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FreshLookTM toric—A disposable toric soft contact lens
N. Rex Ghormley,
OD,
FAAO,
Co-editor
0 uerwiew
FreshLookTM
Wesley lessen Corporation will have a limited introduction of FreshLookTM Toric in the United States in the fourth quarter of 1997. The USA national launch is planned for the first quarter of 1998, and the international markets are targeted for the second half of 1998. The FreshLook’r” Toric is a disposable soft contact lens that Wesley Jessen recommends be replaced every two weeks. The lens package (Figure 1) states, “replace every 2 weeks or as prescribed by your practitioner.” It is refreshing to have the FDA and a contact lens company leave the final decision on a replacement schedule in the hands of the contact lens practitioner. The clinician knows the medical history, ocular health, and physiology of his/her patient and is thus best
Toric -A Disposable Contact Lens
equipped to make the recommendation of the proper wearing and replacement schedule for the patient. On the package it also states in large letters “for astigmatism.” I welcome this wording on the labeling, since I am still surprised over the number of patients that do not know that a soft lens exists that will correct “stingmatism”! Stating that the FreshLookTM Toric is for astigmatism will assist in educating the public. The FreshLookTM Toric contact lens is a wet molded, back surface toric lens that is manufactured from phemfilcon A (55% water content) lens material that has a DK of 16.1. Phemfilcon A (55%) is the same material that is used in the manufacture of current WJ products such as DuraSoft 3 OptiFit conventional toric lenses, DuraSoft
Figure
1. The
1997 ICLC, Vol. 24, July/August, 0 Elsevier Science Inc. 1997 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
FreshLookTn’
Toric
Toric
Soft
3 conventional spherical lenses, and the FreshLook’” Handing Tint, Enhancers and Colors, disposable spherical lenses. It has proven to be a healthy, stahle, durable, and “easy to handle” lens material. The lens has a light tint and a unique inversion mark (Figure 2) that will assist in handling the lens. The “FTL” stands for “Fresh-ToricLook.” The handling tint and the inversion mark are extremely important, since poor lens handling is one of the major complaints that I hear from my patients regarding today’s disposable contact lenses. This new toric disposable contact lens will initially be available in one base curve (median), spherical powers of plano to -4.00 D in 0.25 D increments, cylinder powers cd -.75 D,
lens package
0892~8967f97f$17.00
PII SO892-8967(97)00059-X
Figure 2. FreshLoak “I Toric invawcm
-1.25 D and -1.75 D, axis 90 and 180 f 20 degrees in lo-degree increments, and a 14.5mm diameter. In the second half of 1998, WJ will increase the spherical powers to include +4.00 D to -6.00 D and add a cylinder power of -2.25 D. I am pleased that WJ made the decision to offer a -0.75 D cylinder, because many patients with this small cylinder power are now wearing spherical disposable lenses with resultant decreased visual acuity. No responsible clinician would ignore a 0.75 D refractive error in a patient’s spectacle prescription. So why should it be forgotten in a contact lens prescription? FreshLookTM Toric
120
ICLC, Vol. 24, July/August
1997
mark.
will now give practitioners a tool to offer excellent vision to an increased number of their patients with disposable soft contact lenses. More than 50% of all new contact lens new fits are disposable soft contact lenses, but, currently, only 14% of astigmatic patients wear planned replacement soft lenses. We all know the many advantages of planned replacement or disposable contact lenses. I also think that we all would agree that a toric soft contact lens with lens deposits would probahly cause greater vision compromise than a spherical deposited soft lens. Why, then, are only 14% of our toric
soft lens patients wearing a planned replacement lens? The reason is very simple: The current technology for toric planned replacement or disposable soft lenses has not matched what is available in spherical lenses. 1 welcome the FreshLookTM Toric disposable soft contact lenses to my practice and the contact lens marketplace. This new contact lens will enable clinicians to provide better vision, convenience, and ocular health to their contact lens patients. In addition, by increasing the public awareness of “toric lenses for astigmatism,” WJ will assist all practitioners in the growth of their specialty lens practice.
OD,
FAAO,
Co-editor
0 uerwiew
FreshLookTM
Wesley lessen Corporation will have a limited introduction of FreshLookTM Toric in the United States in the fourth quarter of 1997. The USA national launch is planned for the first quarter of 1998, and the international markets are targeted for the second half of 1998. The FreshLook’r” Toric is a disposable soft contact lens that Wesley Jessen recommends be replaced every two weeks. The lens package (Figure 1) states, “replace every 2 weeks or as prescribed by your practitioner.” It is refreshing to have the FDA and a contact lens company leave the final decision on a replacement schedule in the hands of the contact lens practitioner. The clinician knows the medical history, ocular health, and physiology of his/her patient and is thus best
Toric -A Disposable Contact Lens
equipped to make the recommendation of the proper wearing and replacement schedule for the patient. On the package it also states in large letters “for astigmatism.” I welcome this wording on the labeling, since I am still surprised over the number of patients that do not know that a soft lens exists that will correct “stingmatism”! Stating that the FreshLookTM Toric is for astigmatism will assist in educating the public. The FreshLookTM Toric contact lens is a wet molded, back surface toric lens that is manufactured from phemfilcon A (55% water content) lens material that has a DK of 16.1. Phemfilcon A (55%) is the same material that is used in the manufacture of current WJ products such as DuraSoft 3 OptiFit conventional toric lenses, DuraSoft
Figure
1. The
1997 ICLC, Vol. 24, July/August, 0 Elsevier Science Inc. 1997 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010
FreshLookTn’
Toric
Toric
Soft
3 conventional spherical lenses, and the FreshLook’” Handing Tint, Enhancers and Colors, disposable spherical lenses. It has proven to be a healthy, stahle, durable, and “easy to handle” lens material. The lens has a light tint and a unique inversion mark (Figure 2) that will assist in handling the lens. The “FTL” stands for “Fresh-ToricLook.” The handling tint and the inversion mark are extremely important, since poor lens handling is one of the major complaints that I hear from my patients regarding today’s disposable contact lenses. This new toric disposable contact lens will initially be available in one base curve (median), spherical powers of plano to -4.00 D in 0.25 D increments, cylinder powers cd -.75 D,
lens package
0892~8967f97f$17.00
PII SO892-8967(97)00059-X
Figure 2. FreshLoak “I Toric invawcm
-1.25 D and -1.75 D, axis 90 and 180 f 20 degrees in lo-degree increments, and a 14.5mm diameter. In the second half of 1998, WJ will increase the spherical powers to include +4.00 D to -6.00 D and add a cylinder power of -2.25 D. I am pleased that WJ made the decision to offer a -0.75 D cylinder, because many patients with this small cylinder power are now wearing spherical disposable lenses with resultant decreased visual acuity. No responsible clinician would ignore a 0.75 D refractive error in a patient’s spectacle prescription. So why should it be forgotten in a contact lens prescription? FreshLookTM Toric
120
ICLC, Vol. 24, July/August
1997
mark.
will now give practitioners a tool to offer excellent vision to an increased number of their patients with disposable soft contact lenses. More than 50% of all new contact lens new fits are disposable soft contact lenses, but, currently, only 14% of astigmatic patients wear planned replacement soft lenses. We all know the many advantages of planned replacement or disposable contact lenses. I also think that we all would agree that a toric soft contact lens with lens deposits would probahly cause greater vision compromise than a spherical deposited soft lens. Why, then, are only 14% of our toric
soft lens patients wearing a planned replacement lens? The reason is very simple: The current technology for toric planned replacement or disposable soft lenses has not matched what is available in spherical lenses. 1 welcome the FreshLookTM Toric disposable soft contact lenses to my practice and the contact lens marketplace. This new contact lens will enable clinicians to provide better vision, convenience, and ocular health to their contact lens patients. In addition, by increasing the public awareness of “toric lenses for astigmatism,” WJ will assist all practitioners in the growth of their specialty lens practice.