New ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses For Astigmatism Enhances Comfort, Stability With Revolutionary Design

Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 21 Mar 2005 - 2:00 PDT

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Eye Care Professionals can go from "zero to fitting in 60 seconds" -

The biggest breakthrough in technology for the toric category in 15 years - ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM - were launched by VISTAKON(reg), a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. An innovation in vision care, the new lenses provide astigmatic patients with excellent visual acuity and exceptional, long-lasting comfort; make fittings much faster and easier; and are the first toric lenses to feature HYDRACLEAR(reg). HYDRACLEAR(reg) is our brand name for our proprietary technology that brings together a remarkable moisture rich wetting agent with high performance base materials to form clear, wettable lenses resulting in a unique, silky, soft feel.

Before, the only options were traditional dual thin zone and prism-ballast designs. Now, ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM features a new proprietary technology, which establishes a new level of stability. Unlike other toric lens designs that compete with the eyelids' movements, our Accelerated Stabilization Design (ASD) harnesses the power of the blink to quickly orient and stabilize the lens in less than 60 seconds.

The four active zones and accelerated slope of thickness of the Accelerated Stabilization Design (ASD) work with the eyelids to balance the lens in place when the eye is open and quickly re-align the lens if it rotates out of position. Our proprietary Accelerated Stabilization Design provides your patients with crisp, stable, all-day vision and provides doctors with a fast, stable fit.

When ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM lenses are in place, every blink is a smooth, natural interaction with the lens that maintains continuous stability throughout the day. This enhanced stabilization is the key to increased visual acuity during all activities.

The new design also makes the fitting process for astigmatic patients easier by reducing chair time. Because ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM was designed specifically to use the eyelid to stabilize the lens - allowing the lens to settle into place within one minute and prevent rotation - Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) can go from "zero to fitting in 60 seconds." This accelerated fitting is a marked advantage for ECPs over the traditional toric lens fitting process, which required waiting up to 15 minutes for the lens to settle before assessing its fit.

"Eye Care Professionals - as well as astigmatic patients - accustomed to tedious and uncomfortable lens fittings will be pleased by how quickly and predictably these new lenses can be fitted," said Pat Cummings, vice president of Professional Affairs, VISTAKON(reg). "Patient satisfaction is a priority for Eye Care Professionals and is key for successful business growth, and patients will be delighted by the crisp, clear vision and long-lasting comfort delivered by ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM.

We are confident that the introduction of this new lens design will provide opportunities for Eye Care Professionals to be heroes to their astigmatic patients and grow their business with the previously challenging astigmatic market."

In a recent study1, patients rated the performance of current soft toric lenses consistently lower than their expectations of contact lenses. Only 58 percent rated overall satisfaction as excellent or very good; 45 percent said they experienced blurred vision and 77 percent reported fluctuating vision. Only 68 percent described overall comfort as excellent or very good. Now, current toric lens wearers, new patients and dropouts will all welcome ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM, which brings to astigmatic patients enhanced vision correction and all-day comfort.

ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) for ASTIGMATISM is the second product entry in the ULTRA COMFORT SERIES(reg), following the introduction of ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR(reg), a spherical lens that has achieved widespread acceptance and high levels of patient and ECP satisfaction since its launch in February 2004. The ULTRA COMFORT SERIES(reg) offers exceptional comfort to wearers by providing all-day moisture, smooth fit and soft and flexible feel.

About Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

VISTAKON(reg), a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., pioneered the concept of disposable contact lens wear in 1987 with the introduction of ACUVUE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses. The ACUVUE(reg) Brand family of lenses is the most prescribed by Eye Care Professionals worldwide today. VISTAKON(reg), headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, manufactures and markets the first, second and third best-selling contact lenses in the world: ACUVUE(reg) 2 Brand Contact Lenses, 1 a DAY ACUVUE(reg) Brand Daily Disposable Contact Lenses and ACUVUE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses.

The ACUVUE(reg) Brand BIFOCAL Contact Lenses is the number one prescribed bifocal contact lens in the United States. VISTAKON(reg) also manufactures ACUVUE(reg) Brand TORIC Contact Lenses for people with astigmatism. ACUVUE(reg) 2 COLOURS(reg) Brand Contact Lenses allows people to change their eye color every day or for a special occasion. With the introduction of ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR(reg) and ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM, VISTAKON(reg) provides a family of products to meet the majority of vision care needs.

1 VISTAKON(reg). How Satisfied Are Patients with Current Soft Toric Contact Lenses. A two week, 19-site study conducted in the U.S., in which 335 astigmatics were surveyed about their attitudes to contact lenses in general and assigned to wear one of four soft toric lenses under study conditions. Patients were then asked to complete a questionnaire assessing their satisfaction with the study lenses.

WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-Blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-Blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.

ACUVUE(reg) ADVANCE(reg) with HYDRACLEAR(reg) is indicated for daily wear vision correction. Eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information, available from VISTAKON(reg) by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting visit http://www.acuvue.com.