30-day wear lens wins EU approval

The approval allows B&L to market the first silicone hydrogel soft contact lens in the European Union. The company has announced it will begin market evaluations for PureVision in Europe and Latin America in April, although marketing tests have been going on for the seven-day continuous wear Pure- Vision lens since last year. PureVision lenses are manufactured by a cast-moulding process from a silicone hydrogel material, balafilcon, said to combine the oxygen-carrying properties of silicone (Dk/t of 110 at -3.00D) and the fluid transport capacity, dehydration resistance and viscoelastic properties of traditional hydrogel lenses. 'B&L has invested more than 25 years of research and development to create a lens material that overcomes the limitations of current options in extended wear,' said Carl Sassano, president and chief operating officer. 'PureVision lenses are a result of our ongoing commitment to fulfil patient and practitioner needs for a lens that offers both greater convenience and excellent ocular health.' The lens was unveiled at the company's September European Research Symposium in Prague (optician, News, October 30 1998). Keith Edwards, director, professional and clinical affairs, said that the company was still building inventories, but the lens would be available as soon as was practicable. 'The CE Mark gives us the potential to market across Europe and we will be looking at markets we want to enter first.'