contact lens care

Product Line Returns to Market, New Timer May Aid Compliance

BY MICHAEL A. WARD, MMSC, FAAO

The Lens Plus brand of contact lens care products was originally manufactured and distributed by Allergan, Inc. Advanced Medical Optics acquired the Lens Plus line when it spun off from Allergan in 2001. In late 2006, Inyx Group purchased the Lens Plus brands from AMO. Lens Plus products are now being manufactured and distributed by Exaeris, Inc., Inyx's sales and marketing division.

Figure 1. The Lens Plus family of products has returned to the lens care market.

The Lens Plus brands include Lens Plus Saline, Lens Plus Rewetting Drops, Lens Plus Daily Cleaner and Pro-Free Tablets (Figure 1). The 12oz aerosol saline is currently available in retail stores and online at www.cvs.com and www.walgreens.com. The company plans to release a 3oz saline later this year and expects to relaunch the balance of the product line in 2007. Other store brands of aerosol saline are also available. The company's website is www.Exaeris.com.

Lens Replacement Compliance Tool Introduced

At the Contact Lens Society of America's annual meeting in April, WatchDog Group LC introduced LensAlert, a new patient compliance tool. It's a timer built into a lens carrying case to remind patients to replace their lenses and storage cases at prescribed intervals. Patients set a timer to the number of days until their lenses and/or storage case should be replaced. The device counts down the days until an alarm reminds the user that it's time for a replacement.

Patients can use LensAlert with their current lens case (Figure 2), or they can purchase a compliance pack of a dozen multicolored cases and a timer (Figure 3). More information is available at the company's Web site at www.LensAlert.com.

Figure 2. Patients can use this version of LensAlert with their own cases.

I'm always looking for ways to encourage better compliance with contact lens care. I believe this product may help patients replace their lenses and cases when they should. CLS

Michael Ward has no financial interest in any of the products mentioned.

Figure 3. LensAlert is also available in a pack of 12 colored cases with a timer.

Mr. Ward is an instructor in ophthalmology at Emory University School of Medicine and Director, Emory Contact Lens Service.