SynergEyes, the leading U.S. manufacturer of hybrid contact lenses, has received FDA approval of its new silicone hydrogel hybrid contact lens technology, according to the Carlsbad, California-based company.

The company’s latest generation hybrid contacts made with this new technology will feature SynergEyes’ MaxVu rigid gas permeable material in the central optic zone, surrounded by its new Flex2O silicone hydrogel material, which transmits significantly more oxygen to the front of the eye than conventional soft lens materials.

SynergEyes plans to market the new hybrid contact lenses under its new Duette brand, and will soon be releasing two lenses: the Duette hybrid contact lens for astigmatism (currently available in limited release) and the Duette multifocal lens for presbyopia.

Both lenses are approved for daily wear to correct up to 20 diopters (D) of nearsightedness or farsightedness and up to 6.0 diopters of astigmatism, according to the company.

“Duette hybrid contact lenses represent a significant advancement in the contact lens industry and give eye care professionals an innovative product that delivers an unprecedented combination of visual acuity and comfort to a broad range of patients,” said Jim Ham, CEO of SynergEyes, in a press release issued by the company.

The company is planning a nationwide launch of the Duette hybrid lens for astigmatism and a limited release of the Duette multifocal hybrid lens for presbyopia in early 2011.

For more information about hybrid contact lenses, contact your eye care professional or visit the SynergEyes website.

The presence of pinguecula and loosening or excess growth of the conjunctiva are risk factors for the development of subconjunctival hemorrhage (SCH) among contact lens wearers, according to a study published online this month by the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage

Researchers in Japan evaluated 45 contact lens wearers (ages 18 to 45) with SCH, 200 age-matched control subjects who did not wear contact lenses and 200 age-matched controls who wore contacts. None of the eyes in the control groups had subconjunctival hemorrhages.

The conjunctiva (the clear, thin membrane overlying the sclera or “white” of the eye) was divided into eight equal regions and evaluated for the presence of pinguecula, conjunctivochalasis (loosening and/or excess growth of the conjunctiva) and other abnormalities.

Results of the study included:

• Contact lens-related SCH typically affected one or two temporal (lateral, closer to the ear) regions of the conjunctiva.
• SCH occurred significantly more frequently in eyes with pinguecula and conjunctivochalasis.
• The effect of downward gaze or digital (finger) pressure on the extent of conjunctivochalasis was more marked in eyes with SCH.

The study authors concluded that pinguecula and conjunctivochalasis are major risk factors for contact lens-related subconjunctival hemorrhage.

Though the exact cause of pinguecula and conjunctivochalasis is unknown, they may result from chronic dry eye, overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation or allergy-related swelling with eventual stretching of the conjunctiva.

Severe cases of pinguecula and conjunctivochalasis that are unsightly or cause eye discomfort can be treated surgically.

A new contact lens from Safigel that slowly releases a common eye drop lubricant — sodium hyaluronate — now is available in the United States for daily wear.

Safigel's new hyaluronate-gel contact lenses have received FDA approval.

Company promotional material says the lens “replenishes the pre- and post-lens tear film, maximizing lens comfort throughout the longest wearing times.”

Safigel lenses received FDA marketing approval in December 2009 for three versions (only the daily disposable version known as Safigel 1 Day currently is available):

• Daily disposable soft lens.
• Daily disposable toric for astigmatism, caused by an irregularly shaped eye surface.
• Daily disposable multifocal for people with presbyopia. Read more…
  

Now that Acuvue recently introduced the first silicone hydrogel daily disposable contact lens approved by the FDA, wearers likely will want to know if benefits merit the extra cost of the lens material.

If you are on a budget, you may need to consider costs versus benefits of Acuvue's 1-Day TruEye daily disposable contact lenses.

Acuvue’s 1-Day TruEye daily disposables are made of what the company describes as a “breathable” type of silicone hydrogel contact lens material known as narafilcon B.

Before Acuvue offered silicone hydrogel dailies, these types of contact lenses were replaced only at intervals ranging from weekly to monthly.

But despite benefits such as extra comfort, some eye care practitioners say daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses are roughly twice as expensive as other types.

And because the lenses are disposed of daily, the comfort aspect may not be as much of a factor as it is with lenses that have longer replacement schedules.

“Silicone hydrogel lenses may be overkill for daily disposables,” said Brian Chou, OD, a partner at Carmel Mountain Vision Care — a group optometric practice in San Diego.

But Larry K. Wan, OD, of Family EyeCare Center in Campbell, Calif., disagrees.

“The TruEyes silicone hydrogel contact lens provides five times more oxygen to the eye than other one-day, single-use lenses, and has the highest level of UV protection,” Wan told Contact Lens Headlines. “It may be the most comfortable and trouble-free lens option available.”

But Chou said he is inclined to wait and see if the new silicone hydrogel daily genuinely is cost effective for his patients.

“If there are two lenses that perform equivalently well but one lens is half the cost, I will prescribe the lower cost lens to serve the patient’s best interests,” Chou said.

Depending on the geographic market, Wan said TruEyes contact lenses cost about $15 to $17 more per 90-lens box than other products on the market. He said this expenditure amounts to about $1.80 per day for wearers.

“This is about the same as what a pair of high-quality eyeglasses would cost you,” Wan said. “For many patients, this is a tremendous value for the quality.”