NEWS spectrum
Remembering Hikaru Hamano, MD
Hikaru Hamano, MD, passed away on Oct. 26, 2012 at age 88. A legend in his home country of Japan, he founded the largest contact lens practice in the country, but Dr. Hamano’s contributions to contact lens research were global in impact and scope. He co-authored the book Corneal Physiology and Disposable Contact Lenses, which supports the use of daily disposable contact lenses, and he authored numerous other research publications that contributed to the development of contact lenses as we know them today.
Beginning in the early 1970s, Dr. Hamano focused his research on the importance of oxygen to the cornea and on how contact lens wear affects the corneal epithelium, corneal nerves, and tear composition (Schaeffer and Beiting, 2007). He was among the first in the world to demonstrate the partial oxygen pressure on the cornea under PMMA lenses (Schaeffer and Beiting, 2007). The size of his practice enabled him to conduct large-scale clinical studies to validate basic findings on the importance of oxygen transmission to the cornea and to examine the properties of new lenses. A study he performed in 1994 comparing complication rates of various contact lens modalities in 23,000 patients helped to establish the improved benefits of the daily disposable modality.
For references, please visit www.clspectrum.com/references.asp and click on document #205.
AVT Gets FDA Approval for Definitive
Advanced Vision Technologies (AVT), a Denverbased specialty contact lens manufacturer, has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacture advanced, customized lens designs in Contamac’s Definitive silicone hydrogel material.
The new product line is called NaturaSoft with True Fit Technology and is available in spherical, toric, multifocal, and irregular cornea designs. NaturaSoft with True Fit Technology allows practitioners to fit the actual sagittal depth of a patient’s cornea for a more precise fit. All indications for use and designs are cleared by the FDA for daily wear and all are available in customizable parameters. The new lenses are available in a quarterly replacement modality with a warranty program.
AVT manufactures GP contact lenses including torics, multifocals, post-surgical, keratoconus, scleral, pediatric, corneal reshaping, and Naturalens designs as well as a full line of Definitive silicone hydrogel customized soft lenses. Call (888) 393-5374 or email AVT at info@avtlens.com.
| INDUSTRY BRIEFS |
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■ Vistakon recently launched its Acuvue Oasys contact lenses in a 24-pack. The company says that new data has shown that wearers with more contact lenses on hand had a significantly better wearing experience and were more likely to recommend their eyecare practitioner to friends and family. The data is from a study conducted by Vistakon that looked at various behaviors of contact lens patients in the United States. ■ Unilens Vision Inc. and Bausch + Lomb recently announced that Unilens has been named an authorized Boston GP Manufacturer. The partnership will provide Unilens’ GP independent practitioner accounts with the ability to choose from a wider variety of GP contact lens materials that best fit individual patient needs. Unilens’ best-selling GP design technology, including the all new C-Ray Multifocal GP and C-Vue GP Multifocal, will now be available in a variety of Boston materials including Boston ES, Boston EO, and Boston XO. ■ ABB Concise is supporting its customers by providing the opportunity to participate in active learning on the fitting of KeraSoft IC (Bausch + Lomb) lenses. Accounts can complete the necessary training to become a certified KeraSoft IC professional by going to abbconcise.com and clicking on the KeraSoft IC banner advertisement. That will lead to a page with information about the lens and the link to the certification tutorial. Upon completion of the online training, accounts can contact ABB Concise’s Contact Lens Consultation for trial set information and to place KeraSoft IC orders. ■ Guy J. Sherman passed away on Oct. 30, 2012 at the age of 85. A pioneer in the rigid lens solution industry, his company, Sherman Pharmaceuticals, produced Stay-Wet and De-Stat, which were among the first products designed to remove lipids and proteins from the lens surface as well as create a more wettable lens surface. In addition, his products reduced or eliminated the “biofilm” present in most lens cases of the day. ■ The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reported that accidental ingestion by children of over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops used to relieve redness and nasal decongestant sprays can result in serious harm. The eye drops and nasal sprays that have been involved in the cases of accidental ingestion contain the active ingredients tetrahydrozoline, oxymetazoline, or naphazoline. These products are sold under various brand names, such as Visine, Afrin, Dristan, and Mucinex, as generics, and as store brands. The FDA identified 96 cases of accidental ingestion of products containing tetrahydrozoline, oxymetazoline, or naphazoline by young children, reported between 1985 and October 2012. The children ranged in age from 1 month to 5 years. Fifty-three cases reported hospitalization due to symptoms including nausea, vomiting, lethargy, tachycardia, decreased respiration, bradycardia, hypotension, hypertension, sedation, somnolence, mydriasis, stupor, hypothermia, drooling, and coma. The amounts ingested ranged from 0.6 mL to one-and-one-half bottles (products are packaged in 15-mL and 30-mL bottles). Visit http://www.fda.gov/ Drugs/DrugSafety/ ucm325257.htm. |
CooperVision Continues to Support Miliary Personnel
CooperVision plans to launch a new website in partnership with the Armed Forces Optometric Society (AFOS), reinforcing the global contact lens manufacturer’s commitment to serving the U.S. military community. With this new website, military personnel and their families can learn more about CooperVision’s product portfolio, purchase CooperVision’s contact lenses affordably, and be assured guaranteed delivery wherever they are located around the world, according to the company.
In addition, CooperVision plans to offer patients the option to support the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) by donating $1 per carton for each purchase of CooperVision contact lenses. The WWP takes a holistic approach when serving the military community and their families to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement.
AFOS was created in 1970 to advance the science of eye care throughout the world. Today the society has more than 1,200 military and federal doctors of optometry across the country and internationally. AFOS has the largest group of Vision Scientists worldwide and strives to elevate the standards of eye care for the benefit of men, women, and children everywhere. For more information please visit www.afos2020.org
| Rose K Now Available Through Art Optical |
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Art Optical Contact Lens, Inc. is now an authorized manufacturer of Rose K lenses (Menicon America). Art Optical joins Blanchard Contact Lens Inc. (Manchester, N.H.) and Les Laboratoires Blanchard (Sherbrooke, Quebec) as the third Rose K manufacturer in North America. Rose K is currently sold in 88 countries. The Rose K family of lenses consists of five designs including Rose K, K2 (keratoconus), PG (post graft), IC (irregular cornea), and NC (nipple cone). The addition of Art Optical as a licensed manufacturer coincides with the upcoming introduction of the Rose K2 XL semi-scleral design that will be launched at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas in January 2013. With the addition of Art Optical, practitioners will now have the option to purchase their Rose K lenses from Art Optical, Blanchard Contact Lens Inc., Les Laboratoires Blanchard, or from their local Rose K distributor. |
AAO Reports Successful 2012 Annual Meeting
Academy 2012 Phoenix, the 91st annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry, was the third largest meeting for the Academy with 5,155 total registrants, including 3,016 optometrists and vision scientists and 936 students and residents.
Autism was a featured topic of several events including the Plenary Session, “Today’s Research, Tomorrow’s Practice: Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Ricki Robinson, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized autism expert, and David G. Amaral, PhD, spoke to approximately 1,700 attendees on the current state of knowledge on the disorder from a clinical perspective.
The American Optometric Foundation netted more than $100,000 in donations and pledges. Approximately 270 supporters attended the Foundation’s Celebration Luncheon and the silent auction, featuring several Borish paintings, resulting in more than $12,000 in donations. In addition, 13 new individuals and couples joined the Presidents Circle by making pledges or donations of $10,000. The Presidents Circle now has 100 total members.
At the President’s Banquet, 204 new Fellows were inducted into the American Academy of Optometry. Fellows of the Academy must complete a candidacy process that includes submitting written work demonstrating their skills as optometrists and sitting for an oral exam at the Annual Meeting of the Academy. Optometrists, scientists, educators, librarians, administrators, and editors are eligible to become Fellows of the Academy and earn the right to use FAAO after their name.
Nine individuals were awarded Diplomate status by sections of the American Academy of Optometry. Diplomates are Fellows of the Academy who wish to demonstrate their skill in a specific area. Currently seven sections offer Diplomate programs: Binocular Vision, Perception and Pediatric Optometry, Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies, Low Vision, Optometric Education, Primary Care, Public Health & Environmental Vision, and Vision Science. The new diplomates are:
Cornea, Contact Lenses & Refractive Technologies: Sheila Hickson-Curran, Jeff Sonsino, Rainer Bronner
Low Vision: Christopher Choat
Public Health & Environmental Vision: Andrew M. Archila, Stephen J. Dain, Lori L. Grover, Sandra Wang-Harris, Patrick D. Yoshinaga
The next Annual Meeting of the Academy will be Oct. 23 to 26, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Wash.
| For the Record |
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In the article “GP Annual Report 2012,” by Edward S. Bennett, OD, MSEd, FAAO, in the October 2012 issue, the websites for www.contactlenses.org and for www.allaboutvision.com were misspelled. Also, Lee Buffalo was incorrectly listed as being affiliated with ABBA Optical, he is the national sales director for Blanchard Contact Lens, Inc. Contact Lens Spectrum regrets the errors. |
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