New products debuted during optometry meeting

SAN DIEGO — Several companies announced product launches during an association-sponsored press conference during the American Academy of Optometry meeting here.

Alcon announced the launch of its Opti-Free Replenish solution, a new formulation containing Polyquad, Aldox and citrate, combined with a reconditioning technology called Tearglyde.

“It works synergistically with your own tears to provide remoisturizing with your lenses throughout the day,” said Alcon’s Ralph Stone.

The Food and Drug Administration gave Alcon permission to alter its labeling to reflect that the solution reconditions lenses and retains moisture, Mr. Stone said.

The company also introduced Systane Free, a new gel option based on the company’s Systane (hydroxypropyl-guar, borate) platform. David Meadows of Alcon said the new formulation allows epithelial healing, is long lasting, maintains a healthy ocular surface, significantly reduces symptoms, offers the lubrication of a gel without blurring or caking, is available in a multidose container and becomes preservative-free in the eye.

“It is the only liquid gel that patients can use throughout the day because there’s none or minimal visual disturbance,” he said.

CooperVision announced at the same press conference its launch of the Biofinity, a silicone hydrogel lens. Guy Whittaker, BSc, MBA, MCOptom, said the lens is currently available in Europe in –0.25 D to –6 D) and will be launched in the United States in July 2006.

Dr. Whittaker said the lens has a “natural wettability” with no surface treatment and no artificial wetting agent, and a higher water content.

“Usually as you increase the water content, you reduce the oxygen transmission,” Dr. Whittaker said. “We’ve been able to overcome that link.”

The lens is made of comfilcon A, has a Dk/t of 160 and a water content of 48%. Dr. Whittaker added that the lens will contain an aberration neutralizing system.

At a CooperVision-sponsored press conference later the same day, Dr. Whittaker reported that a published study comparing Biofinity to a first-generation silicone hydrogel showed fewer deposits and better wettability with Biofinity. In studies of more than 800 patients, patients preferred Biofinity to a first-generation silicone hydrogel for overall comfort, vision and performance.

The lens is currently being marked in Europe for daily wear, flexible wear or 30-day continuous wear schedules. Current FDA approval covers daily wear only. The company is pursuing continuous wear approval in the United States, Dr. Whittaker said.

CIBA Vision introduced Focus Dailies with AquaRelease at the press conference.

“There’s a revolutionary timed-release substance in this lens,” said CIBA’s Kevin Roe, OD. “AquaRelease’s moisturizing agent is gradually released throughout the day every time you blink.”

The original Focus Dailies are made from nelfilcon A, and now polyvinyl alcohol has been added, he said.

“We’ve found it adds another two to three hours of lens wear,” Dr. Roe said. “The big challenge was to extend the wearing time so much that it’s comfortable in the same day, but the patient won’t be able to abuse the lens and wear it a second day (planned obsolescence). The lens can’t be worn a second day without discomfort.”

It has the same lens design, the same fitting and the same price, with the addition of a light blue visibility tint called Visitint, he added.