CONTACT LENSES TODAY

May 15, 2005

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

The Latest Sports Gear: Color Contact Lenses
Bausch & Lomb and Nike are planning a summer launch for the color contact lenses now being tested by professional athletes in the United States and Europe. Published reports list baseball players Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles and Danny Graves of the Cincinnati Reds as testing the lenses this season. Margaret A. Graham, Director, Corporate Communications for Bausch & Lomb, said the company was waiting for the official launch sometime this summer to give more specific information about the technology behind the lenses.
Allergan Launches Chronic Dry Eye Educational Web Site
Allergan’s newest educational resource – www.FocusOnDryEye.com, is dedicated to providing practitioners and consumers with the most up-to-date information about dry eye. For practitioners, the site offers downloadable dry eye presentations, resource links and dry eye news. For more information, go to http://www.focusondryeye.com
Study Finds Antibiotic May Limit or Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy
Research at the Penn State College of Medicine suggests that minocycline may slow or prevent diabetic retinopathy. Researchers found that the common acne treatment limits by about 50 percent the retinal damage caused by microglia, the cells which kill healthy neurons in the retina. To determine whether the toxins from activated microglia kill retinal cells, researchers grew active microglia with retinal cells. Some cultures were treated with minocycline while others weren’t. Activated microglia caused a 2.5-fold increase in retinal cell death. In co-cultures treated with minocycline, nearly all retinal cells survived. The study was published in the May edition of Diabetes.
HYDRACLEAR Technology – The Science Inside ACUVUE ADVANCE
Since the launch of ACUVUE ADVANCE Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR, Eye Care Professionals across the country have reported an influx of patients requesting that new lens with HYDRACLEAR. What is this remarkable technology that helps keep eyes looking clear and white and feeling great all day long? HYDRACLEAR is the VISTAKON brand name for our proprietary technology that brings together a remarkable moisture-rich wetting agent with high performance base materials to form clear, wettable lenses resulting in a unique, silky, soft feel. It’s the science inside ACUVUE ADVANCE that delivers comfort for even the longest days.
--ADVERTISING
Jury Finds in Favor of AMO
 A jury found in favor of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc., in its case against Alcon Manufacturing, Ltd. and Alcon Laboratories, Inc. for infringement on two AMO patents for phacoemulsification equipment used during cataract surgery. Alcon will ask that the court set aside the verdict, and will appeal if necessary. AMO, which was awarded $94.8 million in damages, will seek a permanent injunction prohibiting Alcon from selling equipment with the features that the jury found infringed AMO’s patents. Alcon said it had already decided to make software changes necessary to remove the Occlusion Power Management feature in question from its products.
Canada approves AMD Treatment
Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Health Canada granted approval for Macugen for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Macugen is the first therapy indicated in Canada for treating subfoveal neovascular AMD regardless of lesion subtype or size. Macugen was launched in the United States in January.
1-800 CONTACTS Net Sales Increase in 1st Quarter
1-800 CONTACTS, INC. reported $60.3 million in net sales for the first quarter of 2005, compared to $50.8 million for the comparable quarter in 2004, a 19% increase.
"We continue to see strength in our US retail business and progress in our international manufacturing operations as we invest in capacity expansion and in research and development for new products," said Jonathan Coon, Chief Executive Officer.
Optometry Publication Focuses on India
Our readers interested in optometry in India should be aware of the quarterly Optometry Today, which features articles spanning all topics concerning the profession in India. For more information, contact Editor Dr. Narendra Kumar at kumars@vsnl.com
Abstract: Study Examines Water Diffusion Rate of Lens Materials
Researchers at the Chemical Engineering Department, University of California, studied the steady-state diffusion rate of water through conventional hydrogel material (SofLens One Day) and a silicone hydrogel material (PureVision), with and without surface oxygen plasma treatment. Also, previously reported data for a conventional 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA)-hydrogel were re-examined and compared with those for SofLens One Day and PureVision hydrogels. Researchers found measured steady-state water fluxes are largest for SofLens One Day, followed by PureVision and HEMA. In some cases, the measured steady-state water fluxes increase with rising relative air humidity. This increase, due to an apparent mass-transfer resistance at the surface (trapping skinning), is associated with formation of a glassy skin at the air/membrane interface when the relative humidity is below 55-75%.
Fornasiero F, Krull F, Prausnitz JM, Radke CJ. Steady-state diffusion of water through soft-contact-lens materials Biomaterials y2005 Oct;26(28):5704-16 Epub 2005 April 18
Editor's Commentary: When Do You Choose Monovision?
It’s intriguing to me how many practitioners still like monovision as a first choice over bifocal and multifocal contact lenses today. I know monovision is easier, but multifocal and bifocal contact lenses have stereoacuity advantages and can provide good vision that is often great for computer use. Certainly there are cases where monovision is preferred, such as when bifocal and multifocal lenses fail. What are our readers thoughts on this topic?
Fitting Tip: Changing With the Times
In response to the Editor’s Commentary from March 20, 2005 (“How Do You Handle Change”):
I completely agree with you on the matter of new technology in the contact lens market. My goal used to be to upgrade all of my patients to some form of disposable lens from conventional. Now, my goal is to fit everyone into a silicone hydrogel. With the new products being released, I think it will be possible in about two or three year’s time.
I tell all of my patients about the new technology, even if it doesn’t apply to them at the time. This piques their interest for their next visit a year from now and entices them to return to my office.
Just look at cell phones: They’re getting smaller, more sophisticated and come with more advanced features. How about computers? I tell my patients that their current contact lens material was developed in the early 1970s and people are surprised to hear that. Relate that to their cell phone, computer or MP3 players and people are open to trying something that’s not only new, but better and safer for them. People are willing to spend more money for a product when they see a perceived benefit from that product.
Don’t sell your patients short. If you don’t offer patients new options, then they’ll likely stay with what they know. I like the saying, “If it ain’t broke, break it!”
-- Jeff Hartman, O.D.
Cincinnati
Are You Ready for the Global Orthokeratology Symposium (GOS)?
(July 28 to 31, 2005 in Chicago, Ill. -- for the first time in the U.S.A.)
The only worldwide meeting focused solely on orthokeratology/corneal reshaping. Register by June 30, 2005 to save $65 off the full symposium price. For more information, go to http://www.gos2005.com

 
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, consider the potential of silicone hydrogels for patients who have irregular astigmatism, compare subjective and objective means of measuring corneal staining, review the features that increase a solution’s compatibility with silicone hydrogel materials and read the results of a study evaluating the cytotoxic potential of various solutions.
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, issue archives and discussion forums. Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips and Photo Clinic, sponsored by Ocular Sciences.
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