CONTACT LENSES TODAY

August 8, 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.

New Tx Option Approved for Keratoconic Patients
The FDA has approved Intacs corneal ring segments for use in keratoconic patients. The procedure of placing the plastic inserts (which is painless and takes only 10 minutes, according to the manufacturer) reduces the visual distortions that the condition causes. Intacs, which has been approved for myopia correction, will benefit the approximately one in 2,000 people in the United States who have keratoconus.

Grant Will Promote Early Glaucoma Detection
Pfizer's Ophthalmics division has awarded EyeCare America, the public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, an unrestricted, $1.5 million, three-year educational grant. The grant will support EyeCare America's Glaucoma EyeCare Program, which promotes early detection and treatment of glaucoma by raising awareness of glaucoma risk factors (family history, race, age) and by providing free access to glaucoma eye exams at no cost to uninsured eligible people. (The program is designed for U.S. citizens or legal residents who haven't had an eye exam in the last 12 months, are at increased risk for glaucoma and who don't belong to an HMO or the VA.)

FreshLook Fashion Color Collection -- An Effective Tool to Increase Color Lens Sales
Offer patients three free pairs of different colors of FreshLook lenses with purchase of four six packs of FreshLook or Focus color lenses, through December 31, 2004.

▪ An effective offer to upgrade patients from two box to four-box purchases
▪ An effective way to encourage purchase of additional colors

FreshLook . . . Creating the World's Most Beautiful Eyes (http://www.mycibavision.com)
--ADVERTISING

Paragon Gives Patients Access to Online CRT Info
Paragon Vision Sciences' Paragon CRT advertorial is now on AllAboutVision.com and includes "Seven reasons to consider CRT for your child or teen," what Paragon CRT is and how it works and several patient testimonials. "The AllAboutVision.com advertorial is a big step in getting Paragon CRT information out to the public," says Paul Michael Hawkins, Paragon's Vice President of Professional Services and Marketing.

Allergan Promotes Whitcup
Allergan, Inc. has appointed Dr. Scott Whitcup to the position of Executive Vice President, Research and Development. Dr. Whitcup joined Allergan in 2000 and, according to the company, was instrumental in the approval of Lumigan and Restasis. Previously, he served as the clinical director of the National Eye Institute.

Abstract: Lack of Awareness Results in CL Complication
Investigators conducted a case study of a 28-year-old man who presented with progressive decrease in vision in both eyes over a duration of two years. He'd been wearing conventional soft contact lenses from the past three years and had started storing the lenses in steroid solution overnight for the last two years. His best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 in both eyes and anterior segment evaluation revealed posterior subcapsular cataract in both eyes. His IOP was 12mmHg OD and 22mmHg OS. Fundus exam showed a cup-to-disc ratio 0.9 OD and 0.8 OS. The investigators admit that this is a rare complication and to their knowledge there is no previous case of steroid-induced cataract and glaucoma in a conventional soft contact lens wearer. However, they point out that this case emphasizes the role of optometrists and ophthalmologists in patient education while dispensing contact lenses.
Bindal S, Sridhar MS. Cataract and Glaucoma After Wear of Contact Lens Soaked in Steroid Solution: A Rare Complication. Eye & Contact Lens 2004 Apr;30(2):79-80.

Editor's Commentary: The Best Correction for Young Contact Lens Wearers
I'm sure the most common contact lens prescription for young myopes is two-week replacement spherical disposable soft contact lenses. But if you asked a group of excellent contact lens practitioners their opinion, I'll bet you'd get a variety of answers. You would hear everything from silicone hydrogel lenses for daily wear to daily disposable soft lenses to GP lenses as the healthiest options to CRT/Ortho-k. The latter two would have associated with them the added caveat that they may control myopia correction. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this question. What is the best contact lens prescription for most young myopes? Please e-mail us at tips@cltoday.com with your response.

Fitting Tip: Make a Difference With a Different Class Lens
Whenever I have a patient coming in with a comfort issue regarding a particular soft contact lens, I generally will change the class of the habitual lens the patient is wearing. For example, if a patient wears AV2s (class 4), then I switch to a class 1 or 2 lens (eg, Biomedics 38 or Proclear). If it's a toric lens (eg, Frequency 55 (class 4), then I switch to Softlens 66 Torics (class 2). The same can work vice versa. Just changing the material of a lens can make a significant difference. Of course you should rule out possible poor contact lens care, overwear, reaction to the preservative in the cleaning solution and high lipid or protein deposits. But most of the time, just switching to a different material can make a big difference.
--Dave Walsh, O.D.
Fairbanks, Alaska

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.

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