CONTACT LENSES TODAY
July 1, 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.
B&L Files Suit Against Alcon, Introduces Ocuvite DF
Bausch & Lomb (B&L) filed a civil suit against Alcon Labs in the U.S. District Court for the Western
District of New York. The suit was filed over an Alcon advertising campaign B&L says contains false and misleading claims about its
ReNu with MultiPlus multipurpose contact lens solution. B&L is seeking an end to the campaign, damages for the loss of sales based on
the claims and corrective advertising.
At the center of B&L’s complaint is a chart created by Dr. Gary
Andrasko that uses a color-coding system to report the results of corneal staining tests run with various brands of contact lenses and
multipurpose solutions. The chart suggests that green solution/lens combinations are safe, yellow combinations warrant caution and red
are unsafe.
B&L says scientific studies and clinical evidence to date have classified such staining as only superficial punctate. In
a press release, the company notes that eight of 10 normal, non-contact lens wearers exhibit low-level corneal staining, saying in the
vast majority of cases, such corneal staining is transient in nature and asymptomatic.
In other news from B&L, the company introduced
its new Ocuvite DF vitamin supplement for diabetics at the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) 110th Annual Congress. Ocuvite DF
contains genistein, an antioxidant that, in combination with other essential nutrients and antioxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid, combats
free radicals and oxidative stress, to help prevent damage to retinal blood vessels that can lead to diabetic retinopathy. Ocuvite DF will
be available across the U.S. later this summer.
CooperVision Introduces Proclear Multifocal XR
CooperVision has introduced Proclear Multifocal XR contact lenses, with extended sphere and ADD powers.
Proclear Multifocal XR feature the company’s balanced progressive technology design, that combines spheric and aspheric optics and unique
zone sizes to produce a “D” lens for the dominant eye and an “N” lens for the non-dominant eye. Sphere powers are 4.25D to 20.00D and -6.25
to -20.00D in ADD powers up to 2.50D. The lens is also offered in sphere powers of 20.00D to -20.00D in 0.50D steps after -6.50D for three
ADD powers of 3.00D, 3.50D and 4.00D. Proclear Multifocal XR are manufactured in omafilcon A material, feature a base curve of 8.7mm and a
diameter of 14.4mm.
CIBA Vision Introduces Focus Dailies Progressive with AquaRelease
CIBA Vision has introduced its new Focus Dailies Progressive with AquaRelease contact
lenses, which include a sustained release, blink-activated moisturizing agent.
The company says these lenses may be of particular benefit to presbyopes who
tend to have poorer tear films and drier eyes.
WCO Awards Acuvue Seal of Acceptance
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) has awarded Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear,
Advance for Astigmatism and Oasys with Hydraclear Plus contact lenses its Global Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing contact lenses.
These three lenses previously received the AOA Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbers/blockers.
ISO and
ANSI standards classify UV-blocking contact lenses into two groups based on the lens’ absorptive capacity at minimum thickness; Class 1
UV-blockers absorb at least 90% of UVA and at least 99% of UVB radiation, Class 2 blockers must absorb at least 70% of UVA and more than
95% o UVB radiation. J&J says Acuvue lenses are the only ones to achieve Class 1 UV-blocking status.
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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 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.
Merck Enters Agreement with SurModics on Intravitreal Implant
SurModics and Merck & Co. have entered a License and Research collaboration agreement to pursue the joint
development and commercialization of the I-vation sustained drug delivery system with TA (triamcinolone acetonide) and other products
that contain proprietary Merck drug compounds for treatment of retinal disease. Under the agreement,
Merck will lead and fund development
and commercialization activities for the SurModics innovative I-vation drug delivery platform in combination with TA and proprietary Merck
compounds. SurModics will receive an up-front licensing fee and will be eligible to receive additional fees and development milestones
associated with the successful product development and attainment of U.S. and EU regulatory approvals.
The
I-vation intravitreal implant is capable of delivering a variety of drugs on a sustained release basis for well over a year, can implanted
in a minimally invasive procedure and may be removed once the drug has been fully released. It is currently in a Phase-1 clinical trial
for patients with diabetic macular edema under an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Sauflon Lite Added to Patient Direct
Sauflon USA recently added Sauflon Lite multipurpose solution to its Patient Direct program. Through
the program, patients are provided a starter kit of Sauflon Lite or One Step hydrogen peroxide solution and a preprinted Patient Direct
membership card along with their contact lenses. Patients can then purchase their retail size solution through the Patient Direct website,
toll-free order line or re-order cards included with their shipment. All profits are then returned to the prescribing practitioner.
CLSA Conference Offers CE
The Contact Lens Society of America (CLSA) is submitting C.E. credits to the Council on Optometric
Practitioner Education (COPE) for its second annual Summer Management Conference to be held August 10-11 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The
theme for this year’s conference is Business and Fitting Strategies to Improve Contact Lens Practice Success. Craig Norman, F.C.L.S.A.,
will chair the program. The CLSA Summer Management Conference is made possible through educational grants from B&L, Boston Products Group,
CIBA Vision, CooperVision, Fused Kontacts, SynergEyes and Vistakon, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.
Abstract:
CL Solution and AK
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
recently conducted a retrospective case-control study to investigate the risk factors for Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). Participants
included 55 AK cases with contact lens use diagnosed between May 1, 2003 and Sept. 15, 2006. They then recruited clinic-matched controls
with contact lens use. Subjects completed surveys targeting lens hygiene, contact lens solution use and water
exposure.
A total of 39 (74%) cases and 113 (65%) controls participated; 38 cases had complete contact lens
data. Of those 38, 35 cases (92%) and 47 of 100 controls (47%) wore soft lenses. Investigators analyzed 30 cases and 39 controls with
matched pairs with soft lens use. They found exclusive use of AMO Complete MoisturePlus was independently associated with AK in
multivariable analysis (55% vs. 11%). However, 39% of cases reported no use of AMO Complete MoisturePlus. The authors note that, while
not statistically significant, other hygiene related variables suggest a pattern of risk.
They conclude that
AMO Complete MoisturePlus use is independently associated with AK among soft contact lens wearers. However, they note that this does not
account for all cases, suggesting additional factors are at work. They say that further research into environmental risk factors and
hygiene practices is warranted, especially considering that this is the second infection outbreak of an atypical contact-lens-related
infection.
Anderson RJ, Dworkin MS, Sugar J, Davis FG, Stayner LT. The Association of Contact Lens Solution Use and Acanthamoeba
keratitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Jun 21;[Epub ahead of print].
Editor's Commentary:
Never Write, “Should”
I once read that when you write as an editor, you should not use the word “should.” In other words, I
should not write that you should use more multifocal or toric contact lenses, or that you should sell solutions
in your practice, or that you should care more about lens care safety.
Dr. Neal Bailey taught me that
most practitioners would never care very much about lens care because they couldn't make any money from solutions as they could from
contact lenses. Nevertheless, specialty lenses are probably under-prescribed, despite being better than ever and lens care solutions are
big news these days. We — all of us — should probably care more about all of these products whether they are highly profitable to
the practitioner or not. There, I said it; maybe I shouldn’t have, but I did.
Fitting Tip:
Identify Your Solution
I frequently have contact lens patients who cannot remember what kind of solution they use. Sometimes, they
remember a bottle color, or a name that isn't a CL solution (I have patients that say they use Renuzit). To help them along, I direct their
eyes to a shelf in the exam room where I keep a display of contact solution bottles. Most are the starter kit size, and include the brands I
prescribe, as well as other brands that they may have seen in stores. Seeing the exact bottle in the line-up usually does the trick. I can
then review how the solution is being used and, if necessary, steer them back to the prescribed solutions. If you ask the patients to bring
in their solution bottles and cases, you can sometimes get some empties to display, as well as some ugly looking cases, but that’s for
another discussion.
Jon McCutchan, O.D.
Princeton, Ill.
Best of the Month
Dr. Susan Kovacich Topp submitted the “Best Fitting Tip of the Month” for June. Her tip, “Hold Spectacle Rx,”
may be seen in the, June 17, 2007 edition of CLToday.
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.
Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is
selected as 'Best of the Month,' you'll receive a free T-shirt (see http://www.CLToday.com for details).
Please include your full name, degree or title and city/state/country.
Visit Contact Lens Spectrum ( http://www.clspectrum.com ) for interactive clinical posters
and issue archives. Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips.
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