Ciba offers astigmats daily disposable option

Ciba Vision has launched the world's first daily disposable contact lens for astigmats, the Focus Dailies Toric.
The new lens is the latest addition to the Focus family and received the Silmo Gold award for innovation at October's show in Paris.
Ciba adds that the lens enables astigmats to experience the lifestyle benefits offered by daily disposables and highlights the potential for the product in terms of visual acuity, comfort, hygiene and convenience.
'Demand for daily disposables is growing much faster than the industry average, having almost doubled in the last four years. This reflects the changing lifestyles of consumers, which are driving the trend towards convenience and freedom of choice in all products,' says Helene Cooper, Ciba's business manager for Dailies.
The lens is made from nelfilcon A, the same material as Focus Dailies, using Lightstream technology. Ciba adds that the lenses feature a double thin zone for better oxygen supply and stability, along with a smooth edge design for comfort and handling.
The Focus Dailies Torics will initally be available in a -0.75 cylinder for low astigmats. In an 8.6mm base curve, the lens is 14.2mm in diameter and has spherical powers from -0.50D to -6.00 in 0.25 steps, in axis 180¡ and 90¡.
The company adds that the toric lens is simple to fit, resulting in minimum chair time.
'Many astigmats are still unaware that they can enjoy the option of soft lenses. Although 50 per cent of patients are astigmats, they account for only 13 per cent of soft contact lens wearers,' says Ms Cooper, pointing out the potential for growth.