CONTACT LENSES TODAY
April 30, 2006
Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches more
than 12,000 readers in 74 countries.
CDC and AOA Provide Updates on Keratitis Infections
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced this week that the number of confirmed
Fusarium cases in the U.S. has risen to 77, with another 105 under investigation. It may take up to a month for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fully
analyze data from the Bausch & Lomb (B&L) plant in Greenville, S.C. where ReNu with MoistureLoc is produced. (See
CLToday, April 11.) The contact lens manufacturer pulled the product from retail shelves after a
small percentage of patients with the infection reported using it. The FDA and CDC continue to work with B&L industry professionals to determine the source.
To help
clinicians detect and manage potential cases, the AOA and the American Academy of Optometry sent information on the fungus to members this week. A description of the
typical appearance, testing and treatment options for fungal keratitis is available at
http://www.aoa.org and http://www.aaopt.org.
British Company Sells Lenses Direct to Consumers
Daysoft, a contact lens company in the U.K., announced it will now sell contact lenses directly to patients online, following the success of
a trial wesbite in the U.S. The company says the move was necessary after recent changes to the U.K. Opticians Act allowed supermarkets and pharmacies to dispense
lenses. Independent practices will receive a
$5 rebate per month of wear for any lenses their patients by online, equating to
$60 year for patients lost to the web. The company’s lenses are currently priced 30% below supermarkets in the U.K. That includes delivery, a money-back guarantee and a
free four-day trial at
$12.99 for 36 pairs of lenses. “We are keeping ourselves, the optician and the patient in a single system. The person who might have been lost to a supermarket, pharmacy
or Internet middleman will be retained and provide benefit to the independent practices,” says Daysoft Chairman, Ron Hamilton.
The Next Generation of Silicone Hydrogels
The latest advance in the ULTRA COMFORT SERIES™ offers comfort, vision and health to contact lens wearers. ACUVUE® OASYS™
Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ Plus are made from a new lens material, senofilcon A, a proprietary formulation including a remarkable moisture-rich wetting
agent with no surface coating. ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses have excellent oxygen transmissibility, high volume of wetting agent and a smooth surface.
This breakthrough material creates a lens so moist and smooth that an eyelid glides effortlessly over it. Prescribing a lens that offers patients comfort in dry
environments that can make eyes feel tired and dry will keep them from dropping out of lens wear and increase patient satisfaction.
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CLSA Adds Summer Education Program
The Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) has added a new education program to take place at the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort in South
Carolina from June 23 to 24. Program topics include a panel discussion on promotion, presenting products and ensuring profitability in your practice, the impact of the
FCLCA, technology’s effect on your future practice, how new lenses and care systems will impact your practice and more. Go
to http://www.clsa.info.
Global Keratoconus Congress 2007
Mark your calendars for the first-ever Global Keratoconus Congress to be held January 26-28, 2007 in Las Vegas. The Global Keratoconus
Congress is an assembly of experts in the field of patient care, teaching and research. They will share the latest information on this chronic sight-threatening condition
that affects one in 2,000 people. Attendees will learn about the latest approaches to contact lens fitting, surgical techniques, clinical research and appropriate
third-party reimbursement for medically necessary contact lens care. Manufacturers and laboratories that support the care of these patients will assist in demonstrating
the usefulness of their latest products and treatments. More information will be coming soon.
Abstract:
Fungal Keratitis in the Northeast
Researchers at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary’s Department of Ophthalmology conducted a review of the institution’s clinical experience
with fungal keratitis between 1987 and 2003. They identified 61 cases of fungal keratitis in 57 patients. They then reviewed records of all patients to better delineate
patient demographics, risk factors, etiologic organisms, treatment and outcomes. They found a total of 5,083 positive corneal cultures from Jan. 1, 1987 to June 1, 2003.
Fungus was found in 61 eyes of 57 patients (1.2%), 37 were women. Three patients had simultaneous bilateral infection.
Candida albicans was the cause of 29 cases (48%). The most commonly associated risk factors were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity (15 eyes),
chronic ocular surface disease (14) and trauma (7). Researchers concluded that their experience with fungal keratitis in the northeastern U.S. differs from those reported
in other areas of the country. Serologic positivity
for HIV and chronic ocular surface disease were the most common associated risk factors followed by trauma, herpes simplex keratitis and contact lens use.
Candida species was the predominant cause; filamentous fungi were uncommon.
Ritterbrand DC, Seedor JA, Shah MK, et al. Fungal keratitis at the New York eye
and ear infirmary. Cornea. 2006 Apr;25(3):264-267.
Editor's Commentary:
A Note About Our Mission
Since we began publishing CLToday, we have tried to write in a pithy style, covering news and developments in the contact lens and
related fields. We do so addressing all professionals in our field as colleagues and equals. We do this in
Contact Lens Spectrum as well, but in more detail. We talk about eye care and contact lens practitioners and don't single out a particular "O" in almost all cases.
We hope you like this style and we invite you to comment on what we can devote more coverage to and what we can do better. Many thanks for making this publication one of
the most rewarding experiences I've ever had. We hope we can continue to make it a worthwhile read. You can help by telling us what you like and what you'd like to see more
of. Let us know at news@cltoday.com.
Fitting Tip:
Fitting Astigmats
I find the following useful in fitting my astigmatic patients:
1. Demonstrate with the phoropter the difference between fully corrected
vision and the spherical equivalent.
2. Know your patient. Some can detect a small change (most of my engineer and architect patients) and some do not appreciate the
difference.
3. Give your professional recommendation. Patients want what is best for them and appreciate the care. Never assume that price is an issue; let the
patient ask if it is.
4. And, never forget GPs, especially if price is an issue.
Carrie Gaines, O.D.
St. Louis
The Global Orthokeratology Symposium presents "Fundamentals of Corneal Reshaping"
— a newly formatted educational experience for 2006. Held in conjunction with the Southern California College of Optometry, this 2-day course
designed for the novice or new orthokeratology practitioner will focus on patient selection, corneal topography, choosing a design — plus "live" fitting and next-day
follow-up with actual patients. Go to http://www.GOS2006.com for more information.
--ADVERTISING
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, consider prescribing silicone hydrogels for pediatric patients, evaluate the
effectiveness of “no rub” multipurpose solutions, and read part two of our Academy 2005 synopsis.
Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call
(800) FDA-1088.
Access a reporting form for complications you've seen that were a result of contact lenses dispensed without a valid prescription
at the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry's (ARBO's) Web
site: http://www.arbo.org/arbo.asp?dt=R&doc=Complications. Complete and send the form online or print it
out and fax it to (866) 886-6164.
Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is selected
as 'Best of the Month,' you'll receive a free golf shirt (see http://www.CLToday.com for details). Please include your full name,
degree or title and city/state/country.
Visit Contact Lens Spectrum ( http://www.clspectrum.com ) for interactive clinical posters and issue archives.
Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips.
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