Compliance with care instructions and its potential to improve contact lens success was a key theme at last week's annual clinical conference of the British Contact Lens Association in Manchester.
With 150 first-time delegates attending free of charge courtesy of the sponsoring companies, the event saw 1,100 registering over the four days of the conference. Visitors came from 49 countries with just under half from the UK.
Delegates heard that changing wearer behaviour would improve contact lens comfort and safety and help reduce dropout or failure. Researchers had now reached a consensus on the importance of hygiene issues such as hand washing, storage case care, rubbing and rinsing lenses, and topping up solution.
A session on myopia control reviewing progress with anti-myopia contact lenses and spectacles included the latest findings from Hong Kong, where four of these products are now available.
New for this year was a pavilion within the exhibition hall for companies to showcase their products. Among those launched at the conference was the world's first silicone hydrogel daily disposable toric lens, Clariti 1day toric, from Sauflon.
Exhibiting on separate stands, the newly merged Alcon and CIBA Vision displayed the OptiFree EverMoist multipurpose solution and a prototype device for mapping the tear film.
Laurent Attias, Alcon president for Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa said the merger of the two companies 'would strengthen their ability to deliver even better services, increase access to their products and bring innovations to market faster'.
'The difference is clear' was Johnson & Johnson's theme as it discussed a study comparing 1-Day Acuvue TruEye against a new benchmark, the naked eye. It also hosted the evening Patron's Event with motivational speaker Frank Dick.
Bausch+Lomb highlighted the recently introduced PureVision2 HD aspheric lens and Biotrue solution, and Abott (AMO) featured its Complete RevitaLens MPS.
Specialist designs were prominent, including the new Rose K2 NC lens for keratoconus from Menicon/David Thomas and the SynergEyes Duette hybrid lens from No7. Dry eye products and imaging instruments were also launched at the show.
Products in prospect for the future were discussed in the lecture sessions: CooperVision's Biofinity Multifocal and a fully moulded, three-monthly replacement RGP lens from Menicon, called 'Four Seasons'.
Microbiologist Professor Mark Willcox, chief scientific officer at the Brien Holden Vision Institute in Sydney, was this year's recipient of the BCLA Medal.
? More news from BCLA will appear in July's Contact Lens Monthly. The 2012 BCLA Clinical Conference and Exhibition will be held at a new venue, the ICC Birmingham, from May 24-27.