Optrafair's point of contact

Optrafair 2005 lived up to its aim that it would represent all that is topical and immediate in the profession. Aside from the new products and trends on show, the exhibition's aisles hummed with the bubbling resentment over the CET points fiasco.

The NEC show provided an enlarged showcase for technology developments aimed at helping the busy practitioner, a strong fashion frame element in the 'Boulevard' area, and special events dotted around hall 20.

In another interesting development, frame company Vision-Eyecare exhibited the Bescon range of contact lenses which is manufactured in South Korea and available in the US and Japan. The range includes cast-moulded frequent replacement soft lenses, coloured options and RGPs, as well as solutions.

Over on the Menicon stand, Atsushi Yamashita and Pierre Renon were presenting the Menisoft high-water monthly replacement lens alongside the Menicon Z and Menifocal Z RGPs for continuous wear. The company's Progent and Menilab solutions, CE marked for disinfecting RGP trial lenses against prions, were also on display. Next door, mark 'ennovy was showing its toric and multifocal lenses and promoting the concept of 'tailor-made disposable lenses' as a way that practitioners could position its specialist range.

At No 7 Contact Lens Laboratories, director Ian Goble reported strong interest in the company's Ortho K system of customising reverse-geometry lenses based on topographical data.

Goble said that practitioners were coming along specifically to talk about the system and, interestingly, not all were experienced RGP fitters. Simplifying ortho-K by an empirical approach and technical support throughout the fitting process had brought it within reach of more practitioners, he said.

Soft lens wearers were good candidates for ortho-K, as were those interested in laser refractive surgery but put off by recent safety warnings. Goble was in discussion with laser eye clinics in the Harley Street area to see whether they might offer ortho-K as an alternative to laser surgery.
The remaining exhibitor in this sector, wholesaler Mid-Optic reflected the future role of optometry with the launch of a division specialising in ophthalmic drugs and a dedicated catalogue with more than 200 new products. These included a range of post-Lasik and cataract aftercare kits of eye drops, eye shields and protective glasses, a sign perhaps of things to come when profession and industry gather for the next Optrafair in Birmingham, in 2007.