NEW DELHI, DEC 17:  Almost nine months after Bausch and Lomb withdrew its contact lens cleaner from markets across the world including India for causing rashes and irritation, US-based eye care products maker Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) is recalling batches from the US, Japan and Indian markets due to reported sterility risk with its multipurpose contact lens solution and active packs produced at its manufacturing facility in China.Its products are sold under 18 brands but it’s recalling two brands: Complete MoisturePlus and Active Plus.

The company has recalled over 2.9 million units worldwide after finding bacterial contamination in three lots made at the plant in China and shipped to the US, Japan and India.

The company will suspend production at its plant in China for about 10 to 12 weeks. Bausch and Lomb during March 2006 withdrew its contact lens cleaner ReNu MoistureLoc from many markets across the world.

Even as about 1,83,000 units made it into the US, the company said it has not received any reports of adverse health events associated with the 18 recalled product lots in the country. However, the recall result showed on company’s scrip as its shares sank nearly 9% on the New York Stock Exchange.

Asked about the impact the move would have on its India business, a company spokesperson told FE in an e-mail: “a small percentage of recalled products were shipped to India. But, we believe the likelihood of consumers in India experiencing an adverse health reaction is low.”

Industry experts said the company enjoys about 20% market share in India. The size of the eye care products market in the country stands at about Rs 180 crore. AMO, however, has re-adjusted its 2006-07 sales outlook with a drop of about $45 million.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=149164

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By Sarah Harker

AFTER years spent living in a world of blurred shapes and images, John Sullivan can finally see the light after a groundbreaking cornea transplant.

John, aged 37, first started having problems with his sight when he was 11.

What seemed to be short sightedness could not be corrected with glasses and, aged 16, he was diagnosed with keratoconus, a rare condition of the eye, which means conical cornea.

Doctors prescribed John with specialist contact lenses as a temporary solution.

But the move turned out to be a massive mistake. A side effect of wearing the lenses meant they left his corneas scarred and his sight worsened.

John, of Old Hall, said: “A doctor once explained the condition to me in simple terms. It’s like a car headlight where the bulb is fine but the glass in front is the wrong shape.

“No one knew at the time the damage the lenses were doing. I wore them for 16 years and it was only when I developed an abscess on my cornea that we realised the damage they had been doing. With the lenses I was able to drive, but without them I couldn’t even make out the top line of the eye chart.

“So I went from that back to the bad old days and was told I couldn’t wear them again.”

With his eyesight gradually deteriorating and left with only 40 per cent vision, John, who works at the Royal Mail Distribution Centre in Warrington, opted for a cornea transplant in each eye. In June 2002 he had his first transplant and his vision was clear almost immediately.

More recently, he received his second transplant, and he says life has never been as good.

John says: “I can now make out the last line on the chart and it really is like winning the lottery. I’ve got my independence back and it’s like a whole new world.

“I’m so grateful to the donor for giving me the gift of sight. It’s given me my life back.”

http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/display.var.1091308.0.i_can_see_clearly_now_says_john.php

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Children 8 to 12 years old are just as adept as teenagers at handling and wearing contact lenses.

“Optometrists traditionally don’t prescribe contact lenses to children until they are at least 12 years old,” said Jeffrey Walline, an assistant professor of optometry at Ohio State University. “But we found that younger children are just as responsible with their lenses.”

He and his colleagues studied 169 children and teenagers who participated in the Contact Lens in Pediatrics (CLIP) study, which compares contact lens wear in children 8 to 12 with teens 13 to 17. About half the participants were in each group.

The researchers presented their findings from the month-long study on December 8 in Denver at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry. The current findings confirm those of a much smaller study conducted by Walline and others, which suggested that children 8 to 12 could easily handle daily disposable contact lenses.

None of the children or teens in the current study had worn contact lenses prior to the study. The researchers gave each participant a three-month supply of disposable soft contact lenses, instructing the children and teens to take the lenses out each night and to throw each pair away after two weeks.

Each participant answered questions on the Pediatric Refractive Error Profile (PREP), a survey containing quality-of-life questions related to wearing contact lenses and glasses. The children and teens filled out the profile before they began to wear contact lenses, and again one month after wearing the lenses. PREP scores range from 100 (excellent quality of life) to 0 (poor quality of life.)

Questions included how much a child or teen liked wearing contact lenses or glasses, how clear her vision was while wearing the lenses or glasses, what her eyes physically felt like when wearing lenses or glasses, friends’ reactions to the change and how easy the contact lenses were to handle.

PREP scores suggested that the children and teens were more satisfied with wearing contact lenses than with wearing glasses: scores rose from 65 (pre-contact lens wear) to 74.5 for children, and from 63 (pre-contact lens wear) to 73 for teens.

“The biggest boosts were in terms of satisfaction with their correction and also with participation in activities,” Walline said. “Children and teens reported that it was much easier to engage in sports, dancing and other activities while wearing contact lenses.”

The researchers noted that there was little change in participants’ feelings toward their own appearance, nor did peer perceptions seem to change dramatically once a child or teen began wearing contact lenses.

“Vanity doesn’t seem to be a factor in children’s or teens’ satisfaction with switching to contact lenses,” Walline said.

Children wore their lenses almost as long as teens - parents reported that their children wore the contact lenses about 10.5 hours a day, while teens wore their lenses about 11.5 hours each day.

The soft disposable contact lenses used in this study, along with the necessary cleaning solutions, can cost roughly $260 a year, said Walline. Since children’s and teens’ vision can change very fast, such lenses are typically sold in a six-month supply. Adults can buy a one-year supply.

Walline and his colleagues are currently analyzing data gathered from the study participants after three months of wearing the contact lenses. Although that data isn’t included in this presentation, Walline said the findings are very similar to what he and his colleagues found at the one-month point.

“Children are very capable of taking care of contact lenses on their own,” he said.

In related work, Walline and his colleagues found that optometrists initially spend about 14 minutes longer fitting a child with contact lenses and teaching him how to insert and remove those lenses (total exam time was 110 minutes for children and 96 minutes for teens.)

“After the training is complete, children and teens both showed excellent understanding of contact lens care,” Walline said.

###

He conducted the study with Ohio State colleagues Lisa Jones, David Berntsen, Stacy Long and Monica Chitkara and with colleagues from the University of Houston and the New England College of Optometry.

Written by Holly Wagner

Contact: Jeffrey Walline
Ohio State University

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=58541

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Although they may not sound like it at first, cheap contact lenses may very well be appealing to a large audience. As the name implies, cheap contacts don’t cost a lot of money. While some brands of contacts may be very expensive, there are other brands that don’t cost a lot. When you compare them, there really aren’t that many differences.

A lot of contact lens users feel that the cheaper brands of contacts are reliable, dependable, comfortable, and above everything else - affordable. Even though cheap lenses are praised by some - others don’t look at them that way. Some feel that cheaper lenses should be avoided at all cost, for the fear that they may damage vision or not offer the same quality that the higher priced brands of contacts offer.

Those who don’t wear contacts but have interest in them, may find a cheap pair of contacts to be the ideal way to try them out. If you buy a cheap pair of contacts it won’t cost you a lot of money, yet it will give you the satisfaction in knowing whether or not contacts are for you. Unlike glasses, contact lenses won’t break or hang off your face. Contacts are an ideal choice for many, for the simple fact that they feel natural - almost like a pair of eyes that you never knew you had.

Something to keep in mind, is the fact that cheap contact lenses aren’t the best of quality. As the name states, these types of lens are cheap in price - and also quality. Normally, they are the way to go for people who can’t afford the better brands. Even thought the quality isn’t the best in the world, those who wear cheap contacts normally don’t have any complaints.

Although some people will view cheap contacts as the ideal purchase, others see them as a waste of money. This is all about preference, and what you feel is the best for you. If you have the money to spare, you would be better off getting a pair of brand name contacts. On the other hand, if you are on a limited budget, cheap contact lenses would do you good - at least until you get the money to buy one of the better brands.

Cheap contacts can be found on the Internet, or at your local optician’s office. They won’t set you a back a lot of money, yet they will give you the vision you need. Contacts are a great alternative to glasses, especially for those who need glasses but hate to wear them. Contact lenses are what they are - the ideal way to get the vision you need without wearing glasses. Cheap contacts are an ideal solution to glasses - at a price anyone can afford.

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Hard, or rigid contacts are comprised of material that is known as PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate). This material is very rigid, and doesn’t contain near as much water as soft contacts. With that in mind, taking care of and cleaning hard lenses is very different that cleaning and maintaining soft contact lenses.

Before you purchase a pair of hard or rigid contacts, you should know how to take care of them and how to clean them. Hard contacts differ from soft contacts, as the cleaning process is very different. When you purchase your contacts you should also purchase your cleaning solution. Your cleaner is very important, as you must have it with hard contacts.

The one thing that hard and soft contact lenses have in common, is the fact that you must wash your hands before you handle either of them. You should always wash your hands with soap and water before you handle your hard lenses. Antibacterial soap is the best soap to use, as it will thoroughly clean your hands and it doesn’t contain any type of fragrance.

The first thing to do when cleaning your hard contacts is to take the lens out of your eye and put it in the center of your hand. You should have your cleaner out, and ready to use anytime you are looking to clean your lenses. Once you have the lens in the palm of your hand, squirt a couple of cleaning drops into the center of the lens. Now, gently work the solution into the lens, for a minute or so. You should always avoid using pressure, as you could end up tearing the lens.

Once you have finished cleaning your lens, you’ll need to rinse it. You can rinse hard contact lenses using lukewarm water. These types of lenses are very sturdy and don’t require any special liquid or solution for rinsing. When you have finished cleaning and rinsing your contacts, simply put them back in the case and fill it with the solution that you have for soaking your hard lenses in. The soaking solution will keep your contacts fresh, and clean the protein off of them that can build up from wear.

Hard contact lenses will last you for a long time, providing you take care of them. Most contact lenses will last you longer than soft lenses, without needing to be replaced for months at a time. They are easy to clean as well, providing you know how to clean them. You can find the soaking and cleaning solution at your local department store, with several brands to choose from. If you take care of your hard contact lenses and soak them in solution when you sleep, they will last you for a long time - with no problems or harm to your eyes.

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Its no secret that contact lenses are the best alternative to glasses. They are easy to use, although they must be taken care of. There are several ways that you can take care of your contact lenses, which will ensure that they stay healthy and remain comfortable when you wear them.

Before you put your contacts in, the first thing to do is wash your hands with soap and warm water. You should also make sure that you dry your hands thoroughly with a clean towel, as soap residue or chemicals may get on the contacts, causing them to be very uncomfortable and possibly even burning your eyes when you put them in.

If you can’t seem to get your contacts to go in your eyes, you shouldn’t force them. Instead, you should put some solution in the palm of your hand, and gently rub the contact in the solution. Then, before you put it back in your eyes, you should put some solution on it and it should go in your eye without any complications.

Anytime you are not wearing your contact lenses, you should always soak them in fresh solution. This is especially important overnight, as the solution gets the protein out of your contacts. If you don’t soak them in solution, they can end up causing damage to your eyes.

If you experience any type of burning with your contacts after soaking them in solution, you should try another solution. Depending on your eyes, some types of solutions may leave you with a burning sensation. This is very common, although switching to a different contact lens solution will more than likely stop the burning or irritation.

Throughout the day, you may need to use rewetting drops or saline solution to keep moisture in your eyes. Sometimes, contacts can dry your eyes out, and make them feel very uncomfortable. When you put some drops or saline in them though, the dryness will normally subside. You should always keep some rewetting drops or saline with you at times, just in case your eyes start to dry out.

If you are new to contact lenses, you should ask your optician or staff any questions that come to mind. Normally, after you have been fitted for contact lenses, the optician and his staff will show you how to put your contacts in, how to care for them, and anything else you need to know about them.

Taking care of your contact isn’t hard to do. As long as you take care of them, they will take care of you. You should always change them out with a fresh pair as recommended, to prevent any type of damage to your eyes. Contact lenses are a great alternative to glasses - although they need to be cared for in the proper ways.

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Over the last several years, there have been many improvements in contact lenses. As a whole, contacts are the best alternative to wearing glasses. They are comfortable, don’t hang off your face, and above all - they are affordable. Among the many types of contact lenses available on the market, are the extended wear contacts. There are many benefits to these contact lenses, which we will go over.

Extended wear contact lenses are convenient, possibly even more so than the other types of contacts. With most types of extended wear lenses, all you have to do is keep them clean, put them in, then go about your normal day. You don’t need to clean them near as often as other types of soft contact lenses. Once you clean them they should last you for a long time before they need to be cleaned again.

One of the best attributes to extended wear contact lenses is the fact that they are very comfortable. They are easy to put in your eyes, and most people don’t even notice that they are wearing any contact lenses at all. Even though some people may experience discomfort with them, the majority of those who wear them find them to be very comfortable.

When compared to other types of contact lenses, extended wear lenses are very safe. If you take the necessary time to take care of them as you should, they won’t harm your eyes in any way. If you use them correctly, they will serve you just fine. Keep in mind, you also need to visit your eye doctor on your regular appointments, as your eye examinations are still very important - even though your contact lenses may not affect you or bother you at all.

Even though most extended wear contact lenses aren’t high in price, you should still look for the best deals. There are several manufacturers out there who offer these types of contact lenses, some offering better deals than others. On the Internet you can find a lot of deals from many different manufacturers, many of which won’t set you back a lot in terms of money. You can also find extended wear contact lenses locally, although the Internet is the best way to save money.

Before you decide to buy a pair of extended wear contact lenses, you should make sure that they are right for you. When you get fitted for your contacts by your eye doctor, be sure to ask him about these types of contacts and whether or not they are best for you. If you take the time to research what is best for you and look into your options - you’ll find that extended wear contact lenses may indeed be the best contacts for your money - and your health.

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Even though you can buy contact lenses through local stores and your optician’s office, most people choose to buy their contact lenses online. Buying online is much easier than the traditional way, and offers several advantages as well. This day and age, buying online is a much smarter decision, and much easier than buying the traditional way.

The best thing about buying contacts online is the fact that there is a lot more to choose from. There are a lot of different brands and manufacturers online, many of which aren’t available from your local store. You can buy from a manufacturers website directly, or choose a third party dealer that offers a wide selection of brands and models.

Another great thing about buying your contacts online is the fact that online stores never close their doors. When you buy online, you don’t have to worry about the store closing before you can buy what you need. You can visit an online store anytime, day or night and the store will be there to take your order. Unlike traditional stores - you can buy the contacts you need online on your schedule, anytime you want.

Even though buying contacts online is much easier, there are a lot of people who still choose to buy from their local store or optician. Normally, these are the people who haven’t tried ordering their contacts online before. Once you order your contacts online and see just how easy it is, you’ll never want to order them locally again.

Buying your contacts online can save you a lot of time, money, and effort. You don’t need to use gas to order online, as you do so in the privacy of you own home. You don’t need to go pick them up either, as they are shipped right to your door. You simply order the contacts you need, then sit back and wait for them to come right to your door. The only trip you’ll make is the trip to your front door - to pick up your contacts.

To order your contacts online, you’ll need a prescription. To get your prescription, you’ll need to visit an optician and have your eyes checked. The optician will fit you for contact lenses and tell you your prescription. Once you know your prescription, simply visit an online store, type in your prescription, and you’ll be good to go.

If you’ve never bought anything online before, contacts are an ideal place to start. You’ll have a large selection to choose from, including brands and models you have never heard of before. Almost all contact stores online offer information about the different brands, which is great for those who want the perfect pair. No matter how you look at it - buying your contacts online is the smartest way to get your contacts.

http://contactlensesmap.com/

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As most of us know, contact lenses are the best alternative to glasses. They are small, plastic shaped discs that are made to correct eyesight problems like nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness, and other problems. Contact lenses are also used by those who have had cataract surgery, as they can help the eyes to heal a bit faster.

Contacts are used in the eye, where they will float above a sea of tears that rest in front of the cornea. You should always go to a doctor to be fitted, as the proper fitting and design is very important for safety, comfort, and the accurate vision. If you don’t get fitted for your contacts, you could very well get a pair of contacts that could damage your eyes.

There are several types of contact lenses available in two main types - hard contact lenses and soft contact lenses. The hard contact lenses include gas permeable and the conventional hard lenses. Soft contact lenses include daily wear, extended wear, and disposable wear. These are all great contacts, although you should check with your optician to see what he recommends.

If you are just starting to wear hard contact lenses or have thought about them in the past, you’ll need a 2 - 4 week break period, where you will gradually wear the contacts longer and longer with each passing day. Soft contacts on the other hand, will take less time to get used to, as most people who wear them can break them in a few days.

Contact lenses, as we all know, have many different uses. They are mainly used to correct vision, although they can also be used for those who have just had cataracts, especially if the natural lens around was removed. Contacts can also be used in the treatment of various eye diseases, and scars on the cornea that have been caused by infections or injury.

Contact lenses are a great choice for those who have active lifestyles, such as athletes. They won’t fall off like glasses when you run, nor do they hang off your face or fog up. They also offer you a full field of vision as well, which is great for sports. The lens and focus is the same as glass, meaning that you will get the same vision from contacts as you would with a pair of glasses.

A lot of people who have vision problems consider getting Lasik eye surgery to fix their vision problems so that they won’t have to wear glasses or contacts. On the flip side, there are several risks and problems associated with this procedure, besides the fact that it is very expensive. Contact lenses aren’t expensive, and they are a safe alternative to vision correction.

Keep in mind that contact lenses aren’t available without a prescription. Although you can get certain contacts without a prescription, they won’t correct your vision. To get contacts that correct your vision, you’ll need to visit an eye doctor and get fitted for them. Your doctor will tell you the health of your eyes, as well as the contacts you need to correct your vision.

For several years, contact lenses have been an ideal way to correct your vision. They are more popular than glasses, and they won’t limit what you can and can’t do. Contacts fit snugly in your eyes and they won’t make you feel out of place. You can wear them with any type of clothing you desire - as it is very hard to tell if someone is wearing them or not.

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