With the increased rate of myopia in the US population, orthokeratology is becoming an increasingly important treatment option for our patients. Dr. Driscoll is a member of the Orthokeratology Academy of America that produced the excellent video shown below. The video gives a comprehensive overview of orthokeratology, including its pros, cons, and how it works. We highly recommend that any patients considering refractive surgery, such as LASIK and PRK, or orthokeratology view this video. By the way, comments are much appreciated so don’t be shy.
A study out of Australia has confirmed what eye doctors have long suspected. Rubbing your contact lenses and briefly rinsing them prior to overnight storage and disinfection is more effective at removing bacteria from the lens surface than merely placing the contacts in the case (no rub technique). Numerous multipurpose no rub contact lens solutions have been approved by the FDA and shown to be an effective method of disinfecting contact lenses however this study shows that applying a few drops of the multipurpose solution, rubbing and then rinsing the lenses is much more effect at removing bacteria from the lens surface.
This study was done “in-vitro” meaning that it was a lab study where patients did not actually wear these lenses but the lenses were seeded with bacteria and then after the lenses were cleaned and disinfected the lenses were then testing to see how much bacteria was removed.
So the moral of the story is after removing your soft contact lenses add a few drops of the multipurpose contact lens solution, rub both sides of the lens then rinse the lens and place it in the case to disinfect overnight.
Reference Data: Zhu H, Bandara MB, Vijay AK, Masoudi S, Wu D, Willcox MD. Importance of rub and rinse in use of multipurpose contact lens solution. Optom Vis Sci. 2011 Aug;88(8):967-72.
During a 24 month study of 100 hospitals contact lenses accounted for 23% of medical device related emergency room visits involving children.
In a study published online this week in the journal Pediatrics entitled “Emergency Department Visits for Medical Device-Associated Adverse Events Among Children” it was found that 23% of the medical device related emergency room visits involving children from birth to 21 years of age were contact lens related, this is in contrast to the next closest category, injuries due to a puncture by a hypodermic needle, which placed a distant second at 8%. An additional noteworthy finding was that an another 6% of the ER visits involved lacerations caused by eyeglasses.
The study did not outline how the children were using their contact lenses. Were they caring for and cleaning them properly? Did they discard the lenses according to the replacement interval prescribed by their doctor and what type of contact lenses were involved in the study? The injuries incurred while wearing eyeglasses did not specify the type of activity the child was participating in when the incident occurred.
Contact lenses are medical devices and as such require a prescription from an eye doctor with professional fitting and followup. In clinical practice we have found that patients that follow the guidelines below rarely experience contact lens related complications.
have a backup pair of glasses in which you can see well enough to pass a driver’s test and you are willing to be seen wearing in public (the 1980’s style ala Peggy Hill of “King of the Hill” won’t do ;-))
Injuries due to eyeglass lenses and frames was also a significant source of injuries in the study. We must therefore, not forget to provide our children with protective eyewear when they participate in sports. Sports eyewear has come a long way since the days when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar captured his trademark look. Sports eyewear has now become fashionable and safe.
Coopervision has produced this 10+ minute video on how to insert, remove and take care of soft contact lenses. There is a brief commercial at the beginning outlining the different kinds of contact lenses offered by CooperVision. This video outlines the right way to do it. Throw away that contact lens solution everyday!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to improve contact lens safety by reminding consumers of the importance of following proper cleaning and storing procedures. Consumers who do not follow instructions for contact lens care and use increase their risk of serious eye infections that can lead to blindness.
To support proper cleaning and storage, the FDA has developed a new video on contact lens safety. The video stresses the importance of emptying the solution out of the contact lens case after each use and using the rub-and-rinse method for added effectiveness.
Other important lens care tips include:
• Do not top off or reuse lens cleaning solution; • Use a contact lens solution to clean, rinse, and then air dry contact lens cases after each use; • Do not expose contact lenses or lens storage cases to any type of water or other non-sterile solutions. • Replace your contact lens case at least every three (3) months
In early 2009, the FDA convened a workshop called “Microbiological Testing of Contact Lens Care Products,” in collaboration with several eye care professional groups, to develop consensus on test methods for evaluating contact lens solutions. Based on discussions from this workshop and from a 2008 meeting of the agency’s advisory panel for ophthalmic devices, the FDA is developing manufacturer guidance on potential labeling improvements for these products.
In its June 2008 meeting, the advisory panel for ophthalmic devices made specific recommendations for contact lens product labeling and directions for use, including adding a discard date on their products, in addition to the usual expiration date. The discard date is the date the solution should be thrown out after opening.
On May 19, 2009, the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health issued a letter to manufacturers of contact lens multipurpose solution products that include an option for cleaning without a step for rubbing the lenses. This letter informed these manufacturers of the panel’s conclusion that there is improvement in lens care when using a rub-and-rinse regimen as compared to a rinse-alone regimen, which omits the rubbing step. The direction to rub and rinse lenses, based on the advice of an eye care professional, has always been part of the labeling for multipurpose contact lens care products. More information on contact lens safety is available in a PDF.
This is great stuff. A contact lens was applied to a patient’s eye to treat a corneal problem, reducing the patient’s blindness. Contact lenses will soon be used to administer allergy and glaucoma medications. Our state legislature, here in Texas, last month approved eye doctors to fit the medication delivery contact lenses. Optometrists and ophthalmologists will be able to begin fitting them when the FDA gives the new drug delivery contact lenses their final approval. Check out the stem cell video below. A medical school in Australia is pioneering this important technology.
Posted onDecember 6, 2008|Comments Off on Biofinity Soft Contact Lenses Approved for Extended Wear
Just a quick note today. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Coopervision’s Biofinity monthly soft contact lens for 6 consecutive nights and 7 days of extended wear. Read the Biofinity product information insert here.
Comments Off on Biofinity Soft Contact Lenses Approved for Extended Wear
Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, has developed a Facebook application that reminds patients to replace their contact lenses. The application allows patients to receive reminders by email or via their Facebook feed.
Patients that are not Facebook users can still use the service by going to the Acuminder website to register where the can elect to get reminders via text message or email. There is also an option to download a reminder to you computer desktop.
This is a great idea! We constantly hear that patients forget to replace their contact lenses, thus increasing the risk of eye infections, because the get busy and forget to do it. The more often contact lenses are replaced the healthier it is for our eyes. So give your eyes a break and sign up.
Injuries due to eyeglass lenses and frames was also a significant source of injuries in the study. We must therefore, not forget to provide our children with protective eyewear when they participate in sports. Sports eyewear has come a long way since the days when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar captured his trademark look. Sports eyewear has now become fashionable and safe.