On February 26, 2009 Abbott announced that it had completed its acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO). AMO is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Abbott and has been renamed Abbott Medical Optics, Inc.
     The acquisition of AMO enhances and strengthens Abbott's diverse mix of medical device businesses and gives it a leadership position in the large and growing eye care market. Abbott Medical Optics holds the number one position in LASIK surgical devices, the number two position in the cataract surgical device market and the number three position in contact lens care products, according to the company.
     "As with previous acquisitions that have strengthened and diversified our business, we're entering a market that's aligned with demographic trends and growing medical need," said John M. Capek, Executive Vice President, Medical Devices, Abbott. "This acquisition provides Abbott access to a $22 billion global market and the opportunity to help a very large patient population."

The Joint Board Certification Project Team (JBCPT), formed by six optometric organizations in 2007, continues its efforts to widely distribute their model framework for a board certification process for optometry that was released in January. On March 5, the JBCPT conducted an Open Forum on Board Certification at SECO 2009, as the latest effort to communicate the model to the profession. The JBCPT briefed attendees on the background on board certification in optometry as well as details of their framework.
     At the core of the initial board certification program would be a Patient Assessment and Management-like examination that tests knowledge in core categories. In addition, there are multiple paths to completing other post-graduate educational requirements. The JBCTP emphasized that Maintenance of Certification is key to the entire model process.
     JBCPT participating organizations will continue to update their members. Details concerning the plan can be obtained from the JBCPT member organizations' websites:
America Academy of Optometry: www.aaopt.org
American Optometric Association: www.aoa.org/JBCPT.xml
American Optometric Student Association: www.theaosa.org
Association of Regulatory Boards in Optometry: www.arbo.org
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry: www.opted.org
National Board of Examiners in Optometry: www.optometry.org

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) and Pfizer, Inc. announced a co-promotion agreement involving both companies' prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals in the United States. The agreement will allow both companies to greatly increase the level of eye care industry support for these important medications that treat serious ophthalmic conditions.
     The five-year agreement includes Pfizer's Xalatan (latanoprost ophthalmic solution) and B&L's Alrex (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.2%), Lotemax (loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic suspension 0.5%) and Zylet (loteprednol etabonate 0.5% and tobramycin 0.3% ophthalmic suspension). The co-promotion agreement also will apply to B&L's investigational anti-infective eye drop, besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 0.6%, which is currently awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
     In December 2008, the FDA's Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of besifloxacin for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.  B&L anticipates a decision from the FDA in 2009.
     Under the terms of the agreement, both the Pfizer and B&L sales forces will promote these products. Separate from this co-promotion agreement with B&L, Pfizer will continue to maintain three mid-stage development programs in its own pipeline.
     Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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
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The Contact Lens Spectrum calendar, which mailed with the November 2008 issue, highlights an interesting and challenging contact lens case each month. The March case report discusses a patient, referred by a refractive surgeon for contact lens evaluation, who was experiencing glare in the form of starbursts and photophobia from her right eye while driving at night. To view the details of the case, visit http://www.clspectrum.com/photocalendar.asp?month=March. 
     Visit the Contact Lens Spectrum case report page after the first of every month to review details and images from the latest case study. You can also view case studies from previous months in the archive at the bottom of the page.
--ADVERTISING

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) has entered into a licensing agreement with Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., for the development of certain intraocular lens (IOL) materials. Under the terms of the agreement, B&L has obtained the rights to Santen's hydrophobic acrylic polymers, from which it may commercialize new IOLs for sale worldwide. Santen reserves the right for the use of these materials in the Japanese market. Financial terms will not be disclosed.
     "Bausch & Lomb is enthusiastic about the potential that these polymers hold for developing next-generation IOLs, to benefit patients and surgeons alike," said John Sheets, Jr., PhD, Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, B&L. "We are committed to aggressively creating innovative, in-demand products through both industry partnerships and our considerable internal capabilities. Combining these materials with our current product and technology portfolio will provide Bausch & Lomb with an unsurpassed breadth of product offerings."

Plan Now to Attend the 2010 Global Specialty Lens Symposium!
January 28-31, 2010 Bally's Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV
With an expert international faculty and a CE-accredited agenda, the 2010 GSLS will include insightful presentations by leaders in the field, hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge products and valuable continuing education credits. This comprehensive specialty lens symposium offers COPE, JCAHPO and NCLE accreditation* for 17+ hours as well as free papers, posters, manufacturer forums and exhibits. Nearly 500 participants, including 350 eye care professionals from 28 countries, attended the meeting in 2009 and praised the course content, meeting management, exhibits and venue. Plan now to join us in 2010!
     Look for more detailed information in future issues of Contact Lens Spectrum as well as online at www.GSLSymposium.com.
*Approval pending
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"Cycle-4-Sight" 2009, the three-day cycling and CE event, is planned for May 14-16, 2009 and includes visits to three different wineries and fully catered lunch each day. Prior to riding, each day begins with dynamic presentations from industry leading experts and the ability to earn five hours of COPE CE credit. The event is sponsored by CIBA Vision.
      By participating you will also be contributing to Optometry Giving Sight, an organization which addresses the needs of the 300 million men, women and children around the world who are blind or vision impaired simply because they don't have access to an eye exam and a pair of glasses.      
     Registration is $650 and includes bike rental, fully supported rides each day (support van and tour guide), all wine tastings and catered lunches, ride-related gratuities, helmet, water bottle and water, custom designed "Cycle-4-Sight" cycling jersey, and 5.0 hours COPE CE.
     Each participant will be responsible for personal transportation to and from the event, hotel accommodations (special rate at Embassy Suites Napa Valley), and all non-included meals. Each rider must also commit to a minimum of $1,000 in pledges or a personal donation to Optometry Giving Sight.
     For more information and registration materials, visit www.givingsight.org and click on United States, then Cycle-4-Sight.

Tear ferning (TF) has shown good sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of dry eye, but is a relatively uncommon test, especially in contact lens wearers. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between TF, ocular comfort and tear film stability amongst contact lens (CL) wearers and non-contact lens (NCL) wearers.
     Subjects (36 NCL, 24 CL; mean age 23.2 +/- 4.8 years) underwent assessment of non-invasive tear break up time (NIBUT), fluorescein tear break up time (FBUT) and completed the Ocular Comfort Index (OCI) questionnaire. Non-stimulated tears were collected from the inferior tear meniscus with a glass capillary. Samples of 1.5 microL were air dried, observed by light microscopy and the TF pattern quantified according to Rolando's grading scale.
     Significantly higher grades of TF pattern and discomfort (higher OCI scores) were observed in CL wearers compared to NCL wearers (Mann-Whitney U-test; p < 0.005 and p < 0.05 respectively). Differences in tear film stability were not significant between groups. Even when asymptomatic (low OCI scores) CL and NCL subjects were compared, TF remained significantly different (p < 0.005). In both CL and NCL subjects, TF displayed poor correlation with tear film stability tests and OCI scores.
     The authors concluded that higher TF grades in CL wearers, even if asymptomatic, indicate an unfavorable ratio of salt to macromolecule concentration within the tear film of such subjects. The lack of significant difference in TF between symptomatic CL and NCL wearers could suggest similar etiology (tear film hyperosmolarity) in each cohort. The TF technique demonstrates limited sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of ocular surface comfort in both CL and NCL wearers.
Evans KS, North RV, Purslow C. Tear ferning in contact lens wearers. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2009;29:199-204.

Compliance is and always will be a major factor which plays a role in the ultimate success of our contact lens patients. There are too many aspects of compliance to write comprehensively about in this short editorial but lens wearing time, lens and lens case replacement frequency, and several aspects of lens care itself come to mind at the top of the list. I would like to know your thoughts about compliance. Specifically, what do you consider is the single compliance factor that has the most impact on the success of a contact lens wearer? I'd also like to share some of your thoughts on this with our readership in the weeks to come. Please continue to send your thoughts, feedback and tips to tips@CLtoday.com.
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.