With Thanksgiving upon us, I thought I would reflect on the contact lens materials and designs that I am thankful for. These are in no particular order. I am thankful for silicone hydrogels because I don't have to worry too much about hypoxia related issues, even with custom designs. I am thankful for daily disposable lenses because I don't have to worry anymore about problems due to poor cleaning habits or surface deposits, especially for my younger patients. I am thankful for multifocal lenses, both soft and rigid, so that my presbyopic patients can see without putting on reading glasses or giving up on contact lenses entirely. I am thankful for scleral lenses so that my patients with highly irregular corneas can see again. I am thankful for hybrid lenses so that my patients who need GP lenses but can't tolerate the feel of them can see again. I am thankful for reverse geometry lenses because I can reduce myopia (even in myself), and maybe slow myopia progression. But most of all, I am thankful that we have so many great material and design options that make each day fun and exciting and keep my patients seeing happily. Happy Thanksgiving.

Contact lens associated biofilms are feared as a very serious risk factor for the development of microbial keratitis. Recently there has been more activity in the research of fungal and bacterial biofilms on contact lens surfaces. Biofilms differ from initially adhered microbial cells on contact lens surfaces or free floating cells in solutions. Specifically, biofilms attached to surfaces consist of microbes living within extracellular polymer substances which make them more resistant to antimicrobials and host immune responses. Good contact lens-biofilm models can be used to test the antimicrobial activity of contact lens care solutions.

Recently a group from Germany (Randler 2010) reported on a three-phase in-vitro system for studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion and biofilm formation upon hydrogel contact lenses. They created an in-vitro system where nutritional and interfacial conditions were similar to those in the eye of a CL wearer through the involvement of a solid:liquid and a solid:air interface, shear forces and a complex artificial tear fluid. Using this model they were able to show dense biofilm development that plateaued by 72 hours on four lens types including Etafilcon A, Lotrafilcon B, Omafilcon A, and Comfilcon A.

Take home messages are: biofilms can and do form on all soft lens types. Our ability to understand the disinfection efficacy of care solutions is limited by previous reports that assessed free floating cells only - not those attached to surfaces as biofilms. This model should be useful in testing the ability of contact lens care solutions to destroy such biofilms as other groups have already with their contact lens-biofilm models. I look forward to future work in this area.

Randler et al. A three-phase in-vitro system for studying Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion and biofilm formation upon hydrogel contact lenses. BMC Microbiology 2010, EPub ahead of print.

B+L Launches PureVision 2 with High Definition Optics

Bausch + Lomb (B+L) announced the launch of PureVision 2 contact lenses with High Definition Optics. Designed to reduce glare and halos while delivering excellent vision, according to the company, these new monthly contact lenses bring together several improvements to help overcome challenges that contact lens wearers face, including spherical aberration.

B+L reports that PureVision 2 optimizes its design to reduce spherical aberration across the entire power range. The lenses are packaged in a unique solution that delivers outstanding comfort upon insertion. Additionally, the new lenses provide high levels of oxygen transmissibility during wear to ensure a healthy environment for the eyes. One of the thinnest lenses available, they are also exceptionally easy to handle.

PureVision 2 is manufactured in balafilcon A (silicone hydrogel) and available in 8.6mm base curve with powers from +6.00D to -12.00D (0.25 steps, 0.50D steps above -6.00D). For more information, click here.

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Barr Receives Schapero Memorial Award

Joseph Barr, OD, MS, FAAO, Vice President, Global Clinical & Medical Affairs and Professional Services, Vision Care, at Bausch + Lomb received the American Academy of Optometry's 2010 Max Schapero Memorial Award at its 88th annual meeting in San Francisco, CA. The award is presented annually to a clinician, researcher or scholar who has made a significant contribution to the cornea and contact lens field by virtue of his/her publications, lectures or research efforts.

Dr. Barr joined B+L in 2007. Prior to joining B+L, Dr. Barr served as Associate Dean for Professional Program and Clinical Services and EF Wildermuth Professor of Optometry at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. He also served as a former editor of Contact Lens Spectrum and the Contact Lens Today weekly newsletter.

Virtual Vision Expo 2010 Debuts

Virtual Vision Expo, an online brand extension of the International Vision Expo & Conference physical trade shows, made its debut last week. In addition to the 25 exhibitor booths and six continuing education sessions, the event featured a virtual lounge for one-to-one chats and peer-to-peer networking and a resource center where attendees can view and download product information, presentations, white papers and e-brochures to a virtual brief case.

All Virtual Vision Expo attendees had a chance to win a trip to New York City in March 2011 to attend International Vision Expo & Conference. Katherine Ly, OD, of Kent Mill Optical, Silver Spring, MD won the trip which includes two night hotel stay and air fare.

Virtual Vision Expo will continue to be available for on-demand viewing until May 1, 2011 and ECPs can view exhibitors and complete the online continuing education and receive the respective accreditation. For more information about Virtual Vision Expo, please visit www.visionexpo.com.

PBA Elects Three New Members to Board

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) announced that Sandra S. Block, OD, Medical Director of School Based Services and Director of School Based Research at the Illinois College of Optometry, Tracy L. Dieterich, Senior Vice President of Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc. and Michael R. Pender, CPA, Partner at Cavanaugh & Co. LLP, were elected to the Prevent Blindness America Board of Directors.

At the Illinois College of Optometry, Dr. Block has been on the faculty since 1982. Her interests lie in primary eye care for children and persons with disabilities, as well as the process of diagnosis and treatment of visually-related learning problems. She has been a member of both the Public Health and the Scientific Committee and contributed heavily to the children's vision screening protocols for PBA.

Global Specialty Lens Symposium, January 27-30, 2011, Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

Plan now to attend the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in January 2011. With an expert international faculty and a CE-accredited agenda, the 2011 GSLS will include insightful presentations by experts in the field, hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge products as well as scientific papers and posters. Look for more detailed information in future issues of Contact Lens Spectrum and online at www.GSLSymposium.com.
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AOF and B+L Award Ezell Fellowships

Bausch + Lomb (B+L) and the American Optometric Foundation (AOF) announced the 2010 recipients of the William C. Ezell Fellowships. Recipients are chosen based on excellence in scholarship, research and teaching. In addition to the fellowships, awarded at $8,000 for one year, each Ezell Fellow receives a $750 travel grant to attend the annual meetings of the American Academy of Optometry and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

The recipients of the 2010 Bausch + Lomb Ezell Fellowships are: Kristine Dalton, OD, MSc, MCOptom, Aston University, Birmingham, UK, OTG Research & Consultancy, London, UK, who is studying vision strategy in sports; and Vidhyapriya Sreenivasan, BS Optom, MSc, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, Canada, who is investigating ocular motor adaptation to lenses and prisms in myopic and emmetropic children.

I often hear practitioners and researchers alike say that we need more research on a given topic. While this is often true, it is important to point out that conducting research most often has direct costs associated with it. Depending on the nature of the research, these costs may include support for personnel to oversee and conduct the study, supply costs, clinical costs, laboratory costs, patient costs, statistical and data management costs—just to list a few. So, how is research funded? We'll touch on that in next week's edition.

This is by far the simplest of any tip I have ever sent CL Today, but seems to come up all the time.

When I ask my monovision or modified monovision patients which lens they insert first, they invariably say "right." This is the way they were taught to generally to keep lenses from being mixed up. I recommend putting the near lens in first. It enables very easy insertion of the second lens. Most patients try it and like it, saying "why didn't I think of that myself!" This is especially helpful for the many hyperopic patients in that population.

Mark Greenwell, OD
Papillion, NE

Compliance with Soft Contact Lens Replacement Schedules and Associated Contact Lens-Related Ocular Complications: The UCLA Contact Lens Study

Failure to comply with the manufacturers' recommended replacement frequency (MRRF) is expected to result in ocular complications. The goal of this study was to evaluate the empirical relationship between compliance with MRRF and the presence of ocular complications.

All soft contact lens-wearing patients who presented at either of two clinics were evaluated prospectively for contact lens-related complications and for compliance with MRRF.

Compliance with MRRF varies significantly across replacement modality (P < 0.01) and lens solution type (P = 0.04). Among noncompliant patients, average days of overwear beyond MRRF significantly varies across age group (P = 0.02), lens material type (P = 0.01), and lens solution type (P = 0.02). Regression analysis controlling for demographic

Yeung KK, Forister JF, Forister EF, Chung MY, Han S, Weissman BA. Compliance with soft contact lens replacement schedules and associated contact lens-related ocular complications: The UCLA Contact Lens Study. Optometry 2010;81:598-607.