An ambition to change the trajectory of global eye health is what drives Johnson & Johnson Vision to be innovative during product development, as well as the need to enable eye care professionals to better support their patients.
The development of Acuvue Oasys with Transitions Light Intelligent Technology was no different and is described by the company as a first of its kind contact lens that provides exceptional visual performance throughout the day and night, indoors and outdoors.
Rachel Hiscox, professional education and development manager at Johnson & Johnson Vision, tells Optician: ‘This lens combines our most comfortable lens material, senofilcon A, which has never been beaten in comfort, with trillions of photochromic molecules to help manage light. These technologies combine to provide patients with seven dimensions for exceptional visual performance.’
Acuvue Oasys with Transitions begins to darken when exposed to sunlight, turning dark in 45 seconds and when going from outdoors to indoors, it fades to clear within 90 seconds. It received recognition in 2018 from the Food and Drug Administration in the US and the CE Mark for use in Europe in March 2019.
She adds that, like all the company’s innovations, patient insights were behind the development of the contact lens.
Hiscox explains: ‘First, we know that globally 68% of patients who stop wearing reusable contact lenses do so because of performance and comfort issues, and that almost two out of three dropouts in the category are from soft reusable lenses.
‘Secondly, we know that exceptional visual performance is driven by more than just acuity and comfort, and that challenging light conditions can compromise this. Finally, 87% of consumers are bothered by light, whether it be while spending time indoors or outdoors, using digital devices, or when driving at night.
‘These insights combined to show that there was an unmet patient need for a contact lens that could deliver physical comfort, visual acuity and light management.’
Worthy winners
Hiscox adds that Acuvue Oasys with Transitions is a worthy winner of Optician’s Contact Lens Product of the Year accolade as research and development took over 10 years, including clinical trials with more than 1,000 patients. Plus, she says, it introduces an exciting and entirely new category of contact lens to the market.
‘Currently, there are no other contact lenses on the market with Transitions Light Intelligent Technology and it is the only contact lens that provides 100% protection against UVB, giving the highest level of UV protection in a contact lens. Innovation like this is massively important to ensure we keep moving forward and producing more products to meet patients’ needs,’ Hiscox says.
Hiscox explains that the contact lens provides patients with seven dimensions for exceptional visual performance, as well as unbeaten comfort.
‘By adapting to the level of light it reduces the stressful impact of light, reduces haloes and starbursts at night and provides improved colour contrast. Finally, it provides light management, seamlessly adapting to changing light, indoors and out, actively filters blue light and provides the highest level of UV protection in a soft contact lens,’ she says.
Can you win Contact lens supplier of the year 2021?
Entries in this category are open to suppliers of contact lenses, solutions and related products or services based on their interaction with the market since the beginning of 2020. Entries should showcase excellence of customer care, communication and product innovation and demonstrate how this has impacted the customer base. Entrants may wish to showcase a particular product launch, market initiative or focus more generally on how they exceed customer expectations and go the extra mile for clients. The judges will be looking for evidence linking the entrant’s actions to success in practice, proof of listening to clients and for positive feedback from customers.
- Visit opticianawards.co.uk to enter now.