Presbyopic correction and myopia management were the two key themes at the British Contact Lens Association’s 2015 Clinical Conference & Exhibition, held in Liverpool from May 29-31.
Prominent on the programme and in the exhibition hall were additional options for daily disposable soft multifocal prescribing with novel design concepts.
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Johnson & Johnson Vision Care introduced the ‘Eye Inspired’ 1-Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal with a series of presentations, a launch event at the Royal Liver Building and more than150 trials on its exhibition stand. The lens design addresses variation in pupil size with refractive error as well as with age.
Italian manufacturer Safilens exhibited the Fusio 1day Presbyo lens, an afocal design that incorporates an on-axis induced scotoma area to reduce the circle of least confusion and increase depth of field.
And there was a look into the future as Alcon’s head of R&D vision care Dr Franck Leveiller previewed its accommodating contact lens, one of several smart lenses in development under the Novartis-Google collaboration announced in July 2014.
Daily disposable lenses were prominent on the CooperVision stand, with a first outing for the newly rebranded Clariti family of silicone hydrogel lenses acquired through its purchase of Sauflon.
Coloured lenses were also a feature with plus powers added to Alcon’s Air Optix Colors and the 1-Day Acuvue Define lenses from Johnson & Johnson.
In other product categories, Alcon introduced the AOSept Plus with Hydraglyde solution for SiHs. David Thomas showcased the Rose K2 Soft for irregular corneas and MeniCare Pure solution for RGPs. Clearlab added Beyond for Astigmatism to its range of clear and cosmetic lenses.
The myopia management session on the first day brought together some of the leading researchers in the field. Professor Brien Holden reported on the World Health Organisation and Brien Holden Vision Institute’s joint Global Scientific Meeting on Myopia held in March 2015. The meeting agreed a definition of myopia and the retinal condition that causes blindness with myopia.
By 2050, more than half the world’s population would be myopic, he said. Orthokeratology, stepped anti-myopia and extended depth of focus contact lenses, and low-dose atropine were among the current approaches to myopia management said to be effective.
A full report will appear in future issues of Optician