Paragon Vision Sciences announced the availability of their patent-pending CRT SureFit Delivery System. CRT SureFit provides certified practitioners a single-use, three-lens per eye, fitting and dispensing system to help ensure a high probability of day-one, first fit success with Paragon CRT. Certified CRT practitioners, with or without a 100-Lens Diagnostic Dispensing System, can order CRT SureFit. Certification can be obtained online at ParagonCRT.com/getcertified.
     CRT SureFit lenses are clearly identified, with directions on the proper sequence of fitting. Based upon a patient's "K" readings and spectacle Rx supplied by the practitioner, the first lens in the CRT SureFit Delivery System is the lens that has the highest probability of first fit success. Should the first lens not be dispensable, the second and third lenses are pre-determined parameters (based on seven years of CRT historical fitting data) that should provide a successful CRT fit for the patient.
     The 100-lens CRT Diagnostic Dispensing System (DDS) remains the Company's recommended method of fitting. However, practitioners who want an efficient, noninventory and cost-effective method to fit CRT will find the CRT SureFit system as the next best alternative to the DDS. Currently, corneal reshaping patients qualify for CRT SureFit when they meet the following criteria: Flat keratometric readings of 42.00D to 45.00D and spectacle refraction (vertexed) -4.00D and below, with or without up to -1.00D of corneal cylinder. Certified CRT practitioners can order CRT SureFit from Authorized Paragon CRT Laboratories or directly from Paragon Vision Sciences.
     Paragon also recently took part in a consumer educational Vision Care Supplement where CRT is featured in a full-page editorial. This supplement is being distributed within USAToday on October 2 - 4, 2009, in select markets throughout the country.
     For additional information about CRT SureFit, visit paragoncrt.com/surefit.

The American Optometric Society (AOS) recently formed to advocate for transparency and fair representation within optometric organizations. Counting nearly 1,500 members, the AOS has expanded its mandate beyond its initial but still primary missions of opposing AOA/ABO board certification" and facilitating fair representation within local and state optometric associations.
     "The AOS has quickly evolved to encompass more than the board certification issue and the denial of fair representation at the AOA House of Delegates," said AOS President Dr. Pam Miller. "We have expanded our mandate to include working with other organizations toward uniform national licensure, broader access to insurance programs and broad inclusion in healthcare reform."
     Along with its wider-ranging focus, the AOS has just launched a new Web site. "The organization has reached an important milestone. With our new site we can now more effectively connect with our existing members and sign up new members online," Dr. Miller said.
     For more information, optometrists can visit www.optometricsociety.org.

Bausch & Lomb announced that several of its pharmaceuticals subsidiaries have been granted rights from CROMA Pharma GmbH to co-promote and sell bromfenac ophthalmic solution in Europe when it becomes available to the market.
     Bromfenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is designed to treat postoperative ocular inflammation and pain following cataract extraction. It has demonstrated both efficacy and safety in pivotal Phase III trials and is expected to be the first ocular NSAID in Europe approved for twice-daily dosing. CROMA, the Austrian-based healthcare company, has submitted bromfenac to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for centralized approval throughout the European Union. Bromfenac is already approved in the United States. and Japan, where it is marketed by other companies.
     CROMA, a pan-European company, licensed European development rights to bromfenac in November 2005 from Japanese drug maker Senju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Under the terms of this subsequent collaboration agreement, the B&L subsidiaries gain the rights to sell bromfenac (pending EMEA approval) in all European Union member states plus Belarus, Croatia, Montenegro, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. CROMA will market bromfenac together with B&L in Austria, France, Poland, Romania and Spain. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Patients wearing contact lenses for astigmatism feel the lens sometimes rotates on the eye, resulting in blurry vision. The Accelerated Stabilization Design (ASD) of ACUVUE OASYS^™ Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM provides greater stability by harnessing the pressure of the blink. ASD has four zones of stability to help maintain the position of the lens, resulting in more consistent visual acuity during repetitive eye movements and throughout everyday activities. So with ACUVUE OASYS^™ Brand for ASTIGMATISM, you provide your astigmatic patients with stable, crisp vision throughout their day.
For more information, click here.

ACUVUE Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available from VISTAKON, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting jnjvisioncare.com.
     ACUVUE, ACUVUE OASYS, and VISTAKON are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2009.

--ADVERTISING

Blanchard Contact Lens, Inc.,is hosting a lecture series featuring Dr. Paul Rose to present on "A Systematic Approach to Fitting Keratoconus and Highly Irregular Corneas" in six U.S. cities in October. The event is approved by C.O.P.E. and N.C.L.E. for one hour of C.E. credit.
     Dr. Rose, designer of the Rose K series of lens products, lectures around the world and is widely published on numerous topics. His 2009 fall lecture series will feature enhanced design options and include toric peripheral and Asymmetric Corneal Technology (ACT quadrant specific designs) for fitting highly irregular corneas.
     Events open with a reception including light refreshment, with lectures beginning promptly at 8 p.m.. There is no fee for the lectures, however, space is limited. Lecture locations include Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; Baltimore, Md.; New York (LaGuardia Airport Marriott); Dublin, Ohio; and Clayton, Mo. Practitioners should call customer service at 1-800-367-4009 for details on how to register for the event near them.

Canadian officials announced funding for a new $6.7-million research network to deal with the increasing vision loss of Canadians. The 20/20: NSERC Ophthalmic Materials Network (20/20 Network) is part of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) funding announcement made by Federal Minister of State (Science and Technology) Gary Goodyear at McMaster University in Hamilton. NSERC is providing $5 million to the 20/20 Network over five years through a Strategic Network Grant. Other funding is being provided by industrial and institutional partners, and the Ontario Centres of Excellence, over the same period.
     The 20/20 Network will focus on developing and commercializing new biomaterials, medical devices, and drug delivery devices for treating vision disorders. Some of the products being pursued include: composite and hybrid materials; ocular microgels, microemulsions and triggerable materials for drug release; a drug delivery system that attaches to the back of the eye to eliminate monthly needle injections; and contact lenses that eliminate end-of-day dryness and discomfort.
     The 12 researchers in the network are from four Canadian universities: McMaster University (Heather Sheardown, Michael Brook, Todd Hoare, Robert Pelton and Judith West-Mays), Queen's University (Brian Amsden), University of Toronto (Edgar Acosta, Christine Allen, Shelley Boyd and Yu-Ling Cheng), and the University of Waterloo (Maud Gorbet and Lyndon Jones).
Industrial partners are: Alimera Sciences, CIBA Vision Corporation, Custom Contact Lenses, Fovea Pharmaceuticals, iCo Therapeutics, Rimon Therapeutics, Siltech Corporation, Take Control Cosmedix, Vista Optics Limited, and Walsh Medical Devices.
     It is estimated that 30 to 40 post-doctoral fellows, 35 to 45 graduate students and more than 60 summer students will be trained through the network over the five-year funding period.

The Contact Lens Spectrum calendar, which mailed with the November 2008 issue, highlights an interesting and challenging contact lens case each month. The October case report, Post-LASIK Ectasia Presents With Keratoconus-like Topography follows the case of a patient complaining of reduced vision and troubling glare. To view the details of the case, visit www.clspectrum.com/photocalendar.asp?month=October.
     Visit the Contact Lens Spectrum case report page after the first of every month to review details and images from the latest case study. You can also view case studies from previous months in the archive at the bottom of the page.

--ADVERTISING

A survey released by the American Optometric Association (AOA) revealed that 36 percent of Americans say they are limiting their doctor visits because of the recession.
     When asked which doctors they are visiting less, the majority indicated dentist (63 percent), followed by primary care physician (59 percent) and eyecare practitioner (52 percent). Only eight percent indicated that they are sticking to their regular health schedule.
     While the survey did not ask why respondents chose to make specific cutbacks in doctor visits, fear of losing eyesight is likely part of the answer. For the fourth year in a row, the AOA's American Eye-Q(R) survey showed that consumers worry most about losing their vision (43 percent), over their memory (32 percent) or even their ability to walk (12 percent).
     "The concept of losing vision appears very concrete to people, which may be why people cut back on other doctor visits first," said Dr. Cockrell. "But Doctors of Optometry encourage individuals to consider eye and vision care as an integral part of their overall health, so cutting back on any aspect of health care is not a good idea."
For more on the survey, visit www.aoa.org.

The GP Lens Institute (GPLI) and the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA) hosted the 11th annual Cornea and Contact Lens Resident Symposium Aug. 28-30, 2009 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
     Twenty-six optometrists attended the weekend program consisting of a series of lectures and workshops presented by industry leaders such as Keith Ames, Tom Quinn, Loretta Szczotka-Flynn, Craig Norman and Ed Bennett. Topics include fitting GP contact lenses for patients with astigmatism, presbyopia and keratoconus as well as those with irregular corneas following surgery, disease or injury, and corneal reshaping.

Plan now to attend the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in January 2010. With an expert international faculty and a CE-accredited agenda, the 2010 GSLS will include insightful presentations by experts in the field, hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge products as well as scientific papers and posters. Look for more detailed information in future issues of Contact Lens Spectrum and online at www.GSLSymposium.com.

Fovea Pharmaceuticals entered into a binding agreement with Sanofi-Aventis to sell 100% of its shares to Sanofi-Aventis. Fovea has a portfolio of three clinical compounds and a technology platform. The deal is valued to a total of euro 370M, including an immediate upfront payment and subsequent milestone payments related to the progress of the clinical compounds. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2009.
     Fovea pipeline of products includes: FOV 1101, an eye drop, fixed dose combination of prednisolone and cyclosporine, currently in phase II for the treatment of persistent allergic conjunctivitis; FOV 2302, an intravitreal formulation of a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, in phase I for the treatment of Retinal Vein Occlusion induced macular edema; and FOV 2304, a potent antagonist of bradykinin B1 receptor, active by eye drop, scheduled to enter in phase I by November 2009 for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.

Researchers completed a study to compare the efficacy of bandage contact lenses with two different base curves in promoting epithelial healing after epithelial LASIK, A prospective, observer-masked study was conducted in 27 patients. Each patient randomly received one bandage contact lens with an 8.4-mm base curve in one eye and one with an 8.8-mm base curve in the fellow eye. Corneal epithelial status, pain score, spherical equivalent, and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) were examined during the first postoperative month.
     Corneal epithelial status, postoperative pain, and spherical equivalent were similar for both lenses during the first postoperative month. The eyes with lenses with an 8.8-mm base curve had better UCVA on postoperative day (POD) four, but there was no significant difference in UCVA after POD seven. In the patients with preoperative low to moderate myopia and low keratometric values (<43.0 D), there was no significant difference in the postoperative UCVA between the lenses. However, in patients with preoperative high myopia and high keratometric values (> or =43.0 D), UCVA was better in eyes with lenses with an 8.8-mm base curve on POD four.
     Researchers said these findings suggest that the base curves of bandage contact lenses affect visual rehabilitation after epi-LASIK, particularly in patients with a steep cornea and high myopia.
Kim JS, Na KS, Joo CK. Base curves of therapeutic lenses and their effects on post Epi-LASIK vision and pain: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Jpn J Ophthalmol 2009;53:368-73.

Care solutions matter. That should go without saying. There is a tremendous amount of time and resources put into the development of them, and we should not take this for granted. Be proactive in prescribing them to your patients. We may also have a lot to look forward to in the next year about new options for our patients.
Jason J. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO  

This month at www.siliconehydrogels.org: adverse events with daily wear of silicone hydrogels, SEALs with extended wear, controlling case contamination, contact lens complications, and part two of our AAO 2008 synopsis.