Sunday, March 29, 2009 A free weekly e-mail newsletter brought to you by: 
CLToday Contact Lens Spectrum
Edited by Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum
This week CLToday® reaches more than 14,000 readers in 74 countries. 
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Art Optical Expands Renovation Multifocal Product Line

Art Optical introduced greater fitting flexibility to Renovation, their most popular multifocal contact lens design, with the addition of RenovationE, toric options and the availability of the design in a high index material.
     The Renovation E combines back surface eccentricity with Renovation's front surface technology to provide an additional enhancement to near vision quality, according the company. Back toric, bitoric and front toric additions to the Renovation and RenovationE multifocal designs now allow practitioners to choose the Renovation multifocal for their patients with high with-the-rule and against-the-rule astigmatism.
     Both the Renovation and the RenovationE lens may be ordered in the new Optimum HR 1.53 high refractive index GP material which, the company reports, provides an increase of 16 to 23% in achievable add power generation when compared to other conventional refractive index GP materials in a similar Dk range.
     For additional information on Renovation multifocal lenses, visit www.artoptical.com or contact the Art Optical Customer Care or Consultation team at 800-253-9364.

Heart of America Names Award Honorees

The Heart of America Contact Lens Society (HOACLS) recently announced the recipients of their Vision Service Award and Optometrist of the Year award. 
      The Vision Service Award is presented annually to an individual or group who exhibits extraordinary dedication and untiring service to the profession of Optometry. The 2009 honoree is Dr. Jack Hartstein. Dr. Hartstein graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1949 and practiced optometry in St. Louis, limiting his practice to contact lenses for two years before deciding to enter medical school. He completed medical training at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in 1955, subsequently completed an internship and Residency at the St. Louis Hospital and a fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology at John Hopkins University.
     Dr. Hartstein was an innovator in the area of sclera contact lens designs. He has authored three books on contact lenses, one on refraction and one on Dyslexia, and numerous articles. With Dr. Rex Ghormley, he explored the idea of bringing together a small group of St. Louis ODs and MDs to discuss contact lens practice and share ideas to improve patient care. Those discussions led to the formation of the MD-OD Contact Lens Foundation of St. Louis; this group of optometrists and ophthalmologists has met regularly as eye care professionals in the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation since the early 1990s.
     The 2009 Optometrist of the Year award goes to Dr. Les Walls of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Walls received his OD degree from the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) and his MD degree from the University of California at Davis. He has amassed numerous honors and awards including the 2007 American Optometric Association Distinguished Service Award, Oklahoma OD of the Year in 1992 and Oregon OD of the Year in 1997. He also received honorary DOS degrees from SCCO and ICO.
     Dr. Walls is the Past Associate Dean and Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Oklahoma, Past Dean of Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry, Past Dean of Pacific University College of Optometry, and Immediate Past Dean of Southern California College of Optometry.

B&L Names Harris CFO and Corporate Vice President

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) has appointed Brian J. Harris as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Vice President. A business and finance executive having more than three decades of experience with multinational organizations, Mr. Harris begins his new role with B&L immediately.
     Beginning in 1989, Mr. Harris held positions of increasing responsibility with Tomkins Plc, the industrial, automotive, building products and engineering manufacturing conglomerate. These included roles as President of the $2 billion Worldwide Power Transmission business for Denver, Colorado-based Gates Corporation, as well as Senior Vice President for Strategic Business Development, and Chief financial Officer and company Secretary. He also served as President of Gates Unitta Asia, the company's Japanese joint venture. Prior, Mr. Harris held Financial Director and Controller roles with Tomkins operating companies in the U.K. and U.S., as well as U.K.-based operating companies for Hanson Plc.
     Mr. Harris earned his Bachelor of Accountancy from Glasgow University, and qualified as a Scottish Chartered Accountant. He will be based at Bausch & Lomb's world headquarters in Rochester, N.Y.

Offer Comfort and Convenience to More Types of Patients

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

Allergy Patient Educational Brochure Available

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, and 1·Day Acuvue Moist brand contact lenses are offering a free educational brochure, Eye Health and Allergies. This brochure offers useful information on how eye allergies occur, common signs and symptoms, and practical advice on how to treat and prevent eye allergies. It also includes smart allergy season strategies for contact lens wearers. Practitioners who would like to order a set (50 brochures) for their office can simply send an e-mail request to eyeallergybrochure@rprny.com. Please be sure to include name and complete mailing address, including zip code.

NovaBay's Scientific Advisor Receives Award

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that world-renowned scientist M. Frederick Hawthorne, PhD, a member of the Company's Scientific Advisory Board will be the recipient of the 2009 Priestley Medal, the highest honor awarded by the American Chemical Society (ACS). Dr. Hawthorne is co-director of the International Institute for Nano and Molecular Medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
     Dr. Hawthorne has contributed to the development of NovaBay's Aganocide class of antimicrobial molecules specifically designed by NovaBay to mimic the body's natural defense against infection. These compounds may deliver the same or better level of antimicrobial activity as is currently reached by common antibiotics without contributing to the growing rise in bacterial resistance, according to the company. NovaBay has entered into a licensing and research collaboration agreement with Alcon, Inc. for use of the Aganocide compounds in the eye, ear and sinus, and in contact lens solutions.

Acuvue 2 Wearers See Improved Lens Performance with Acuvue Oasys

According to research from Vistakon, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., most loyal wearers of Acuvue 2 contact lenses who have tried Acuvue Oasys contact lenses say they see improved lens performance with the contact lens made from senofiolcon A.
     In a recent retrospective analysis conducted by the company, 278 habitual Acuvue 2 wearers, between the ages of 18-39 and with an average length of four years wearing time, tried Acuvue Oasys for two weeks. Prior to the study, virtually all rated Acuvue 2 as either "excellent/very good" (73%) or "good" (25%). Participants reported feeling the benefit of Acuvue Oasys immediately upon being fit and throughout the wear schedule. After one week of wear, 67 percent of participants gave Acuvue Oasys higher ratings than Acuvue 2 in both vision and comfort. Participants also reported an increase of almost one hour in comfortable wear time when wearing Acuvue Oasys. 
     For more information on the Acuvue Oasys brand family of products, visit http://www.jnjvisioncare.com/prod-oasys.htm.

Announcing the 2010 Global Specialty Lens Symposium

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
--ADVERTISING

Abstract: Soft Contact Lens Cleaning: Rub or No-Rub?

Researchers set out to compare the effectiveness of cleaning soft contact lenses with and without rubbing. Three-hundred new biweekly disposable hydrogel lenses (Ocufilcon D, FDA Group IV; 55% water content) were artificially deposited with serum albumin, hand cream (semi-transparent deposits) and mascara (black deposits). The treated lenses were randomly divided into three groups, each group cleaned by one of three methods of cleaning: Rubbing (R), No-Rub following the manufacturer's instruction on duration of rinsing (NR1) and No-Rub with a shorter duration of rinsing (NR2). Four commercially-available multipurpose solutions (MPS) and a saline were used.
     The cleaning effectiveness was determined by the amount of deposits remaining on the contact lenses after cleaning, assessed with the aid of a slit-lamp. The level of deposits remaining (in terms of coverage of lens surface) were determined using a five-point scale [0 (no observable deposits) to 4 (>80% deposits remained)] for semi-transparent deposits (protein and hand cream) and black deposits (mascara). The investigators were masked as to the solutions used (except for one MPS which has a different rinsing time than the other MPS), and the investigator who assessed the deposits left on the lenses did not know which solution or cleaning method was used to clean each lens.
     Lenses cleaned by the R method were significantly cleaner than those cleaned by methods NR1 and NR2. No significant difference was found between lenses cleaned by NR1 and NR2 methods. The median grade of deposits for lenses cleaned by R method was 0.5 for both semi-transparent and black deposits. For lenses cleaned by NR1 and NR2 methods, the median grade of deposits left on lens surfaces was 4.0 for both types of deposits. Different solutions used did not affect the level of deposits left on lens surfaces for all three cleaning methods.
     The researchers concluded that not rubbing the soft lens when cleaning is ineffective in removing loosely-bound deposits. A longer rinse, as recommended by the manufacturers, does not remove significantly more deposits than a shorter rinse with the MPS. This work supports the view that contact lens wearers should be encouraged to rub their lenses when cleaning.
Cho P, Cheng SY, Chan WY, Yip WK. Soft contact lens cleaning: rub or no-rub? Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2009;29:49-57. 

Reader Commentary: Up with Daily Disposables

I just read the latest fitting tip from Dr. Carmen Castellano on 'Benefits of Daily Disposals' and I agree fully although I was most surprised to see the comment "For short trips this may be done with diagnostic lenses."
     I think the manufacturers might be unhappy with this suggested usage of diagnostic lenses. Diagnostic lenses are for diagnostic trial fitting, not for freebies or give-aways. If diagnostic lenses are being given away for free (or sold) that's not fair to manufacturers, consumers or to our profession. This contributes to further diluting our professional worth and cementing the concept that these things are just commodities that are given away or may as well be purchased at the cheapest source like the Internet. It will also encourage those patients who 'doc shop' and try get an emergency free pair from a number of sources. We have such a 'consumer' in New Zealand who never pays for a monthly disposable, she just gets an emergency free pair from a different optometrist every month!
     I have no arguments that one day lenses are the greatest soft lenses and my practice has been shifting to daily disposables wherever possible for over a decade. If all things are equal, I fit or refit daily disposables as my 1st choice modality. With silicone hydrogel versions now a reality, this should mean it is our number one choice for even more cases. In New Zealand and other places, the use of daily disposables is growing - and a significant part of the market - while we still see the U.S. has one of the lowest penetrations of single use lenses on the planet. So yes, let's get U.S. contact lens practitioners into the 21st Century but we should not promote the sale or giving away of daily disposable diagnostic lenses to patients for weekend trips.
Alan P. Saks
MCOptom (UK), Dip.Optom (ZA), FCLS (NZ), FAAO (USA)
Auckland, NZ

Editor's Commentary: Are We Taking Advantage of Toric Options?

Soft toric contact lenses have improved dramatically in design, material, and reproducibility over the last two decades. We now have several toric lens options that are offered in silicone hydrogel materials. Many soft toric lenses are available in wide ranges of parameters, and this certainly benefits our astigmatic population. Many standard lenses come in toric powers down to 0.75DC, while custom lenses are available in most any power. I am curious as to your prescribing patterns. Have you incorporated the use of these lower powered toric lenses in your practice? They may provide visual benefit to some of your patients.
Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: incorporating Acanthamoeba testing into the MPDS licensing process; prescribing silicone hydrogels for post-RK patients; variability in corneal swelling with different silicone hydrogel lenses; and part 2 of our 2008 BCLA update.

Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call (800) FDA-1088.

Report possible grievances related to the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act or associated Contact Lens Rule at: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/.
Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com. Your tip may be selected as best of the month. See http://www.CLToday.com for details. Please include your full name, degree or title and city/state/country.
For more information on Contact Lenses Today including archives of previous issues or to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit our website at www.cltoday.com. For the latest articles on contact lenses, important clinical information and helpful tools related to the contact lens practice visit the Contact Lens Spectrum website at www.clspectrum.com.
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