CONTACT LENSES TODAY

October 12, 2003

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches nearly 10,000 readers in 74 countries.

List of CLES CE Courses Available
The Contact Lens and Eyecare Symposium (CLES) has published a complete listing of the more than 100 hours of accredited continuing education (CE) courses that will be available at the upcoming CLES meeting in January. Education sessions include "Reality Contact Lens Fitting" presented by Marcus Sooper, FCLSA, and "Practice Management Pearls" given by Frank Fontana, OD. For a copy of the CLES Education Brochure call (866) 515-CLES or e-mail CLES@cles.info. Alternatively, you'll find all course listings and descriptions at http://www.cles.info.

FDA Grants HUD Designation for Intacs
Addition Technology, Inc., maker of Intacs prescription inserts for surgical vision correction, has received the humanitarian use device (HUD) designation for Intacs use in certain keratoconus patients. The HUD designation is the first part of a two-step process in obtaining regulatory approval for a specific product and indication. According to the company, the HUD specifically covers Intacs inserts for the reduction or elimination of myopia and astigmatsim in patients who have keratoconus to restore functional vision in those who are no longer able to achieve adequate vision with contact lenses or glasses.

It's that time of year again! Be sure your practice is ready for the Halloween season by stocking up on Crazy Lenses. Crazy Lenses are available in the following designs: Cat Eye, Red Spiral, Bloodshot, Black Spiral, Fire, White, Wolf, Stars & Stripes, pluse our two new designs this year: Heart and Shamrock. Available in powers from plano to -4.00D, Crazy Lenses offer a fun lens option for your patients and are a great way to help build your practice. Contact CooperVision at (800) 341-2020 for more information or visit http://www.coopervision.com/us/patient_clensesbycat.asp?id=2 to view designs.
--ADVERTISING

FDA Panel Votes to Approve STAAR ICL
The FDA's Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health recently voted to recommend that STAAR Surgical Company's STAAR Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) be approved with conditions for use in correcting myopia in the range of -3.00D to -15.00D and reducing myopia in the range of -15.00D to -20.00D.

CLMA Constructs 2003/2004 Board of Directors
The Contact Lens Manufactures Association (CLMA) has elected the new members of its Board of Directors. The following individuals began their new roles on September 6, 2003: Lee Dickerson, of ABBA Optical, Inc., as president; Dan Bell, of Corneal Design Corporation, as vice president; Janice Schramm, of Valley Contax, as secretary-treasurer; and Keith Parker, of Accu Lens, Inc., as immediate past president. Other members include Charles Creighton, Martin Dalsing, Arch Holcomb, Chris Pantle, David Rusch, Al Vaske and John Walfoort.

Abstract: Examining the Surface Region of pHEMA Contact Lenses
Researchers in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley and Materials Science Division monitored the surface mechanical properties of poly(hydroxyethyl)methacrylate (pHEMA)-based contact lenses as a function of humidity by atomic force microscopy (AFM). They extracted surface viscoelastic and adhesion values from AFM force versus distance interaction curves and they found them to be strongly dependent on the bulk water content of the lens and on the relative humidity. Their results indicate that in an ocular environment, although the bulk of the pHEMA lens is hydrated, the surface region may be in a transition between a dehydrated glassy state and a hydrated rubbery state.
Opdahl, A; Kim, SH; Koffas, TS; Marmo, C; Somorjai, GA. Surface Mechanical Properties of pHEMA Contact Lenses: Viscoelastic and Adhesive Property Changes on Exposure to Controlled Humidity. J Biomed Mater Res. 2003 Oct 1;67A(1):350-6

Editor's Commentary: Don't Drop the Lens Drops
Recently the survey "Contact Lens Lubrication/Rewetting Drops" indicated that only 17% of respondents recommended eye drops to at least 75% of their patients and that nearly 25% of practitioners recommended drops to 41% to 75% of their patients. Dryness reports were the main reason for recommending drops for 53% of respondents. Two thirds of practitioners believe that there is a patient perceived difference between brands. Forty percent said that samples were the reason why they used what they used and 35% recommended a drop based on their own experience. I must say, my own personal experience is important to what I recommend because of my marginal dry eye symptoms and need for daily eye drops. In the end, dry eye requires a complete treatment plan, as well as just a drop. (CIBA Vision sponsored the survey.)

Fitting Tip: Making Tougher Fits Easier
When fitting bifocal soft lenses on my patients in the 48- to 54-year-old range (that tough group with common complaints of blur at either distance, intermediate or near -- when a lot of the easy solutions are starting to fail), I will select two or three alternatives -- various options with bilateral bifocals, modified monovision (using either both bifocals or sphere at distance or near with bifocal on the other eye). I will then give the patient two or three of these alternatives to try at the office or at home over generally a two-week period. I'll explain the "experiment" with the goal to figure out the "best option," write it down (#1, #2 and #3) to ensure that they truly know what to do, and give them two different color cases to store the various lenses. When they return, they generally have the best solution identified. The patient feels good about having such a large part in the correct lens choice, and the comparison of lenses in their real world saves a lot of chair time. (This elaborate method is usually not needed for younger presbyopes.)
--Mark Greenwell, OD
Papillion, Nebr.

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