WHAT'S NEW
For Your Patients and Practice

B&L Studies

Bausch & Lomb's (B&L's) Boston Advance Comfort Formula is the preferred system for the care and cleaning of rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses, according to two nationwide studies.

The first study was a patient preference study prepared by the Morley Research Group. Out of 200 RGP lens wearers, 76% agreed that Boston Advance Comfort Formula solution performed well overall.

The second study was a medical research questionnaire prepared for eyecare practitioners by Ted Thomas Associates.

In this study, the primary reasons that practitioners gave for choosing Boston Advance Comfort Formula over others were its preferred cleaning, disinfecting and wetting abilities, and its low incidence of ocular irritation.

B&L
Phone: (800) 553-5340
Web: www.bausch.com

Ophthalmic Lens

Firestone Optics and Corneal Lens Laboratory are offering the FOCLens, a finished, uncut, ophthalmic lens.

FOCLens ophthalmic lenses are cast-molded and come in various styles. The lenses with anti-reflective (AR) coatings feature multi-layer coatings on each side.

Firestone Optics and Corneal Lens Laboratory warranty all factory hard-coated lenses against scratching for up to 1 year from the date of purchase. The companies also warranty the lenses against chipping, crazing or scratching for up to 1 year.

Firestone Optics
Phone: (800) 373-2020
E-mail: firestoneoptics@msn.com

Transitions invites you to create a headline for this picture. Winning responses will be selected during Vision Expo West, with the grand-prize winner announced shortly after the show.

Transitions Promotion

As part of the "What Do You See?" ad campaign, Transitions Optical invites you to create a headline for the picture seen above. During Vision Expo West, stop by the Transitions booth to enter the contest. Prizes include a big-screen T.V., digital cameras and Razor scooters.

"To write the 'right line,'" says a Transitions spokesperson, "you need to put yourself in the place of a Transitions lens wearer who sees more because they see more comfortably. Have fun interpreting what's happening in the photo."

Entry forms are available at the Transitions booth (#9088) or in advance through Transitions Solution Team members and selected optical laboratories.

Transitions
Phone: (800) 848-1506
Web: www.transitions.com

Eschenbach News

Eschenbach has formed a marketing alliance with B&L. They're now the exclusive low vision distributor of B&L magnification products.

In other Eschenbach news, the company has added dates to its seminar "Low Vision Care . . . What's It All About?" The introductory, hands-on workshop and lecture are for you if you want to add low vision to your practice.

Dates and locations include: Sept. 17, Heathrow, Fla.; Sept. 19, Tampa, Fla.; Sept. 20, Heathrow, Fla.; Oct. 2, Tucson, Ariz.; Oct. 3, Miami; Oct. 4, Phoenix, Ariz.; Oct. 9, San Mateo, Calif., and Anchorage, Alaska; Oct. 10, Larkspur, Calif., and Elmsford, N.Y.; Oct. 20, Las Vegas, Nev.; Oct. 24, Naples, Fla.; Nov. 6, Long Beach, Calif.; November 7, Ontario, Calif.

Eschenbach
Phone: (877) 422-7300
Fax: (203) 431-4718
E-mail: info@eschenbach.com
Web: www.eschenbach.com

Optical Electro Forming will premiere its LensFab at Vision Expo West (booth #4114).

Lens-Casting System

Optical Electro Forming will premier its LensFab at Vision Expo West (booth #4114).

LensFab is an on-site lens-casting system weighing 24 pounds and measuring 14" x 18." The LensFab uses nine gaskets; other systems use 45 to 100 gaskets. The LensFab gaskets are color-coded to cut down on human error when your technician is preparing to make a lens.

Optical Electro Forming
Phone: (866) 536-7322

Gray Toric

CIBA Vision has added gray to its FreshLook ColorBlends Toric lenses. The lenses are available in plano to -4.00D, in cylinders 0.75D, -1.25D, and in axes of plus or minus 20º of 90 and 180, in 10º steps.

The best-selling color in the FreshLook ColorBlends lens line is gray, accounting for 27% of sales, followed by green at 23%. Lenses are also available in blue and honey.

CIBA Vision
Phone: (800) 845-6585
Fax: (800) 845-8842
Web: www.cibavision.com

Dry Eye Drops

The Corneal Science Corporation has acquired Vision Pharmaceuticals, whose primary marketed product is Viva-Drops.

Viva-Drops is a dry-eye lubricant system. It contains anti-oxidants that heal the epithelium.

Viva-Drops come in 3-ml, 10-ml and 15-ml bottles. They're preservative-free with a 3-year shelf life.

Corneal Science
Phone: (919) 875-0828
Fax: (919) 875-1244

Zero-Cost Rebate

At Vision Expo West, Super Systems Optical Technologies will offer a "$00.00 cost program" if you buy the company's Fast Grind System at the convention. Super Systems will give you a rebate each month, based on the volume of monthly lab purchases. The rebate could exceed the monthly cost of owning the Fast Grind.

Super Systems touts the Fast Grind as the world's smallest and fastest lens surfacing system. It takes up less than 5 square feet and uses only tap water. You can produce a pair of progressive or other design lenses in less than 12 minutes.

Visit Super Systems at Vision Expo West booth #4057.

Super Systems
Phone: (513)-321-2456
Fax: (513) 321-1047
Web: www.superoptical.com

You'll find more than 1,200 optical tools and products at www.sight-tools.com.

Optical Tools

Breitfeld & Schliekert (B&S), a European supplier of optical tools, has established an interactive e-commerce Web site for selling its tools to the American marketplace.

At www.sight-tools.com, you can purchase such products as small-precision tools, measuring devices, frame warmers and repair parts like screws and nose pads. B&S ships online orders from its U.S. distribution center in Phoenix, Ariz. If you order before 3 p.m. mountain time, B&S will ship your order that day.

Breitfeld & Schliekert
Phone: (888) 429-5779
Fax: (480) 874-1529

Halloween Display

Viva's Halloween merchandising kit will give your patients thrills and chills.

Viva International Group is offering a special Halloween merchandising kit when you purchase any 12 frames from either the Viva or Savvy collections. Frames from these lines include Guess? eyewear, Ellen Tracy eyewear, Candie's Eyes, Harley-Davidson eyewear and Viva and Savvy eyewear. The kit, which will work well either as a window or in-store display, is free with the frames purchase while supplies last.

Viva International Group
Phone: (908) 595-6200
Fax: (908) 704-3508
Web: www.vivagroup.com

Virtual Kiosk

At Vision Expo West, Optical Innovations and Pech Optical Corp. will launch the iPoint Kiosk.

The iPoint Kiosk is a point-of-sale tool. It provides detailed information on lens options and lets patients see how they'd look with their prescription in different lens materials, with or without anti-reflective coating, in different tints. Patients can view thousands of frames without your needing to add to your inventory.

Optical Innovations
Phone: (866) 493-3511
Fax: (413) 556-1707
Web: www.opticalinnovations.com