World’s First Marketed Drug Delivery Lens Approved by the FDA
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for their drug-eluting contact lens: ACUVUE® Theravision™ with Ketotifen (etafilcon A drug-eluting contact lens with ketotifen). Each lens contains 19 mcg ketotifen. Ketotifen is a well-established antihistamine. ACUVUE® Theravision™ with Ketotifen is the first in an entirely new category of contact lenses and brings forward a new wearing experience for contact lens wearers with allergic eye itch. According to Phase 3 clinical studies, ACUVUE® Theravision™ with Ketotifen showed a clinically and statistically meaningful reduction in itchy allergy eyes as quickly as 3 minutes after lens insertion and lasting up to 12 hours; however, the lens may be worn for longer than 12 hours for vision correction.
3 March 2022
Visioncare Research Ltd – 30 Years
2022 denotes Visioncare Research’s 30th anniversary year as a Clinical Research Organisation. During that time, the company has conducted over 500 clinical studies and worked with investigational sites in fifteen countries. Some of Visioncare’s work has been in the fascinating fields of myopia control, dry eye research, toric contact lenses, and multifocal intraocular lenses. Many of these studies have subsequently been reported at medical conferences and in scientific journals.
CEO, Graeme Young, commented that “Visioncare Research has been privileged to work with a range of talented and enthusiastic R&D groups within the industry, all of whom have been highly supportive. Equally, Visioncare has been fortunate enough to attract excellent personnel who have made important contributions to the field of eyecare as well as to the company itself.”
January 2020
SightGlass Vision™ Diffusion Optics Technology™ Demonstrates Significant Reduction in Myopia Progression After Two Years in Clinical Trial
CooperVision’s SightGlass Vision Business has revealed two-year clinical study data for its Diffusion Optics Technology (DOT), which is specifically designed to slow the progression of myopia in children. After two years, children who wore their DOT-enabled spectacles full time, including not removing them for near vision activities, progressed on average one-half dioptre less than those wearing the control spectacles—a reduction of 59%.
The news was presented during a launch event in the Netherlands, timed with the world’s first commercial launch of the technology. The product will be available from CooperVision to eye care professionals in the Netherlands beginning this month. EssilorLuxottica, which will also introduce the spectacle lenses with Diffusion Optics Technology also participated.
The CYPRESS clinical study enrolled, randomized, and dispensed the lenses to 256 eligible children across 14 clinical trial sites in the United States and Canada. At the time of enrolment, subjects were six to 10 years old having myopia between -0.75 D and -4.50 D. After two years of wear, 85% of children wearing the innovative spectacle lenses showed less than one dioptre of myopia progression.4 Moreover, the study also showed that 41% of the children wearing spectacle lenses with DOT showed no clinically meaningful progression in refractive error after two years versus only 17% in the control group.
The last few decades have seen a steady rise in the prevalence of myopia across the globe, notably under the effect of lifestyle changes. Today affecting 2.6 billion people worldwide, it is estimated that half of the world population, will be myopic by 2050 (Holden et al. Ophthalmology 2016. 123:1036-1042).
8 October 2021
Garland Clay Award from the American Academy of Optometry
Paul Chamberlain and co-authors have been awarded the Garland W. Clay Award from the American Academy of Optometry for their landmark publication describing the 3-year results of the pivotal MiSight clinical trial. The Garland Clay Award is presented to the authors of a manuscript published in Optometry and Vision Science (OVS), which has been among the top OVS papers cited in the world research literature in the preceding five years and has the majority vote of the Optometry and Vision Science editorial board.
A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control. Paul Chamberlain, Sofia C. Peixoto-De-Matos, Nicola S. Logan, Cheryl Ngo, Deborah Jones, Graeme Young. Optom Vis Sci 2019; 96:556-567.
Among 15,242 articles published in 2019 in the Ophthalmology category, it is the 13th highest cited paper and the 6th highest when review articles are excluded. It is the most cited paper published since 2016 in Optometry and Vision Science.
21 September 2021
Spectacle Lenses Effective in Reducing Myopia Progression
Data presented at the 2020 American Academy of Optometry meeting demonstrate the effectiveness of novel spectacle lenses in slowing the progression of myopia in children. The lenses utilise SightGlass Vision’s Diffusion Optics Technology (DOT). The CYPRESS study (Control of Myopia Using Peripheral Diffusion Lenses: Efficacy and Safety Study) is a prospective, multi-centre, subject- and observer-masked, randomized, controlled clinical trial in 256 children aged 6 to 10 years. The study compared two DOT designs against a control lens. At the time of enrollment, study participants had myopia between -0.75 D and -4.50 D. The results indicate a reduction in myopia progression (cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction) of up to 74% at 12 months. A reduction in axial length progression of up to 50% was also seen for the same time period.
The study sponsored by SightGlass Vision Inc. has been supervised by Visioncare Research at fourteen investigational sites in Canada and the United States.
20 October 2020
CooperVision Presents 6-Year Data on MiSight® Study: Myopia Progression in Children
CooperVision has reported the latest findings from its landmark MiSight® 1 day clinical study, providing new insights about myopia management and the proven efficacy of the specially designed contact lens.* Among several interesting findings are that the myopia of nearly one in four children originally fit with MiSight® 1 day remain stable after six years. CooperVision MiSight® 1 day is the first and only soft contact lens the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for slowing the progression of myopia in children, who at initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age.
Paul Chamberlain, CooperVision's Director of Research Programs, presented additional details during a paper presentation at the 2020 American Academy of Optometry's virtual meeting. "Evaluating children who were prescribed MiSight® 1 day at the study's initiation, 23% of eyes after year six displayed a total refractive change of less than -0.25D (spherical equivalent), which could be considered clinically stable," said Chamberlain. The newest findings also suggest that while intervention at an early age is optimal with MiSight®, commencing treatment at an older age could similarly slow the rate of myopia progression. The original control group was refit into the dual-focus lens in year four. Comparing this population to the children fit with MiSight® 1 day at initiation, there have been similar rates of myopia progression and axial length growth in the subsequent three years of assessment.
Six-year results continue to demonstrate excellent safety profile, wearing time, and visual acuity for children in daily disposable contact lenses over 653 wearing years. No other prospective randomized controlled study has offered conclusive data for such a high degree of continued efficacy in myopia management using a soft contact lens over a similar time span.
* Chamberlain P, Logan N, Jones D, Gonzalez-Meijome J, Saw S-M, Young G. Clinical evaluation of a dual-focus myopia control 1 day soft contact lens: 6-year results (2020 American Academy of Optometry Annual Meeting)
The study sponsored by CooperVision is being supervised by Visioncare Research at four investigational sites: Aston University, Birmingham UK; National University Hospital, Singapore; University of Waterloo, Canada; University of Minho, Portugal.
20 October 2020
FDA Approves First Contact Lens for Myopia Control
CooperVision has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the innovative MiSight® 1 day contact lens. This daily wear, single use soft contact lens is the first FDA-approved product clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia (short-sightedness) when prescribed for children 8-12 years old. Myopia affects 42% of U.S. children aged 5-19 according to a study published in Clinical Ophthalmology in August 2018. Myopic progression has been linked to sight-threatening conditions later in life such as cataracts, retinal detachment, glaucoma and myopic maculopathy. MiSight’s effectiveness has been supported by a prospective, multi-centre, double-masked, randomized multi-year study that enrolled 144 myopic children aged 8-12 years. Three-year peer-reviewed results published in Optometry and Vision Sciences in August 2019* indicated that use of MiSight 1 day was shown to slow myopia progression: 59% as measured by mean cycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) and 52% as measured by mean axial elongation of the eye.
The study sponsored by CooperVision has been supervised by Visioncare Research at four investigational sites: Aston University, Birmingham UK; National University Hospital, Singapore; University of Waterloo, Canada; University of Minho, Portugal.
* Chamberlain P, Peixoto-de-Matos SC, Logan N, Ngo C, Jones D, Young G. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight Lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci 2019; 96:556-67. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31343513/
19 November 2019
The Need for Toric-Multifocal Contact Lenses
Data presented at the recent American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Antonio suggest that a surprisingly high proportion of the over-40’s could benefit from toric multifocal contact lenses. Visioncare Research undertook a chart review of 1001 presbyopic and pre-presbyopic patients (age: 40 to 70 years) among twenty optical practices in the US. Most of the presbyopic patients (57%, 546/950) had significant astigmatism (≥0.75DC) in at least one eye; 33% had significant astigmatism in both eyes. Even using the higher astigmatism threshold of 1.00DC, 39% (370/950) of presbyopes showed this level of astigmatism in at least one eye; 19% in both eyes.
The study was funded by Johnson & Johnson Vision Inc.
12 November 2018
Visioncare Research Expands its Presence in China
China is becoming an increasingly attractive location to undertake eyecare clinical trials given its research-friendly universities, well-educated eyecare professionals and its high prevalence of myopia. Visioncare Research is currently assisting with a number of contact lens and ocular diagnostic equipment trials in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China. As part of this, Visioncare has recently recruited highly experienced Clinical Research Associates (CRAs) in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian.
22 October 2018
CooperVision Releases 4-Year Data on MiSight® Study: Myopia Progression in Children
An ongoing study of myopia control has shown significant benefits in children using dual-focus daily disposable soft contact lenses. After 3 years, myopia progression slowed in children wearing the MiSight® contact lens: 59% as measured by mean cycloplegic spherical equivalent (SE) and 52% by mean axial elongation of the eye when compared to children wearing a single vision contact lens (AAO 2017). Recently released results show that the treatment continues to work for children who have been using the lens for 3 years and is also effective for children previously wearing single vision contact lenses. The treatment is continuing to work for children who have been wearing MiSight® contact lenses for the entire study, and their axial length progression in this last year has slowed further. Furthermore, in the study, the myopic control effects were similar for the two groups of children. According to Paul Chamberlain, Director of Research Programs for CooperVision, “This illustrates the benefits of beginning myopia management as early as possible to maximize the benefit”.
The study sponsored by CooperVision is being supervised by Visioncare Research at four investigational sites: Aston University, Birmingham UK; National University Hospital, Singapore; University of Waterloo, Canada; University of Minho, Portugal.
1 October 2018
Preventing Contact Lens Drop-outs
Visioncare Research CEO, Graeme Young, presented at the recent European Society of Contact Lens Ophthalmologists (BCLA) Conference in London. The lecture, entitled ‘Preventing Contact Lens Drop-outs’, reviewed recent research into factors affecting contact lens success and proposed strategies for avoiding drop-outs. These include: i) ensuring that new wearers understand that it may be necessary to try several products to find the optimum solution but that a wide range is available, ii) following-up new wearers by phone, text message or email, iii) with existing wearers, watching out for and treating any dryness problems, and iv) with presbyopes, using a holistic approach to ensure that all of their visual needs are catered for.
4 December 2017
Comparing Chart Review and Registry Study Designs
Visioncare Research CEO, Graeme Young, presented a research paper at the recent British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Conference in Liverpool, UK. The lecture, entitled ‘Contact lens wearer retention rates - Retrospective versus prospective evaluations’, compared the advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. A retrospective evaluation is likely biased towards over-estimating dropout rates while a prospective study may be biased towards under-estimating dropouts. In the studies reported, the new contact lens wearer dropout rates were 26% and 22%, respectively, suggesting a true rate of approx. 24%. The findings will be published in Eye & Contact Lens.*
The studies were funded by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Companies.
* Sulley A, Young G, Hunt C, McCready S, Targett M-T. Craven R. Retention rates in new contact lens wearers. Eye & Contact Lens: In press.
12 June 2017
Study Points to Methods of Reducing Contact Lens Dropout
A study published in the journal Contact Lens and Anterior Eye* evaluated the retention rate for patients fitted with contact lenses for the first time based on a retrospective chart review. Approximately one in four gave up contact lenses in the first year, many doing so in the first two months. In contrast with previous studies, the most common reason cited for discontinuation was visual problems, followed by comfort problems. This perhaps reflects the growing range of complex lens designs for the correction of astigmatism and presbyopia. On the positive side, a high proportion of the new lens wearers were in older age groups (31% >45 years) and those in the 45-59 age group were just as likely to be successful as younger patients.
Only a small proportion of those patients discontinuing were offered or tried an alternative lens type. The findings point towards several strategies for ensuring that new contact lens wearers are given the best possible chance of success: i) ensuring new wearers realise that a wide range of contact lens designs is available, ii) encouraging patients to return promptly if they encounter problems, iii) following-up new contact lens wearers by phone or email to check they are happy, and iv) optimising vision and comfort for all wearers.
The study was funded by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Companies.
* Sulley A, Young G, Hunt C. Factors in the success of new contact lens wearer retention. Cont Lens Ant Eye 2016;39: In press.
24 November 2016
Professor Graeme Young to present BCLA Pioneers Lecture
Visioncare Research CEO, Graeme Young, presented the annual Pioneers Lecture at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Visionaries Conference at The Royal College of Surgeons, London on Monday 14th November. The lecture, entitled ‘Lifting the lid on soft contact lens design’, reviewed the finer points of soft contact lens design, drawing on recent findings from OCT studies, computer modelling, and clinical trials. It reviewed some imminent innovations in lens design and argued that this an exciting time for contact lens professionals.
15 November 2016
Visioncare Research at American Academy of Optometry Meeting in Anaheim
Visioncare Research representatives will be co-authoring a range of posters at the forthcoming AAO meeting in Anaheim, California. New research will explore the effect of fitting larger than optimal diameter soft contact lenses. Extra-large soft lenses might be expected to be less comfortable and cause greater effect on ocular physiology. However, clinical findings suggest that, provided the basic fit is optimal, extra-large lens fittings show similar clinical performance to optimal diameter lenses.
13 October 2016
Visioncare Research at European Contact Lens Society of Ophthalmologists (ECLSO) Meeting in Izmir, Turkey
Graeme Young, of Visioncare Research, presented two papers at the recent ECLSO international conference in Izmir, Turkey. Through mathematical modelling, it is possible to simulate large scale clinical trials and gain insights into the fitting behaviour of various soft contact lens designs. Some of this work has been published (Optom Vis Sci 2014; 91:167-76) whilst a second paper is awaiting publication.
19 October 2015
Visioncare Research at British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Conference in Liverpool
Visioncare Research, presented the interim findings of a project evaluating contact lens success at the recent BCLA international conference in Liverpool U.K. A multi-centre study conducted at 26 practices around the U.K. is throwing light on reasons why some patients struggle with contact lens wear. Nearly 10% of new wearers give up contact lenses in the first month. Vision appears to have overtaken discomfort as the prime reason for discontinuing contact lens wear. This change may be linked to the advent of many new contact lens materials in recent years, specifically designed to give better, longer lasting comfort. The authors conclude that better communication is needed between new contact lens wearers and their eyecare providers, as many of the visual problems experienced by patients can be overcome by modifying lenses or trying alternative designs.
The study was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Ltd.
8 June 2015
Dr Graeme Young Appointed Honorary Professor at Aston University, Birmingham
Graeme Young has been appointed Honorary Professor in the School of Life & Health Sciences at Aston University. “I am delighted to be associated with this world class department” commented Professor Young “and look forward to expanding the range projects on which Visioncare and Aston are successfully collaborating”.
April 2015
New Partnership to Improve Ophthalmic Instruments
Visioncare Research is working on a Technology Strategy Board funded project worth almost £150,000 with academics from Aston University’s School of Life and Health Sciences and Optimec Ltd, a manufacturer of contact lens measuring instruments.
The project, led by Optimec Ltd and with academic expertise from Prof. James Wolffsohn and Dr Thomas Drew, aims to significantly improve ophthalmic imaging instrumentation by developing further the use of wavefront sensing. Improved imaging will enable validation of medical devices such as contact lenses and intraocular lenses during manufacture to become more accurate. The imaging device will also be used during ophthalmic surgery to examine how the medical device impacts on the surrounding tissue of the eye and its impact on light focus, in combination with the refractive ocular tissues, to give good vision. It will also allow changes over time following implantation or insertion to be monitored. Current instruments cannot deliver this range of information and most verification that a product meets its design parameters is performed manually, increasing costs and the potential for error.
This project will develop a prototype instrument to validate medical devices during the production process for dimensions and optical quality, ensuring safe and optimal surgical implantation or placement on the ocular surface. If successful, this should help Optimec increase their instrumentation sales, secure more clinical studies for Visioncare and enhance the profile of industry-based research at Aston.
Professor James Wolffsohn said of the project: “We are delighted to have been awarded this project. Transferring the knowledge available here at Aston should provide Optimec and Visioncare Research with cutting edge methods and provide an ambitious and significant project.”
6 August 2014
Visioncare Research at British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Conference in Birmingham
Dr Graeme Young, of Visioncare Research, presented two papers at the recent BCLA international conference in Birmingham U.K. The first presented new findings on factors affecting patient success when newly fitted with contact lenses. The second concerned the mathematical modelling of soft contact lens fit. Dr Lee Hall presented clinical findings on the stability of toric soft contact lenses.
8 June 2014
Complications with Unregulated Contact Lens Supply
A review from Visioncare Research, just published in the journal Eye & Contact Lens, suggests that the unregulated supply of contact lenses puts patients at greater risk. The supply of contact lenses through unregulated internet sites, novelty shops and other unconventional suppliers is more likely to result in the use of inappropriate lenses, poor hygiene, and delayed treatment of any consequent complications. The review summarises 70 individual cases from the literature of complications arising from the use of such lenses; in more than a half of cases, patients suffered permanent damage.
Eye & Contact Lens is the journal of the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists (CLAO) and is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Inc.
20 January 2014
Visioncare Research at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas
Lee Hall, of Visioncare Research, will be presenting two papers at the forthcoming Global Specialty Lens Symposium meeting at the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas. The first paper will include the findings of recent research on new technologies for the assessment of the peripheral cornea. The second paper will continue the theme detailing the influence of the peripheral corneoscleral topography on soft contact lens fit.
15 January 2014
Visioncare Research appoints Intraocular Lens (IOL) Project Manager
Dr Jit Ale Magar has joined Visioncare Research as Project Manager for Intraocular Lens (IOL) research. Jit brings extensive knowledge of IOLs, and especially accommodating IOLs, having recently gained his PhD in the field from the Brien Holden Institute, New South Wales, Australia. He will continue the work of his predecessor, developing new research techniques for evaluating the clinical performance of IOLs.
19 September 2013
Visioncare Research Presentations at International Meetings in Moscow and Warsaw
Dr Graeme Young, of Visioncare Research, presented papers at recent international meetings for practitioners in Eastern Europe. He was an invited presenter at two International Eye Health Symposiums hosted by Johnson & Johnson in Moscow and Warsaw. Topics covered by Dr Young included soft contact lenses for astigmatism and interactions between the eyelids and contact lenses.
3rd May 2013
50 Reasons for Wearing Contact Lenses
Contact lenses don’t get in the way when kissing, they match everything you wear and come with their own screen wipers. Visioncare Research in conjunction with Professor Charles McMonnies has compiled a downloadable list of ‘50 Reasons for Wearing Contact Lenses’ to remind us of the many and varied benefits of these miniature miracles of modern science.
19th November 2012
Visioncare Research Presentations at International Meetings in Strasbourg and Taipei
Dr Graeme Young, of Visioncare Research, presented didactic papers at recent international meetings for practitioners and key opinion leaders in Asia and France. At a conference for ophthalmologists at the Strasbourg Palais de Congrès, he presented a review of the interaction of the eyelids and contact lenses (Les Paupières et la Contactologie: Quelles Implications?). Johnson & Johnson hosted the 6thAsia Pacific Contact Lens Leaders Summit in Taipei, Taiwan at which Dr Young also presented an overview on ‘Understanding Toric Lens’ Perfomance’.
22nd October 2012
Visioncare Research at the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) Conference in Milan
Dr Amit Jinabhai, of Visioncare Research, recently presented a research paper at the September ESCRS meeting (Milan, Italy). The study explored the impact of reducing the number of lens presentations on the quality of the defocus curve data collected in patients fitted with different presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs). As defocus curve measurements are usually time-consuming to execute and frequently result in patient fatigue, techniques to generate more rapid defocus curves are desirable.
1st October 2012
Visioncare Research at the Asia Cornea and Contact Lens Conference in Hong Kong
Dr Graeme Young presented two papers at the recent international conference in Hong Kong, including the findings of two clinical studies relating to soft contact lens fit. The first presented findings on corneoscleral topography measured using Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) - also published in Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (2011;52:6801–6806). The second revealed findings on the successes of fitting toric soft contact lenses to non-wearers (including previous contact lens drop-outs) and existing spherical lens wearers.
31st May 2012
Visioncare Research at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas
The Global Specialty Lens Symposium attracted over 500 specialist eyecare practitioners to the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas for a meeting focusing on the latest techniques for the successful management of ocular conditions using specialty contact lenses (http://lwwconferences.com/event.aspx?eid=4). Dr Graeme Young, Managing Director of Visioncare, presented a keynote lecture on ‘Improving the Comfort of Custom Lenses’. He also presented educational lectures on ocular topography and contact lens complications.
30th January 2012
Visioncare Research appoints Intraocular Lens (IOL) Project Manager
Dr Amit Jinabhai has joined Visioncare Research Ltd as Project Manager for Intraocular Lens (IOL) research. His main responsibility will be to develop new research techniques for evaluating the clinical performance of IOLs. With IOLs becoming more sophisticated and capable of correcting astigmatism, presbyopia and even restoring the eye’s focussing ability (accommodation), improved techniques are required to test their clinical performance.
25th October 2011
Professor James Wolffsohn appointed Research Director of Visioncare Research
James Wolffsohn has joined Visioncare Research Ltd as Research Director on a part-time basis and will advise on a wide variety intraocular lens (IOL) and contact lens projects. Managing Director, Dr Graeme Young commented that “Visioncare has already collaborated with James on some innovative projects and we are therefore delighted to be continuing this productive relationship. In particular, his contribution will allow Visioncare to expand its services in the area of IOL visual performance testing. Regulatory authorities as well as surgeons are demanding ever more detailed information on the performance of new IOLs and we believe that we will be uniquely placed to service this need.”
Prof. James Wolffsohn studied Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics at UMIST, Manchester, UK and qualified to practice Optometry following an internship at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. James completed a PhD at Cardiff University before undertaking post-doctoral research at the University of Melbourne, Australia. In 2000, he returned to the UK and a position at Aston University, where he was Head of Optometry from 2004-9 and was awarded a personal Chair in 2007. He is now Deputy Executive Dean for the School of Life and Health Sciences. James’ research and teaching interests mainly revolve around intraocular lenses (IOLs), contact lenses, low vision and the measurement of accommodation. He has published over 110 peer-reviewed scientific papers, given numerous presentations at international meetings and is a past President of the British Contact Lens Association. He has recently published the ‘Low Vision Manual’ with Prof. Jonathan Jackson and an Eye Essentials Series book ‘Imaging’. http://www.aston.ac.uk/lhs/staff/az-index/wolffjsw/
30th September 2011
Visioncare Research appoints Clinical Research Manager
Dr Ruth Craven has joined Visioncare Research as Clinical Research Manager overseeing external studies. Ruth has over 13 years’ experience in clinical research and clinical trial project management. Her PhD was in the field of Neuroimmune Physiology, studying the integrative roles of the immune and nervous systems in the control of tear secretion.
30th September 2011
Not All Contact Lens Dryness Symptoms Relate to Dry Eye
A recent multi-centre clinical investigation sponsored by Alcon Research has thrown light on some of the underlying causes of dryness symptoms in soft contact lens wearers. The study, supervised by Visioncare Research Ltd, involved 226 soft lens wearers with significant symptoms of lens-related dryness. Each participant underwent a detailed examination comprising a battery of dry eye tests to assess the ocular surface and the tear film with and without contact lenses. The most common (30%) cause of dryness was found to be insufficient lacrimal secretions (i.e. the watery part of tears), followed by unstable lens wetting (25%). However, nearly a quarter (23%) of participants showed no actual signs of dry eye. The research team concluded that factors other than dry eye were responsible for symptoms in many contact lens wearers; they suggest that factors such as lens fit and disinfection solution might be more important than previously thought.
These findings were presented at the American Academy of Optometry meeting in November 2010 and are awaiting publication in a scientific journal.
28th June 2011
Visioncare Research at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) conference in Manchester
The BCLA annual conference, the world's premier conference for contact lens research and education, was held this year in Manchester on May 27-29 (http://www.bcla.org.uk/en/conference/index.cfm). Dr Graeme Young, Managing Director of Visioncare, presented the findings of a recent clinical study on fitting toric soft contact lenses to non-wearers: previous wearers (drop-outs), current spherical lens wearers, and neophytes. Dr Young also presented a review of the challenges facing researchers in the field of myopia control. Lee Hall (Clinical Research Manager) presented new data on contact lens solution induced corneal staining (SICS) as well as reviewing recent research in this area.
1st June 2011
Visioncare Research welcomes new member of staff
Michael Spyridon joined Visioncare Research this month as a Research Associate. Michael has recently completed a PhD at the University of Reading and will be working on data analysis projects as well as the preparation of papers for publication.
8th March 2011
Visioncare Research Ltd and Aston University awarded government grant
In conjunction with Aston University, Visioncare Research has been awarded a UK government grant under the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme (KTP). The project, which will last three years, will aim to develop advanced clinical testing services, particularly in relation to the visual performance of intraocular-lenses (IOL).
Under the directorship of Professor James Wolffsohn, the Ophthalmic Research Group at Aston University has an international reputation for innovative research in visual science.
20th January 2011
Visioncare Research presented at American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Francisco, Nov 2010
Visioncare Research representatives presented a total of nine papers and posters at the American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Francisco. These comprised a range of topical contact lens related subjects including:
- Comparative Incidence of Adverse Events in 7-Day Extended Wear
- Pre-Disposing Factors For Solution Induced Corneal Staining (SICS)
- Not all Dryness Symptoms in Soft Contact Lens Wearers Relate to Signs Of Dryness
4th December 2010
Visioncare Research Ltd Certified to ISO Quality Standards
Following a systems audit Visioncare Research Ltd (VCR) has been certified as conforming to the new quality management systems, ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003. The certification was issued on 6 April by the notified body, Intertek following an on-site audit. VCR has been certified to ISO quality standards continuously since 2002.
6th April 2010