CONTACT LENSES TODAY

July 11, 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.


AMO Acquisition of Pfizer/Pharmacia Surgical Business Complete
Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) has completed its acquisition of the Pfizer/Pharmacia ophthalmic surgical business in a $450 million all-cash transaction. As a result of the transaction, AMO will now offer the Healon line of viscoelastic products, CeeOn and Tecnis intraocular lenses and the Baerveldt glaucoma shunt. The company announced previously that it expects combined 2005 revenue from its existing business and the acquired Pfizer ophthalmic surgical business to range between $800 million and $830 million.
ABBA Introduces EZEyes
ABBA Optical, Inc. has released its new hybrid lens, EZEyes, for presbyopia. According to the company, the lens has a progressive aspheric posterior surface combined with a segmented anterior surface, which also has an aspheric transition zone for added visual and wearing comfort. EZEyes comes with a no-hassle guaranteed fit warranty and ABBA manufactures and ships the lenses the same day. Call (800) 331-2015 for more information.
CLES Sets Theme for 2005 Meeting
The Contact Lens and Eyecare Symposium (CLES) Education Task Force met recently and decided on "Education from all perspectives" as its multi-profession theme for the 2005 meeting. CLES 2005, which will take place January 19 to 22, 2005 in San Diego, will offer more than 90 hours of fully accredited CE courses, which include six plenary sessions that will provide attendees with perspectives from representatives of ophthalmology, optometry and opticianry. CLES allows any attendee, from any ophthalmic profession, to attend any course or plenary session. Visit http://www.cles.info.
PRACTITIONERS REGARD SILICONE HYDROGELS AS AN EMERGING STANDARD ACCORDING TO A RECENT CIBA VISION SURVEY
Ninety-one percent of practitioners agree with the statement that, "Silicone hydrogels represent a superior contact lens material that will ultimately become the standard in soft lenses."
Focus NIGHT & DAY -- There's Only One Best (http://www.mycibavision.com)
--ADVERTISEMENT
LifeStyle Marquis Features New GP Lens Technology
The LifeStyle GP Company recently unveiled its new LifeStyle Marquis GP Multifocal contact lens, which features Curve Differential Optics, which adapts to a patient's vision at all distances, according to the company. The new lens is made from Boston XO material, provides a controlled number of fitting parameters. For a limited time, call (888) 379-6645 to receive a special introductory price or to learn more.
Paragon Offers CRT Certification at GOS
Paragon Vision Sciences will host a two-part certification seminar for practitioners wanting to prescribe Paragon Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT) contact lenses at the upcoming Global Orthokeratology Symposium (GOS) in Toronto, Canada. Practitioners attending the seminar will receive expert clinical training, practice management tips and the required certification to begin fitting Paragon CRT. The course will cover basic instruction and certification on the design and prescribing of Paragon CRT followed by the certification test that the FDA requires. For more information, visit http://www.paragoncrt.com.
CIBA Offers More Online Assistance
CIBA Vision now offers a new online resource, ProCare, for U.S. and Canadian eyecare professionals, which according to the company, provides detailed product information on all CIBA Vision contact lens and lens care products, including product inserts, parameter guides and fitting tips. ProCare, found at http://www.procare.cibavision.com, also offers professional management and training resources and will eventually offer continuing education credits. Eyecare professionals can also check the site for event listings, frequently asked questions or to register to receive updates on new products and services as they become available.
Abstract: Overnight CRT Effective for Young Children
The investigators conducted the Children's Overnight Orthokeratology Investigation (COOKI) pilot study, a case series, to describe the refractive error and visual changes, as well as the slit lamp observations associated with overnight orthokeratology in children, over a period of six months. They fit twenty-nine 8- to 11-year-old children with myopia between -0.75D and -5.00D and <-1.50D corneal toricity with corneal refractive therapy (CRT) contact lenses. The investigators examined the children at one hour of awakening and about six hours later at 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after the first night of contact lens wear and performed the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity, manifest refraction, slit lamp exam and corneal topography at each visit. Upon reviewing the results from the 23 subjects who completed the study, the investigators concluded that overnight cornea reshaping contact lenses are efficacious for young myopic patients, and no children experienced a serious adverse event during the study.
Walline JJ, Rah MJ, Jones LA. The Children's Overnight Orthokeratology Investigation (COOKI) Pilot Study. Optometry & Vision Science 2004 Jun;81(6):407-413.

Editor's Commentary: Teens, Contact Lenses and Self Esteem
It's hard to believe that in a recent survey, teens said that school was a place where they were least comfortable. Eighty percent felt comfortable around their family while only 11% were comfortable around their peers. Ninety-five percent of the teens surveyed said that their appearance affects their confidence. And when asked what they could change about their appearance, 52% said that not having to wear glasses would make them feel more confident. So could more than half of your teen patients not only see well with contact lenses, but have boosted confidence? You're treating their personality, not just their eyes. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care sponsors the survey, I/Eye Health, which includes 711 females and 309 males aged 12 to 17. You may want to check out http://www.getfitforeyecomfort.com to see what your patients are seeing.
Fitting Tip: Ease Into Bifocal Lens Fitting
A number of practitioners are apprehensive about fitting the presbyopic patient into (soft and GP) bifocal contact lenses. The number-one question from consumers sent into a popular consumer contact lens Web site http://www.contactlenses.org is, "Do these lenses exist and are they successful?" The answer, of course, is that they are successful. The key is to begin by fitting the easiest patients, notably the early presbyope who is wearing a single-vision contact lens prescription. For example, you can easily fit the successful spherical soft lens wearer into one of the many disposable soft lens bifocals. You can easily refit the early presbyopic GP wearer into an aspheric GP multifocal. Once you gain experience and confidence, purchase a few translating GP bifocal trial sets and fit several of these lenses. Patients will perceive you as a practitioner who will provide what is best for them and you will have greater professional satisfaction as well as increased profitability for your practice.
--Edward S. Bennett, OD, MSEd
St. Louis, Mo.

The Global Orthokeratology Symposium (GOS) is Fast Approaching
(July 22-25, 2004 Toronto, Canada)
Get the tools to implement orthokeratology in your practice.
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.