CONTACT LENSES TODAY
June 10, 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.
Fenway Partners Acquires 1-800 CONTACTS
Contact lens retailer 1-800-CONTACTS announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Fenway Partners, a middle market private equity firm. The total
transaction is valued at approximately $340 million. The Board of Directors has approved the merger and recommends that stockholders approve as well.
“We believe this transaction with Fenway Partners is
the right decision for our stockholders, our Company, our employees and our customers. This transaction will not only provide significant premium value for our stockholders, but will allow the company to pursue
its long-term goals with the flexibility and long-term focus of a private company,” said Jonathon Coon, Chief Executive Officer of 1-800-CONTACTS.
Vistakon Launches CL Reminder Service
Johnson & Johnson’s Vistakon has launched ACUMINDER, a complimentary online service designed to improve contact lens compliance and eye health for contact lens wearers. It was developed
following company research that indicates contact lens noncompliance is on the rise. Of more than 3,000 visitors to the Acuvue website, 79% of respondents claimed they change their lenses less often that their doctor
recommended in 2006, compared with 59% in 2005.
Contact lens wearers who register for the free service can elect to receive an automatic reminder via e-mail, cell phone text message and/or a computer desktop
prompt. Registration is open to all contact lens wearers at
http://www.acuminder.com.
Menicon Enters Agreement with China College, Launches Website
Menicon Co. has announced an equity participation agreement with the Vision Science Research & Development Institute of Wenzhou Medical College in China. The Joint venture’s main
activities will be manufacturing, wholesale and retail sales of GP contact lenses for the Chinese market. The arrangement will support contact lens education and research and provide additional product options and
technical assistance to Chinese contact lens fitters.
In a separate release, the company also announced it has launched a new website for its new silicone hydrogel contact lens in Europe, Menicon PremiO at
http://www.meniconpremio.com. The new site will provide technical details of the lens, wearing recommendations, study results and more.
Explore Patient Satisfaction Beyond the Chair
Nothing drives referrals like satisfied patients. And nothing satisfies patients like the comfort and minimal corneal staining that can be provided by ACUVUE OASYS Brand Contact
Lenses with HYDRACLEAR Plus. In a recent clinical study, new wearers exhibited no significant difference in corneal staining and reported no significant difference in overall comfort between ACUVUE OASYS and no lens.
And in an in-market trial, 89% of patients fit with ACUVUE OASYS would recommend their doctors based on their experience. How will you satisfy your patients and build your practice with ACUVUE OASYS?
More About ACUVUE
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Global Keratoconus Congress 2008
Contact Lens Spectrum and the LWW Health Care Conference Group will host the second Global Keratoconus Congress (GKC), January 25-27, 2008, at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in
Las Vegas, NV. As with the 2007 meeting, the 2008 congress will include information for vision care professionals in all disciplines, with both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. GKC 2008 will also feature
15 new speakers providing hands-on workshops, strategies for irregular astigmatism and expert insights into fitting after surgery and corneal trauma. More than 500 participants attended the 2007 meeting, which was
accredited for continuing education under COPE, NCLE and JCAHPO and offered 17.5 credit hours. Those interested in attending the 2008 Global Keratoconus Congress can visit
http://www.GKCongress.com for more information or
to register for this unique meeting. Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Heather Seasholtz at 215-643-8073.
Additionally, the Educational Program Committee of the Global Keratoconus Congress
invites the submission of abstracts for the Free Papers and Scientific Posters Competition to be held January 25-27, 2008 in Las Vegas. Papers and Posters related to keratoconus, corneal topography, post
penetrating keratoplasty or related irregular corneal surface, gas permeable lens and lens care topics are welcome. Please visit
http://www.GKCongress.com for information.
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FDA Approves Expanded Indications for Paragon
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved expanded indications for Paragon Vision Science’s Paragon HDS, Paragon Thin, Paragon HDS 100, FluoroPerm 30, 60, 92 and
FluoroPerm 151. The approval is indicated for management of irregular corneal conditions including:
• Keratoconus
• Pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD)
• Post
penetrating keratoplasty
• Post radial
keratotomy
• Post LASIK surgery.
In addition, Paragon HDS, HDS 100, FluoroPerm 60,92 and 151 can now be manufactured in chord diameters of 7 to 16mm. FluoroPerm 30 and Paragon Thin can
only be
manufactured
to 11.5mm.
Abstract:
Pediatric Microbial Keratitis
In a study published in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, Taiwanese researchers studied the clinical and microbiological characteristics of pediatric microbial
keratitis. They reviewed the records of 78 children (81 eyes), age 16 or younger who were diagnosed with microbial keratitis and treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taipei. Evaluation focused on predisposing
factors, microbial culture results, clinical course and visual outcome.
Results showed that predisposing factors included contact lens wear (33 cases or 40%), trauma (17 cases or 21%), ocular disease (12
cases or 15%) and systemic disease (9 cases or 11%). Of all eyes, 47 (58%) were culture positive with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21 eyes or 45%) and Staphylococcus aureus (nine eyes or 19%) were the most
common isolates. Of the 33 patients who wore contact lenses, eight wore GP lenses for overnight orthokeratology. Surgical intervention was required in 12 (15%) of all eyes. Of the 68 that had best-corrected visual
acuity (BCVA) available at last follow-up visit, 33 achieved BCVA of 20/25 or better.
The investigators conclude that predisposing factors for pediatric infectious keratitis vary with age, with the predominant
risk factor being contact lens wear in the teenage years. They suggest practitioners pay particular attention to infectious keratitis caused by overnight orthokeratology. They also say parents of children considering
this type of contact lens wear should evaluate the benefit of temporary myopia reduction and the risk of infection. Finally, they say identifying predisposing factors and microorganisms may be helpful in early
recognition and treatment.
Hsiao CH, Yeung L, Ma DH, Chen YF, et al. Pediatric microbial keratitis in Taiwanese children: a review of hospital cases. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007 May;125(5):603-9.
Editor's Commentary:
BCLA has Largest Ever Meeting
The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) had its largest ever, successful, meeting in Manchester this past weekend. There was much discussion of corneal infection and infiltrative
keratitis with excellent presentations by John Dart and Brien Holden and many others.
There seems to be consensus about a couple of issues. Early detection and treatment of infectious keratitis probably
saves suffering and sight, and rubbing lenses while cleaning prior to disinfection is back. Although microbial keratitis is seen in daily disposable lens wear, it does not seem to be as serious as with frequently
replaced lens use for daily wear or extended wear.
Congratulations to the BCLA for a wonderful meeting.
Readers Write Back:
More on Recalls
The recent contact lens recalls of ReNu with MoistureLoc (B&L) & Complete Moisture Plus (AMO) represent half of the four brand-name soft contact lens solution companies, but not the
generic we generally advise our patients to stay away from. What are your thoughts on this?
Doug Gillies, O.D.
Monroe, Mich.
Editor’s Reply: Dear Dr. Gillies and colleagues,
All of the
other lens care systems on the market are FDA-approved and, with few exceptions, have been on the market for some time, some longer than others. How our patients use their contact lens care system is as important
as which one they use. I've said many times in the past, use the newest. I've also said that peroxide is hard to beat, though most patients and practitioners prefer multipurpose lens care solutions. In the end, no
matter which system you recommend, you or your staff need to spend some time educating and re-educating patients about proper cleaning with rubbing and rinsing, fresh new solution for each soak and a clean case that's
been given a final rinse with lens care solution and dried prior to its next use. See my June editorial in Contact Lens Spectrum for more on lens care.
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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