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Alcon launches daily disposable contact lens in new material
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Alcon announced the September launch of Precision1 daily disposable contact lenses, which the company said were designed to provide long-lasting comfort and ease of handling.
The proprietary SmartSurface technology uses a micro-thin, high-performance layer of moisture at the lens surface to help support a stable tear film and allow for precise vision and dependable comfort throughout the day, Sean Clark, general manager of Alcon U.S. vision care, said in a company webcast.
Clark explained how the company intends for Precision One, made of the silicone hydrogel verofilcon A, to fit into its existing portfolio of daily disposable lenses.
Dailies AquaComfort Plus is “tailored towards someone that’s looking for an exceptional value in a contact lens,” he said. “Dailies Total1 has been designed for the most extreme needs or somebody who wants exceptional comfort at the end of the day or perhaps has some compromise in their tear film.” Precision1 is “in the middle of the bell curve.”
Clark explained that 40% to 60% of the daily disposable contact lens business is in this “middle ground.”
Precision1 is “aimed at the person that’s looking for a lasting performance, somebody that needs strong visual performance throughout the day and strong comfort throughout the day,” he said.
Rick Weisbarth, OD, FAAO, vice president of professional affairs for Alcon, said in the webcast that the lens “was designed to address the common reasons why nearly one in five new wearers discontinue contact lenses within the first year, and the reasons are poor vision, poor comfort and something as simple as handling issues.”
“We’re launching a new daily disposable lens for patients to start in and stay in,” Mo Merchea, OD, PhD, MBA, Alcon’s head of medical affairs for surgical and vision care, said during the webcast.
Precision1 has an 8.3 mm base curve, Merchea said.
“Through our clinicals, we were able to demonstrate a 100% successful fit in corneal curvatures ranging from 36 D to 48 D,” he said. “That’s a broad enough range that covers pretty much any patient that’s being put into a soft contact lens.
“Additionally, we’ll launch with a full parameter range from +8 D to -12 D to help meet the needs of pretty much any patient walking into a practice looking for a daily disposable,” Merchea said.
In addition, Precision1 has Class 1 UV blocking capabilities, “the highest level that’s available in contact lenses,” he added.
Alcon noted in its press release that Precision1 was launched in Australia and New Zealand in March and that it expects to launch in additional global markets throughout 2020 and 2021. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosures: Clark, Merchea and Weisbarth are employed by Alcon.