A recent Scopus search of “contact lens” within the title, abstract, or keyword of documents associated with Index Medicus yielded 698 articles that met this criteria in 2019 (to date). Over the last several years, that number has been as high as 987 articles. A similar search for another related term, “dry eye,” returned between 708 to 1,159 articles over this same period. Although there have been significant research activities in these spaces, it is important for us to help translate this knowledge into clinical practice.
 

ABB Optical Group Announces ABB Cares Winners

ABB Optical Group announced that seven non-profit organizations, nominated by eyecare professionals nationwide, will receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for outstanding programming and community impact through the Sixth Annual ABB Cares Program.

A platinum ABB Cares grant of $5,000 was awarded to BIO Girls. The mission of Fargo, ND-based BIO Girls, nominated by McCulley Optix Gallery, is to improve the self-esteem of adolescent girls through empowerment of self and service to others. The grant will be used to help provide journals, which are utilized to support life-skill development, to more than 2,000 girls in 2020.

Two organizations received gold ABB Cares grants of $2,500: Lakeshore Food 4 Kids and Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. The mission of Lakeshore Food 4 Kids, located in Ludington, MI and nominated by West Shore Eye Care, is to provide meals for elementary school students may be facing food insecurity issues in the Ludington area school district. And, nominated by Apple Valley Eyecare, Minneapolis-based Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge is dedicated to assisting teens and adults in gaining freedom from drug and alcohol addictions and other life controlling problems by addressing their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Additionally, four organizations received silver ABB Cares grants of $1,000: It’s a Sensory World, Sandy Feet Initiative, The Camphill School, and Vision is Priceless. Nominated by Dr. David E. Weber, Farmers Branch, TX-based It’s a Sensory World is devoted to serving children who have special needs with customized sensory-based programs to maximize developmental potential leading to the independence and inclusion of each child. Mission Viejo, CA-based Sandy Feet Initiative, nominated by Griffin Optometric Group, is devoted to empowering the siblings of children who have special needs through beach-oriented programs. The Camphill School, located in Glenmoore, PA and nominated by Eagle Eye Associates, provides programs for children and youth who have developmental disabilities so that they may be better understood, reach their potential, and meaningfully participate in life. Finally, Jacksonville, FL-based Vision is Priceless, nominated by Levenson Eye Associates, is dedicated to providing access to quality, free preventative vision healthcare including free vision screenings, eye exams, surgeries, and glasses for the underserved.
 

Leo Lens Technology Product Selected as Finalist

Leo Lens Technology (LLT) announced that its drug delivery contact lens product was selected as a finalist in Connect w/ San Diego Venture Group’s (SDVG) Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Awards. Connect w/ SDVG is an innovation company accelerator in San Diego that creates and scales companies in the technology and life sciences sectors.

According to LLT, it uses a patented platform technology to harness the power of high-tech digital printing to commercialize a drug-eluting, comfort-enhancing contact lens product. Its first product is a lens to treat glaucoma with a contact lens releasing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved bimatoprost.

The 2019 MIP Awards presentation will be held at the Innovation Awards dinner on Dec. 5 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla in San Diego. Each of the finalists were featured in the Innovation Showcase, and the winner in each category will be announced live during the dinner.

For a complete list of winners and additional information, visit Connect w/ SDVG’s website at www.connectsd.org/innovation-awards.
 

B+L and TerraCycle Donate New Custom Training Modules to Guide Dog Foundation

Bausch + Lomb (B+L), in collaboration with TerraCycle, donated custom training modules to the Guide Dog Foundation, a national not-for-profit that trains guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired. The training modules—including benches, tables, waste stations, and an agility ramp—were made from used contact lens materials collected through the Bausch + Lomb One by One Recycling Program as well as other recycled material. The donation was funded through the Bausch Foundation.

In addition to the training module donation made to the Guide Dog Foundation, the One by One Recycling Program donates $10 to Optometry Giving Sight for every 10 pounds of contact lens waste collected from participating One by One recycling centers.
 

Valley Contax Announces Custom Stable Cup Winners

Valley Contax recently held the Custom Stable Cup Challenge at Academy 2019 in Orlando. Current optometry students and alumni were encouraged to participate by visiting the Valley Contax booth where they partnered up and fit the Custom Stable lens. Once finished, the school that had at least 10 participants who had the lowest average difference between the estimated and actual central clearance was to be declared the winner.

First place was awarded to Michigan College of Optometry (MCO) at Ferris State University, which received two $500 scholarships and the Custom Stable Cup trophy. The second-place winner was SUNY College of Optometry, which was awarded a $500 scholarship. Five $100 gift cards were also awarded to Kaitlyn Arnold, MCO; Amalia Burrell, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University; Makayla Porter, Southern College of Optometry; Elise Hoi, SUNY College of Optometry; and Inlanders Coulanges, École d'optométrie — Université de Montréal. Menicon, Contamac, Optovue, and TelScreen were also contributing sponsors along with special support from the American Optometric Student Association.
 

Bio-Tissue Launches Website to Educate on Solution for Mechanical Dry Eye

Bio-Tissue, Inc. announced the launch of an educational website, www.DiscoverMDE.com, on Mechanical Dry Eye (MDE) also sometimes referred to as conjunctivochalasis (CCh). The website features educational information, videos, testimonials, and other resources for both patients and health care providers.

According to the company, the website will provide important information to patients and their caregivers so that they can learn more about MDE/CCh. It further enables physicians to differentiate MDE/CCh from conventional dry eye and engage their patients in a discussion to provide options to manage this condition.
 

Novaliq and Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Announce a Collaboration

Novaliq and Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, a biopharmaceutical company based in China, closed an exclusive license agreement to develop, manufacture, and commercialize water-free drugs NOV03 and CyclASol for the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) in the People’s Republic of China (including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan).

Under the terms of the agreement, Novaliq is eligible to receive an upfront payment of up to $9 million and up to $156 million in milestone payments linked to predefined development, regulatory, and commercialization objectives. In addition, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine will be obligated to pay Novaliq tiered percentage royalties on net sales of NOV03 and CyclASol in China. Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine secures exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize both drugs in China. Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine will be responsible for all development, regulatory, and commercialization activities and related expenses in the territory.

NOV03 (perfluorohexyloctane) is being developed as a treatment for patients who have DED associated with meibomian gland dysfunction and has a novel mode of action that has been confirmed in various studies. CyclASol is an anti-inflammatory investigational drug for patients who have moderate to severe DED that has an inflammatory disease component. CyclASol contains cyclosporine A 0.1% in EyeSol and holds the promise of unfolding cyclosporine A’s full potential on the ocular surface, enabling clinicians to treat more patients successfully, according to the companies.
 

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals Appoints George O. Elston as CFO and Head of Corporate Development

EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the appointment of George O. Elston as CFO and head of Corporate Development. Mr. Elston has previously been a consultant to the company and will now transition into this permanent role effective immediately. In this role, Mr. Elston will lead the company’s financial, capital markets, and corporate development initiatives. Mr. Elston brings more than 25 years of diverse financial and senior leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical sector with both global publicly traded and privately held organizations.
 

GSLS 2020 Spotlight: Breakout Sessions

The 2020 Global Specialty Lens Symposium program includes 18 breakout sessions, which will be held on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25. Topics being discussed in this year’s breakout sessions run the gamut of eyecare from orthokeratology to dry eye to lens care to scleral lenses and more.

Here is a sampling of the sessions that will be offered: Myopia Control: An Evidence Based Update, presented by Mark Bullimore; Contact Lenses for Visual Rehabilitation in Keratoconus: Characteristics and Outcomes of Contact Lenses for Keratoconus, presented by John Gelles; Do No Harm: When Is a Scleral Lens More Detrimental Than Beneficial?, presented by Alan Kwok and Gloria Chiu; What’s New for Scleral Lens Success in OSD? presented by Chandra Mickles and Jennifer Harthan; and Amniotic Membranes for Contact Lens Complications and Anterior Segment Pathology, presented by Greg Caldwell.

For descriptions of all the breakout sessions, as well as the general and preconference sessions, visit the Agenda page on the GSLS website.
 

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Kyriakos Telamitsi, Limassol, Cyprus

This image shows the beauty of an iris reconstruction, the beauty of a scleral lens first fit, the beauty of a microvault, and an ugly black dot.

We thank Kyriakos Telamitsi for this image and welcome photo submissions from our other readers! It is easy to submit a photo for consideration for publishing in Contact Lenses Today. Simply visit http://www.cltoday.com/upload/upload.aspx to upload your image. Please include a detailed explanation of the photo and your full name, degree or title, and city/state/country.
 

Corneal Endothelial Bleb Formation in Scleral Lens Wear

Corneal endothelial bleb formation has been reported during contact lens wear and goggle-induced hypoxia or hypercapnia. A recent study looked at whether blebs appear after scleral lens wear and whether their appearance is influenced by lens clearance; it also compared bleb and cell sizes.¹

Twenty-one subjects were fit with two similar scleral lenses (SLs) that had different targeted clearances of 200μm and 400μm (the SL200 and SL400, respectively). Each lens was worn unilaterally for 25 minutes, whereas the other eye served as a control. Before and after lens wear, the endothelium was photographed using specular microscopy. The number of blebs and measurements of the areas of cells and blebs were analyzed. Paired t tests compared differences in the areas of cells and blebs. Differences in median bleb number were evaluated using the Wilcoxon test.

Results indicated that after wearing the SL200 and SL400 lenses, nine and 14 subjects had at least one bleb, respectively. The median bleb number after wearing lenses was significantly different (SL200, 0.00; SL400, 1.00; P = 0.02). Bleb and cell areas were significantly different (blebs, 293 ± 28; cells, 370μm ± 32μm; P < 0.0001).

The authors concluded that after 25 minutes of wearing scleral lenses with each of the two targeted clearances, the SL400 induced significantly more blebs than did the SL200. This suggests evidence of reduced oxygen and/or increased carbon dioxide levels under scleral lenses fit with excessive clearance and that blebs may occur more in smaller cells. This study may further suggest that excessive corneal vaulting may result in hypoxic sequelae.

1. Giasson CJ, Rancourt J, Robillard J, Melillo M, Michaud L. Corneal Endothelial Blebs Induced in Scleral Lens Wearers. Optom Vis Sci. 2019 Nov;96:810-817.
 

The Perfect Eyelash Length

Bionics, or biologically inspired engineering, is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology.

Recently, a coupled multi-physics model was developed to characterize ocular water evaporation with realistic eyelash structures taken into account.¹ From a chemical engineering perspective, the protective function of human eyelashes—in terms of evaporation inhibition—was rationally revealed. Systematic investigations were carried out to demonstrate the effects of different eyelash lengths, orientations, and inlet air directions on water evaporation on the ocular surface.

The results illustrate that, regardless of inlet air directions and eyelash orientations, increasing eyelash length from zero to an optimal length can effectively reduce water evaporation. However, an additional increase in the eyelash length can lead to enhanced evaporation.

For the normal and parallel inlet air directions, the optimal eyelash length is around 15% to 30% of the eye width and can offer approximately 10% to 30% evaporation reduction when compared with the cases without eyelashes. These values are independent of the eyelash orientation.

This study provided valuable data for a greater understanding of the protective function of the eyelashes. With this in mind, consider the negative effects of ultra-long artificial lashes and their impact on increased ocular surface desiccation.

1. Giasson CJ, Rancourt J, Robillard J, Melillo M, Michaud L. Corneal Endothelial Blebs Induced in Scleral Lens Wearers. Optom Vis Sci. 2019 Nov;96:810-817.
 

Clinical Findings and Ocular Symptoms Over 1 Year in a Sample of Scleral Lens Wearers.

The purpose of this study was to report the fitting aspects, clinical findings, and symptoms over 12 months of scleral lens (SL) wear. Sixty-nine patients who have irregular corneas due to ectasia or surgical procedures (IC group) or regular corneas that have high ametropia (RC group) completed the 12-month prospective follow-up period. Patients were evaluated at baseline, lens dispensing visit, one month, three months, six months, and 12 months for assessment of comfort, fitting aspects, and slit lamp findings. Comfort was assessed with the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire and the Dry Eye Questionnaire. Slit lamp evaluations comprised on-eye lens fitting (lens alignment and tear reservoir thickness) and anterior ocular surface health after removing the lens (edema, hyperemia, staining, and adverse events).

OSDI scores were significantly reduced after one month of SL wear comparing to baseline (from 47.0 ± 22.7 to 23.9 ± 14.7 in the IC group, P < 0.001; and from 27.0 ± 16.1 to 17.0 ± 13.7, P = 0.029 in the RC group, P < 0.05), without statistically significant differences from one to 12 months. Tear reservoir thickness showed a significant reduction at the one-month visit (122μm in the IC group and 126μm in the RC group, P < 0.05) that continued over time until the 12-month visit (195μm and 184μm lower compared with baseline (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon). Hyperemia and staining were significantly higher after SL removal when compared with baseline (P < 0.05) and maintained the same behavior over the 12 months. There were no severe adverse events during the entire follow-up period.

The authors determined that comfort enhancement promoted by SLs remained over the entire follow-up period. Despite no severe adverse events recorded over the 12 months of follow up, higher hyperemia and staining grades were found after SL removal when compared with a no-lens condition.

Macedo-de-Araújo RJ, Amorim-de-Sousa A, van der Worp E, González-Méijome JM. Clinical Findings and Ocular Symptoms Over 1 Year in a Sample of Scleral Lens Wearers. Eye Contact Lens. 2019 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print]