CONTACT LENSES TODAY

July 21, 2002

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches 8,653 readers in 74 countries.

First GP Lens Approved for 30-Day CW
Menicon received FDA approval to market its Menicon Z lens for 30 days of continuous wear (CW). It’s the first GP lens approved for this wearing schedule and the first time the FDA has approved a 30-day CW lens developed by a Japanese company. The approval includes spherical, aspherical, custom toric and multifocal designs. Con-Cise Contact Lens Co. of San Leandro, Calif., is Menicon’s authorized manufacturer and distributor in the United States.

CLs Gain Pharm Status in Minnesota
Starting Aug. 1, contact lens prescriptions written in Minnesota will have the same status as prescriptions for pharmaceuticals. New state legislation requires a prescription with specific parameters, including brand name, measurements and an expiration date. The law makes it illegal to dispense a 2-year supply of lenses from a prescription that expires in 1 year. The Minnesota Optometric Association (http://www.mneyedocs.org) was instrumental in passing the law.

CV ENCORE TORIC™: So Much More Than Just "Location, Location, Location." It's patient preference, parameter range and in-stock product availability. Recent studies show that 95% of patients prefer CV Encore Toric to the leading disposable toric. And with the addition of a –2.25D cylinder power and sphere powers from +6.00D to –8.00D, you can now fit more of your patients with the most advanced disposable toric. Plus, you’ll appreciate over 99% in-stock product availability. For more information on this outstanding toric lens, contact CooperVision at (800) 341-2020 or on the Web at http://www.coopervision.com.
--ADVERTISING

Hydrogel Vision Adds Distribution Channels
Hydrogel Vision has authorized six distributors to sell its Extreme H₂0 product line; these distributors are in addition to the company's direct sales force. The new distributors are: ABB Optical, Con-Cise, Co-Optical, Diversified Ophthalmics, Lensco and X-Cel. All six distributors have agreed to preserve Hydrogel Vision's strategy of selling the Extreme H₂0 line exclusively through the independent practitioner channel, says the company.

Adult Soft Lens Wearers Show Myopia Creep
Should you watch for myopia progression in your adult soft contact lens wearers? Researchers at The Ohio State University say yes. In a retrospective study, researchers found that myopia progression was common for patients in their 20s and less common for those in their 30s. Of the 291 patients studied, 21% progressed by at least 1.00D over 5 years. Some 197 patients completed a questionnaire, which showed that progressors did not differ from nonprogressors in terms of hours per day spent reading and writing, computer use, education level, family history of myopia, age of onset of myopia and contact lens wear. The study appears in the July issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

Patients Have Questions. Do You Have Answers?
Thanks to the Internet, patients are better informed and more likely to show up at your office armed with specific questions. Novartis Ophthalmics advises patients to ask:

What's my diagnosis?
How can I learn more about my condition?
What are my treatment options?
What's my long-term outlook?

Patients also want to know about their medications. They may ask:

What symptoms does this medicine treat?
How much do I take and when?
How do I know if it's working?
What are possible side effects?
Will this medication interact with other medications I'm taking?
What should I do if I forget to take it?

Editor's Commentary: Web Site Benefits You and Your Patients
The Vision Council of America, in cooperation with many of its partners and supporting organizations, including Contact Lens Council, RGPLI, AOA, AOSA and others, has a Web site you and your patients may want to check out. The site, http://www.checkyearly.com, encourages regular eye examinations, has a "Sight Saver Test" and a Doctor Locator where you may list your practice. Congratulations to Vision Council of America on this worthy program.

Fitting Tip: Timing is Everything
Even after satisfactorily completing contact lens training in your office, some patients, especially teens, may still have trouble applying and removing their lenses at home. I tell new wearers to apply their lenses AFTER school or work for the first few days, NOT when they’re in a rush in the morning. That way they can take their time and not feel pressured.
--Elizabeth B. Diener, O.D., Pottstown, Pa.

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