For those interested in therapeutics there were plenty of products at Optrafair this year, from dry eye therapies and punctum plugs to lid cleansers and eye masks.
Suppliers in these sectors reported strong interest not just from IP practitioners but from all those wanting to offer a range of clinical services. Visitors were also looking for a competitive edge in their businesses as OTC products attracted particular attention. And nutritional supplements were a prominent feature too.
At the Altacor stand, the product focus represented just these key trends. In dry eye treatments the company launched Clinitas Soothe Multi, a preservative-free HA drop that now comes in a multidose dispenser for three-month use.
The BlephaKit is a pack that includes a microwaveable eye mask and lid cleanser, one of several packs of this type at the show. And the EyeBar is Altacor’s nutritional supplement in chocolate form. ‘These products – for dry eye, blepharitis and AMD – offer practitioners the chance to provide a complete service through an eye care plan that differentiates them from other practitioners,’ said Altacor’s director of sales and marketing Chris Miller.
Here are just some of the products in these sectors that manufacturers and distributors were highlighting at Oprafair, along with news from the contact lens and care product exhibitors.
Dry eye and blepharitis
Moorfields is a name that appeals to consumers as well as practitioners. PF Drops preservative-free eye drops with Carmellose Sodium 0.5 per cent and 1 per cent for mild to moderate dry eye were the latest additions to the Moorfields Pharmaceuticals range.
New for Andrew Matheson Optometrists, among an array of dry eye and blepharitis treatments, were the Theratears Sterilid foam and gel lid treatments with tea tree oil, which shows promise in the management of Demodex-related blepharitis. Also promoted were low-cost TLC Eye Care Wipes with camomile extract.
The recently introduced Ilast lid sprays – Ilast Hydraclean and Ilast Care – were prominent on the stands of distributors Kestrel Ophthalmics and Bondeye. Kestrel was also promoting its Oasis range of punctum plugs with free in-practice training.
Bondeye highlighted the latest addition to the Murine Professional range, Murine Advanced Dry Eye Relief (also available from Prestige Brands), and its own Bondeye Doctor pack with heat mask, lid cleaner and dry eye drops. On the stand, CLO Andrew Price was promoting his online database of nearly 200 eye drops, www.eyedropsdatabase.co.uk
Over at Théa Pharmaceuticals, the emphasis was on Thealoz Duo Gel which was new to the show and ‘flying off the stand’, said UK managing director Philip Lewis-Williams. Another French company, Nicox, pointed out Xailin Wash, a unidose eyewash among its range of Xailin lubricant drops, ointment and gel.
Bausch+Lomb promoted its OTC range of Biotrue Rewetting Drops, Artelac Rebalance dry eye range and Vidisan single-dose eyewash, along with the Eye-essential Mask for hot and cold therapy.
At Scope Ophthalmics it was all about lid care, with the BlephEx in-practice lid cleaning device and BlephCam for showing patients a 5X magnified view of their eyelids. Scope also has the OCuSOFT blepharitis products and Tranquileyes moist heat therapy goggles for treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
Teifi James at The EyeBag Company highlighted the latest peer-reviewed publication from researchers at Aston University reporting on the safety and efficacy of a specific eyelid warming device, the MGDRx EyeBag, for the treatment of MGD-related evaporative dry eye.
Nutritional supplements
Supplements are another highly competitive sector with a growing number of options available. The latest addition from MacuVision is Energeyes, containing B-vitamins, lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin. The company says this supplement has been developed to reduce the impact of glare and eye fatigue, specifically targeting drivers, sport participants and computer users.
The Viteyes range from Butterflies Healthcare, Nutrof Total from Théa Omega Eye from Scope and Bausch+Lomb’s Ocuvite BioLutein were among other supplements available from Optrafair exhibitors. The Zared ‘nutraceutical’ from Nicox was another supplement in chocolate form.
Contact lens and care products
This year, for the first time, the British Contact Lens Association shared a large Optrafair stand with its Clinical Conference partners: Alcon, CooperVision and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. BCLA events manager Sarah Greenwood said the stand had generated ‘a lot of interest’.
Karl Aberdeen, UK & Ireland professional relations manager at CooperVision, commented: ‘We think it’s a fantastic initiative. It’s a one-stop location for anyone who wants to speak to a contact lens company.
Among those taking their own stand spaces, Bausch+Lomb’s product portfolio included the bio-inspired Biotrue range. David Thomas previewed the Rose K Soft lens and Menicare Pure solution to be launched at BCLA, as well as promoting its Miru 1day flat-packed daily disposable.
From India, there was the Contacare MPDS multipurpose solution and a range of diagnostic strips including fluorescein Fluo Strips and the high molecular weight version HiGlo. Avizor’s Alvera solution with aloe vera, for silicone hydrogel lenses, completed the line-up in this sector.
