING

New Dry Eye Drop Heals Epithelium
Aqueous Pharma Ltd. recently completed development of its artificial tear formulation APL-105 for dry eye syndrome. The formulation contains components for all three human tear film layers, which form an optimal tear drop that actually heals the ocular surface epithelium. APL-105 contains an effective microbicide that won't irritate the ocular surface -- even with continuous use. In three independent clinical trials APL-105 significantly improved tear break-up time and corneal staining in dry eye patients, according to the manufacturer. The formulation is currently available at (800) 969-6601 or http://www.apothecure.com and will be marketed and distributed under a different name once the company reaches a licensing agreement. For more information call (205) 283-5515.

Pediatric Aphakic Lens Receives 510(k) Clearance
The FDA recently granted Ocu-Ease Optical Products, Inc. 510(k) market clearance to manufacture and distribute its Ocu-Flex-53 Pediatric Aphakic lens. The lenses, which are manufactured from ocufilconB material, are indicated for daily wear. For more information call (800) 521-8984.

Neutraceutical Gains U.S. Patent
ScienceBased Health has recently been awarded a patent (US patent number 6,506,412) by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its nutraceutical HydroEye, which is an oral formulation that helps relieve dry eye discomfort. According to the manufacturer, the patent covers claims relating to HydroEye's unique formulation, which features a proprietary blend of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and other key nutrients that together maintain a healthy tear film and alleviate dry eye discomfort.

Abstract: Grading Contact Lens Complications
Researchers at the Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, UMIST, Manchester, UK, recently published results of a study in which they evaluated the influence of knowledge, training and experience (clinical skills set) in assessing the severity of contact lens complications. Researchers invited nine optometrists and nine nonoptometrists to grade an image of each of 16 contact lens complications using Efron Grading Scales for Contact Lens Complications. Researchers repeated the procedure two weeks later and concluded that when averaged over several attempts, nonoptometrists will arrive at similar estimates of severity to optometrists when grading ocular complications of contact lens wear, however they do so less reliably.
Efron, N; Morgan, PB; Jagpal, R; The Combined Influence of Knowledge, Training and Experience When Grading Contact Lens Complications Ophthalmic Physiol Opto 2003 Jan;23(1):79-85.

Editor's Commentary: The Evils of Pure Monovision
Our tip this week and the following correspondence have a common theme -- the evils of pure monovision. Keith Parker, NCLC, wrote the following to CLToday:
"I want to thank Dr. Cohen for stating his tip on fitting at least one multifocal lens for the near eye instead of two distance lenses -- one fit for only near vision. With the availability of so many fine multifocal products in both GP and soft, it amazes me to think that some practitioners can convince themselves that they're doing their patients any kind of service by fitting monovision. It just isn't fair to the patient not to present the option of a wider range of binocularity."

I love the zealousness with which great clinicians support their practices. Keep in mind, Des Fonn and his group have shown with carefully controlled studies that some patients prefer bifocals, some monovision and some even prefer spectacles. Of course, his studies did not take fees into account.

Fitting Tip: Move Over Monovision
In response to "Good Old Monovision" (Editor's Commentary, January 19, 2003), we have two eyes and they were meant to work together. Monovision is the worst thing you can do to a computer user and I'm sure the medical billing this woman is doing involves a computer. I feel that if you don't at least attempt a multifocal lens on this patient you're doing her a disservice. Also, she might not have to take them off to drive home.
-- Trent Elliott, O.D., Via e-mail

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