product spectrum

New Silicone Hydrogel Toric Option

CIBA Vision has introduced its Air Optix for Astigmatism, which has the highest oxygen transmissibility of any available soft toric lens, according to CIBA.

The Air Optix for Astigmatism Precision Balance 8 | 4 lens design features a wide optic zone to provide excellent visual acuity and ensures the lens fitting characteristics and axis orientation are consistent from patient to patient, according to the company. CIBA also says that 99 percent of Air Optix for Astigmatism lenses have acceptable or optimal fit at dispensing and stabilize on the eye in just 30 seconds. The lens features a constant contoured edge, and the thickest points of the lens are at the 8 o'clock and 4 o'clock positions, which CIBA says minimizes interaction with the lower lid for excellent comfort and stable vision.

CIBA VISION OFFERS ANOTHER SILICONE HYDROGEL OPTION FOR ASTIGMATS.

Air Optix for Astigmatism is manufactured in lotrafilcon B material with a reported Dk/t of 108 at –3.00D and a surface that features a permanent plasma treatment. Launch parameters include an 8.7mm base curve, 14.5mm diameter, sphere powers of plano to –6.00D in 0.25D steps and cylinder powers of –0.75D and –1.25D with around-the-clock axes in 10-degree steps. These parameters will be expanded in the near future to include high plus powers, high minus powers and additional cylinder powers. Scribe marks are located at 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock. The lenses are approved for daily wear and up to six nights extended wear with recommended monthly replacement. Call (800) 241-5999 or visit www.airoptix.com.

Two-Week Silicone Hydrogel Launches

This month CooperVision introduced Avaira, a two-week replacement silicone hydrogel spherical contact lens manufactured with the company's patented Aquaform technology. CooperVision says that Avaira lenses offer premium performance in a naturally wettable, low modulus material designed to provide a high level of wearing comfort.

Avaira stays moist without surface treatments, additives or wetting agents, aiding in comfort and minimizing deposits, according to the manufacturer. CooperVision also says that Avaira's modulus of 0.5MPa offers a material that is 30 percent softer than comparable two-week silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Avaira is manufactured in enfilcon A (46 percent water) with a reported Dk of 100 and Dk/t of 125. It features a UV blocker as well as an aberration-neutralizing system, which uses aspheric optics that enhance vision by minimizing spherical aberrations inherent in both the lens and the human eye, according to CooperVision. The lens utilizes an optimized back surface and rounded edge design for easy fitting and better comfort, according to the company.

Parameters include 8.5mm base curve, 14.2mm diameter and sphere powers from –0.25D to –6.00D. Avaira is available in a six-lens pack or a three-lens trial carton. Call (800) 538-7824 or visit www.coopervision.com.

COOPERVISION'S AVAIRA IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMFORT.

Mini Scleral and Post Refractive Surgery Lenses Debut

Blanchard Contact Lens, Inc. recently launched two new specialty GP lenses: MSD (Mini-Scleral Design) for highly irregular and traumatic corneas and RSS (Refractive Surgery Specific).

Blanchard says its MSD lens features a distinctive posterior lens surface incorporating reverse geometry with specially designed optical and posterior curves. The MSD lens allows for creation of a smooth, spherical second refractive surface to replace the irregular corneal surface, thereby providing good stable vision and automatically correcting most astigmatism, according to the company. Blanchard says the MSD is suitable for most pathology cases including advanced keratoconus, post surgical and other irregular corneas on which fitting corneal contact lenses has not led to optimal results. The thin profile and design are aimed at providing excellent patient comfort and oxygen transmission to the cornea.

The MSD lens is fit with diagnostic lenses using the sagittal depth value and a choice of three different midperipheral/limbal zone clearance values (Standard, Increased, Decreased). Blanchard features an MSD webinar presentation on its Web site at www.blanchardlab.com.

Blanchard's RSS lenses are designed with a series of reverse geometry curves, an aspheric central base curve to closely match the central post-surgical curvature of the cornea and paracentral fitting curves that align with the cornea outside the post-surgical (treated) area.

The RSS central base curve creates a smooth secondary refractive surface, according to Blanchard. The company says the paracentral fitting curve acts as support to the central base curve, and its reverse geometry design allows the midperipheral portion of the lens to align with the cornea outside the post-surgical area for optimum centration. Each paracentral fitting curve offers a broad range of central base curves and a choice of three peripheral edge configurations (standard, flat, steep) to optimize tear exchange and comfort, according to Blanchard.

RSS lenses are available with Blanchard's quadrant-specific Asymmetric Corneal Technology (ACT) to accommodate corneas that have significantly steeper inferior quadrants. RSS lenses can be fit either from topography or keratometry readings.

Blanchard offers an RSS webinar presentation on its Web site at www.blanchardlab.com. Call (800) 367-4009.

Hybrid Lens Innovation

SynergEyes, Inc. has launched SynergEyes PS, the first FDA-cleared hybrid contact lens specifically designed for oblate corneas resulting from refractive surgery, corneal trauma or degenerative conditions, including penetrating keratoplasty and/or Intacs for keratoconus, according to SynergEyes.

SYNERGEYES PS IS GEARED FOR FITTING OBLATE CORNEAS.

SynergEyes PS features a Paflufocon D GP center with a hemiberfilcon A (27 percent water) soft skirt. The Dk of the GP center is 100. Parameters include base curves of 7.6mm to 9.0mm in 0.2mm steps; 14.5mm diameter; skirt curvatures of 8.3mm and 8.6mm; Lift options of L1 (flat), L2 (medium) and L3 (steep); and sphere powers of +2.00D to –6.00D in 0.25D steps. It's indicated for daily wear with a six-month replacement cycle. SynergEyes recommends lens care with chemical or hydrogen peroxide systems. Call (877) SEE-2012 or visit www.synergeyes.com.

Toric Lens Expansion

Hydrogel Vision Corporation recently announced the expansion of its 54% toric product line with a new cylinder option — Extreme H₂O 54% Toric MC (mid cyl, 1.25D).

Hydrogel Vision designed the Extreme H2O 54% Toric MC for the 30 percent of astigmatic patients who have cylinder needs of 1.25D to 1.75D. Currently available axis parameters include 180 ±20 degrees in 10-degree steps and 90 ±10 degrees in 10-degree steps. The parameters will expand throughout 2008 to include around-the-clock axes in 10-degree increments.

Extreme H₂O 54% Toric MC is manufactured in hioxifilcon D (54 percent water), a material that provides advanced water retention properties along with outstanding durability and strength, according to the company. The lens is prism-ballasted with a toric back surface and tapered edge. Free diagnostic sets are available through Hydrogel Vision and through any authorized Extreme H₂O distributor. Call (877) 336-2482 or visit www.extreme-h2o.com.

New Option for Dry Eye

Advanced Medical Optics has developed Blink Tears lubricating eye drops. The company says that Blink Tears provides greater than 60-minute moisture retention time on the eye. Blink Tears also improves tear stability, replenishes the tear film with each blink and adapts to patients' dry eye needs by thickening when the eye is open and thinning during blinking, according to AMO. The company says recent research also shows that Blink Tears causes less blurring compared to the leading eye drop and results in significant improvement in patient comfort over time. It also contains the disappearing preservative OcuPure.

AMO'S BLINK TEARS PROVIDES DRY EYE RELIEF WITH LESS BLURRING.

Blink Tears is now available over the counter in two sizes (15ml and 2×15ml). AMO plans to launch Blink Tears in Europe in the second half of 2008. Call (866) 427-8477 or visit www.amo-inc.com.