CONTACT LENSES TODAY
August 21, 2005
Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches more than
12,000 readers in 74 countries.
Court Denies Motion to Halt Acuvue Oasys Launch
A U.S. district court in Jacksonville has denied a motion by CIBA Vision for a temporary restraining order to halt the launch of Vistakon’s
Acuvue Oasys contact lenses. CIBA Vision filed suit on July 11th to prevent Vistakon from manufacturing, marketing
or distributing the lenses. Acuvue Oasys will be
available to eye care professionals beginning this week.
States Pass Vision Legislation
Rhode Island and North Carolina are the next two states to pass legislation requiring all children receive a comprehensive eye exam before
entering kindergarten. In N.C., parents will have 60 days after a child begins school to comply. R.I. limits the time to 30 days and will also accept a screening by a
licensed health care professional. However, any child who fails to pass the screening or who is diagnosed with neuro-developmental delay must see an optometrist or
ophthalmologist for a full exam. Both laws will be in effect for the 2006 school year.
Also in Rhode Island, Gov. Donald Carcieri signed into law a third-party
parity measure that ensures optometrists will be reimbursed at the same rate as ophthalmologists for providing the same level of care.
J&J Expands Vision Care Institute
The Vision Care Institute (TVCI) of Johnson & Johnson
says the expansion of its Jacksonville, Fla., facility will allow TVCI to reach a broader audience. The Sullins Training Theatre, named for the first optometrist to receive the military rank of Rear Admiral, features a 7x12-foot
projection screen. The screen is linked to six technologically advanced exam rooms so students and faculty can observe a variety of scenarios, as well as remote
lectures from around the world.
TVCI has also entered into an educational partnership with the University of North Florida. The Institute will work with UNF’s
philosophy department to develop an Ethics of Optometry program.
Real-world feedback from eye care professionals now supports pre-launch claims of ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses for
ASTIGMATISM.
When compared with Soflens66® Toric, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM clearly provides more predictable orientation
and crisper, more stable vision; the advantage comes from the Accelerated Stabilization Design. Less lid interaction leads to superior performance versus the traditional
prism-ballast design such as that found in Soflens66® Toric. Also, because of HYDRACLEAR™ Technology, the lens delivers significantly better comfort both upon
insertion and at the end of the day.
--ADVERTISING
AMO’s Acrylic IOL Gets FDA Approval
The FDA has approved Advanced Medical Optics’ new TECNIS foldable acrylic IOL to reduce spherical aberration and improve visual function.
The company says this approval broadens its portfolio of acrylic IOLs and provides more options for patients and eye care providers.
Abstract:
Gender Differences in Keratoconus
Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus looked at gender differences in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus
(CLEK) study. They observed 1209 subjects at 16 clinics. Results showed women were more likely than men to report ocular symptoms of dryness. They also reported more
hours of near work per day and more visits per year to their eye care professional. Women were less likely than men to wear contact lenses for reading. The researchers
concluded that gender differences exist in patient history, vision and ocular symptoms of keratoconus patients.
Fink BA, Wagner H, Steger-May K, et al.
Differences in Keratoconus as a Function of Gender. Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug 3;[Epub ahead of print].
Editor's Commentary:
Choose Your Refractive Surgeon Wisely
My wife and brother-in-law have both had LASIK with good results. I sent them to a fellowship-trained corneal surgeon who is extremely
experienced in refractive surgery and has turned down as many of my referral cases as he has performed. Earlier this week, I observed a superb refractive surgeon
evaluate and perform numerous cataract and corneal refractive surgery procedures. He had the patients’ total visual welfare in mind. He considered whether a procedure
was necessary, which one was most appropriate (intraocular or corneal surface), near and far vision, as well as higher order aberration (both IOL and corneal). Whether
you are prescribing contact lenses, IOLs (aphakic or phakic) or corneal refractive procedures, keeping all of the patient’s needs and treatment options in mind will be
increasingly important for all eye care practitioners in the next decade.
Fitting Tip:
Is Soap Enough?
I appreciate the information regarding
anti-bacterial dish soap as a hand-soap for contact lens wearers. One problem
with this advice, however, is that manufacturers of these types of soaps state
they are antibacterial only in the strength that comes from the container.
Although the concentration at which it loses its antibacterial properties is not
specified, the packaging specifies if it is mixed with water (at the amount used
in a sink to wash dishes) it loses those properties. This is in reference to using it for washing dishes. The concentration will be higher at the levels recommended for hands, so it might be okay,
but it might not. Something to consider.
Rich Ryan, M.S.E., O.D.,
Spokane, Wash.
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org review potential adverse responses to the daily wear of silicone hydrogels,
with a focus on contact lens-induced papillary conjunctivitis, and read about one practice’s success with silicone hydrogel bandage lenses in a patient with epithelial
basement membrane disease and corneal erosion.
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.
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