CONTACT LENSES TODAY
June 3, 2007
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.
1-800 CONTACTS Sells ClearLab
Contact lens retailer, 1-800-CONTACTS announced it has signed agreements for the sale of its ClearLab business, selling its flat-pack technology to Menicon Co., Japan’s largest independent contact lens manufacturer, and ClearLab’s manufacturing distribution and customer support operations to Mi Gwang Contact Lens Co., a Korean-based contact lens manufacturer.
Under the terms of the agreements, Menicon will acquire certain intellectual property and other assets, including those related to ClearLab’s flat-pack technology. Mi Gwang will acquire the international manufacturing, distribution and customer support operations, including the Singapore manufacturing facility, certain tangible property, other assets, the outstanding capital stock of the U.K. entities and the trade payables and current accrued liabilities related to the Singapore operations.
Menicon Partners with UltraVision
Menicon Co. has announced a partnership with UltraVision CLPL in the U.K. and Ireland on the exclusive distribution of Menicon PremiO, the company’s new silicone hydrogel lens. Menicon U.K. will continue to directly manage all other Menicon products for the U.K. and Ireland.
EPA Regulation Change May Play Role in CL Infections
An article in last week’s Wall Street Journal reported an increase in eye infections among contact lens users in the U.S. may be linked to reduced chlorination of water supplies, referencing clinical studies. The report says a paper published last August by Drs. Charlotte Joslin and Elmer Tu of the University of Illinois’ Department of Ophthalmology in Chicago suggest that amoeba infections and last year’s outbreak of fungal infections may stem from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decision in 1998 to restrict the levels of chlorine byproducts and other chemicals in drinking water. The authors of the study speculate that reduced chemicals may have increased amoeba growth in the water and produced more infections when contact lens wearers showered or used pools and tubs while wearing their contact lenses, the journal said. Another article is expected to be published soon.
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WCO Names New President
During the General Delegates Meeting held in Mexico City on April 26, the World Council of Optometry (WCO) named Robert Chappell, O.B.E., M.Phil., F.C.Optom., of the United Kingdom as its new president. The organization represents over 200,000 optometrists from 73 member organizations in 40 countries. Dr. Chappell will strive to implement the WCO’s new strategic plan and communications policies, while strengthening membership recruitment and retention. He is immediate past president of the European Council for Optometry and Optics, past president of the College of Optometrists and a member of the General Optical Council, the United Kingdom’s regulatory body for optometrists and dispensing opticians
Wave Touch Technologies Acquires Optical Connection Assets
Optical Connection and Wave Touch Technologies announced the completion of purchase and transfer of certain Optical Connection assets to Wave Touch Technologies. Under the agreement, Wave Touch will acquire the equipment, inventory, manufacturing know-how, licenses/intellectual property and assigned contracts associated with the custom lathe soft lens and GP business, as well as wavefront-guided contact lenses manufactured from individual aberrometry readings done in the practitioner’s office. Optical Connection will continue to manufacture, market and distribute its family of lens technology under the Definition AC and private label brand names out of the San Diego facility. Wave Touch will take over all product related issues of custom lathe and GP business sold by Optical Connection, including returns, service, consultation and claims.
Abstract:
Topical Fluoroquinolones Therapy for Fungal Keratitis
Researchers at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami and the Department of Ophthalmology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in N.Y. recently reported on five cases of fungal keratitis associated with contact lens wear that resolved or significantly improved without antifungal therapy. They presented an observational case report of five patients with a history of contact lens wear who presented with infectious keratitis. Two had growth of a fungal species on corneal microbiologic cultures. Of the remaining three patients, two showed elements on confocal microscopy. All five patients exhibited growth of fungal species on contact lens microbiologic cultures and received topical fluoroquinolone therapy as initial treatment.
Results showed that in three cases, two of which were treated with moxifloxacin 0.5%, the keratomycosis resolved completely on topical fluoroquinolones therapy. One case was switched to topical tobramycin and cefazolin with complete resolution. The final case showed marked initial improvement on fluoroquinolones therapy, but was subsequently treated with natamycin 5%.
The investigators conclude that fungal keratitis associated with contact lens wear may occasionally present in a less aggressive form. They suggest topical fluoroquinolone therapy may be an adjunct to the innate immune response in eradicating less fulminant keratomycosis.
Munir WM, Rosenfeld SI, Udell I, Miller D, et al. Clinical Response of Contact Lens-Associated Fungal Keratitis to Topical Fluoroquinolone Therapy. Cornea. 2007 June;26(5):621-4.
Editor's Commentary:
Recalls
We are all tired of recalls. I’m on record as saying that all of these recalls will not challenge the contact lens market. But they will change it. More and more people will wear contact lenses in the future. But what they wear and how they wear it may change. I asked a group of bright, young graduate student optometrists what they thought about the most recent recall regarding Acanthamoeba infection. One response: "I’m glad I fit my husband in daily disposable lenses."
Good point. But so many patients will not be wearing daily disposable lenses. So we need to be very aggressive about compliance with our patients. We work very hard to teach them about compliance and lens care, but as your new editor, Dr. Carla Mack, recently said, “With all we do to teach lens care and lens care solutions, our young optometry students don't seem to be as good as we'd like regarding understanding lens care products. We need to work harder.”
My advice: tell your staff to be extra fastidious about teaching lens care, no matter what lens care product you recommend. And make sure your patients like you. They will comply better if you they do.
Fitting Tip:
Hydrogen Peroxide
If you’ve recently switched your patient to a hydrogen peroxide disinfecting system, make sure your patients know to warn their family and friends. Many times, patients in the same household share solutions. If family members don't know your patient has switched and they try to use the new peroxide-based solution, they are in for a surprise.
Christopher Paulus, O.D.
Medina, Ohio.
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org learn about the reduction in adverse events with silicone hydrogel lenses, review the recent research into silicone hydrogels (SiH) presented at the American Academy of Optometry relating to tear-film and corneal staining changes, and read the latest case study and poster presentations into the use of silicone hydrogel lenses.
Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call (800) FDA-1088.
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