CIBA Vision announced the launch of its latest silicone hydrogel contact lenses, Air Optix Aqua. According to the company, Air Optix Aqua lenses feature the new Aqua Moisture System, which includes: a unique moisture agent that helps lubricate the lens for initial comfort, a patented lens material that helps maintain moisture by minimizing the rate of lens dehydration for comfort all day, and an ultra-smooth surface with superior wettability and excellent deposit resistance for comfort every day.
     Made of lotrafilcon B, Air Optix Aqua lenses have a 33 percent water content, a Dk/t of 138, and are available from -0.25D to -8.00D in 0.25D steps; from -8.50D to -10.00D in 0.50D steps, and from +0.25D to +6.00D in 0.25D steps. They have a diameter of 14.2 mm, a base curve of 8.6 mm and feature a light blue handling tint. Air Optix Aqua lenses are recommended for daily wear or up to six nights of extended wear. The company is recommending a monthly replacement schedule
     CIBA also announced the U.S. introduction of Dailies AquaComfort Plus. The first and only CIBA Vision lens with Triple Action Moisture, per CIBA, the lens includes a lubricant for instant comfort at the start of the day, a wetting agent that, together with the third comfort agent, provides moisture throughout the day, and an optimized blink-activated moisturizing agent that refreshes the lens through the end of the day.  
     Dailies AquaComfort Plus lenses are available from +0.50D to +6.00D in 0.25D steps; from -0.50D to -6.00D in 0.25D steps, and from -6.50D to -10.00D in 0.50D steps. They are available with a new diameter of 14.0 mm and a new base curve of 8.7 mm, and feature the Visitint handling tint.
     For more information on both products visit www.cibavision.com. 

Stephen G. Young, current President and a founder of Valley Contax, Inc., announced the immediate promotion of Janice Schramm to replace him as company President. Valley Contax is a twenty-six year old GP contact lens manufacturing company based in Springfield, Oregon.
     Young will remain active in the company and serve as Chief Financial Officer as Schramm transitions to the presidency. She will also continue to act as the lead GP contact lens consultant at Valley Contax. In addition, Schramm serves as President of the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association with her term due to end later in 2008.

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO), announced a collaboration with the Institute for Eye Research (IER) to develop contact lens disinfectant and cleaning solutions and related products. IER, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, is a non-profit research organization that conducts collaborative and contract research with and for industry in the area of vision correction, eye care, the anterior eye, contact lenses, contact lens care and patient management, to avoid contact lens complications. The organization is a world leader in the in vitro and clinical evaluation of silicone hydrogel lenses and their interaction with contact lens care products using their proprietary modeling systems and databases.
     "IER's world-class scientists and clinicians have had a major impact on the development of contact lenses and lens care technologies," said AMO Executive Vice President, Research and Development, Leonard Borrmann. "We look forward to working closely with the IER on the development of next-generation contact lens solutions."
     "Through our collaboration with AMO, we will work to develop, test and deliver, through product innovation and education, the best in contact lens care products," said IER CEO Brien Holden, PhD.

Research suggests that many toric contact lens wearers are not satisfied with their visual performance. Make your patients' experience satisfying with new ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM. The latest in toric lenses combines HYDRACLEAR® Plus for all-day comfort with Accelerated Stabilization Design for crisp, clear vision. To learn more, go to jnjvisioncare.com. 
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Charles A. "Ted" Bayshore, O.D., a contact lens pioneer and developer of the Bayshore technique of contact lens fitting, passed way on June 8, 2008, at the age of 88. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Doctor of Ocular Science Degree from the New England College of Optometry. The holder of three eye-correction patents, he was a consultant to many of the major contact lens manufacturers. The awards Dr. Bayshore received include Grand Honours from the Eye Research Foundation, the Herschel Gold Medal from the International Society of Contact Lens Specialists, the John C. Neill Medal from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, the Founders Award from the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of Optometry, the Distinguished Practitioner Award from the National Academies of Practice and the Contact Lens Person of the Year from the American Optometric Association.

Following the introduction of the CIBA Vision Academy for Eyecare Excellence in February, 2008, the company has launched www.cibavisionacademy.com. This new site provides eye care professionals an overview of the new program, as well as quick and easy access to information about what it offers, including: the Management and Business Academy and the First Practice Academy (both of which are co-sponsored by Essilor of America) and educational programs for corporate affiliated eye care professionals.
     Currently, the website includes information and content from programs that are available to eye care professionals in the U.S. and the UK. However, it will be expanded, in the near future, to include content relevant to eye care professionals in other countries.

In last week's story about the FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel hearings on recommendations on contact lens solutions, the link to the comments issued by Advanced Medical Optics, urging a "rub and rinse" regimen, did not operate properly. The link is http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=131956&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1164444&highlight=. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the in vitro effectiveness of multipurpose contact lens solutions (MPDS) to inhibit fungal colonization of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contact lens groups.
     Contact lenses from FDA groups I (low water content, nonionic), II (high water content, nonionic), III (low water content, ionic), and IV (high water content, ionic) were placed in sterile contact lens cases with 2 mL of ReNu MultiPlus, ReNu with MoistureLoc, or Opti-Free Replenish. Each contact lens-multipurpose solution combination was challenged with 0.1 mL of 10 colony-forming units/mL of Fusarium oxysporum and incubated at room temperature. Contact lenses and aliquots from phosphate-buffered saline rinse solutions, multipurpose solutions in cases, and lens cases were sampled at 24, 48, and 72 hours, plated on Sabouraud's agar, incubated at room temperature, and observed for growth (i.e., adhesion) for 1 to 7 days.
     Used multipurpose contact lens solutions met or exceeded the 1-log reduction requirement of the FDA stand-alone test. Viable fungal colonies were recovered from group II lenses after 24 hours of storage in all three multipurpose solutions. Colonization was also detected with at least one contact lens-multipurpose solution pairing from groups I, III, and IV. Fungi were not recovered from lens-solution combinations after 24 hours or from phosphate-buffered saline solutions or lens cases at any period.
     The authors concluded that antifungal activity of contaminated multipurpose solutions may be insufficient to prevent fungal colonization of contact lens materials despite meeting or exceeding the FDA stand-alone test criteria. Colonized lens may increase the risk of fungal keratitis.
Ide T, Miller D, Alfonso EC, O'Brien TP. Impact of contact lens group on antifungal efficacy of multipurpose disinfecting contact lens solutions. Eye Contact Lens. 2008 May;34(3):151-9.

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in The Ohio State University commencement ceremony. A reoccurring theme at several events I attended is worth mentioning. We should not only strive to be successful, but we should also strive to be significant. Success, as described by Merriam-Webster, is a measure of succeeding or attaining a desirable outcome. Significance is described as the ability to have influence or effect. So we should strive to be significant in the whole of life and not just successful professionally.
 Carla Mack, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O.

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: third generation silicone hydrogels; corneal oxygen consumption with different silicone hydrogel lenses; and part two of our 2007 AAO update.