CONTACT LENSES TODAY

April 4, 2004

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches over 10,000 readers in 74 countries.

Yamane Honored in Hawaii
Stan Yamane, OD, FAAO, was honored at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Global-Pacific Rim meeting this past Friday when friends and colleagues conducted a reception for him. Long-time Professional Services Director and Vice President at Vistakon, Dr. Yamane is known for his tireless work to serve eyecare professionals from all disciplines across the planet. The AAO Section on Cornea & Contact Lenses offered its heartfelt best wishes and thanks to Dr. Yamane for all of his support for education and leadership, as he plans for retirement this month.

Identifying Factors Related to Dry Eye
Between 1993 and 1995 researchers studied 2,414 people over the age of 43 who didn't report any dry eye symptoms. The researchers collected information at this time about the study subjects' dry eye disease risk factors, medications, cardiovascular disease risk factors, medical history and lifestyle. They reported their results in the March issue of Archives of Ophthalmology after re-examining the same patients between 1998 and 2000. They found that 322 (13.3%) of the 2,414 had developed dry eye and that the incidence of dry eye was significantly associated with age. The incidence was greater in those who had a history of allergy or diabetes who used antihistamines or diuretics and in people who had poorer self-rated health.

Lupin Joins with Allergan to Promote Zymar to Pediatricians
Lupin Limited's wholly owned subsidiary Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Allergan, Inc. to promote gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution 0.3% (Zymar) in the U.S. pediatric specialty area. Under the terms of the agreement, Lupin's pediatric sales force will promote Zymar to high-volume pediatric prescribers.

NEW, LONG-LASTING AQUIFY COMFORT DROPS
Slow-release formula with sodium hyaluronate is blink activated. One only has to blink to experience the benefits of this incredibly lubricating comfort drop. AQuify lubricates and soothes the eyes for an extended period. Patients describe AQuify as "liquid silk." Ask your CIBA Vision lens care sales representative for more information.
http://www.cibavision.com/products/lens_care/con_aquify.shtml
--ADVERTISING

OSI Joins the Mail-Order Ranks
Ocular Sciences, Inc. recently introduced www.gotlenses.com. According to the company, gotlenses.com is the only replacement contact lens service that actively verifies all prescriptions, assuring the eyecare practitioner that patients are only receiving lenses if they have a valid prescription -- if the service can't verify a prescription it won't send out lenses. There's no set-up or subscription fee, however the company charges a small service fee for each order placed and processed through gotlenses.com. OSI says that with gotlenses.com, practitioners set their own pricing and generate income with each order that their patients place. Patients simply order replacement lenses (of any brand) by calling 1-877-GOTLENSES or by visiting http://www.gotlenses.com. To register for this service, or to simply find out more, contact your OSI sales representative.

AOA Releases Study Results on CD
The American Optometric Association (AOA) is releasing its latest "Caring for the Eyes of America" study on CD for the first time this year. According to Richard Edlow, OD, who chairs the AOA information and data committee, the updated data show, among other things, that Americans have cut down on the time they wait between eye exams.

Spelling Error
We incorrectly spelled the last name of the author of last week's fitting tip. Our apologies to Brad Giedd, OD.

CIBA Reorganizes Management Team
CIBA Vision has appointed Karen Gough as president of the North America Region and John Rex as finance officer for the company. Gough will guide CIBA's sales and marketing operations in North America and will serve on CIBA's Executive Committee. Rex will lead the finance team and will also serve on the company's Executive Committee.

Abstract: Testing a CL System's Indication
Researchers evaluated the capacity of the PuriLens system to disinfect storage solutions contaminated with known concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acanthamoeba species by performing an in vitro assessment of the antibacterial and antiparasitic efficacy of the system. They found that the PuriLens system effectively eradicated S. aureus and P. aeruginosa organisms after a 15-minute cycle but recovered viable cysts of Acanthamoeba in the solution after said cycle. The researchers concluded that use of chemical disinfecting solutions that contain agents such as chlorhexidine or other cationic antiseptics may be advisable in conjunction with the use of the PuriLens device, especially in high-risk settings.

Hwang TS, Hyon JY, Song JK, Reviglio VE, Spahr HT, O'Brien TP. Disinfection Capacity of PuriLens Contact Lens Cleaning Unit Against Acanthamoeba. Eye & Contact Lens 2004 Jan;30(1):42-43.

Editor's Commentary: Yankees Strike Out with Contact Lenses
Riding to work this past Monday, I heard a story on my AM sports talk radio program about the New York Yankees traveling to Japan to play baseball. To stay in top condition, they were permitted no alcoholic beverages and were instructed to drink 16 ounces of water each hour on the flight to Japan. They were also not permitted to wear their contact lenses! Seems the low humidity that can occur in airliner cabins caused the Yankee organization to undertake some preventative eye health care. Doug Apsey, OD, MS, now an officer in the US Air Force once measured cockpit humidity at only 4% -- not too conducive to contact lens wear. In my office right now, it's about 80% and much more conducive to contact lens wear. Did the Yankee organization take its eyes off the ball here? Would you advise this preventative care or would you prescribe other means to keep contact lens wear safe and comfortable on a long flight? How about some of the latest lens care products? How about some of the latest eye drops and nutraceuticals? Let us know what you think.

Fitting Tip: Solving Strange Overrefractions
Most of my toric fit failures are from dryness, which I ascribe to the material or to rotation instability, which gives strange overrefractions that don't always agree with pre-fit data.
I've been using CV Encore torics (CooperVision) and have had a large increase in success rate. My only complain with this lens is dryness for patients who can't tolerate a type IV material and some lenses have a toric marker that's just about impossible to see on the eye, but I can't always figure out why.
I'd like to see a Q&A to doctors about which method has given the best results for solving the dilemma of strange overrefractions that don't match spectacle prescriptions and rotation of the contact lens.
--Christopher R. Howard, OD
Crestview, Fla.

Start Thinking GOS (Global Orthokeratology Symposium)
(July 22 to 25, 2004 Toronto, Canada)
Get the tools to implement orthokeratology in your practice.
http://www.gos2004.com
--ADVERTISING

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