CONTACT LENSES TODAY

November 18, 2007

Contact Lenses Today® is edited by Dr. Carla Mack and the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum. This week CLToday® reaches more than 14,000 readers in 74 countries.


Survey Confirms Americans Largely Unaware of Danger to Eyes from UV Rays
A recent survey conducted by the New England Eye Institute and Transitions Optical, found that while nearly 80 percent of consumers are aware that UV exposure can cause skin cancer, only five percent know it can harm the eyes. The survey found that more than half (57 percent) of respondents said they do not wear protective eyewear when in the sun for extended periods of time. With Americans spending an average of 3.5 hours per day outdoors, this is a significant amount of time for UV damage to occur each day - amounting to a potential of more than 1,000 hours of UV damage to their eyes each year.
     The survey also found that 44 percent of respondents do not have daily eyewear with UV protection and nearly half of young adult respondents (age 18-24) say they do not agree that UV protection is important at all.
     According to the World Health Organization, 3.2 million people worldwide are blind as a result of cataracts, which have been linked to UV exposure. Younger people, ages 18-24, are at an even greater risk for UV damage that will impact their vision later on in life as they are more active and tend to spend more time outdoors.

CooperVision Implements a New Strategy to Improve Supply Chain Planning Processes
CooperVision has selected Logility Voyager Solutions to support a new supply chain strategy aimed at improving demand management, inventory and replenishment planning, product lifecycle planning and sales and operations planning processes.
     CooperVision has a network of manufacturing and distribution facilities across five continents. In an effort to maintain high customer service levels and continue to meet or exceed increasing market demands, CooperVision plans on leveraging Logility Voyager Solutions to drive change throughout their supply chain planning processes by creating a more effective and collaborative supply chain.

Prevent Blindness America Announces National Consumer Awareness Campaign
Prevent Blindness America announced the launch of a national consumer awareness campaign, a trio of television, print and radio public service announcements (PSAs) which underscore the importance of regular eye care for every generation. The campaign is made possible by an educational grant from Pfizer.
     The PSAs will be distributed to 800 television stations and cable networks, 1,500 radio stations and 100 Web sites in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of preventive eye care.
     According to the organization, 50% of all cases of blindness could be prevented through early interventions like vision screenings and dilated eye examinations.

Increased Comfort Delivers Lasting Patient Satisfaction
Nothing drives referrals like satisfied patients. And nothing satisfies patients like the comfort and minimal corneal staining that can be provided by ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ Plus. In a recent clinical study, new wearers exhibited no significant difference in corneal staining and reported no significant difference in overall comfort between ACUVUE® OASYS™ and no lens. And in an in-market trial, 89% of patients fit with ACUVUE® OASYS™ would recommend their doctors based on their experience. How will you satisfy your patients and build your practice with ACUVUE® OASYS™?
More About ACUVUE® OASYS®
Important Safety Information
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VSP Provides Advertising Grant to InfantSEE Program
InfantSEE, the infants’ vision public health program of the American Optometric Association (AOA), announced a generous grant from Vision Service Plan (VSP). The grant provided funds for print ad placements in the July, September and upcoming November 2007 issues of Parents Magazine as well as banner advertising on www.babyzone.com.
     “The number of InfantSEE assessments has increased since the advertising campaign was implemented,” reports Debra Fox, Program Director.
     The program, developed by the AOA in partnership with The Vision Care Institute of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., was designed to provide professional eye care for infants nationwide at no cost regardless of family income. Over 7,600 AOA member optometrists have enrolled as InfantSEE providers, and to date, an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 babies have had their eye health and vision assessed.
     For more information about InfantSEE, please visit www.infantsee.org.

Initial Results of Study Demonstrate Clinical Efficacy in Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema
Ellex Medical Lasers Limited announced initial clinical results of an ongoing study for non-thermal Retina Regeneration Therapy at the Retina Subspecialty Day of the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. These results from the Ellex 2RT research program at St. Thomas Hospital, London, demonstrate the therapy's potential to improve and stabilize visual acuity and to reduce retinal edema in patients with diabetic maculopathy and macular edema without causing any damage to the photoreceptors.
     "The first phase clinical outcomes have confirmed Ellex 2RT's ability to treat diabetic maculopathy without damaging the neuro-retina," commented Professor John Marshall, principal investigator. "This means that Ellex 2RT may change the way diabetic maculopathy patients are treated and it shows potential for intervention in early stage Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) before significant loss of vision has occurred." Commented Peter Falzon, Ellex CEO, "The next phase clinical trials will be essential in establishing Ellex 2RT's potential as an early stage therapy for retinal diseases."

Global Keratoconus Congress 2007
Register now for the second Global Keratoconus Congress to be held January 25-27, 2008 in Las Vegas. This meeting will be hosted at Bally's on the Las Vegas Strip. Please visit http://www.GKCongress.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.
Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Heather Seasholtz at 215-643-8073.
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Abstract: Study of Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens Surfaces Before and After Wear
The aim of this study from the University of Minho, Portugal was to analyze surface changes of three silicone hydrogel contact lenses after daily wear. The lenses used in this study were balafilcon A, lotrafilcon B (both surface-treated), and galyfilcon A (non surface-treated).
     To understand how and where proteins, lipids, and other contaminants change contact lenses, surface roughness was assessed through Atomic Force Microscopy Tapping Mode. Roughness parameters were Mean Surface roughness (R(a)), Mean-square-roughness (R(q)), and Maximum roughness (R(max)). The surface topography of unworn and worn lenses was also mapped in great detail.
     Contact lenses roughness parameters exhibited different values before and after wear and the surface appearance also changed. After wear, balafilcon A and galyfilcon A showed a significant increase on surface roughness parameters, this increase more accentuated to galyfilcon A. In lotrafilcon B materials no significant changes were observed with wear.
     The authors concluded that the study suggests that surface treatment of silicone hydrogel contact lenses can play a role in the prevention of a significant increase in roughness, and contribute to the better clinical tolerance of these lenses.
Lira M, Santos L, Azeredo J, Yebra-Pimentel E, Oliveira ME. Comparative study of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses surfaces before and after wear using atomic force microscopy. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2007 Oct 23; [Epub ahead of print in PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Editor's Commentary: On the Rise?
Recently, I've seen industry, analyst and survey data that indicates hydrogen peroxide care system use is on the rise. This includes industry market share and patient data. Our Contact Lens Spectrum survey of 226 readers indicated that nearly 20% of their patients are using peroxide based systems and 80% are using chemical multipurpose solutions. Our survey in 2005 of 224 readers indicated that only 14% of their patients were using hydrogen peroxide systems. Growth of this product segment appears to be limited because eye care practitioners and patients have the perception that peroxide based systems are less convenient and more difficult to use. I assume some practitioners have begun prescribing and some patients have begun using peroxide systems because of recent MPS recalls; however most practitioners and patients remain unfazed by the recalls.
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.

Report adverse contact lens reactions here: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or call (800) FDA-1088.

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