NEWS spectrum
TruEye Launches in U.S.
Vistakon announced last month that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market narafilcon B, the first and only silicone hydrogel daily disposable contact lens in the United States. The company is marketing the material under the name 1-Day Acuvue TruEye and began making the lens available in the offices of eyecare professionals throughout the United States beginning in June.
Vistakon designed 1-Day Acuvue TruEye to keep eyes looking white and healthy. The company says that narafilcon B is a next generation, high-performance silicone hydrogel material that is combined with Hydraclear 1, an improved formulation of the company’s Hydraclear technology, as well as the highest level of UV protection in a contact lens.
“1-Day Acuvue TruEye is a breakthrough in contact lens technology with a distinctive balance of properties that enables it to offer exceptional comfort, comparable to a contact lens-free eye,” says Dave Brown, president, Vistakon.
Additional information on the 1-Day Acuvue TruEye contact lens will appear in the August Product Spectrum.
B+L Launches Biotrue
Last month Bausch + Lomb launched its new multipurpose solution Biotrue, which is now available at retailers across the United States. B+L says that Biotrue is bio-inspired to work like the eyes to help lenses stay clean and moist throughout the day. It was developed following intensive study on how the eye naturally works to clean, hydrate, and keep itself healthy.
“By studying the eye, we’re able not only to observe natural processes that have been proven evolutionarily, but we’re also able to develop health care solutions that work with the body, rather than interfering with it,” said Mo Merchea, medical affairs manager, North America, Vision Care at Bausch + Lomb. “Biotrue uses the science of the eye itself, and therefore the lens solution is optimally designed to work within the eye.”
Biotrue features a dual disinfection system and exceeds FDA/ISO standalone procedure for disinfecting products. It also is pH balanced to match healthy tears and contains a natural lubricant found in the body and in the eye. More details on Biotrue will appear in the August Product Spectrum.
Pediatric Cataract Initiative Launches
The Pediatric Cataract Initiative, a joint initiative from the Bausch + Lomb Early Vision Institute and Lions Clubs International Foundation, is aimed at conquering pediatric cataracts, a critical cause of childhood vision loss and blindness.
The initiative will utilize the resources of both organizations to identify, fund and promote innovative methods of overcoming this issue for the long-term benefit of children, their families and their communities.
During the first year, the initiative’s primary focus will be on the People’s Republic of China, where at least 40,000 children are estimated to suffer from pediatric cataract. Members of the Pediatric Cataract Initiative global advisory council include Chairman Gullapalli “Nag” Rao, MD, MBBS, PhD, founder of the L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India; Joseph Barr, OD, MS, FAAO, vice president, Global Clinical & Medical Affairs and Professional Services (Vision Care), Bausch + Lomb; Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD, professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Clare Gilbert, MD, MSc, professor in International Eye Health, International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London University; Scott Lambert, MD, professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, Emory University; and Lipika Roy, MD, MBA, head of Asia-Pacific Medical Affairs (Pharmaceuticals), B+L.
For additional information, visit www.PediatricCataract.org.
AOA Application Period Opens
The American Optometric Association is now accepting applications for the 2010 AOA Healthy Eyes Healthy People (HEHP) State Association Grants. Initiated in 2004, the AOA HEHP grant program provides awards of up to $5,000 for community outreach projects addressing the 10 targeted vision objectives established under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service’s Healthy People 2010 public health agenda.
The program, funded by Luxottica and Optometry Cares, The AOA Foundation, the AOA HEHP grant program will make a total of $80,000 available to community eye and vision care efforts during the 2010-2011 AOA program year. The program is nearing its primary goal: the underwriting of Healthy Eyes Healthy People projects in all 50 states. (To date, projects have been approved in 48 states.)
Grant applications must be officially submitted by an AOA-affiliated state optometric association. However, all AOA member ODs may apply for the grants through their state optometric association. HEHP State Association Application forms and instructions are now available online at http://www.aoa.org/x14734.xml. To be considered for funding, applications must be submitted by July 31, 2010. For more information contact Uzma Zumbrink at 800-365-2219, ext. 4146 or UAZubrink@aoa.org.
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For the RecordThe June article “Modern Scleral Contact Lens Fitting,” by Gregory W. DeNaeyer, OD, FAAO, contained incorrect information about a study by Dr. Greg Gemoules that was discussed. The study included nine patients rather than three, as was reported in the article. |
Menicon Acquires Lagado■ Menicon Co., Ltd. and Lagado Corporation reached an agreement for Lagado to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Menicon America Inc., effective June 14, 2010. Lagado will continue to operate from its current location in Englewood, Colo., as a supplier of contact lens materials to custom GP and soft contact lens manufacturers. The acquisition by Menicon will enable Lagado to help Menicon expand its global presence in the custom contact lens market. Menicon will expand its product offerings to custom manufacturers by adding the Lagado product line to Menicon Z and other Menicon polymer products. “Combining Lagado and Menicon’s polymer science experience and capabilities will take Lagado R&D into new directions,” said Bill Hoffman, Lagado co-founder and polymer chemist. The management team to lead Lagado forward will be headed by Jonathan Jacobson, president of Menicon America. |
WEB UPDATE ■ Art Optical Offers New Fitting Tools on Web Site ■ SynergEyes Launches Site for Transitioning SoftPerm Patients |
INDUSTRY BRIEFS■ A report published in the journal Optometry & Vision Science demonstrated that patients who replaced their silicone hydrogel contact lenses according to the manufacturer recommended replacement frequency experienced better comfort and vision at the end of the day compared to noncompliant patients. The analysis was part of a larger study that was developed to investigate contact lens replacement schedule compliance. It was sponsored by Ciba Vision and conducted by researchers at the Centre for Contact Lens Research at the University of Waterloo School of Optometry in Canada. ■ Bausch + Lomb has acquired the assets and U.S. rights for Zirgan (ganciclovir ophthalmic gel 0.15%) from Sirion Therapeutics. In 2007, Sirion Therapeutics acquired a license for the Zirgan product technology and trademark from Laboratoires Théa, headquartered in France, for the U.S. market. Zirgan was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2009 as a topical antiviral for the treatment of acute herpetic keratitis (corneal ulcers). ■ SynergEyes has expanded its executive management team with the appointments of Michael DeAngelo to vice president of Sales, North America and David Fancher to senior vice president, Global Sales. DeAngelo has more than 25 years of national sales management and sales operations experience, including 15 years at CooperVision. Most recently he was vice president of Sales and Marketing for Best Life and Health Insurance Company of Irvine, Calif. Fancher joined SynergEyes in May 2008 after spending 14 years in key global sales and marketing leadership positions with CooperVision. ■ Allergan recently announced that Joe Schultz, senior vice president of U.S. Eye Care, will be retiring effective July 2, 2010. He has been with the company for six years. Allergan has appointed Kevin Skule to senior vice president of U.S. Eye Care. Skule has been with Allergan for more than 25 years—most recently as general manager, Allergan Canada, a role he has held for six years. He will assume his new position effective Aug. 2, 2010. ■ Bausch + Lomb has named Robert E. Grant chief executive officer and president of its global Surgical business, effective Aug. 1. Grant was most recently Allergan’s corporate vice president and president, Allergan Medical. B+L also recently appointed Rodney (Rod) W. Unsworth as president, Asia-Pacific, effective July 1. Unsworth served as president, Asia-Pacific, for Schering-Plough Corporation from 2004 until its merger with Merck in 2009. ■ The Optometry’s Charity – The AOA Foundation Board of Directors recently adopted Optometry Cares as its new name to better suit its mission to expand eye health and vision care access for everyone in the United States in order to enhance human performance and quality of life. The programming of Optometry Cares remains the same: InfantSee, Vision USA, Endowment Fund, Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief, The Archives & Museum of Optometry, and the National Optometry Hall of Fame. |
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