contact lens management
Is Oxygen the Answer?
Understanding
the daily-wear patient.
ELLIOT LASKY,
O.D.
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In a CooperVision
study, patients rated the comfort of their prior contact lenses and Biomedics XC
lenses based on a 10-point scale — 10 being most comfortable.
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When
looking to keep our contact lens patients happy, is it really worth risking comfort-related
dropouts (and the related extra chair time and re-fits) all in the name of oxygen?
Use what makes sense
Silicone hydrogels make sense for the patient
who truly wants an extended-wear lens. But what about the daily-wear patient, who
represents 92% of new soft contact lens sales. For these "bread and butter" patients,
perhaps it's time to go back to the fundamentals of successful contact lens wear:
crisp vision, comfort and health.
I have found that the Biomedics XC
from CooperVision satisfies each of these fundamentals. It is made of an advanced
hydrogel material, which offers sharp vision, outstanding health and, most importantly,
delivers a comfortable wearing experience many patients prefer even when compared
with silicone hydrogels — an important consideration, as discomfort remains
the number one reason for lens dropout.
The lens is made of omafilcon A, a
material that accommodates a wide range of cleaning regimen options. This is very
important in light of the recent discussions surrounding silicone hydrogels and
their compatibility with certain multipurpose solutions. While it is appropriate
to recommend solutions, it is simply impossible to know, in every instance, which
solutions your patients are using.
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Biomedics
XC aspheric |
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SPHERE
POWERS: +6.00D to -10.00D
(0.50D steps after -6.00D)
MATERIAL: Omafilcon A
DK/T: 44
DIAMETER: 14.2mm
BASE CURVE: 8.5mm
CTR THICKNESS: .075 @ -3.00
WATER CONTENT: 60%
REPLACEMENT SCHED: 2
weeks. |
Wide-ranging approval
Recent studies have shown that this lens performs
incredibly well in areas key to patient satisfaction: sharp and clear vision and
overall comfort. One study indicates an overall preference for this new PC Hydrogel
lens over a popular silicone hydrogel lens and another popular hydrogel two-week
replacement daily-wear lens (see chart below)
With a renewed focus on compliance,
wear schedule and keeping the eye healthy, this two-week, planned-replacement lens
enhances any practice's product line with an outstanding new choice, which even
beats silicone hydrogels for comfort and overall patient preference.
DR. LASKY IS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE
IN NASHUA, N.H.
Optometric Management, Issue: December 2006