CONTACT LENSES TODAY

November 3, 2002

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Joseph T. Barr and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches 9,020 readers in 74 countries.

Inaugural Meeting Offers Wide Range of CL CE
The Contact Lens and Eyecare Symposium (CLES), slated for January 22 through the 26, 2003 in Orlando, is offering more than 130 hours of accredited continuing education courses. The meeting, which brings together the three Os, is completely focused on contact lenses and eyecare issues. To view full descriptions of the courses, or to register online, visit http://www.cles.info.

OSI's Colored CLs Make their Way to Europe
Ocular Sciences, Inc. recently announced the introduction of it disposable cosmetic soft contact lenses, Biomedics Colors, to the European market. OSI launched Biomedics Colors, which are available in four opaque colors (green, blue, hazel and gray), in the United States and in Canada this past April. According to OSI, the lenses are manufactured using its own proprietary technology that incorporates four patterns of color in each lens, resulting in a natural appearance that closely simulates the many patterns and hues within the human iris.

The Beauty and Technology in Biomedics Colors -- The clinically proven Biomedics 55 design is now available in four popular colors -- blue, green, gray and hazel. Biomedics Colors offer your patients the most natural eye color without sacrificing comfort, vision or fit. Biomedics Colors are only sold to eyecare professionals. Call your Ocular Sciences account manager to get started today (877) 926-2800. For more information, visit http://www.ocularsciences.com/Sight/static/main.jsp
--ADVERTISING

Study Assesses the Effects of Long-Term CL Wear
Researchers at the Wilmer Eye Institute imaged 124 patients (248 eyes), after which, the patients had comprehensive evaluations in consideration of refractive surgery. The researchers concluded that long-term rigid contact lens wear is associated with a decrease in the average central corneal thickness by an average of 37 microm, compared to no contact lens wear. Long-term soft contact lens wear didn't appear to significantly change corneal thickness compared to no contact lens wear. The researchers warn to be cautious when screening patients who have a history of long-term rigid contact lens wear for possible excimer-laser photoablative correction.

Canada Not Concerned About Cosmetic CL Risks?
Since 2000, Health Canada has allowed distributors to sell cosmetic lenses to retail outlets such as beauty salons and cosmetic departments in pharmacy chains without a prescription or the advice of an eyecare professional. Health Canada is even standing behind manufacturer Only One and its icolour cosmetic lenses, stating that the lenses are "of high quality and inherently safe as designed and manufactured." Canadian eyecare practitioners have been trying, without success, to convince Health Canada of the public risk. At press time, the Canadian Association of Optometrists was drafting a request to Canada's Minister of Health.

Menicon Protects Pets' Eyes in Japan
Japanese manufacturer Menicon Co. is selling contact lenses in Japan to relieve pain caused by medical treatments for corneal conditions. These lenses, however, are not for human patients. These special lenses, which offer protection against dryness and injury to promote healing, are for veterinarians to insert in dogs' and cats' eyes, normally for one week. Vets typically use eye drops to treat corneal conditions, but a complete cure can take a long time and the pain can be severe.

Editor's Commentary: Looking Forward to CLES
I hope the CLES meeting is a success. The contact lens industry needs a large comprehensive meeting that is focused on contact lenses. Imagine the three Os working together. It's almost unbelievable, but the planning committee is made up of excellent contact lens practitioners. Our common language is contact lens practice. Hope to see you all there in Orlando in January.

Fitting Tip: Having Trouble Fitting Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses?
Consider these fitting tips:
- Choose your candidates carefully -- evaluate vocational, avocational and personal needs appropriately. Before fitting patients with multifocal soft contact lenses, educate them regarding the possible compromise in vision. Their distance and near vision may not be as sharp as through spectacles or single vision contact lenses, but it should be comparable.
- Accurate and current distance and near subjective refractions are essential for selecting the initial lenses.
- Advise patients to bring in their own reading materials to use as near vision targets.
- Telephone the patient three to four days after dispensing. If the patient is unhappy with his vision, then adise him to discontinue wearing the contact lenses until his next office visit, when you can address the problem properly. This is important to ensure that the patient doesn't just give up and prematurely decide against wearing multifocal contact lenses.
-- Jennifer Jung, O.D.
Cornea and Contact Lens resident, Southern California College of Optometry, Fullerton, CA

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