CONTACT LENSES TODAY
December 4, 2005
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.
FDA Approves SynergEyes Keratoconus Lens
SynergEyes Inc. has received FDA approval for its SynergEyes
KC hybrid lens for keratoconus on November 30, with plans to introduce the
lens in 2006. The company has also expanded production capacity for its SynergEyes A lens, due to exceptional demand. The SynergEyes A lens is designed to correct ametropia
from -20.00D to +20.00D with up to -6.00D of astigmatism.
B&L Adds Claim to ReNu, Enters Angiogenesis Agreements
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared labeling that includes a specific indication for
use of RenNu with
silicone hydrogel contact lenses. An additional claim that the product conditions lenses, in support of its original sustained comfort labeling claim, was also
approved.
In other news from the company, B&L has signed an agreement for an exclusive worldwide license from Cephalon Inc. to develop, market and sell ophthalmic
products containing compounds that inhibit angiogenesis. The company will evaluate the potential of small-molecule angiogenesis inhibitors for the treatment of a variety
of blinding conditions that result from the abnormal growth of blood vessels within the eye, including wet AMD. In addition, B&L has an exclusive option agreement to
license selected angiogenesis compounds as developmental candidates from PTC Therapeutics Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company.
BCLA at AAO
At this year’s American Academy of Optometry meeting, the British Contact Lens Association’s
(BCLA) Presidential Address will be delivered at a
special BCLA-hosted evening. Dr. James Wolffsohn will deliver his lecture, “Vision of the Future Contact Lens and Anterior Eye Practice,” in the Coronado Room of the San
Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina on Friday, December 9, from 7-8pm. All delegates are welcome to attend and cocktails will be served beforehand, starting at 6:30pm.
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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Vision CRC Launches CL Safety Campaign
The Vision Co-operation Research Center in Sydney, Australia, has launched a campaign emphasizing safe contact lens handling. “Take
Care with Contacts,” is based on the findings of the Australian and New Zealand Microbial Keratitis study presented at this year’s BCLA meeting. Results showed that
daily disposable lenses have the lowest risk of infection and that overnight wear carries a higher risk. Patients who develop infections are more likely than most to
have poor hygiene. The study also showed those who bought lenses over the Internet were at a higher risk of infection, regardless of lens type
Caring for Contact Lenses Over the Holidays
A recent survey by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the number of people who travel
long-distances grows as much as 23% over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. In a study of more than 2,000 current and former contact lens wearers conducted
by an independent research firm on behalf of Acuvue Oasys brand contact lenses, more than half cited travel as the situation that most often triggers discomfort
while wearing their lenses. Vistakon says Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear is a breakthrough for contact lenses wearers when their eyes feel tired and dry in these,
and other challenging environments.
Abstract:
Contact Lens Management of Aniseikonia
The Department of Ophthalmology at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis reports a case of contact lenses relieving
aniseikonia and photophobia as a result of trauma. A 61-year-old man suffered a blunt injury to his left eye, resulting in glaucoma and a traumatic cataract with a
fixed pupil and iris defects. A vitrectomy, lensectomy and iris repair left him with significant anisometropia. The patient was fit with a prosthetic contact lens,
which provided significant visual improvement.
Migneco MK. Contact lens management of aniseikonia and photophobia induced by trauma. Eye Contact Lens. 2005
Nov;31(6):252-3.
Editor's Commentary:
Rubbing
Many of us were not fond of the trend toward putting the no-rub label on multipurpose solutions. This has never been more obvious. It’s
clear from so many reports that rubbing contact lenses prior to rinsing and storage is especially important with silicone hydrogel lenses. Sure, there are probably
differences from lens to lens, and from patient to patient. Some practitioners say to rub lenses for up to a minute. I think a few seconds is probably fine.
Nevertheless, it’s time to keep careful cleaning a high priority.
Fitting Tip:
Tip for Opening Soft CLs
I read the recent tip about using the knuckle as a surface on which to practice the insertion technique for soft contact lenses. For
patients with very long fingernails, I often suggest using the knuckle of the first finger to remove a soft contact lens from the blister pack, or from the contact
lens case. This prevents the patients from using their nails to drag the lens out, or pinching the lens out of the case, which results in fewer incidences of tearing the
contacts.
Tammie Hicks, O.D.
Houston
Best of the Month
Dr. Rick Barganier of College Station, Texas, submitted the “Best Fitting Tip of the Month” for November. His “An Ounce of Prevention” tip
can be seen in the November 13th, 2005 edition of CLToday.
Mark Your Calendar for CLES — Contact Lens & Eyecare Symposium
January 11-15, 2006
• Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
Five days of cutting edge programming for all three Os, focused on
advancing the contact lens and eyecare practice. http://www.cles.info.
--ADVERTISING
This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org, read part two of our BCLA synopsis and learn more about toric silicone
hydrogels, including guidelines for comparing the performance of different toric silicone hydrogels, a comparison of corneal swelling with toric and spherical silicone
hydrogels, and one patient‚s experiences switching to these 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 and issue
archives. Visit Contact Lenses Today for our Best Fitting Tips.
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