CONTACT LENSES TODAY

April 27, 2003

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

Companies Unveil News and Products at ASCRS
At this year's American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) meeting, Topcon introduced a patient-assisted refraction system, called the BV-1000, and CIBA Vision announced its plans to purchase Medennium's posterior chamber phakic refractive lens (PRL). Also at the meeting, Alcon debuted its newest technology in cataract removal devices -- Infiniti Vision System -- a tri-modal cataract removal surgical instrument.

Past Bacterial Infection Associated with AMD
In the April issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, Kalayoglu V. Murat, MD, PhD, et al reported their findings that people who have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) tended to carry higher levels of antibodies targeted against the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae than those without AMD. According to the authors, the findings suggest that infection with C. pneumoniae may cause changes that increase a person's risk of developing AMD. The researchers concluded that further studies on larger cohorts of individuals are necessary to determine if this pathogen plays a role in the pathogenesis of AMD.

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Vigamox Approval
After a six-month review, the FDA has approved Alcon, Inc.'s new fourth-generation fluoroquinolone, moxifloxacin (Vigamox), making it the second of its kind available to eyecare practitioners. The antibiotic ophthalmic solution is dosed t.i.d. for seven days to treat bacterial conjunctivitis. According to Alcon, because of Vigamox's inherent antimicrobial activity, the drug is formulated without benzalkonium chloride.

AOSept Correction
In last week's issue of CLToday, we reported that CIBA Vision's AOSept Clear Care lens solution, recently approved by the FDA for use with GP lenses, is the only one-bottle solution available in the United States for use with GP lenses. It should have read that AOSept Clear Care is the first one-bottle peroxide lens care solution cleared in the United States for use with GP lenses.

Abstract: Ethnicity and Color CL Choices
Researchers conducted a pilot study to identify opaque contact lens color preferences among 63 brown-eyed women (ages 18 to 35) from three ethic groups: African American, Caucasian and Hispanic. They presented each subject with opaque contact lenses in four colors (blue, green, gray and hazel) in various designs. After viewing their appearances wearing each of the lenses, subjects chose their color preference. Among the 19 African Americans, 47% rated hazel as their first choice and none chose blue. Of the 22 Caucasian subjects, 46% chose the blue lens over the other colors. The group of 22 Hispanic women showed the most diversity in color preference, but 36% chose green as their overall color of preference.
Gaume, A; Prager, T.C.; Bergmanson, J.P.; Quintero, S.; Harden, J.; Perrigin, J.; Piccolo, M. Opaque Contact Lens Color Choices Among Women of Different Ethnic Groups. Eye Contact Lens 2003 Apr;29(2):93-5.

Editor's Commentary: Follow-Up Examination Frequency: Required for CL Wearers (Reader's Response)
"A problem with the frequency of follow-up examinations of contact lens patients is the fact that many insurance companies will only pay for an examination every two years," responds Frank J. Weinstock, MD, FACS. "We feel strongly that every contact lens patient should be seen at least once each year and more frequently if indicated. Contact lens patients need constant reinforcement of wearing and care regimens, as well as the opportunity to detect potential problems before damage occurs. Also, we have the opportunity to present new advances and options. We educate patients to this need. We may also offer less intensive and less expensive examinations when these patients are reluctant to come in for the regular examination."

Well said, Dr. Weinstock. When we put compliance and patient care first and not try to over do our follow-up examinations to justify a higher fee, then we are doing what is in the patient's best interest.

Fitting Tip: Advice on Fitting Hyperopic Presbyopes
Here's what I do for hyperopic presbyopes who are trying contact lenses for the first time: Once we go through the application/removal ritual, I instruct the individual to purchase a mirror that magnifies the image three to five times so that she can see the contact lens on her finger to place it on her eye. We tend to forget about these wearers because there aren't many of them and we assume that they can see the contact lens while their vision is uncorrected, just as prepresbyopes and myopes can. Having a magnifying mirror in your practice can be a worthy investment.
-- Cynthia H. Green, O.D.
Columbus, Ohio

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