CONTACT LENSES TODAY

September 10, 2006

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.

J&J Sees Opportunity in Solution Market
 At Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices and diagnostics meeting last week, Don Casey, group chairman of the company’s Vistakon products unit, told analysts the company sees a significant opportunity to move into the contact lens solutions field. He said that the recent outbreak of keratitis infections associated with Bausch & Lomb’s ReNu with MoistureLoc present an opportunity to “bring real innovation to the category.”
    “We believe the unique strength of the Acuvue brand name, our knowledge of the contact lens category and unique capabilities against both the consumer and the professional could allow us to create a meaningful contact lens solution business,” he said.  The company is looking at acquisitions and licensing, as well as internally developed products that would allow it to participate in that market meaningfully. However, no details were provided at this time.
    Gary Esterow, Director of Public Relations for Vistakon, says, “As a leader in vision care, we are always on the lookout for innovative products and services that provide meaningful benefits to doctors and consumers. However, we cannot comment on our plans at this time.”
Essilor Acquires Prio, Two Other Companies
Since January 2006, Essilor International has completed the purchase of nineteen companies or their assets in North America, the Asia-Pacific region, India and Europe. Four of the acquisitions were completed this summer. Essilor acquired the assets of Prio Corporation, a distributor of corrective lenses to treat computer vision syndrome, Sunstar, a prescription lens lab with operations in Nevada and Utah and Vision Star LLC, a company that sells laboratory management software.
A Combination of Wettability and Lubricity The world can be a dry place—especially for contact lens wearers. Whether sitting at home, in an office or on a plane, some lens wearers must repeatedly use rewetting drops to keep their eyes moist, or limit lens wear because of the discomfort. ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ Plus decrease patients’ reliance on rewetting drops and lets them wear their lenses longer and more comfortably. ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses, with the breakthrough material senofilcon A, are the smoothest silicone hydrogel lenses, with a moisture-rich wetting agent and no surface coating. ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses, with the balance of wettability and lubricity, will keep patients wearing their lenses, and not grabbing for their eye drops.
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Global Keratoconus Congress – DEADLINE FOR PAPERS AND POSTERS APPROACHING The Educational Program Committee of the Global Keratoconus Congress invites the submission of abstracts for the Free Papers and Scientific Posters Competition to be held January 26-28, 2007 in Las Vegas. Papers and Posters related to keratoconus, corneal topography, post penetrating keratoplasty or related irregular corneal surface, gas permeable lens and lens care topics are welcome. Please visit https://www.gkc2007.com for information.
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Addition Technology Acquires CooperVision Surgical Products
Addition Technology, manufacturer of Intacs corneal implants for keratoconus and myopia, has acquired CooperVision’s AlphaCor and AlphaSphere products. AlphaCor is a flexible, biointegratable, one-piece artificial cornea designed to replace scarred or diseased native corneal tissue. It is designed for use in patients who have had multiple failed corneal transplants or in whom a donor graft is likely to fail. AlphaSphere is a soft, biocompatible, orbital implant the company plans to launch later this year. The FDA has approved it for the treatment of patients who have lost an eye due to disease or trauma.
Federal Government Awards Vision Insurance Contracts
The Office of Personnel Management has awarded contracts to a handful of insurance companies to provide supplemental dental and vision benefits under the new Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Federal employees may enroll in dental and vision insurance beginning Nov. 13 with coverage becoming effective on Dec. 31.
    The OPM awarded contracts to Spectera, Vision Service Plan (VSP) and Davis Vision in conjunction with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Under the law that created the program, the government will not pick-up any of the cost of the dental or vision premiums. However, federal employees can use pretax dollars to pay for their premiums.
Abstract: Acanthamoeba Keratitis and Daily Disposables
A 70-year-old man presented to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s Department of Ophthalmology with a red left eye with reduced vision and corneal epithelial changes. Researchers did not suspect Acanthamoeba keratitis initially because the patient wore daily disposable contact lenses. This led to a delay in treatment initiation of 17 days. They diagnosed the patient with Acanthamoeba keratitis. He responded well to topical polyhexamethylene biguanide and propamidine and made a full recovery.
    The authors conclude that Acanthamoeba keratitis can occur in patients who re-use daily disposable contact lenses. They warn that this diagnosis can be difficult to make and suggest it should be considered in all patients who wear contact lenses, including daily disposables. They further warn that all daily disposable patients should be reminded that the benefits of this modality are only possible if patients wear the lenses once and throw them away.
Niyadurupola N, Illingworth CD. Acanthamoeba keratitis associated with misuse of daily disposable contact lenses. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2006 Aug 29;[Epub ahead of print].
Editor's Commentary: Lens Care Solutions Matter
 Now that Vistakon has publicly stated they intend to enter the contact lens care market after long speculation of such action, we’re likely to see even more attention on this important area. Long ago, my mentor, Neal Bailey, O.D., Ph.D., said that eye care practitioners had low interest in lens care solutions compared with lenses, not because they should, but because there was no profit motive. The same may be true today. But with recently introduced solutions, good and bad press in the area, and now the entrance of another company into the field will bring more attention to this vital area.
    As I have said before, more competition is good.
Fitting Tip: Tip for Hyperopic Patients
On of my elderly, hyperopic patients reported problems with inserting his silicone hydrogels. He would remove and discard them each month, but became frustrated when he tried to put in a new pair because he couldn't see well enough. He also reported leaving the lenses in overnight because he frequently wakes up. I suggested that he remove the right eye on the 1st of each month and the left eye on the 2nd. This way, he always has at least one contact in and is able to give his eyes a break from contact lens wear once a month. He was excited that this was working so well for him and wondered why he hadn't thought of it!
Christopher Paulus, O.D.,
Medina, Ohio
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, get an update of silicone hydrogels at ARVO 2006 and review ‘oxygen flux‚’ as well as the cornea’s response to different levels of oxygen transmissibility.
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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