CONTACT LENSES TODAY

November 5, 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.


Laser Treatment Doesn’t Prevent Vision Loss for AMD Patients
The Complications of Age-Related Macular Degeneration prevention Trial (CAPT), a study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found low-intensity laser treatment is ineffective in preventing complications of AMD or loss of vision. The CAPT study was designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of laser treatment in preventing vision loss in people with large drusen in both eyes. Results showed no difference in vision or in progression to advanced AMD between treated and untreated eyes. A total of 1,052 participants over the age of 50 with 10 or more large drusen and visual acuity of 20/40 or better in each eye were enrolled through 22 clinical centers. One eye of each patient was treated. After five years, 20% of treated and untreated eyes lost three or more lines of visual acuity. The same percentage of patient progressed to advanced AMD.
The NIH’s National Eye Institute and FDA will hold a symposium on Nov. 28-29 in Washington D.C. to discuss challenges to the development of therapies for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Researchers and advocacy groups are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit http://www.arvo.org/endpoints.

Government Rejects Thimerosal Restrictions
The FDA has rejected a proposal by the Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs to restrict the use of thimerosal, citing concerns that the preservative is linked to autism. There are minute amounts of mercury in roughly 45 eye ointments, nasal sprays nasal sprays and nasal solutions. In a reply, dated Sept. 26, but made public last week, the FDA’s assistant commissioner for policy, Dr. Jeffrey Shuren wrote, “Only a small number of licensed and approved products still contain thimerosal and the available evidence supports FDA’s conclusion that all currently licensed vaccines and other pharmaceutical drug products containing thimerosal are safe.” The Coalition plans to seek a court order that would force the FDA to withdraw thimerosal from all vaccines and medicines unless the agency can show the preservative is safe.

Australian Teen Loses Sight from Novelty CL
A 14-year old girl in Sydney, Australia has lost sight in one eye after wearing novelty lenses to a party that she borrowed from a friend, who had ordered them over the Internet. She developed a severe corneal infection and is now awaiting a corneal transplant. The NSW state government restricted the sale of lenses to be dispensed by eye care professionals only last year. Experts warn against using lenses without the supervision of an eye care practitioner. They also say cheaper versions of these lenses imported from Asia are packaged in a non-sterile material.

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 2007 Register now for the first-ever Global Keratoconus Congress to be held January 26-28, 2007 in Las Vegas. This meeting will be hosted at Bally’s on the Las Vegas Strip. Please visit http://www.gkc2007.com. There you will find the most up-to-date educational program agenda and information on hotel accommodations, as well as the ability to register for the event.
--ADVERTISING



Eyemaginations Introduces 3D-Eye Office 4.2
Eyemaginations introduces the latest version of its software for eyecare professionals, 3D-Eye Office Version 4.2. The latest update includes 45 new and enhanced animations and a collection of eye-related topics such as contact lenses, diabetic retinopathy, strabismus, ocular supplement and ocular plastics. It also offers a larger library of vendor commercials and messages.

Abstract: Intacs Effective for Post-LASIK Corneal Ectasia
A study in the November issue of Ophthalmology found Intacs inserts are effective in the long-term management of post-LASIK corneal ectasia. Researchers observed three men and two women with post-LASIK corneal ectasia who had Intacs segments inserted nasally and temporally. At the five-year follow-up, all patients maintained refractive stability with no evidence of progressive, time-dependent corneal ectasia, late regression or sight-threatening complications. Pre-Intacs uncorrected visual acuity was 20/100 or worse in all eyes. At follow-up, six of eight eyes had acuity of 20/40 or better. The authors note that Intacs may represent a viable, minimally invasive treatment alternative for patients with post-LASIK corneal ectasia. However, they note the need for further follow-up and additional study to make final conclusions.
Long-term follow-up of Intacs for post-LASIK corneal ectasia. Ophthalmology. 2006 Nov;113(11):1909-17.


Editor's Commentary: CL Safety
Our story about the novelty contact lens is a sad one, especially in the midst of so much discussion about contact lens safety relative to refractive surgery. Nevertheless, for most patients, most of the time, contact lenses worn for daily or extended wear are safe. Like any remedy for a chronic problem that is not curable, in this case optical correction for refractive error with contact lenses, obtaining and maintaining proper care, be it by the practitioner or patient, is crucial. We all need to be meticulous about everything from proper diagnosis and treatment to ongoing care for our contact lens patients. I think you will soon see — and we should all support — proactive support of proper contact lens wear and care. This will allow those who really need contact lenses for any reason to have an enriched quality of life with these medical devices.

Fitting Tip: Follow-Up on Generic Solutions
I loved last week’s tip regarding the patent number on generic solutions. Today I went to the store and checked generic versus brand name information. I found several generics that had been packaged in the U.K. and no patent number on the box. The brand name products all had the patent numbers. So, be careful when advising patients to do this.
Thomas Devetski, O.D.
Chapel Hill, N.C.


This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, learn about the challenges associated with Silicone hydrogel lenses, and read about the benefits of contact lenses for teens.

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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