CONTACT LENSES TODAY

July 4, 2004

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.


B&L to Move Ahead with PureVision in United States
At press time, Bausch & Lomb and CIBA Vision announced that they had reached a final settlement agreement that resolves patent lawsuits in the United States in Federal District Courts in Georgia, Delaware and New York, as well as other lawsuits and patent proceedings in Germany, Ireland, the European Patent Office and Australia related to breakthrough silicone hydrogel contact lens materials. Under the agreement, the companies will cross-license rights to their silicone hydrogel contact lens technologies, although B&L will pay CIBA Vision a royalty on net U.S. sales of its PureVision brand contact lenses until 2014 and on net sales outside of the U.S. until 2016. On April 27, 2005, when the Harvey patent expires, B&L may resume sale and manufacture of PureVision contact lenses in the United States. Until then, the lenses will continue to be available outside of the United States.

Improving Drug Delivery Technology
To increase efficiency and reduce side effects of currently available ophthalmic drug delivery systems, researchers from the University of Florida proposed disposable, particle-laden soft contact lenses for ophthalmic drug delivery. After encapsulating the ophthalmic drug formulations in nanoparticles and dispersing them in the lens material (such as poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (p-HEMA) hydrogels), the researchers synthesized drug-laden p-HEMA hydrogels. The particle-laden hydrogels released therapeutic levels of drug for a few days, the researchers concluded in the July issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science .

Good for Cholesterol, Good for Glaucoma
In the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers reported that the results of their study indicate the possibility that long-term use of oral statins may be associated with a reduced risk of open-angle glaucoma, particularly among those who have cardiovascular disease and lipid diseases. Nonstatin cholesterol-lowering agents were also associated with a reduced risk of having open-angle glaucoma. The researchers found that longer duration of statin use was associated with a lower risk of open-angle glaucoma -- primarily among subjects who had 24 months or more of use.

ACUVUE ADVANCE Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR Only three months after its national launch, ACUVUE ADVANCE Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR was already the second-most dispensed brand (only behind ACUVUE 2) in total and among new wearers within the soft spherical market, according to Health Products Research. The success has been driven by ECPs who have discovered that current lens wearers, dropouts and those simply considering lenses -- virtually all of their patients needing vision correction -- are responding positively to the enhanced contact lens experience delivered by this revolutionary new lens. Learn more by visiting http://www.ecp.acuvue.com
--ADVERTISING

B&L Honors ECPs, Provides Help to Needy Babies
Bausch & Lomb recently honored five eyecare professionals who received its 2004 Bausch & Lomb Visionaries Recognition Award. The 2004 Visionaries honorees were nominated by their peers and selected by an independent Visionaries Selection Committee. The recipients are:
- Eleanor E. Faye, MD, of Lighthouse International
- Bradley R. Staatsma, MD, of Jules Stein Eye Institute
- Michael T. Trese, MD, of Associated Retinal Consultants
- George O. Waring, III, MD, of InView Vision
- Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, of Ohio State University
B&L will equally distribute a total of $150,000 in donations to vision related, nonprofit organizations chosen by the Visionaries nominees. Each will also receive a Steuben crystal trophy.
In other B&L news, the company announced the new SilSoft Pediatric Patient Assistance Program to help needy families who have infants born with cataracts cope with the costs of care. For more information, visit http://www.bausch.com.

New Dietary Supplement Helps Eyes and Heart
ScienceBased Health recently introduced its HydroEye Plus Lutein oral formulation which, according to the company, provides relief from dry eye discomfort. The company reports that after 30 to 60 days of consistent use, eyes return to the proper level and composition of lubricating tear film. The formulation delivers omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as vitamins and minerals necessary to regulate all three levels of tear film. The omega fatty acids also promote a healthy heart. The dietary supplement, developed by ophthalmologists, optometrists and nutritional scientists, sells for $32.95 and is available through physicians nationwide. Patients can also purchase HydroEye Plus Lutein directly from ScienceBased Health by visiting http://www.sciencebasedhealth.com.

Abstract: Examining the Efficacy of No-Rub Solutions
Hong Kong researchers compared the amount of protein deposits adhering to human-worn soft contact lenses, using the untreated contact lens from the contralateral eye as controls, to investigate the capabilities of the no-rub contact lens cleaning systems in protein removal from soft contact lenses. Sixteen Hong Kong Chinese volunteers wore new 1-Day Acuvue soft contact lenses on a daily wear basis for five days. Four right lenses of each subject were treated with a no-rub contact lens cleaning system. The researchers extracted the total amount of protein from all contact lenses and analyzed them by the Bradfordassay. There was a significant positive correlation in TPE between two lenses worn by the same volunteer (R=0.84, y= 0.79 x +1.3,p<0.001). They concluded that not all no-rub contact lens solutions were shown capable of removing the protein deposit from soft contact lenses.
Mok KH, Cheung RW, Wong BK, Yip KK, Lee VW. Effectiveness of No-Rub Contact Lens Cleaning on Protein Removal: A Pilot Study. Optometry & Vision Sciences 2004 Jun;81(6):468-470.


Editor's Commentary: Corneal Infiltrates -- What's the Difference?
At the recent AOA meeting, I was asked to share something that was presented at a CE presentation: The fundamental approach to differential diagnosis of contact lens-related infiltrative keratitis. It's also the basis for an ongoing study monitoring continuous wear. I hope you find it helpful and I invite any comments.
High probability of microbial keratitis = 1+ infiltrates, >2mm AND either anterior chamber reaction, or pain, or mucopurulent discharge or positive culture with scar detected with follow up. High probability of infiltrative keratitis, etiology indeterminate = 1+ infiltrates with signs/symptoms not clearly meeting MK or SK (below). High prob sterile keratitis (SK) = 1+ infiltrates, <1mm, outside the 6mm central zone, AND minimal anterior chamber reaction, AND no mucopurulent discharge, AND mild pain.


Fitting Tip: CL Solutions and Comfort Issues
There has been a lot of discussion these days about solutions helping with all-day comfort. There is also a lot of discussion about some solutions causing more symptoms and signs of staining than others. Some suggest using a nonpreserved or mildly preserved saline as a rinse or even using your favorite nonpreserved or mildly preserved lens lubricant as an application drop. But either of these actions can seem less than convenient. Yet, both of these actions can be helpful. The most important thing is to remember that there is a difference -- increasingly so between multipurpose solutions and patient symptoms should always be considered as important and possibly linked to solutions. Taking a day's rest or cutting back on wearing time isn't the answer to resolving patient symptoms. But new lenses, modern technology lenses and paying attention to lens care can reduce symptoms and drop out rates.
--The Editors


Next Month: 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.

Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is selected as 'Best of the Month,' you'll receive a free golf 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, issue archives and discussion forums. Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips and Photo Clinic, sponsored by Ocular Sciences.
CLToday Services: Subscribe; Change or Remove your e-mail address; submit news to news@cltoday.com; or, fax 1-215-643-3902.
Contact Lenses Today and CLToday are registered trademarks of Boucher Communications, Inc. ©2004 Boucher Communications, Inc.