CONTACT LENSES TODAY
October 7, 2007
Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Carla Mack and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches
more than 12,000 readers in 74 countries.
Metro Optics Expands the SaturEyes Product Line
Metro Optics’ soft lens, SaturEyes, is now available in two new presbyopic lens designs, the SaturEyes Multifocal and Multifocal
Toric. These designs are an addition to the SaturEyes Spherical and Toric products. According to the company, the lenses feature a GMA/HEMA 49% water content
material that does not dehydrate during lengthy wear and enhances comfort in dry environments. The SaturEyes Multifocal and Multifocal Toric are lathe cut to
the patient’s parameters and deliver up to +2.50 diopters of add power. The lenses are available in multi-packs.
ORBIS and Alcon Team Up to Provide "VISION for Children"
Teacher's Guide
In observance of World Sight Day 2007, ORBIS International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide, and Alcon,
Inc., its global sponsor, have produced "VISION for Children," an age-appropriate lesson plan for teachers about eye care and blindness prevention.
By visiting www.eyecareeducation.com, teachers can download for free the
"VISION for Children" teacher's guide, which contains content and activities introducing children to the importance of sight, for themselves and for
those whom they have never met. Through these lessons, students will learn about the causes of blindness, how the eye works and how to keep it safe and
healthy, and ways in which they can make a difference by helping eliminate avoidable blindness.
SECO International Unveils 2007 Clinical Excellence Award Winners
SECO International announced the recipients of its 2007 Southern Council of Optometrists Clinical Excellence Awards, recognizing
the outstanding academic achievements of students from SECO International affiliated colleges. Recipients are Haley S. Parker of the University of Alabama (UAB)
at Birmingham School of Optometry; Tara Boyle from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Cayce Davis of Southern College
of Optometry (SCO), Memphis, Tenn. A check in the amount of $1,000 and plaque were presented to the recipients at their school graduation and awards ceremonies.
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Important Safety Information
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Global
Keratoconus Congress 2007 – Agenda Available
The agenda for the second Global Keratoconus Congress is now available online. The event will be hosted at
Bally’s in Las Vegas, January 25-27, 2008. Please visit http://www.GKCongress.com. There you will
find the educational program agenda and information on hotel accommodations, as well as the ability to register for the event. The program
will be accredited for continuing education under COPE, NCLE and JCAHPO.
Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Heather
Seasholtz at 215-643-8073.
--ADVERTISING
Give
Sight, Give Hope
Join the World Sight Day Challenge on October 11, 2007. Optometry Giving Sight hopes practitioners will help
give sight to the millions in need by: donating exam fees on World Sight Day, signing up for a regular monthly donation of $25, $50 or $100,
and asking patients to add $5 to their invoices in October. Visit www.givingsight.org.
--ADVERTISING
Abstract:
Dryness Symptoms After Refitting With Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses
This 3-year study was designed to assess the stability of dryness symptoms after refitting patients wearing low-Dk/t hydrogel
contact lenses with high-Dk/t silicone hydrogel contact lenses and to determine whether early dryness symptoms were predictive of discontinuation. Two hundred
seventy-eight hydrogel lens wearers were refitted with lotrafilcon A silicone hydrogel contact lenses for continuous wear of up to 30 nights. Self-administered
questionnaires at baseline, 1 week, and 3 years captured the frequency and intensity of dryness symptoms during the day and at the end of the day. One-week and
3-year responses were compared to baseline by a Bowker test of symmetry and median change in response with Wilcoxon signed rank test.
The frequency of during-the-day and end-of-day dryness decreased from baseline to 1 week and 3 years (during the day, frequency >/= "sometimes" 57.1% vs. 33.1%
after 1 week and 58.5% vs. 28.8% after 3 years; end of day, 61.1% vs. 41.0% after 1 week and 64.0% vs. 35.9% after 3 years [P<0.0001 for all comparisons]).
After refitting, the proportion of subjects with dryness symptoms was stable. After 1 week, the presence of frequency of at least "sometimes" and severity of at
least "moderate" during-the-day and end-of-day dryness were significantly associated with study discontinuation (during-the-day frequency [P=0.007] and severity
[P=0.017]; end-of-day frequency [P=0.002] and severity [P=0.003]).
The authors conclude that dryness symptoms improved after 1 week of
refitting with lotrafilcon A and remained stable through 3 years; the presence of dryness after 1 week was associated with discontinuation from contact lens wear
and refitting with silicone hydrogel lenses reduced the frequency and severity of dryness symptoms seen with hydrogel lens wear for many subjects.
Schafer J,
Mitchell GL, Chalmers RL, Long B, Dillehay S, Barr J, Bergenske P, Donshik P, Secor G, Yoakum J. The Stability of Dryness Symptoms After Refitting With Silicone
Hydrogel Contact Lenses Over 3 Years. Eye Contact Lens. 2007 Sep;33(5):247-252.
Reader Commentary:
Correcting Astigmatism With Soft Toric Lenses
An excellent way to problem solve vision complaints of toric soft contact lens wearers is to do a sphero-cylindrical over-refraction
over the contact lens and determine the resultant power with a cross cylinder calculator. This method eliminates errors due to lens flexure, tear lens effects,
vertexing, cross cylinder effects and conversion of the spectacle prescription to the corneal plane.
There are several cross cylinder
calculators available, but I prefer ToriTrack because it scientifically corrects for lens rotation without requiring subjective estimation of the rotation. ToriTrack
uses predictive algorisms to anticipate axis misalignment due to crossed cylinders and rotation. An accurate calculation of misalignment and a resultant contact lens
power can be determined from the patient’s over-refraction, contact lens and spectacle prescription.
Mark Andre, F.A.A.O.
Editor's Commentary:
Innovative Thinking
I think we sometimes set higher standards for the contact lens and solution companies than we do for ourselves when it comes to
innovation in patient care. We expect them to provide us with innovative products that are easy to use. As contact lens practitioners, what was the last innovative
thing you did for a patient or for your practice? Recently, I called a gas permeable lens manufacturer to discuss redesigning the peripheral curves of a lens in a
unique way. The lab consultant understood my objective and we discussed how this could be accomplished. This week I fit a post operative LASIK patient with a gas
permeable executive multifocal piggybacked with a low plus silicone hydrogel lens to eliminate a central bubble and provide GP centration. Challenge yourself and your
staff to think differently and provide the best for your patients.
Carla Mack, O.D., F.A.A.O.
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org explore the significance of the recent "no-rub" solution recalls, learn
about atypical upper lid margin staining in dry-eyed silicone hydrogel wearers and review the latest in silicone hydrogel research present at ARVO 2007.
Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call
(800) FDA-1088.
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