CONTACT LENSES TODAY

June 6, 2004

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

Name Change for Optima FW
Bausch & Lomb announces that its Optima FW spherical contact lens will now be known as the SofLens 38 brand lens. Besides the new name, the lens will also get new packaging. Eyecare practitioners will receive an information packet that includes patient information brochures, patient transition cards and tear pads, to help educate patients about the change. Practitioners can dispense SofLens 38 lenses to patients who have an established prescription for Optima FW lenses without any additional fitting.

C&E GP Specialists Receives FDA Approval, ISO Certification
The FDA has granted C&E GP Specialists approval for overnight corneal reshaping/orthokeratology with its Fargo and GP Express contact lenses. It has also received International Standards Organization (ISO) 13485 (medical device) certification, which allows the company to export its overnight GP corneal reshaping lenses.

So, what is HYDRACLEAR?
ACUVUE ADVANCE with HYDRACLEAR launched in January and it is already creating tremendous success for eyecare professionals (ECP) and their patients. In several instances, patients were so excited about the all-day comfort they experienced while wearing ACUVUE ADVANCE with HYDRACLEAR that they took the time to call their ECP to say, "Thank you!"
So what is the HYDRACLEAR technology difference? HYDRACLEAR technology is the VISTAKON brand name for the proprietary internal wetting agent that permeates the ACUVUE ADVANCE contact lens, creating a silky, smooth feel. HYDRACLEAR functions both as a humectant (moisture-loving agent) and as a lubricant. Its humectant nature provides the capacity to bind moisture and presents a wettable lens to the ocular surface. In addition, the ACUVUE ADVANCE proprietary formulation makes it possible to incorporate silicone into the lens -- significantly increasing oxygen transmissibility -- without the need for any surface coating.
Learn more by visiting http://www.ecp.acuvue.com.
--ADVERTISING

Win a MINI Cooper from CooperVision
As part of its sweepstakes promotion for eyecare practitioners to introduce the new Vertex Torix name for its disposable toric contact lenses (formerly the CV Encore Toric), CooperVision will give away two MINI Cooper automobiles. After registering online at www.cooperminicooper.com, practitioners will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a 2004 MINI Cooper for every six-pack of Vertex Toric contact lenses ordered from CooperVision or from and authorized distributor between now and July 32, 2004. A chance to win the second MINI Cooper will follow for orders placed between August 1, 2004 and October 31, 2004. Drawings will tentatively take place on August 15, 2004 and November 15, 2004.

Allergan Signs Agreements
Allergan, Inc. and Senju Pharmaceutical have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement in Japan to market and develop Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03%). Under the agreement, Senju will develop and commercialize Lumigan in Japan and will incur associated costs.
Allergan has arranged a similar agreement with Kyorin Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd., which will develop and market Alphagan/Alphagan P (brimonidine tartrate solution 0.2% and brimonidine tartrate purite solution 0.15%) within the ophthalmic specialty area in Japan.

Eyefinity Now Offers New Web Site Product
Eyefinity has launched eWeb Extra, a new product that allows private eyecare practitioners to market their practices through Web sites. eWeb Extra features 40 professional templates of varied styles and colors, maps and driving directions to practitioners' offices, personalized Web site addresses, custom patient registration/welcome forms and more. Practitioners pay a one-time set-up fee of $99 and a monthly hosting charge of $24.99. Also, for a limited time, practitioners who sign up for eWeb Extra will also receive a free year's subscription to Eyefinity's Practice Trends service.

Abstract: CW An Alternative to Daily Wear
Researchers recently confirmed that the continuous wear of silicone hydrogel lenses for up to 30 days can be considered as an alternative to daily disposable soft lens wear, but isn't suitable for everyone. They reached this conclusion after comparing, in routine optometric practice, the outcome of keeping successful soft contact lens wearers in their lenses to re-fitting them with continuous wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses. They assessed 49 successful daily disposable lens wearers (of which 19 continued to wear daily soft contact lenses and 30 were refit with high-Dk silicone hydrogel lenses on a 30-day/night schedule) at baseline, three and six months by slit lamp exam along with the Efron grading scales and central corneal thickness. No substantial changes in subjective vision, refraction, visual acuity or overall lens comfort occurred for those completing the study. Five silicone hydrogel wearers dropped out of the study because of reduced comfort, eyelid problems or seasonal allergy.
Aakre BM, Ystenaes AE, Doughty MJ, Austrheim O, Westerfjell B, Lie MT. A 6-month Follow-Up of Successful Refits from Daily Disposable Soft Contact Lenses to Continuous Wear of High-Dk Silicone-Hydrogel Lenses. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 2004 Mar;24(2):130-141.

Editor's Commentary: A Modality for Every Occasion
I wore my soft bifocal contact lenses so much last week to play golf that I lost my glasses. Oh sure, I'm wearing an old pair of glasses now and will continue to only wear my contact lenses for sports such as golf, biking and swimming, but I'm sure glad I have them for those occasions. I would love to get some comments from our readers about your experiences with contact lenses and sports. I think I'm more comfortable with contact lenses outside in my climate because of the humidity and exercise makes my eyes water. While inside at work, less blinking and low humidity cause too many drying symptoms.

Fitting Tip: Contact Lenses Are Not Car Batteries
Tell patients that frequent replacement of contact lenses is safer and better. Not only does this make lens wear healthier, but it eliminates the chance of infection. Patients shouldn't try to stretch their lenses beyond a time limit because they're not like a car battery, which you only replace when it gives you trouble.
--Sudhir Bhatia, MD
New Delhi, India

Don't Forget to Register for the Global Orthokeratology Symposium (GOS)
(July 22-25, 2004 Toronto, Canada)
The only worldwide meeting focused solely on orthokeratology/corneal reshaping.http://www.gos2004.com

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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