CONTACT LENSES TODAY
June 5, 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.
Legislation would Strengthen National Vision Research
The Vision Preservation Act of 2005 (HR 2671) proposes to federally authorize the
Vision Problems of America Plan: A National Public
Health Strategy, a report developed by Prevent Blindness America and its partners the American Optometric Association (AOA), American Academy of Ophthalmologists
(AAO), National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and Lighthouse International. The bill was presented by members of the Congressional Vision Caucus, a bipartisan
coalition of congressional members dedicated to strengthening and stimulating a national dialogue and policy on vision-related problems and disabilities. If passed,
HR 2671 would strengthen vision loss research and prevention programs at both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC). It also
calls for greater access to treatment and care in vision rehabilitation, as well as increased awareness of vision problems. Those interested in joining the campaign
can visit http://www.preventblindness.org,
which will link visitors directly to their senators and representatives.
ASCRT Wraps Up Second Annual Symposium
The American Society of Corneal and Refractive technologies (ASCRT) hosted its 2005 Annual meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
from May 13-15, 2005.
Highlights of the meeting included comprehensive presentations on how to integrate corneal reshaping into a practitioner’s daily routine, laser treatments for myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, as well as future soft and GP lens products. Says ASCRT president, Lee Rigel, O.D., “Like last year, attendees left this meeting
incredibility motivated with practical clinical and practice management pearls that are easily implemented when attendees return to their practice.” Audio tapes of the
symposium will be available at http://www.crtsymposium.com
AMO Completes VISX Acquisition
Advanced Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) announced this week that is has completed the acquisition of VISX Inc., making the company the largest
provider of refractive products in the industry. “As we combine VISX with AMO, we will continue to focus our R&D investment towards discovering new technologies that
optimize vision for people of all ages,” says AMO president and CEO, Jim Mazzo.
The Accelerated Stabilization Design of ACUVUE ADVANCE for ASTIGMATISM
The biggest breakthrough in toric contact lens technology in 15 years, ACUVUE ADVANCE Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM harnesses
the power of the blink to quickly orient and stabilize the lens in approximately 60 seconds. The four active zones and accelerated slope of thickness of the proprietary
Accelerated Stabilization Design work with the eyelids to balance the lens in place when the eye is open and quickly re-align the lens if it rotates out of position.
This new design provides your patients with crisp, stable, all-day vision and provides doctors with a fast, predictable
fit.
http://www.ecp.acuvue.com
--ADVERTISING
Imperial Partners with DaVinci Labs to Provide Supplements
Practitioners who subscribe to Imperial Optical Inc.’s ECP WebSolutions now have access to a line of eye health supplements from DaVinci
Laboratories of Vermont, at no additional cost to the practice. Patients can purchase DaVinci products directly from the practice’s
web site. Providers may also customize
the sale price of the products using the ECP WebSolutions practitioner interface module.
B&L to Boost Research
Aiming to boost research spending by up to 15%, or $20 million, this year, Bausch & Lomb aims to build a new optics center in
Rochester, N.Y., and hire 200 new workers. About 1,200 of the company’s 1,500 employees in the city work at the optics center. B&L is slated to make an official
announcement on Thursday.
Abstract:
New Technology furthers Ocular Thermometry
Researchers reviewed literature on human thermometry techniques in an effort to gauge the development and advantages of applications of the
latest non-contact techniques. The ability to measure ocular temperature accurately will increase understanding of ocular physiology. Applications include dry eye, contact
lens wear, corneal sensitivity and refractive surgery. Results showed a characteristic thermal profile across the anterior eye, in which the central area appears coolest.
The researchers concluded current instrumentation offers the potential to measure ocular surface temperature with more accuracy, resolution and speed than previously
possible.
Purslow C, Wolffsohn JS. Ocular surface temperature: a review. Eye Contact Lens 2005 May;31(3):117-23.
Editor's Commentary:
Sun Lenses or Sports-tinted Lenses?
I recently tried the new sports-tinted lenses we have talked about over the past few weeks. I wore them while riding my bike (something I do
for many miles) and running. I’m eager to try them for golf and other sunny day sports activities, and I’ll report on that later in June. No doubt these lenses work well
as sun lenses, though additional UV and protective eyewear may be necessary. I’m not sure they’ll make me a scratch golfer, but it will be a relief to not have to worry
about my sunglasses. I tried both the Amber and the Grey-green colors. The Amber tint is ideal for sports with fast-moving balls or in overcast conditions. Grey-green is
best for golf, running, general cross-training and bright, sunny conditions. This will be an interesting new ball game for our market.
Fitting Tip:
GP Fitting Pearl
A frequently avoided area for patients and eyecare practitioners is their use of current spectacles when GPs aren’t worn. Partly through past
experience and cost, patients will avoid the perceived personal and financial hassle of readapting their vision when switching back and forth between GPs and spectacles.
Practitioners may also not want to revisit what has been a difficult refractive situation. With the advent of hyper-Dk materials that better stabilize corneal physiology
and topography, practitioners can now perform reliable refractions that yield wearable spectacle prescriptions. What hasn’t always been useful is the traditional request
of eyecare practitioners to GP patients to stop wearing their glasses two to three hours or days before the exam. Multiple corneal topography studies have documented that
curvature instability and transient irregular astigmatism are most pronounced during the three to six weeks of GP discontinuation. This has been inadvertently confirmed
by the intermittent difficulties encountered by refractive surgeons when they attempt to stabilize vision for GP or PMMA wearers seeking LASIK. Rigid contact lens
discontinuation may require weeks or months for a refraction to stabilize. Fortunately, refitting with newer, hyper-Dk materials (Dk > 100) can allow a current, lesser Dk
wearer to experience better contact lens (and eventual spectacle) vision as they readapt to healthier corneal physiology. Also, as GP wearers experience increased
instances of age-related dryness, a wearable pair of spectacles offers a further benefit in permitting a better wearing balance in alternating between GPs and spectacles
in the evening. This successful coupling of previously antagonistic spectacles and GPs can reduce failures and dropouts by providing better vision flexibility for maturing
presbyopes.
-- Bob Grohe, O.D.
Homewood, Ill.
Get Geared Up for the Global Orthokeratology Symposium (GOS)
(July 28 to 31, 2005 in Chicago, Ill. -- for the first time in the U.S.A.)
More than 20 hours of CE courses presented by a faculty of international
experts.
For more information, go to http:// www.gos2005.com
--ADVERTISING
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, review techniques for measuring the cornea’s oxygen needs and re-examine
the Holden-Mertz criterion for ensuring that a contact lens is able to meet those needs, read about the use of impression cytology to assess ocular surface health after
continuous wear, and explore the use of silicone hydrogels as part of a high-Dk piggyback lens system paired with intrastromal ring inserts for the management of
keratoconus.
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.
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