CONTACT LENSES TODAY
November 19, 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.
Lagado Files Patent for Chromatic Aberration Lenses
The Lagado Corporation has filed a U.S. patent application for optical devices that reduce chromatic aberration. The optical devices include
soft lenses, as well as GPs and IOLs. The lenses filter or block near infrared, red, blue and ultraviolet light. The company says the development is particularly
significant when used with wavefront-designed, custom contact lenses.
Silicone Hydrogel Material May Alleviate Some CVS Symptoms
According to the Americans' Attitudes and Perceptions About Vision Care survey conducted on behalf of Johnson & Johnson's Vision
Care Institute revealed that 36% of contact lens wearers polled experience contact lens discomfort while working at a computer. A study published in the current issue
of
Eye & Contact Lens shows senofilcon A (Acuvue Oasys, Vistakon) lenses can alleviate some of the common problems of soft lens wear, specifically CVS. Researchers
evaluated data from 1,092 soft lens wearers to calculate the prevalence of six common signs and symptoms associated with contact lens discomfort. The most frequently
reported problems were uncomfortable wear at the end of the day (31%), frequent or constant dryness (28%) and discomfort. Following evaluation, they refit 257 wearers
with senofilcon A lenses and reassessed patients two weeks later. Of those of who reported problems previously, 88% reported an improvement in overall comfort, 76% in
comfortable hours of wear and 75% if frequency of dryness.
ABB Optical Receives CLMA Seal of Excellence
The Contact Lens Manufacturer's Association (CLMA) has awarded ABB Optical its Seal of Excellence, recognizing the quality and consistency
of the company's GP lenses. The Seal is awarded only to labs that manufacture lenses that meet or exceed ANSI Z80.20 standards as verified by an independent testing
laboratory.
New Corneal Topography Code
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have authorized a new CPT code in 2007 for computerized corneal topography, unilateral or bilateral:
92025.
A Lens for Comfort from Dryness
Are some potential contact lens wearers frightened
away from contact lenses after witnessing friends or family who experience lens
discomfort in dry, challenging environments? Do some of your contact lens
dropouts long to return to the convenience and crisp vision of lens wear, but
are afraid to try again because of the discomfort that ended their previous
attempts at lens wear? The latest breakthrough in the ULTRA COMFORT SERIES™, ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ Plus, offer exceptional comfort,
wettability and crisp vision to these potential and former lens wearers. With ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses, many of these patients can successfully return to
or begin contact lens wear.
--ADVERTISING
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
License Protection
SML Holdings has launched a new service designed to help professional protect and save their licenses and livelihood from state board and
administrative regulatory actions. Save My License enables professionals in almost any occupation to receive up to $100,000 in costs and legal fees to defend against any
state or national board, administrative or regulatory action that threatens their license and livelihood. The site offers different levels of protection for low, mid and
high-risk careers. If an action is brought against a member, Save My License connects the member with a local attorney familiar with their state, or allows them to select
their own representation. The company pays all expenses directly to the law firm and covers all fees incurred as part of the member's legal defense up to and including the
contracted amount. For more information, visit
http://www.savemylicense.com.
Dry AMD Patients Benefit from AREDS Formulation
A recent study sponsored by Macular Health showed the company's supplement formula improved visual acuity and retinal function in patients
with dry AMD. The formula includes AREDS nutrients in combination with lutein, bilberry and zeaxanthin. Results were presented at this year's American Academy of
Ophthalmology meeting and were consistent with the results of the AREDS and LAST trials. The company says this study is the first of its kind to use multifocal
electroretinogram (MERG) recordings and visual acuity testing to measure the effects of supplements on the visual function of patients with this form of the disease.
CooperVision Introduces Proclear Multifocal Toric
CooperVision has introduced its new Proclear Multifocal Toric contact lens, the latest addition to the company's PC Hydrogel family. The
lenses combine the company's Balanced Progressive Technology and PC technology. The company says this lens is the only multifocal toric available in a monthly modality.
It's made of omafilcon A material and is available in sphere powers from +4.00D to -6.00D in 0.25D steps; Add powers from +1.00D to +2.50 in 0.50D steps; cylinder powers
of -0.75D, -1.25D and -2.25D; two bas curves of 8.4mm and 8.8mm and axis of 5˚ to 180˚ in 5˚ steps.
Abstract:
Silver Lens Cases Decrease Bacterial Contamination
Two recent studies conducted by CIBA Vision examined the effectiveness of a silver-impregnated contact lens case. Researchers examined the
performance of the case both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, they challenged the case with 10 microorganism suspensions of bacteria and incubated them at room temperature
for 24 hours. They then removed aliquots of inocula and placed them on appropriate growth media. They counted surviving colonies and determined microorganism log reduction
values from initial challenge inocula. Two, 40-subject, one-month contralateral clinical studies were conducted with SOLO-care Aqua solution using one bowl of a
silver-impregnated case and one standard case for lens storage.
Researchers found in vitro efficacy data showed significantly lower numbers of recovered microbes
from silver-impregnated cases than from control cases. They report that in both clinical studies, the silver case had a statistically significantly lower proportion
of bacterial contamination than control cases. They also note that the majority of microorganisms isolated from silver-impregnated cases were members of the normal
skim flora.
Amos CF, George MD. Clinical and laboratory testing of a silver-impregnated lens case. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2006
Nov 1;[Epub ahead of print].
Editor's Commentary:
Silver Ion Cases
The antimicrobial silver ion containing case is a great new addition to our lens care armamentarium. But it's only available with one
solution. I believe it would be effective with other solutions but this of course would be an off-label use and has not been tested to my knowledge. So when we do use
this case with other solutions, it's probably wise to inform the patient of this off-label use and monitor as necessary. If you have any experience or comments on the
use of this case with other lens care solutions, we'd love to hear from you. And please send your fitting, lens care or practice/patient management
tips to http://www.cltoday.com.
Fitting Tip:
Continue Educating Patients on Novelty CLs
It was sad to read about the novelty lens disaster (see
CLToday, Nov. 5). We need to re-educate all contact lens wearers. Such problems are more prevalent
in patients who have been using CLs for a long period of time. Whenever a patient comes in for a renewal of their CL prescription, I ask them about their maintenance
procedures because most of the time patients tend to wear their lenses beyond the recommended period, especially cosmetic lens wearers. We also warn them of the dangers
involved in sharing of colored CLs.
Sudhir Bhatia, M.D.
New Dehli, India.
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.
Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com -- if your tip is
selected as 'Best of the Month,' you'll receive a free
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