A new company called Eyenovations in Cambridge, MA, is developing a contact lens designed to continuously release medication to the eye. The contacts would be a great alternative for glaucoma patients, who often use medicated eye drops multiple times each day. The company also believes the lenses could deliver antibiotics after eye surgery, as well as help treat several other eye conditions such as dry eye.

The concept of medicated contacts has been explored by other research groups, but they were unsuccessful in achieving extended release of the drugs. The Eyenovations team discovered how to deliver high doses of medication for up to 100 days. The hydrogel lenses have a polymer film that contains the medication, and the film and lens properties control the release rate of the medication from the contact.

The company is patenting the process and plans to develop a commercial lens that delivers drugs for up to 30 days, which is the limit for single-use contacts determined by the Food and Drug Administration. Clinical tests are expected to be under way soon.

For the first time in 11 years, Acuvue has released a new brand of multifocal contact lenses for presbyopia, an age-related condition that typically develops at age 40 that causes blurred near vision.

Acuvue Oasys for Presbyopia provides “clear and comfortable vision correction at all distances,” reports manufacturer Vistakon. The contact lenses are designed with improved Stereo Precision Technology optics to provide a smooth prescriptive-power transition for balanced near and distance vision.

The lenses use a “new generation” silicone hydrogel material with Hydraclear Plus, a special wetting agent designed to keep the lenses moist and comfortable for all-day wear. Acuvue Oasys for Presbyopia also blocks more than 96 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays.

It is estimated that 90 million people in the United States will have or develop presbyopia by 2014, creating a high demand for options to deal with their failing near vision. Presbyopes can read more information and get a free trial certificate at www.acuvue.com/presbyopia. A professional exam from an eye doctor is required.

This week researchers at the University of Houston’s College of Optometry announced their creation of contact lenses that are custom-made for people with higher-order aberrations. Assistant Professor Jason Marsack said the contacts only work for the individual patient they are designed for, like fingerprints for the eye.

Higher-order aberrations (HOAs) are more subtle and complex optical defects than common refractive errors, and they affect nearly everyone. It’s estimated that up to 15 percent of the total refractive problems people have are caused by HOAs rather than nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Until recently, eye doctors did not have the ability to detect higher-order aberrations in routine eye exams. Lately there is growing attention to the development of adaptive optics because new wavefront technology (aberrometry) can detect and measure these aberrations. So far more than 60 different aberrations have been identified, and patients with the same aberration may require unique lenses.

The research team is supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute. The team hopes their laboratory results can lead to products for widespread clinical use.

Under U.S. law, all colored contacts are considered medical devices and require a contact lens prescription even if the lenses have no prescriptive power. A prescription from an eye doctor is necessary for a proper fit of the lenses.

Dr. James D. Sandefur of the Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners warns that wearing lenses that are not fitted correctly can cause eye injuries such as corneal ulcers (an infected corneal abrasion), which can lead to blindness.

Previously the FDA issued a consumer alert after the color contacts bill was passed in November 2005. Prior to the passing of the bill, non-corrective color contacts were considered cosmetic devices.

The News-Star (Monroe, La.) reported that the Board issued the first fines for violating the law to two businesses since January of this year.