CONTACT LENSES TODAY

November 14, 2004

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

CLMA Board of Directors Elections, Presbyopia Cards Available
In a November special edition to its The Contact Report, the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA) reviewed elections to its Board of Directors, which were held on October 22, 2004. The following individuals were elected:
- as President: Dan Bell, of Corneal Design Corp
- as Vice President: Janice Schramm, of Valley Contax
- as Secretary/Treasurer: Chris Pantle, of Lamda Polytech
- as Regular Members Board Representation: Charley Creighton, Lee Dickerson, Arch Holcomb, Dave Rusch, Al Vaske and John Walfoort
- as Associate Members Board Representation: David Bland and Marty Dalsing
Also in the special edition, the CLMA mentioned its new two Presbyopia Sell Cards that it developed for eyecare practitioners and their staff. They will be available (at cost) to the CLMA membership for distribution to eyecare professionals in the upcoming weeks.
AMO to Acquire VISX
Last week, Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) announced its acquisition of VISX, Inc. after both companies' boards unanimously approved the decision. According to the companies, under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, VISX stockholders will receive 0.552 shares of AMO stock and $3.50 in cash for every share of VISX common stock they own, or a total value of $26.52 per share of VISX common stock, based on the closing price of AMO's common stock on November 8, 2004. The total consideration will be approximately 29.0 million shares of AMO stock and $184 million in cash. AMO expects the exchange of shares to be tax-free to VISX stockholders and upon completion of the transaction, AMO's stockholders will own approximately 58.5% of the combined company and VISX's stockholders will own approximately 41.5%.
EFCLIN Welcomes First Female Board Member
At this year's annual European Federation of the Contact Lens Industry (EFCLIN) meeting, the organization elected Jeanne Bear, Paragon Vision Sciences' vice president of International Sales and Business Development, to the EFCLIN Board of Directors. According to EFCLIN, Ms. Bear is the first female and the second American to sit on the Board. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience in international sales, marketing, business development and strategic planning.
NEW AQuify® 5 Minute Multi-Purpose Solution -- preferred by silicone hydrogel lens wearers for comfort and convenience.1
Percentage of silicone hydrogel wearers who said AQuify® MPS:
  • Moisturized and refreshed their lenses: 91%
  • Provided better comfort than their previous lens care*: 93%
  • Enables me to wear my lenses comfortably for at least 24 hours: 96%

    AQuify® MPS from CIBA Vision, http://www.cibavision.com
    The New Generation of Lens Care for the New Generation of Lenses.
     1CIBA Vision data on file, 2004.
    * Of those who expressed a preference.
    --ADVERTISING
    CIBA Studies Color CL Purchases, Expands Toric Parameters
    CIBA Vision asked 140 U.S. eyecare practitioners who have large color contact lens practices to keep a two-week diary to track purchase decisions when noncolor contact lens wearers tried on FreshLook ColorBlends or Acuvue 2 Colours for the first time. The company's study results showed that 65% of patients who trialed FreshLook ColorBlends actually purchased the lenses, compared to a 39% trial-to-purchase conversion rate for Acuvue 2 Colours.
    In other company news, CIBA plans to increase the spherical power range of its Focus Dailies Toric lens in January 2005. According to CIBA, the additional spherical powers will provide eyecare professionals with a full range of powers from +4.00 to -6.00 (0.25D steps) and -6.50 to -8.00 (0.50D steps) and include plano.
    Weekend Tx Works for "Lazy Eye"
    A recent study reported in the November issue of the journal Ophthalmology shows that two weekend doses of atropine are just as effective as (and easier to remember than) daily treatments for ambylopia. Researchers assigned 168 amblyopic children up to the age of seven to get atropine drops either daily or only on Saturdays and Sundays. Before the study, the children's vision in the amblyopic eye ranged from 20/40 to 20/80. Forty-seven percent of the children getting daily drops and 53% of those getting weekend drops had vision in the lazy eye improve to 20/25 or better after four months.
    B&L Comment on Ortho-K Issue
    As an addendum to last week's news item the Canadian government toughening up on requirements for corneal shaping contact lenses, CLToday would like to present an official statement from Bausch & Lomb regarding orthokeratology:
    Bausch & Lomb's policy is to fully comply with all regulatory requirements within each country we operate, and we fully comply with Canada's medical device licensing requirements.
    Bausch & Lomb does not manufacture the finished rigid gas permeable lens. However, Bausch & Lomb does provide the lens material, which is then used to manufacture the finished lens according to the specific prescription ordered by a doctor.
    Based on the existing regulations and directions provided to us by the Canadian health authorities, our contact lens material doesn't require a medical device license since it is not a finished contact lens when imported into Canada. In Canada, eyecare practitioners will prescribe rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses to be made specifically for each patient. Therefore, the lenses made from this material are considered custom-made and are recognized as Class II medical devices in Canada. As such, current Health Canada regulations state that a doctor-prescribed, custom-made contact lens does not require medical device license.
    Abstract: Diabetics No More Compliant with Lens Care Than Other Patients
    Researchers conducted a prospective, single center, controlled, masked study in which they issued disposable hydrogel contact lenses and a multipurpose lens care regimen to 29 diabetic contact lens patients and 29 non-diabetic control subjects. They gave all participants identical instructions on lens care and maintenance and scored 24 different aspects of compliance at a 12-month aftercare appointment by demonstration and questionnaire. The researchers found that although the combined population of contact lens wearers was generally compliant, there were examples of noncompliance in both groups, suggesting that eyecare practitioners can't assume that diabetic patients will be more compliant with lens care and maintenance (as a result of learned behavior relating to maintenance of their diabetic condition) than non-diabetic patients.
    O'Donnell C, Efron N. Noncompliance with Lens Care and Maintenance in Diabetic Contact Lens Wearers. Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics 2004 Nov;24(6):504-510.
    Editor's Commentary: Overprescribing Lens Care Not So Bad
    Our tip this week is a good one. Bob Grohe is a wise clinician who knows that GP lenses can bind protein and you'll all recall that soft contact lenses, especially hydrogels, do too. We probably underprescribe all the lens cleaners, lens rubbing and especially enzyme cleaners to prevent protein buildup on lenses. Just because we prescribe frequent lens replacement doesn't mean patients follow our directions. Certainly, they frequently don't follow our replacement directions. So overprescribing lens care and lens protein removers for all lens types that are reused seems desirable for best results.
    I have long been a proponent of enzyme cleaners for more GP wearers and we should seriously think about it for many of your soft contact lens wearers.
    Fitting Tip: Enzyme Use with GPs
    Most GPs will eventually coat over with a thin single or multi-layered coating of denatured lysozyme protein. This coating will clinically cause multiple symptoms of discomfort, itching, particle sensation in the eye, scratchiness and filmed-over-like vision. This is especially true for heavy computer users who have suppressed blinking patterns and allergy patients who produce moderate to severe amounts of daily mucus. These types of at-risk patients will need to supplement their daily cleaner use with the daily enzyme and a topical anti-histamine/mast cell stabilizer. The premixed liquid enzymes reinforce compliance by minimizing the preparation traditionally necessary for these helpful products. The combination topical agents such as Patanol, Zaditor, Optivar or Elestat provide better control by down-regulating the actual sites of mucus production.
    --Bob Grohe, O.D.
    Homewood, Ill.
     
    This month at siliconehydrogels.org (http://www.siliconehydrogels.org), read about therapeutic applications for silicone hydrogel lenses, the accuracy of IOP measurements made through these lenses, and the idea of establishing a separate FDA category for silicone hydrogel lenses.
    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.
    Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is selected as 'Best of the Month,' you'll receive a free golf shirt (see http://www.CLToday.com for details). Please include your full name, degree or title and city/state/country.
    Visit Contact Lens Spectrum ( http://www.clspectrum.com ) for interactive clinical posters, issue archives and discussion forums. Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips and Photo Clinic, sponsored by Ocular Sciences.
    CLToday Services: Subscribe; Change or Remove your e-mail address; submit news to news@cltoday.com; or, fax 1-215-643-3902.
    Contact Lenses Today and CLToday are registered trademarks of Boucher Communications, Inc. ©2004 Boucher Communications, Inc.
    This has been a BCI e-mail communication. If you prefer not to receive e-mail from us, please use the following link to remove your e-mail address from our list: Removal Request | View our Privacy Policy

    You are receiving this e-mail because you have agreed to receive e-mail communications from Boucher Communications, Inc
    Boucher Communications, Inc. - 1300 Virginia Drive Suite 400 Fort Washington PA 19034 | 215-643-8000
    Boucher Communications e-mail program complies with the Federal Can-Spam Act of 2003

    Please take a moment to make sure your newsletters don't get marked as spam.
    Add bci@bci-media.com to your 'approved senders' list or address book.