CONTACT LENSES TODAY

August 29, 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.

Plano Cosmetic Lenses for Sale Online, No Rx Needed
OnlyONEfix.com, based in Ontario, Canada, is selling color plano contact lenses "for cosmetic purposes only." U.S. residents and Canadians alike can log on, and for $29.50 or $32.50 (plus shipping and handling), buy one colored set of lenses and with it get a free 2-oz trial size solution, free lens carrying case and a wear and care guide. Visitors to the site don't need a prescription -- just a credit card number -- and they're set. President and Founder of onlyONEfix.com, Anthony Masciangelo, has been in the fashion and beauty business for more than 28 years and in this particular business for more than five years. He declined to reveal the material of the contact lenses his service offers, but says, "The lenses are manufactured under certain specifications and it's under patent." The news section of the October issue of Contact Lens Spectrum will provide more on this company and this topic.

Kids Emotionally Okay with Eye Patch for Amblyopia
In the August issue of Ophthalmology, UK researchers reported that eye patches or glasses to correct amblyopia are unlikely to cause long-lasting emotional harm to children. The researchers sent a self-completion questionnaire, including a psychometric behavioral scale, to the parents of all children recruited to the trial at age four years, to 66 whose deferred treatment began at age five years, and finally to 151 remaining in the trial at the end of follow up. The children had been recruited to a randomized controlled trial of treatment for unilateral visual impairment and randomly assigned to receive either glasses with or without patches, glasses alone or treatment deferred for one year. The researchers concluded that treatment for unilateral visual impairment isn't easy to implement and is commonly associated with some degree of distress. Despite this, no impact on the child's global well being or behavior was seen either during or after the treatment period.

First Soft Lens to Meet Highest Industry Standards for UV Blocking
ACUVUE^® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ block more than 90% of UVA and 99% of UVB radiation,^† the only soft lens that meets ANSI and ISO standards for Class 1 UV protection. That, combined with the exceptional comfort resulting from HYDRACLEAR™ Technology, is one of the many reasons that nearly 6 out of 10 patients participating in a recent market test felt better about their Eye Care Professional after he/she recommended ACUVUE^® ADVANCE^™ with HYDRACLEAR™.^*

Give your patients more -- recommend the lens that's becoming the new standard for daily wear
ACUVUE^® ADVANCE™ with HYDRACLEAR™. (http://www.ecp.acuvue.com)

^* ECPs completing survey at conclusion of market test period; data on file.
^† Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV rations to the cornea and into the eye. WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that UB-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other disorders. Consult your eyecare practitioner for more information.
--ADVERTISING

Alimera Presents Soothe
Alimera Sciences, Inc. recently unveiled its over-the-counter, multi-dose, emollient-based Soothe Emollient Eye Drops to combat dry eye. Featuring the lipid restorative Restoryl, Soothe re-establishes the eye's protective lipid layer to reduce tear evaporation and to seal essential moisture, giving patients up to eight hours of comfort, Alimera says. The company licensed Soothe from Ocular Research of Boston in November 2003. The product will be available in U.S. retail stores beginning September 15. Says Alimera Sciences CEO Dan Myers, " ... we look forward to providing the first multi-dose, lipid-restoring tear product to patients who have been unsuccessfully battling dry eye."

Allergan Sues Alcon for Patent Infringement
Allergan, Inc. has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Alcon Research, Ltd. and Alcon, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Allergan filed the lawsuit in response to Alcon's filing of a New Drug Application with the FDA to market a generic brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% in the United States. Allergan is currently marketing brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.15% under its Alphagan trademark. The company says that Alcon's proposed generic product infringes certain patents held by Allergan.

Abstract: Corneal Changes with Cosmetic CL Wear
Australian researchers investigated corneal changes after wearing cosmetic tinted contact lenses and the recovery of corneal topography and concluded that patients who wear cosmetic tinted lenses need to be aware of the potential for reduced visual performance, both during lens wear and for several hours after lens wear. The researchers investigated three cosmetic tinted lens types and one control soft contact lens (Crazy Lens, WildEyes, FreshLook and SofLens Comfort) in seven subjects who wore the lenses for one hour. The researchers measured corneal topography data before lens wear, with the contact lens in situ and at 0, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 minutes after removal. They also took visual acuity before lens removal and at 1, 10, 30, 60, 120 and 150 minutes after removal. They recorded subjective rating of haloes and ghosting following lens wear and found, for the Crazy Lens, concentric rings of steepening and flattening with a mean height change of 2.17 ±0.98 microm (P<0.05) in the central cornea at a location corresponding to the edge of the clear pupil diameter. Corneal recovery after removal of the Crazy Lens took up to 150 minutes. They found smaller changes in corneal topography and vision for the WildEyes and FreshLook lenses after one hour of lens wear. Voetz SC, Collins MJ, Lingelback B. Recovery of Corneal Topography and Vision Following Opaque-Tinted Contact Lens Wear. Eye & Contact Lens 2004 Apr;30(2):111-7.

Editor's Commentary: Which Lens is Best for Kids?
We had great response to my question a few weeks ago about what contact lens prescription is best for children. This (below) is just one response. See another in our "Fitting Tips" section this week and watch for many more these next few weeks. There is clearly no standard in this area, rather, a broad range of opinions.
I feel that a monthly replacement is best for young wearers. The lenses are easier to handle for a new wearer and are more economical. I also think it instills more responsibility in caring for the lenses and thus builds better care habits for their contact lens wear in the future.
--Paul D. Murray, OD, Worcester and Webster, Mass.

Fitting Tip: Fitting Young Patients
As I see it, the only two choices for nonastigmatic young patients are either a daily disposable or a silicone hydrogel. In the case of a silicone hydrogel, I combine this with a regimen of Clear Care and a compatible multipurpose solution. All contact lens wearers want fast when it comes to a cleaning regimen and I find that this combination is your best hope for compliance. If they start young, hopefully it carries on throughout their wearing years.
--Sean Duncan, R.O.
Orillia, Ontario, Canada

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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