CONTACT LENSES TODAY

December 23, 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.

New Base Curve in Acuvue Oasys Available in 2008
Vistakon announced that beginning on January 2, 2008, Acuvue Oasys brand contact lenses will be available with an 8.8 mm base curve. The power ranges for the 8.8 mm base curve will be the same as with Acuvue Oasys 8.4 mm: -12.00 to +8.00 for both diagnostic and prescription lenses.
“Doctors have told us that a second base curve for Acuvue Oasys would add value to their practice,” says Sheila Hickson-Curran, Director, Medical Affairs, Vistakon. Acuvue Oasys is indicated for daily wear vision correction and may also be worn for up to 6 consecutive nights/7 days of extended wear as recommended by an eye care professional. It is also indicated for therapeutic use as a bandage lens for certain acute and chronic ocular conditions Acuvue Oasys can be worn continuously for up to 6 nights and 7 days when used as a therapeutic lens.

FTC Issues Small Fines for Unlawful Contact Lens Sales
Two marketers of non-corrective, cosmetic contact lenses have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that they violated federal law by selling lenses without prescriptions.
Under the proposed settlements, the defendants, BeWild, Inc. and its president and Pretty Eyes, LLC and its owner, are prohibited from selling contact lenses without obtaining prescriptions or verifying the prescriptions directly from the prescribers, from failing to maintain records of prescriptions and verifications, and from violating the Contact Lens Rule. BeWild was also prohibited from misrepresenting that contact lenses may be obtained without a prescription. Civil penalties of $11,000 for BeWild and $25,000 for Pretty Eyes were also ordered, the latter waived except for $2,500, based on the company’s financial condition. These consent decrees do not constitute an admission of guilt and are subject to court approval.

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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OGS Commits to Projects That Will Provide Eye Care to Five Million People
Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) has committed to raising funds for projects that will provide eye care services for at least five million people over the next three years and train 700 new eyecare professionals who will provide long term, affordable services in 102 new vision centers and optical workshops in South Africa, East Africa and Sri Lanka.
     A donation of just $25 per month could help a child like 11 year old Sphephelo Nxele from Durban in South Africa, who was refracted for the first time in August by local eye care staff as part of the “Giving Sight to Africa” project funded in part by Optometry Giving Sight. This project aims to ensure that long term sustainable eye care services are developed for the entire district health system in South Africa – providing service delivery for the 80% of the population whose needs are not currently being met by the private health system.
     This means that by 2009, more than two million children and 1.4 million adults in this country alone will have received an eye examination and glasses, referrals or low vision services thanks to the financial support of optometrists.
     To make a donation and for more information, visit www.givingsight.org or call 1-888-OGS-GIVE

Global Keratoconus Congress 2007 – Early Registration Discount Deadline
Don’t forget to register for the second Global Keratoconus Congress at the discounted rate! The early registration discount deadline is January 4! This educational event will be held January 25-27, 2008 at Bally’s in Las Vegas. 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 and information for making your hotel reservations.
Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Heather Seasholtz at 215-643-8073.
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Abstract: Bacterial Adhesion to Conventional Hydrogel and Silicone-Hydrogel Contact Lens Materials
As bacterial adhesion to contact lenses may contribute to the pathogenesis of keratitis, the aim of this study from French researchers was to investigate in vitro adhesion of clinically relevant bacteria to conventional hydrogel (standard HEMA) and silicone-hydrogel contact lenses using a bioluminescent ATP assay.
Four types of unworn contact lenses (Etafilcon A, Galyfilcon A, Balafilcon A, Lotrafilcon B) were incubated with Staphylococcus epidermidis (two different strains) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa suspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Lenses were placed with the posterior surface facing up and were incubated in the bacterial suspension for four hours at 37 degrees C. Bacterial binding was then measured and studied by bioluminescent ATP assay. Six replicate experiments were performed for each lens and strain.
Adhesion of all species of bacteria to standard HEMA contact lenses (Etafilcon A) was found to be significantly lower than that of three types of silicone-hydrogel contact lenses, whereas Lotrafilcon B material showed the highest level of bacterial binding. Differences between species in the overall level of adhesion to the different types of contact lenses were observed. Adhesion of P. aeruginosa was typically at least 20 times greater than that observed with both S. epidermidis strains.
Researchers concluded that conventional hydrogel contact lenses exhibit significantly lower bacterial adhesion in vitro than silicone-hydrogel ones. This could be due to the greater hydrophobicity but also to the higher oxygen transmissibility of silicone-hydrogel lenses.
Kodjikian L, Casoli-Bergeron E, Malet F, Janin-Manificat H, Freney J, Burillon C, Colin J, Steghens JP. Bacterial adhesion to conventional hydrogel and new silicone-hydrogel contact lens materials. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2007 Nov 7; [Epub ahead of print]

We guarantee that 85% of every dollar donated by optometrists, their staff and patients goes toward sustainable, uncorrected refractive error projects.
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Editor's Commentary: New for 2008
I would like to extend a joyous holiday greeting from the staff of Contact Lens Spectrum and Contact Lenses Today. Many thanks to our readers who have contributed questions, tips and commentary to Contact Lenses Today and to all of our current and past columnists and our many feature authors for their dedication to Contact Lens Spectrum.
You can expect three new departments in Contact Lens Spectrum beginning this January. Dr. Vishakha Thakrar will write on Cultivating Compliance. Dr. Clarke Newman will bring great insight in Coding Strategies. Dr. Jeff Walline and Dr. Marjorie Rah will co-author Pediatric and Teen CL Care. I'd like to introduce several other new columnists starting with Dr. Brad Giedd who will write for GP Insights. Dr. Neil Pence and Dr. Joe Benjamin will both contribute to Contact Lens Materials. Dr. Ann Laurenzi will co-author our Dry Eye Dx and Tx department. Additionally, Contact Lens Spectrum is pleased to have Dr. Bill Townsend contributing to its new Online Photo Diagnosis.
Here's to an innovative and prosperous 2008!
Carla Mack, O.D., F.A.A.O.

This month at http://www.siliconehydrogels.org consider whether silicone hydrogels require one or more unique FDA class(es); review the case of a pediatric patient successfully fit with silicone hydrogels after a diagnosis of unilateral congenital cataract; read about a study designed to determine the quantity and identity of protein deposited on silicone hydrogel lenses; and review the latest silicone hydrogel research in part two of our synopsis of the 2007 BCLA meeting.

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

Send your favorite tips to tips@cltoday.com. Your tip may be selected as best of the month. See http://www.CLToday.com for details. Please include your full name, degree or title and city/state/country.

For more information on Contact Lenses Today including archives of previous issues or to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit our website at www.cltoday.com.
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