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What's New in Contact Lenses
and Solutions

For more news, please see Contact Lens Headlines.

Certain Lots of Avaira Toric Contact Lenses Recalled

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 2011 — Because of silicone oil residue found on lenses in certain lots of Avaira Toric contact lenses, the FDA has issued a Class 1 recall on those lots.

Some wearers of these lenses have experienced hazy, blurry vision and discomfort from eye injury. In August the manufacturer, CooperVision, sent a recall notice to its U.S. and Canadian distributors, as well as to health care practitioners. The company also issued a press release about it. Since the beginning of the recall, CooperVision has received some additional reports of severe eye pain.

The recalled lenses were manufactured from November 1 of last year through August 3 of this year.

The company's website explains the recall and allows consumers to check whether the lenses they have purchased are affected. If you wear Avaira Toric, you will need the lot number that appears on your product package or blister pack in order to check the status of your lenses. If your lenses are included in the recall, you should return them to the seller.

Only a small percentage of Avaira Toric lenses are included in the recall, but the FDA has advised that if you have any symptoms while wearing your lenses, you should stop wearing them and contact your eye care practitioner for advice.

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Duette Multifocal Now Widely Available for People With Presbyopia

CARLSBAD, Calif., August 2011 — A nationwide rollout of the Duette Multifocal hybrid contact lens began this month. This is a multifocal lens that has a gas permeable center for crisp optics and a soft, silicone hydrogel skirt for comfort on the eyes.

Made by SynergEyes, the Duette Multifocal has a simultaneous vision design. The idea is to provide true binocular vision at all distances, with progressive vision correction that the company says resembles that of progressive eyeglasses.

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Best Way To Clean Contacts Is the "Rub and Rinse"
Method, Says Study

SYDNEY, Australia, August 2011 — If you use a "no-rub" multipurpose disinfection solution to clean your contact lenses and you're not rubbing the lenses, you may be leaving germs behind.

A study of popular multipurpose disinfection solutions revealed that, regardless of lens type, manually rubbing the lenses under a steady stream of fresh solution for several seconds, then storage in fresh solution, killed the most bacteria, fungi and Acanthamoeba microorganisms. Just rinsing without rubbing didn't work as well. And just removing the lenses and putting them in fresh solution without rinsing was the least effective method in the study.

Microorganisms do adhere to lenses, and the only sure way to remove most or all of them is to rub the lenses, especially when the contacts are made of a silicone hydrogel material.

A report on the study appeared in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science.

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Lenstoss iPhone App Helps Contact Lens Wearers Stick to Their Lens Replacement Schedule

NORMAN, Okla., May 2011 — We contact lens wearers have all done it at least once: worn our disposable lenses for longer than our eye doctor prescribed.

Why? Because we just plain forgot what day we were supposed to throw them out.

But we pay a price for our forgetfulness, with red, itchy, dry eyes and blurry vision from all the proteins and other debris our lenses will inevitably collect over time, no matter how well we clean them.

In fact, overwearing lenses can result in a nasty eye infection or even scarring on the eye's surface.

Lenstoss, an app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, gives you all kinds of power to overcome your forgetfulness. Lenstoss was developed by an optometrist, Troy Flax, OD who, during two decades of eye care practice, has seen it all and knows what we contact lens wearers need to keep our eyes healthy.

Here's what Dr. Flax designed Lenstoss to do:

• Tell you that it's time to replace your contacts one, two, and/or three days ahead, as well as on the replacement day itself.
• Remind you the day after, too.
• Show how long you've been wearing your current pair of lenses.
• Click through to your lens manufacturer's website to see their current coupons and rebate offers.
• Email your eye doctor that it's time for you to re-order.
• Remind you that it's time for an eye exam.
• Show you links to sunglass and contact lens solutions websites.
• Show you links to other money-saving eye-related coupons.

Please click here to learn more about Lenstoss. And click here to learn about MemorEYES, another vision-related app by Dr. Flax that lets you play a training game to increase your reading speed, comprehension and memory.

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Tissue-Wiping Your Contact Lens Case May Keep
More Bacteria Off Your Lenses

SYDNEY, Australia, May 2011 — If you're a contact lens wearer, you probably know there's more you could be doing to clean your contacts to avoid an eye infection. But have you considered wiping the storage case with a tissue after removing the lenses?

Scientists at Brien Holden Vision Institute checked the effectiveness of four different contact lens cleaning regimens against bacteria biofilm formations on unused contact lens cases. The tests used two different multipurpose disinfecting solutions or distilled water.

The four regimens were:

• Rinse and air-dry
• Rub, rinse and air-dry
• Tissue-wipe and air-dry
• Rub, rinse, tissue-wipe and air-dry

The "rub, rinse, tissue-wipe and air-dry" method removed the most bacteria from the cases. Also, more bacteria were removed from cases without ridges inside than from cases with ridges.

A report of the study appeared online in April in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.

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Acuvue 1-Day Contest Gives Charice Fans a Chance
To Be Featured in "One Day" Music Video

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 2011 — Three lucky people will be featured in the music video for "Glee" star Charice's single "One Day," through a contest sponsored by Acuvue.

The grand prizes also include a trip for two to Los Angeles and $500 spending money.

Fifty first-prize winners will have their contest submission photos included in the video, and 35 daily prize winners will receive packages that include a six-month supply of 1-Day Acuvue Moist Brand Contact Lenses and a $50 iTunes gift card.

To enter, just visit Acuvue's Facebook page, click on the contest tab and submit your picture and a one-sentence caption. The sentence should describe what you hope to do "one day." You have until May 23, 2011 to enter.

You can also view other people's entries, vote for your favorites and download a free copy of Charice's "One Day" single, while supplies last.

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Automatic Reminders Really Do Help Contact Lens Wearers
Replace Their Lenses on Time

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., February 2011 — In a survey, 95 percent of 700 users of the Acuminder service said the reminder tool helped them remember to change their lenses, and 66 percent said it has improved their contact lens replacement.

Acuminder is a free online tool that Vistakon, maker of Acuvue contact lenses, launched in 2007. Any contact lens wearer — even those who don't wear Acuvue lenses — can use it to set up reminders for changing contact lenses, ordering new ones and scheduling regular eye exams. The reminders can be in the form of emails or text messages.

Another interesting survey finding is that before enrolling in Acuminder, only 40 percent of those wearing two-week lenses said they changed their lenses at or less than 14 days. In fact, the average wear time in the two-week group was 19.9 days.

But since using the reminder, 76 percent said they now change their lenses at or less than 14 days. The average wear time dropped to 14.7 days.

Adherence to a proper schedule of lens replacement and eye exams is very important for contact lens wear, to reduce the potential for discomfort, eye infections and other problems.

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Duette Hybrid Contact Lenses Now Available Nationwide

CARLSBAD, Calif., January 2011 — Duette toric lenses for astigmatism are now available across the United States, after a limited launch a few months ago by manufacturer SynergEyes. (See September 2010 announcement.)

These lenses contain MaxVu rigid gas permeable material in the central area, for crisp visual acuity; the material also contains a UV light blocker. A soft Flex2O silicone hydrogel skirt surrounds the gas permeable material, for comfort and ease of insertion and removal.

Duette is rotationally symmetric and corrects astigmatism without inconsistent axis shifting problems of some other toric lenses.

Duette fits a great variety of people, as it is currently available in powers of +4.00 to -12.00 diopters, in five base curves and three skirt curves. It will also correct up to 6.00 diopters of astigmatism.

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PureVision 2 Contact Lenses With High Definition Optics Now Available

ROCHESTER, N.Y., December 2010 — A new silicone hydrogel contact lens from Bausch + Lomb is designed to combat spherical aberrations. These are optical effects resulting in blurry vision, glare and halos, especially in low-light conditions such as when driving at night.

PureVision 2 is one of the thinnest contact lenses available, according to the company. This, along with its silicone hydrogel material, contributes to oxygen transmissibility and comfort.

B+L also reports the lenses are exceptionally easy to handle and are packaged in a unique solution that provides great comfort when applied to the eye.

When designing PureVision 2 with High Definition Optics, the company used information from a survey it conducted among 3,800 vision-corrected patients from seven countries.

Of the contact lens wearers who reported seeing glare or halos, almost 90 percent expressed interest in a solution for these problems, and fewer than 10 percent said they already had a complete solution for them.

Low-light vision problems and a lack of contrast sensitivity are problems especially for nighttime drivers, students in classrooms and athletes.

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RevitaLens Ocutec Solution for Silicone Hydrogel and Other Soft Contacts

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., December 2010 — RevitaLens Ocutec is a new multi-purpose disinfecting solution for both silicone hydrogel and regular soft contact lenses.

With a single bottle you can rinse, clean, disinfect and store your lenses.

According to manufacturer Abbott Laboratories, the new solution kills microorganisms at a high rate, kills Acanthamoeba parasites and Fusarium fungus and removes proteins from the lens surface. It also reduces corneal staining, which is tiny abrasions on the eye caused by dirt and debris buildup on contact lenses.

The overall result is reduced risk of eye complications for contact lens wearers, such as redness and eye infections.

You'll find RevitaLens Ocutec at most U.S. retailers who carry contact lens solutions, including drugstores and grocery stores. Ask your eye doctor if it's the right solution for your particular type of contact lenses.

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Contact Lens Wearers' Bad Habits Revealed

ST. LOUIS, November 2010 — Do you wear daily disposables? If so, do you replace them every day, or do you wear them longer?

Most of the respondents in the American Optometric Association's (AOA) 2010 American Eye-Q survey said they wear them longer, with only about a quarter saying they replace them every day.

This is a problem, says the AOA, because wearing disposable lenses longer than recommended can increase the amount of deposits and bacteria on the lenses. This can end up damaging the cornea.

The survey revealed other bad habits of some contact lens wearers:

• Almost a quarter of the respondents said they soak or clean lenses in water. Unfortunately, water actually contaminates lenses, because it contains microorganisms that are harmful to the eyes. Here's more about why you should never use water as a contact lens solution.
• Twelve percent of the respondents said they store their contacts in something other than a contact lens case. Again, this allows bacteria to grow on the lenses and leads to eye infections.
• A quarter of the respondents said they wear contact lenses while sleeping. If your eye doctor says your lenses are not appropriate to sleep in, then you'll likely experience eye dryness and infections if you sleep in them anyway.

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Acuvue Advance Plus Contacts Debut

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., October 2010 — Just launched: Acuvue Advance Plus, a redesigned and enhanced successor to Acuvue Advance contact lenses.

The new contact lens uses Ultra-Clean Technology, which the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, says helps resist deposits, to keep the lens surface clean and smooth-feeling to wearers. It also includes Hydraclear, a wetting agent that provides a soft, moist feel on the eye.

The company adds that the lens's two-week modality offers more freshness but at a price comparable to that of a monthly modality.

Acuvue Advance Plus lenses come six to a box and are available in 24-pack value packaging for those who wish to purchase an annual supply.

Acuvue Advance Plus will gradually replace Acuvue Advance.

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Are Contact Lenses for Children a Good Idea?
Studies Reveal Attitudes of Both Kids and Optometrists

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., October 2010 — A three-year study of self-perception of 484 nearsighted children ages 8 to 11 found that contact lenses improved vision-related quality of life, compared with glasses. And the effect increased after age 10.

Appearance, athletics and satisfaction with vision correction were the areas most positively affected by contact lens wear. The children also reported improved quality of life regarding handling contact lenses.

Although eyeglasses may seem easier to manage, daily disposable contact lenses posed fewer problems in terms of broken or lost eyewear. In fact, children in the study who wore contact lenses chose daily disposables 93.3 percent of the time, over two-week disposables.

In a recent American Optometric Association (AOA) study, more than half of the 576 optometrists surveyed said it was appropriate to introduce a child to soft contact lenses between ages 10 and 12, and the type of lens they prescribed most frequently for this age group was daily disposable contacts. They also reported that children up to age 17 accounted for about 41 percent of their total contact lens patient population.

At ages 8-9 (51 percent) and 10-12 (71 percent), optometrists tended to fit children in glasses as the primary method of vision correction, with contact lenses as a secondary correction. But as children grew older, the eye doctors tended to fit them in contact lenses as the main type of vision correction (ages 13-14, 49 percent; ages 15-17, 66 percent).

For the optometrists, the most important factors in deciding to prescribe contact lenses were the child's interest/motivation, maturity level, ability to take care of the lenses himself and personal hygiene habits.

Most of the optometrists said gender did not play a role in contact lens prescribing, but 26 percent said that among younger children they were more likely to fit girls than boys. They tended to prescribe daily disposable contacts for kids 12 and under, but reusable ones for older kids.

Here are the top reasons that parents have given the surveyed optometrists for requesting contacts for their children:

• The child refuses to wear his glasses (39 percent).
• The child's current vision correction interferes with sports (36 percent).
• The current vision correction interferes with daily activities (16 percent).

The quality-of-life study was supported by funding from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and The Vision Care Institute, a Johnson & Johnson company, and reported in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science.

The optometrist survey was conducted by the AOA Research and Information Center in conjunction with the Sports Vision Section and Contact Lens and Cornea Sections of AOA, with support from Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.

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New SynergEyes Hybrid Contacts Include Highly Oxygen-Permeable Silicone Hydrogel Material

CARLSBAD, Calif., September 2010 — The FDA has approved the new silicone hydrogel hybrid lens technology used in new contact lenses by SynergEyes.

The new lenses feature the company's MaxVu rigid gas permeable material in the center, for crisp visual acuity. Surrounding that is the soft Flex2O silicone hydrogel material, for comfort and ease of insertion and removal.

The Duette toric lens for astigmatism is already available on a limited basis. By early 2011 the toric lens will be available nationwide, along with the Duette multifocal lens for presbyopia. Both are FDA-approved for nearsightedness or farsightedness of up to 20 diopters, as well as up to 6 diopters of astigmatism.

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Air-Drying Your Contact Lens Case Face-Down
May Help Prevent Contamination

ROCKVILLE, Md., September 2010 — After inserting your contact lenses and rinsing the case with disinfectant, do you let the case air-dry face-up or face-down?

Face-down seems to be better, says a recent study that checked microbial contamination in cases placed in four different locations: toilet, bathroom, office and bedroom. The cases were rinsed with sterile saline and placed on facial tissue paper.

Cases that dried face-up were significantly more contaminated than the face-down cases (71 percent vs. 12 percent). For the face-up cases, the humid environments (toilet and bathroom) produced more contamination than the non-humid environments (office and bedroom). But for the face-down cases, the contamination amounts were similar across environments.

By the way, 33 percent of all the contact lens cases were contaminated with multiple species of bacteria and/or fungi, not just one species.

The study report appeared in the July issue of the journal Optometry and Vision Science.

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1-Day Acuvue TruEye: the First Silicone Hydrogel
Daily Disposable Contact Lens in the U.S.

ORLANDO, July 2010 — A new contact lens made of narafilcon B, a silicone hydrogel material, has received FDA approval for sale in the United States.

1-Day Acuvue TruEye contact lenses are designed for daily disposable wear and combine the oxygen-permeable properties of silicone hydrogel with a moisture-rich wetting agent.

In an ongoing one-year study, the lenses after one month of wear had no significant effect on the eye's surface when compared with non-contact lens wearers in five of six measures related to eye health.

And study participants found the lenses comfortable from morning to night, comparable to wearing no lenses at all.

In addition to the advantages of daily disposability, the lenses also offer the highest level of UV protection available in a contact lens, blocking more than 96 percent of UV-A and 99 percent of UV-B rays. (Of course, this does not negate the need to wear sunglasses outdoors to protect the eye tissues not covered by the lenses.)

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SoftPerm Hybrid Contact Lenses Discontinued

DULUTH, Ga., July 2010 — CIBA Vision announced that the company has discontinued manufacturing its SoftPerm brand of hybrid contact lenses.

Hybrid contacts have a central optic zone of rigid gas permeable contact lens material and an outer zone of soft contact lens material.

CIBA Vision recommends that SoftPerm contact lens wearers switch to SynergEyes contact lenses. SynergEyes offers hybrid contacts including multifocals, as well as contacts for individuals with keratoconus.

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Contact Lens That Monitors Glucose Levels in Development

PITTSBURGH, June 2010 — PCCA Technologies is developing the technology for a glucose-sensing contact lens for people with diabetes. Unlike glucose strips that require blood samples, this medical device is a painless alternative for self-monitoring.

The contact lens contains a sensor placed discreetly below the iris and beneath the lower eyelid. The sensor continuously monitors the glucose levels in the tear fluid and turns color based on the level.

The contact lens wearer can determine his or her blood-glucose level by simply looking in a mirror to see the sensor color.

The device was developed by a three-man team from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

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British Columbia Lifts Prescription Requirement
for Online Purchases of Contact Lenses

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Canada, May 2010 — Effective this month, the British Columbia Ministry of Health Services does not require a prescription to buy contact lenses online. Consumers can also purchase eyeglasses online without a prescription.

The new regulation removes previous restrictions allowing only opticians, optometrists and their workers to dispense glasses and contacts in British Columbia. People who have prescriptions from doctors outside the province are now eligible to purchase contact lenses or glasses in British Columbia, as well.

The regulation requires eye doctors to give a copy of prescriptions, sight-test assessments or contact lens specifications to their patients and third-parties free of charge. To ensure proper fitting and online ordering, doctors and opticians must now include the measurement of the distance between a patient's pupils on his or her eyeglasses prescription.

The Ministry announced that the changed regulation is in response to the increased popularity of online purchasing. Health Minister Kevin Falcon stated, "It makes sense to modernize a decades-old system to give British Columbians more choice while maintaining public safety."

However, the British Columbian Association of Optometrists (BCAO) opposes the changes in the interest of the public's eye health. In addition to the possibility of errors in contact lens specifications on order forms going unnoticed, they argue that — because patients can purchase glasses and contacts without seeing an eye doctor — people will have fewer eye exams, and this increases the risk of eye diseases going undetected.

One example is glaucoma, a serious sight-threatening disease that has few or no obvious symptoms until vision loss actually begins. Eye doctors can detect glaucoma during an eye exam, however.

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Share Your Best Eye Care Tip and You May Win $5,000

DULUTH, Ga., March 2010 — CIBA Vision's Air Optix Aqua "Surprise Your Eyes" contest will award $5,000 to two grand-prize winners for best eye care tips.

Celebrity makeup artist Carmindy from the TLC show "What Not To Wear" will help judge the contest.

The goal of the contest is to emphasize the importance of eye health. A recent survey commissioned by CIBA Vision found that nearly half of women over 18 years old are not seeing their eye doctor annually.

Carmindy stated that a healthy eye care routine is part of a person's overall wellness, and eyes are a focal point to a person's image.

Contestants can upload a photo or video of their tip for healthy and beautiful eyes through the end of April.

Tips will be evaluated for creativity, originality and applicability to others.

The grand-prize winners will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a spa day with a friend. Six runners-up will receive $500 gift certificates to Sephora.

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New Multifocal Lenses for Presbyopia Progression

DULUTH, Ga., March 2010 — Newly introduced Air Optix Aqua Multifocal contact lenses by CIBA Vision are designed for all stages of presbyopia. With three levels of vision correction, the lenses offer crisp vision at distances near, far and in-between.

The levels provide a gradual increase in near vision correction as presbyopia progresses, making a smooth transition for emerging presbyopes. This means people can wear the contact lenses earlier and stay in them longer.

The lenses' Aqua Moisture System sustains lubrication for all-day comfort. Up to five times more oxygen than traditional soft multifocal contact lenses can pass through the lens, says the company.

Air Optix Aqua Multifocal lenses can be worn daily for up to four weeks or six nights of extended wear.

Recommended replacement schedules can vary by patient and should be determined by an eye doctor.

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UV-Blocking Contact Lenses Help Protect Eyes

ROCKVILLE, Md., February 2010 — A new study finds that UV-blocking contact lenses can reduce or eliminate the harmful effects to the cornea from the sun's UV rays. Extended exposure to UV light can lead to eye damage, including cataracts and macular degeneration.

The researchers examined UV-blocking and non-blocking silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The UV-absorbing contacts were made of a silicone hydrogel material called senofilcon A, which is used to produce Acuvue Oasys disposable contact lenses.

Only those wearing UV-absorbing contacts were not affected by UV exposure. The researchers suggested that eye doctors and patients consider UV-blocking contact lenses because sunglasses or hats may not provide adequate UV protection. Currently not all contact lenses offer UV protection.

The study was reported in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science in January.

[Editor's note: UV-blocking contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective eyewear such as UV-absorbing sunglasses or goggles because they do not completely cover the eye. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed by your eye care professional.]

What's New in Contact lenses continued...

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[Page updated October 18, 2011]