CONTACT LENSES TODAY
December 25, 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.
Oasys Gets Extended-wear Approval
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vistakon’s Acuvue Oasys contact lenses for up to six days and seven nights of
extended-wear. Oasys is the company’s third addition to its Ultra Comfort Series family of lenses. They were previously approved for daily-wear. Discomfort due to
dryness is a problem for 67% of contact lens wearers. In clinical studies, patients who wore the lens noted that their eyes did not feel dry, even in challenging
environments. And, 75% of patients reported that they did not need rewetting drops while wearing the lenses.
Alcon Appeals Ruling in Patent Infringement Case
A federal judge in Delaware ruled in favor of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) Inc. in its patent infringement case against Alcon Inc.
AMO claims Alcon infringed on its U.S. patent nos. 5,700,240 and 6,059,765, challenging features of Alcon’s Infiniti vision system, as well as the Advantec and
Everest software upgrades to its Legacy cataract system. While the court granted AMO’s request for an injunction, it also granted Alcon’s motion to stay the injunction
pending the outcome of the appeal. This means that Alcon will be allowed to continue the sale and distribution of Infiniti vision systems. However, the company will
also be required to record a charge of $219.9 million in the fourth quarter related to reflect the payment of damages.
Allergan Seeks to Halt Generic Acular
Allergan Inc. has filed a motion requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prohibit the sale of a proposed
generic version of the company’s drug, Acular (ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic) 0.5%, while the court conducts further proceeding in a patent infringement case.
Allergan and Syntex filed the original complaint against Apotex Inc., Apotex Corp. and Novex Pharma Inc. The District Court in San Francisco initially barred the sale
of the generic. Upon appeal, however, the Federal Circuit court vacated the District Court’s permanent injunction and instructed Allergan and Syntex to request a
preliminary injunction from the District Court. Allergan filed such a motion on December 16th.
VISTAKON® has begun airing national TV advertising in support of their exciting new contact lens, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact
Lenses for ASTIGMATISM, and to help increase patient visits.
One advertisement — titled “Twins” — targets a younger audience and is geared towards first time contact lens wearers with astigmatism. The
other — “A Day in the Life” — was created to appeal to a broader, more mature audience, including current toric wearers and dropouts. The commercials are to air on
stations such as FOX, WB, MTV, and USA. Tune in!
--ADVERTISING
Abstract:
Flat Versus Steep Fitting Methods for Keratoconus
Researchers in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study compared the safety and efficacy of flat- and
steep-fitting rigid contact lenses in keratoconus patients. Of the 761 rigid contact lens patients, 41% had a scar at baseline, compared with 24% of the non-rigid
lens wearers. Flat-fitting lenses were fit on 87% of patients; 13% were fit with steep-fitting lenses. Scarring occurred in 43% of patients fit with flat-fitting lenses,
versus 26% of the steep-fitted eyes. After eight years of follow-up, 32% of eyes that were unscarred at baseline and wearing flat-fitted lenses had developed an incident
corneal scar, compared with 14% of eyes fitted steep. The researchers conclude that keratoconic eyes fit with a rigid lens (after controlling for disease severity in the
form of corneal curvature) resulting in apical touch pattern did not have an increased risk of central scarring at baseline. They note that this “natural history” sample
cannot determine causal proof that one method of fitting is safer than the other. They recommend a randomized clinical trial to determine this.
Zadnik K, Barr JT,
Steger-May K, et al. Comparison of Flat and Steep Rigid Contact Lens Fitting Methods in Keratoconus. Optom Vis Sci. 2005 Dec;82(12):1014-1021.
Editor's Commentary:
Thanks for The Opportunities
It's the time of year to reflect and, more importantly, to look ahead. I have been given so many great opportunities this year thanks to my
mentors, my colleagues and my students. My family is growing, and for that I am most thankful.
I'm also thankful and hopeful for all the new products and methods
introduced this year to help our contact lens and cornea patients. Look back at the CLToday archives on our web site. Read this issue, then look at the new developments
projected to come in 2006, you too will be hopeful.
All the best to all of you and yours in this holiday season and for the New Year!
Fitting Tip:
Allergy or Dry Eye?
In my last 15 years of practice, I've noticed a very common problem. Many of my high-myopes come back to me for a refit of only their left
contact lens. It was by chance that I discovered the reason. When a patient removes the right lens, the left lens in still in place. When they remove the left lens, they
do not put on spectacles before cleaning and placing the lens back in its case. The lens gets tangled between the lens case and the lid, resulting in damage to the
lens.
I now tell all my moderate- to high-myopes to wear their spectacles when handling their lenses, which they may remove later. Most of the patients still come
to me for refitting their left lenses, but they don't cry as much. Now they know it's their fault.
Bhupesh Nagpaul
New Delhi, India
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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