Pat Cummings, OD, FAAO, Vistakon America's Region Vice President, Professional Development Group, died July 11 when the private plane in which he was a passenger crashed in St. Johns County, Florida.
     A graduate of Pacific University's College of Optometry, Dr. Cummings was a member of a private group practice in Sheridan, Wyoming. Pat served as a consulting optometrist at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Sheridan for over 20 years and was on staff at the Sheridan County Memorial Hospital. He also served as an adjunct clinical faculty member for Pacific University's College of Optometry. Cummings joined Vistakon in December 2003, relocating to Florida.
     Dr. Cummings joined the American Optometric Association's (AOA) Board of Trustees in 1994 and was a charter member of the association's Contact Lens & Cornea Section and Sports Vision Section. He was elected President of the AOA in 2002. He was also a member of the Florida Optometric Association, the Northeast Florida Optometric Society and the Aerospace Medical Association.
     The Sheridan College presented the Golden Opportunity Outstanding Alumni Award to Dr. Cummings in 1998. He was also recognized twice as the Wyoming Optometrist of the Year and as the Great Western Optometrist in 2000.
     "Pat Cummings was a skilled doctor, a gifted leader of the AOA, a powerful voice for the profession in his work at Vistakon, and a tireless champion for public health," said AOA President Randy Brooks, OD. In particular Dr. Brooks noted Dr. Cummings' work on the AOA's Healthy Eyes Healthy People and the InfantSEE programs, adding, "Pat was deeply concerned with the issues surrounding public health. He used his position at the AOA to advocate for the eye care and health needs of patients across the country. He used his leadership skills and passion in service of those who were most in need. In doing so, he raised up our whole profession."
     "Pat was an extraordinary man, widely respected and admired by his colleagues and peers. He will be greatly missed by those of us who knew him," said Dave Brown, President Vistakon Americas
     A scholarship fund has been established by the AOA in Cummings' honor. Donations may be sent to: Dr. Pat and Patrick Cummings Memorial Fund, Optometry's Charity, AOA National Office, 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO.

CooperVision has changed the name of its multifocal contact lens for emerging presbyopes, Biomedics EP, to Proclear EP. Only the name is changing. There will be no changes made in the lenses' manufacturing, parameters, or price.
     "The Proclear name is synonymous with comfort, and our PC Hydgrogel lens material offers many advantages to patients with presbyopia," said Doug Brayer, Marketing Manager, CooperVision. "By changing the name of the lens to Proclear EP, the material advantages associated with the lens will stay top of mind, and practitioners will be better positioned to discuss the unique benefits of the material with their patients. It will also allow practitioners to transition them more easily into Proclear Multifocal lenses, and keep them in the same brand, as their condition progresses."
      Proclear EP lenses are made with the same omafilcon A material as Biomedics EP, the only lens material with an FDA-cleared indication associated with improved comfort for contact lens wearers who experience mild discomfort or symptoms relating to dryness during lens wear, according to the company. The pricing for Proclear EP will also remain the same, along with the rebate value. For more information, visit http://www.coopervision.com.

The consumer web site for Bausch & Lomb's (B&L) Multi-Focal contact lenses was recently awarded a "Best in Class" honor in the Healthcare category of the 2009 Interactive Media Awards (IMA). The site, at www.goodbyereaders.com, was honored for its feature functionality, usability, cross-browser compatibility, design, and overall content.
     The "Best in Class" award is the highest honor bestowed by the IMA. It represents the best in planning, execution and overall professionalism of a web site. In order to earn this award, the web site had to successfully pass through a comprehensive judging process, achieving high marks in all judging criteria. The site, created by web design and development firm Digital Pulp, scored a total of 482 points out of the maximum of 500.
     "As the leader in multi-focal contact lenses, we felt that it was essential for us to educate patients and help eye care practitioners communicate the many advantages these lenses provide," says Lisa VanDeMark, Vice President, Brand Marketing, U.S. Vision Care.
     The site has had over 500,000 visits to date. In addition to information about presbyopia, the interactive site also includes an online lens demonstration that provides consumers with a visual illustration of how the B&L Multi-Focal lens design works. Consumers can also find a local doctor using a new doctor locator function, take a style quiz developed by fashion consultants Visual Therapy and download a free Multi-Focal contact lens trial certificate. 

Patients wearing contact lenses for astigmatism feel the lens sometimes rotates on the eye, resulting in blurry vision. The Accelerated Stabilization Design (ASD) of ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM provides greater stability by harnessing the pressure of the blink. ASD has four zones of stability to help maintain the position of the lens, resulting in more consistent visual acuity during repetitive eye movements and throughout everyday activities. So with ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand for ASTIGMATISM, you provide your astigmatic patients with stable, crisp vision throughout their day.

ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available from VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting jnjvisioncare.com.
     ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® OASYS™, and VISTAKON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
© Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2009.

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A report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) indicates that vision screenings, using standard methods of assessing visual acuity in older adults, a practice common in the primary care setting, is insufficient for use as a secondary prevention or screening method. The American Optometric Association (AOA) highlights the significance of the report as an important, evidence-based analysis that health care providers and aging Americans should carefully consider.
     "The AHRQ findings support the importance of regular comprehensive eye examinations in older adults and highlight the importance of AOA's clinical care guidelines for older adults that stipulate the need for annual eye examinations in all adults age 61 or older," said Michael R. Duenas, OD, Associate Director of Health Sciences and Policy at the AOA.
     In addition, the AHRQ report found that screening for age-related eye diseases requires specialized examinations and equipment available through an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
     "With the prevalence of adult vision impairment and age-related eye disease in America expected to double by 2030, the AHRQ findings offer a clear and distinct reason for all older adults to have a comprehensive eye examination on a regular basis," said Randolph E. Brooks, OD, President of the AOA. "The AHRQ findings sound an alarm to physicians and other health providers responsible for the health of seniors, to consider a comprehensive eye examination an essential component to necessary care. These eye examinations provide important information that may help uncover systemic disease, such as diabetes, thereby supporting a team approach to care."

A high proportion of both children (8 to 12 years old) and teenagers (13 to 17 years old) continued to wear contact lenses after the completion of The Contact Lens in Pediatrics (CLIP) Study, according to a newly published study.  
     Three months after completion of the CLIP Study, surveys were mailed to participants and their parents, to determine the percentage of those who continued to wear contact lenses, compare results between children and teens, and evaluate associations between reports of symptoms at the end of the study and lens purchase following completion of the study.
     Eighty percent of teens' parents and 63% of children's parents reported purchasing contacts within three months of the conclusion of the CLIP study. While both children and teens received free contact lenses and solutions during the CLIP study, neither lenses nor solutions were provided for free following completion of the study.
     "These high continuance numbers signified strong parental support of contact lens wear for CLIP Study participants, demonstrating that, not only were parents comfortable with their child/teen wearing lenses, but that they also were willing to commit financial resources to allow their children to continue wearing contacts," says Jeffrey J. Walline, ODS, PhD, from the Ohio State University College of Optometry and CLIP Study leader. "This is a clear indication that contact lens wear was well received by parents as well as children."
     The results of this research appear in the August issue of Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, the official journal of the British Contact Lens Association. The study was sponsored by Vistakon, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 

On July 20 Bausch & Lomb (B&L) will hold the grand opening of its new global pharmaceutical headquarters in Madison, New Jersey, with 30,000-square-foot facility that will create 70 new full-time, high-paying jobs in New Jersey.
     "Establishing our global pharmaceutical headquarters in New Jersey opens up opportunities to partner with other pharmaceutical companies and to drive commercialization of new products," said Gerald M. Ostrov, CEO of B&L. "Our recently announced co-promotion agreement with Pfizer for prescription ophthalmics in the U.S. is the first example of how we are successfully implementing this strategy. We're looking forward to growing our presence here, which in turn will help us bring the best possible eye health products and services to people around the world."
     While the company maintains its worldwide headquarters in Rochester, New York, and research and development in locations worldwide, this new Madison, New Jersey, facility establishes its pharmaceutical headquarters within a global epicenter for the industry.

The Educational Program Committee of the Global Specialty Lens Symposium invites the submission of abstracts for the Free Paper Section to be held January 28-31, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Papers related to presbyopia, keratoconus, corneal topography, post penetrating keratoplasty or related irregular corneal surface, myopia control, ortho-k and lens care topics are welcome.
     Those interested in submitting free papers or posters to the Global Specialty Lens Symposium can visit www.GSLSymposium.com for more information. Web submissions only. Deadline for submissions is Monday, August 31, 2009.
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SoloHealth, maker of EyeSite self-service vision testing kiosks, announced it will team with Eyemaginations to enhance the educational experience featured in the kiosks. The EyeSite kiosks contribute to eye care industry growth by offering free, simple and quick vision assessments and driving consumers to local eye care professionals for comprehensive eye exams.
     "Our goal is to get people to think about their eyes when they think about their overall health, and to take the appropriate steps to minimize their eye health risks," said Bart Foster, CEO and founder of SoloHealth. "In line with this goal, Eyemaginations provides a wealth of educational content and 3D animations which will enhance the EyeSite kiosk experience to educate people about various eye conditions and diseases, and encourage them to continue the eye health dialogue with an eyecare professional."
     Initial kiosks are being sponsored by Transitions Optical, Inc., Optos, and other leading eye care companies. Prospective patients answer a series of lifestyle questions on a touch screen, and are presented with various-sized letters to determine near and far distance acuity, all in less than five minutes. They are then given a printout with basic results and are encouraged to schedule a full, comprehensive examination with a local eye care provider who is listed in the system or located via zip code. The system can advise the selected eyecare practice to follow up with the prospective patient, or the consumer can contact the practice directly.
     SoloHealth has placed EyeSite kiosks throughout its home base of Atlanta in retail locations such as Walgreens, Kroger and shopping malls. Since September of 2008, SoloHealth's EyeSite kiosks have been used by more than 125,000 people. Many of these people go on to book appointments.

These researchers set out to evaluate and compare corneal staining patterns of lissamine green (LG) versus rose bengal (RB) in patients with dry eye syndrome. Secondary objectives included addressing patient's comfort after instillation and to correlate disease severity with staining patterns.
     In this randomized, comparative, crossover series, patients with previous diagnosis of mild to moderate dry eye syndrome were divided in two groups regarding dye instillation order (group A: RB first; group B: LG first). Both dyes were applied in regular intervals, and a staining score (van Bijsterveld scale) was used to correlate and compare the results. Disease severity was determined by the Ocular Surface Disease Index. Comfort was evaluated by patients' answers in an objective questionnaire.
     Sixty eyes of 30 consecutive patients (24 females and 6 males) were included. There was no statistical difference between groups regarding disease severity, sex, or age. LG and RB showed good clinical correlation in both groups (group A: r = 0.939, P < 0.001; group B: r = 0.915, P < 0.001). LG was better tolerated than RB (P = 0.003 in both groups). Overall, we found a low statistical correlation between disease severity and staining scores.
     The researchers concluded that both LG and RB showed similar staining patterns. RB was found to provide greater patient discomfort. There was no correlation between disease severity (addressed by the ocular surface disease index questionnaire) and staining patterns (measured by the van Bijsterveld scale).
Machado LM, Castro RS, Fontes BM. Staining Patterns in Dry Eye Syndrome: Rose Bengal Versus Lissamine Green. Cornea 2009.

It is with tremendous sadness that we have to report on the passing of Dr. Pat Cummings this week. Pat was an incredible man, who inspired us all both personally and professionally. He was a dear friend who will be missed by all.
Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: worldwide trends in silicone hydrogel lens wear, fitting silicone hydrogels for a patient with high myopia and reduced vision secondary to posterior staphyloma, evaluating the performance of an "upgrade" silicone hydrogel lens, and part one of out AAO 2008 synopsis.