New Alcon Contact Lens for Presbyopia

Alcon has introduced Dailies Total1 Multifocal contact lenses for people with presbyopia, notes a press release appearing on NASDAQ. This multifocal lens reportedly provides both seamless distant, intermediate and near vision, and the outstanding comfort of the Dailies Total1 water gradient lens technology, which is said to reduce end-of-day dryness, as the water content approaches nearly 100% at the outermost surface of the lens. The "hydrophilic" (water-loving) surface of the lens is almost as soft as the surface of the cornea (corneal epithelium) to enhance comfort, while the lens design offers a smooth progression of power designed to provide a seamless experience between distant, intermediate and near vision. Read more.

Using Fish and Insects to Design Contact Lenses

Contact lens designed for presbyopia

"Making the most of the low light in the muddy rivers where it swims, the elephant nose fish survives by being able to spot predators amongst the muck with a uniquely shaped retina, the part of the eye that captures light. In a new study, researchers looked to the fish’s retinal structure to inform the design of a contact lens that can adjust its focus," reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH). "Imagine a contact lens that autofocuses within milliseconds. That could be life-changing for people with presbyopia, a stiffening of the eye’s lens that makes it difficult to focus on close objects. Presbyopia affects more than 1 billion people worldwide, half of whom do not have adequate correction, said the project’s leader, Hongrui Jiang, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. And while glasses, conventional contact lenses and surgery provide some improvement, these options all involve the loss of contrast and sensitivity, as well as difficulty with night vision. Jiang’s idea is to design contacts that continuously adjust in concert with one’s own cornea and lens to recapture a person’s youthful vision." Read more.

Scotty, Beam Me Up Some Presbyopic Lenses

What happens to your body--even your vision--after spending a year in zero gravity? That's what scientists are trying to understand, according to a New York Times article about astronaut Scott Kelly. "One of the unanswered concerns is how much astronauts could be expected to do right after landing on Mars as they readjust to gravity. Mr. Kelly, 52, now holds the record for the longest single stay in space for a NASA astronaut, and the most time overall: 520 days over four missions. (A Russian, Valeri Polyakov, holds the overall record for the longest single spaceflight: nearly 438 days.) NASA and the Russian space agency collaborated on a series of scientific studies to examine how extended weightlessness changes bones, muscles, nerves and the cardiovascular system. 'You name it, we’re interested in all of it," Dr. Charles said. In addition, NASA aims to compare changes, including genetic mutations, between Mr. Kelly and his twin brother, Mark, a retired NASA astronaut," goes the article.

Zero gravity affects the eyes: "One experiment looked at 'fluid shift' — the movement of water from the lower body toward the head when there is no gravity to hold things down. Increased pressure in the skull could cause the flattening of the eyeballs seen in some astronauts, pushing their vision toward farsightedness." Read more.

According to the website AmeritasInsight, "During extended space travel, astronauts live in microgravity, which scientists believe creates excessive pressure inside the head and impacts an astronaut’s fluid level in the eyes. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, these specific changes to the eyes were noticed:

• Flattening in the back of the eyeball
• Swelling of the optic nerve
• Creases in the tissue behind the retina

"Through the study, medical professionals learned that many astronauts experience correctable near and distance vision problems following space travel. This included about 23 percent of those participating in brief missions and 48 percent of those in an extended space program of at least six months. Although most reported that these were short-term issues, some continued to experience problems for several months or years following space travel. Decades ago, after documenting incidences of near-vision problems, NASA started equipping astronauts with space anticipation glasses to improve vision sharpness during aeronautical missions." Read more.

And there's more. "Pirates saw green flashes at sunset; many space-flight crew members see light flashes at night during a mission. For space crew, these flashes  are thought to come from high-energy particles interacting with the eyes and brain. The Anomalous Long Term Effects of Astronauts (ALTEA) investigation measured the effect of exposure to radiation in space, particularly on the central nervous system. One part of the study relates the light flashes to the radiation passing through the spacecraft. This knowledge helps to more accurately determine the risk and  the specific type of radiation exposure of ISS crew members, and to develop ways to protect future crews," according to a NASA website. Read more.

101 Million People Have Uncorrected Refractive Error

"Uncorrected refractive error -- nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other focusing problems correctable by prescription lenses -- is responsible for moderate to severe vision impairment in 101 million people and blindness in seven million people worldwide, reports a new study." That's part of a post on Science Daily. Read more.

Possibilities for Flexible Artificial Eye Lenses Improving

"A University of Leeds researcher is developing a new eye lens, made from the same material found in smartphone and TV screens, which could restore long-sightedness in older people," reports Science Daily. "As people age, their lenses lose flexibility and elasticity. This leads to a condition known as presbyopia, common in people over 45 years old, and can require optical aids, such as reading glasses. Devesh Mistry, a postgraduate research student in the School of Physics and Astronomy, is now working with liquid crystal to create a truly adjustable artificial lens." Read more.

Readers Make People Look Older, Says Study

One in four adults say reading glasses can make someone look ten years older, says a survey conducted by Jacksonville University, FL. The survey evaluates the effect that readers have on perceived age. Worldwide, nearly 1.7 billion people have presbyopia, and the number could jump to 2.1 billion by 2020.The Age Perception Impact Survey, conducted online and with support from Alcon, examined the perceptions and attitudes of aging among the US population between the ages of 38-54, also known as the Generation X population. It surveyed 1,067 adults who live in the continental United States. In addition, there were 50 interviews, which included sharing pictures of individuals with and without readers and asking interviewees to guess their age and personal attributes. Read more.

Scientists Eliminate Halo Effect from Contact Lenses for Presbyops?

"Since the dawn of the contact lens, wearers with presbyopia have had to endure the notorious 'halo effect'...A corrective method discovered by Israeli scientists may help beat back the blinding nuisances once and for all." That's the word from Digital Trends. "Researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Israel think they have a tenable solution. They describe a technique in the journal Optics Communications that involves a smoothening of the surface of multifocal lenses, a process that 'does not complicate the fabrication complexity of the lens' but 'yields the same optical performance in treating presbyopia and assisting people after cataract surgery,' says Professor Zeev Zavelsky, head of the Electro-Optics study program of the Faculty of Engineering and co-author of the paper." Read more."

Mobile App for Fitting PureVision 2 Contact Lenses

Bausch + Lomb created a mobile app for fitting its  PureVision 2 multifocal contact lens for presbyopia. It is designed to raise the success rate for fitting the lens. On average, fitting a multi-focal contact lens takes 2.6 attempts. Read more.

New Insights into Causes of Presbyopia

“Long-sightedness [presbyopia] caused by age could be due to proteins in the lens of the eye that are converted from a fluid solution to a solid, glassy state. This has been shown in a study by researchers from institutions including Lund University,” according to a Medical News Today post. “Around the age of 40-50, many people find their sight deteriorates and they need to use reading glasses. This age-related long-sightedness is thought to be due to a reduction in the elasticity of the lens in the eye. A new research study appears to have put its finger on the details of what happens in the eye when long-sightedness develops.” Read more.

Unilens Unveils New Multifocal CL for Presbyopia

Unilens Vision Inc. is rolling out a disposable C-Vue ADDvantage multifocal for presbyopia contact lens in silicone hydrogel material for monthly replacement. The new product incorporates an aspheric design with a consistent center ADD power across all power ranges and the company's next-generation multifocal contact lens design, reportedly providing a consistent near ADD power across all power profiles. The lens is also thinner and more rounded at the edges, says the company. The new lens is available in a high and low ADD, and in power ranges from +6.00 to -10.00. There's also a display cabinet and  trial program with a 120-Day Performance Guarantee on the lenses. Read more.

Creating Images of the Eye’s Internal Structure

By modifying an advanced imaging technique (known as optical coherence tomography or OCT) used for ophthalmology procedures, researchers at the Ophthalmic Biophysics Center at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in the U.S. are now able to provide images of the full internal structure of the eye. The advance not only promises to accelerate the development of an effective treatment for presbyopia, it may also be useful for surgeons in cataract removal, in the assessment of glaucoma treatments and in understanding the progression of short-sightedness in children. Read more.

FDA OKs Phase II Trial for a Corneal Inlay for Presbyopia

PresbiBio LLC has received conditional approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application to commence a Phase II trial of the Presbia Flexivue Microlens, a corneal inlay. PresbiBio plans to begin its Phase II trial in the first quarter of 2014 with Dr. Mickey Gordon and Dr. Robert Maloney as Co-Medical Monitors. The Presbia Flexivue Microlens received the CE Mark in 2009, making it commercially available in 40 countries across Europe and Latin America. Read more.

Presbyops Find Eye Correction with Hyperopic OK

By middle age, most people have age-related declines in near vision (presbyopia) requiring bifocals or reading glasses. An emerging technique called hyperopic orthokeratology (OK) may provide a new alternative for restoring near vision without the need for glasses, according to "Refractive Changes from Hyperopic Orthokeratology Monovision in Presbyopes", appearing in the April issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The study included 16 middle-aged patients (43 to 59 years) with presbyopia. In all patients, the monocular OK technique reportedly restored near vision in the treated eye. The magazine’s spokesperson said that the improvement was apparent on the first day after overnight OK lens wear, and increased further during the treatment week. Eye examination confirmed that the OK lenses altered the shape of the cornea, as they were designed to do. Read more.

FDA Approves Phase III Study of Inlay for Presbyopia

ReVision Optics, Inc. (RVO), has received conditional approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue and complete enrollment in its Phase III clinical trial with its Raindrop™ Near Vision Inlay (formerly the PresbyLens). The prospective, multicenter Phase III clinical trial is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay in improving near vision in subjects with presbyopia under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE). Read more.

FDA Considering Presbyopic Implantable Lens

Presbia, a medical device producer of near-vision restoration, reportedly has received a letter from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) indicating that it is being actively considered for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE, G120225) for its Presbia Flexivue Microlens, an implantable corneal inlay solution for presbyopia, the age-related loss of near vision.Read more.

Health Canada Approves Corneal Inlay for Presbyopia

AcuFocus, Inc. (www.AcuFocus.com), maker of a corneal inlay for the treatment of near vision loss (presbyopia), has received approval from Health Canada to market and sell the Kamra inlay within Canada. They announced further that they have received a certificate of free sale, which will now open up additional markets such as Argentina, Russian Federation, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, India and Colombia. The inlay uses small aperture optics to restore near and intermediate vision.

Kamra Surgery Gaining with Presbyops

Dr. Francesco Carones, medical director of Centro Oftalmo-Chirugico Carones, an eye care clinic in Milan, claims that "Kamra laser reading vision," a surgurical treatment for presbyopia, is gaining significant popularity in his practice. He notes that Gian Giacomo Ferraris, CEO of Versace, and Thierry Andretta, CEO of Lanvin, chose the treatment. Today, Ferraris and Andretta reportedly enjoy quality, natural near vision without corrected vision.Read more.

Why Women Want Reading Glasses Sooner Than Men--It's in the Arms

"Studies have consistently reported that women require reading glasses or bifocal lenses earlier than men. According to a recent Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science paper, the gender difference is caused by factors other than focusing ability, such as arm length or preferred reading distance, which should be considered when prescribing readers or bifocals," notes Science Daily. "While the results of a subgroup of studies showed that there was no significant gender-related difference in the eye's ability to focus clearly on objects at near distances, the overall analysis provided evidence that women have a need for higher power reading glasses or bifocals than men of an equivalent age. According to the researchers, this discrepancy is likely due to differences in preferred reading distances or arm length as women tend to hold reading materials closer than men do." Read more.

Joyce Not Myopic but Presbyopic

"For years even the most eminent biographers of writer James Joyce have believed he was severely shortsighted [myopic]," reports the Irish Independent. "But new evidence proves they were wrong. The author of 'Ulysses' and 'Dubliners' did indeed have poor eyesight -- but he suffered from farsightedness [presbyopic], not shortsightedness. The new diagnosis is revealed in the Christmas edition of the 'British Medical Journal' after closer inspection of his prescription glasses." Read more.