Bausch + Lomb (B+L) and the American Optometric Foundation (AOF) announced the 2009-2010 recipients of the B+L William C. Ezell Fellowships.
     The Ezell Fellowship Program, named after the founding president of the AOF, William C. Ezell, OD, was established in 1949 to provide post-graduate students with the opportunity to pursue careers in optometric research and education. Recipients are chosen based on excellence in scholarship, research and teaching. In addition to the fellowships, awarded at $8,000 for one year, each Ezell Fellow receives a $750 travel grant to attend the annual meetings of the American Academy of Optometry and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
     The recipients of the B+L Ezell Fellowships are:
     Johanna Tukler-Henriksson, who is currently pursuing a PhD in Physiological Optics and Vision Science at the University of Houston, College of Optometry (UHCO) in Texas. Her research focuses on the underlying mechanisms of dry eye. Johanna received her Bachelor of Science from Karolinska Medical Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. In addition to working on her thesis, Johanna is a teaching assistant at UHCO and serves as a co-investigator for clinical studies conducted at the Texas Eye Research and Technology Center.
     Yiang (Kaccie) Li, who is working toward his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. His research is focused on two main areas: foveal cone photoreceptor distribution and retinal stretching, and the design and implementation of robust control algorithms and clinical grade software for future adaptive optics retinal imaging systems. After graduating, Kaccie hopes to contribute research toward understanding myopia progression and to progress adaptive optics (AO) controls and image analysis software toward clinically accessible standards.
     Since 1998, B+L has provided more than $100,000 in support to Ezell Fellows pursuing studies in physiological optics, vision science and related fields.

Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) announced that Adrienne L. Graves, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, Santen Inc. (Napa, CA), has resigned and will continue to work with Santen as a strategic consultant and advisor to the Senior Management of Santen.
     Regarding the change, Akira Kurokawa, President and CEO of Santen Ltd., noted, "Dr. Graves built a strong U.S. team, was responsible for obtaining three NDA approvals and is an active member on the boards of many ophthalmic organizations. We look forward to Adrienne's continued contribution to Santen's globalization initiatives as a strategic advisor on the development of the U.S. market."
     Effective April 1, 2010 Toshiaki Nishihata, PhD will become the CEO of Santen Inc. in addition to continuing in his current role as a Member of the Board, Senior Corporate Officer and Head of the Research and Development Division. Akihiro Tsujimura, who most recently was the head of the business development department, will become the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Santen Inc.
     Mr. Kurokawa noted that this change in management structure will support the increased focus on the U.S. market as part of Santen's globalization initiative.    

OccuLogix, Inc., dba TearLab Corporation, announced that TLCVision Corporation will be incorporating the TearLab Osmolarity System in eight of its U.S. refractive surgery centers to study Dry Eye Disease (DED) symptoms as they relate to LASIK surgery.
     The TearLab System is intended to measure the osmolarity of human tears to aid in the diagnosis of DED in conjunction with other methods of clinical evaluation. Using a novel lab-on-a-chip approach, the TearLab System requires less than 50 nL (nanoliters) of tear fluid and displays quantitative osmolarity results in less than 30 seconds.
     TLCVision will be using the system to study both pre- and post-operative tear osmolarity levels and treatments with the goal of improving outcomes and reducing post-operative DED symptoms.
     James B. Tiffany, President and COO of TLCVision, commented, "TLCVision's ongoing commitment to clinical services, quality assurance and patient outcomes are unparalleled as the industry leader. We believe that the incorporation of the TearLab System has the potential to improve patient screening, counseling and most significantly the quality of surgical outcome."

Your practice thrives when your patients are healthy and happy - and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR® Plus can help you fulfill this goal, by providing exceptional comfort, vision, and health. It's a fact: more than 9 out of 10 patients stay in ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand.¹ So when you fit your patients with ACUVUE® OASYS™, you're laying a solid foundation of patient commitment and satisfaction leading to practice growth.

$75 rebate for new wearers!
Good when patients get an eye exam and purchase 8 boxes of ACUVUE® OASYS™ (spherical product only). Visit www.jnjvisioncare.com/rebates.jsp for more details.

1. Data on file.
ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available from VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting jnjvisioncare.com.
HYDRACLEAR® Plus is our brand name for the next generation of our proprietary technology that allows us to use a higher volume of a moisture rich wetting agent in a state of the art formulation. This creates a more wettable, ultra smooth contact lens, especially for challenging environments that make eyes feel dry.
ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® OASYS™, HYDRACLEAR®, and VISTAKON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
© Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2010.
--ADVERTISING

Vistakon, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., announced the Acuvue See Spring Sweepstakes.
     Now through April 30th, consumers may log on to www.trycomfort.com to enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000, as well as a $100 Visa gift card awarded daily throughout the sweeps entry period. Visitors also can download a Free Trial Pair Certificate for Acuvue Brand Contact Lenses (professional exam and fitting fees not included).  Alternatively, they can enter the contest by simply texting SPRING to 228883 on their mobile phone. 
     Visit www.trycomfort.com for complete Official Rules, for prize descriptions, and for entry deadlines.

Abbott announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia. The Tecnis lens has also received presbyopia-correcting IOL status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), providing Medicare beneficiaries with the option to receive a Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece lens for an additional fee as part of cataract surgery.
     The Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece IOL is a pupil-independent, full diffractive presbyopia-correcting lens designed for optimal image quality at all distances under any lighting condition. Its unique optic design gives patients superior near vision and reading speed compared to other presbyopia-correcting IOLs, according to the company. 
    For additional information about Tecnis multifocal IOLs visit www.abbottmedicaloptics.com.

Aton Pharma, Inc., a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company, announced that it has launched an authorized generic version of its Timoptic-XE (timolol maleate ophthalmic gel forming solution). Timoptic-XE is a non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent indicated in the treatment of elevated intraocular pressure in patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma. Aton also announced that it will continue to make available branded Timoptic-XE.
     Aton's U.S. Timoptic product line includes Timoptic (timolol maleate) Ophthalmic Solution, Timoptic (timolol maleate ophthalmic solution) in Ocudose (sterile ophthalmic unit dose dispenser) and Timoptic-XE (timolol maleate ophthalmic gel forming solution) Ophthalmic and now an authorized generic form of this branded product. Timoptic in Ocudose is the only preservative-free medication for glaucoma available in the U.S.

Cosmetic product application may be an etiologic risk factor for dry eye syndrome. This study aimed to investigate whether a cosmetic product material (CPM) could migrate onto the ocular surface and whether eyedrop instillation might exacerbate this migration.
     CPM was prepared by mixing equal volumes of hydroxyethyl cellulose gel (Scopisol; Senju Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) and a 10% fluorescein solution. Seventy-five female volunteers were randomly separated into three groups: the outer eyelash line group, in which CPM was applied on the upper and lower eyelids approximately 2 mm from the eyelash line; the eyelash line (EL) group, in which CPM was applied close to the eyelash line but without touching it; and the inner eyelash line group, in which CPM was applied on the eyelash line extending to the margin of the eyelids. The right eye was used for this study.
     At 5 and 30 minutes after CPM application, slit-lamp examination was carried out to detect fluorescence, an indication of CPM migration and contamination of the ocular surface. A strip of Schirmer test paper was used to collect tears, and the color of the paper was scored (contamination score: 0-5) to determine the relative quantity of CPM contamination on the ocular surface.
     In another set of experiments, 5 minutes after CPM application, one drop of balanced saline solution was instilled into the eye. Thirty seconds later, eyes were examined by slit-lamp microscopy and tears were collected to determine the migration percentage (eyes with CPM migration/total eyes) and contamination score.
     At 5 minutes after CPM application, the inner eyelash line group displayed a significantly higher migration percentage (96%) and average contamination score (3.35 +/- 0.77) compared with the outer eyelash line (12%; 0.15 +/- 0.34) and EL (20%; 0.35 +/- 0.32) groups. At 30 minutes, both the migration percentage and the average contamination score increased remarkably in the EL group (60% and 2.71 +/- 1.01). The migration percentage and average contamination score in the outer eyelash line group (P = 0.005 and P = 0.003, respectively) and EL group (P = 0.009 and P = 0.006, respectively) were significantly higher after eyedrop instillation compared with values before eyedrop instillation.
     The researchers concluded that CPM can migrate onto the ocular surface when applied close to the eyelid margin. This migration increases with time and can be exacerbated by eyedrop instillation.
Goto T, Zheng X, Gibbon L, Ohashi Y. Cosmetic Product Migration onto the Ocular Surface: Exacerbation of Migration after Eyedrop Instillation. Cornea 2010.

From time to time, I see patients with moderate to severe meibomian gland dysfunction. In addition to conventional treatment, I ask them to rub their eyelids vigorously while showering. For those who regularly go swimming and/or to the sauna, I also ask them to do the same during that activity. Heat and humidity soften body tissues and, under this condition, meibomian gland expression seems to work much better!
Jac Santodomingo, OD (EC), MSc, PhD, MCOptom, FBCLA, FAAO
Global Professional Relations Manager
Global Strategies & Operations
Menicon Co., Ltd (Madrid Office)
Madrid, Spain

Clinicians have noted debris in the tear film associated with patients' use of cosmetic products for years. It often contributes to unique deposits observed on contact lenses. This week's abstract provides some quantitative data on this particular topic. Of interest, the application of an eyedrop makes the problem worse, which is probably expected. It would be interesting for future work to show the effect of this cosmetic contamination in terms of patient signs (i.e., tear film breakup) or symptoms.
Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO 

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: a review of the potential uses, efficacy, safety and clinical performance of antimicrobial contact lens technology.