contact lens management
A Problem-Solver for Astigmats
This frequent-replacement toric contact lens offers clinical advantages.

S. BARRY EIDEN, O.D., F.A.A.O.

The Proclear Compatibles spherical contact lens for frequent replacement quickly became a main workhorse at our practice. We initially used it as a "problem solver" design for patients who experienced dryness since the lens material (omafilcon A) contains the critical element phosporycholine, which contributes to the significant increase in wetting and hydration properties in comparison with virtually all other hydrogel materials on the market today, as well as its resistance to deposition. Several studies have established the material's clinical advantages, including on-eye studies with dry eye sufferers and studies evaluating lipid layer integrity, as well as on-eye lens dehydration studies.

Another outstanding feature is higher oxygen transmission. The primary limitation of the Proclear design was the lack of a toric in the material; fortunately for our patients, this is no longer the case.

CooperVision brings on the toric

CooperVision recently introduced the Proclear Compatibles Toric lens for frequent replacement. The lens is available in an 8.8-mm base curve and a 14.4-mm diameter with spherical powers ranging from +4.00D to -6.00D in 0.25D steps. Cylinder powers are available in -0.75, -1.25 and -1.75 and axes range around the clock in 10-degree increments.

The lens has three orientation laser marks located inferiorly at the 6 o'clock position and at 15 degrees nasal and temporal to the center mark. It has the same light blue handling and visibility tint as the spherical design.

Proclear's toric contact lens comes in convenient packs of six.

Purchase is made easy

The Proclear Compatibles Toric is recommended for monthly replacement and comes in blister packs of six. The lenses are competitively priced with other spherical designs and are available in the "1-Stop"-- four packs for the price of three when the doctor orders annual supplies. Direct-to-patient delivery is available at no extra cost for annual supplies.

Addressing astigmats

The Proclear Compatibles Toric allows us to address the high percentage of astigmats that we see on a day-to-day basis in our practice. A review of our patient data base reveals that more than 40% of our hydrogel lens wearers require and wear a toric design in one or both eyes. With significant improvements in lens design technology, we are aggressive in the treatment of astigmatism with hydrogel contact lenses. Probably the largest segment of our toric patient base uses the -0.75 cylinder powers in soft toric lenses.

Due to the stability and reproducibility of contemporary hydrogel toric lenses, we don't hesitate to address low astigmats with these lenses and rarely try to "mask" astigmatism with spherical lenses. CooperVision's Toritrack system allows us to solve those cases where our initial toric lens selection doesn't result in optimal optical lens performance.

Clinical advantages plus . . .

We've found that the Proclear Compatibles family of lenses provides significant clinical advantages over traditional hydrogel lens material designs. It also differentiates our practice in terms of our ability to manage problems that many patients have experienced with other hydrogel lens materials when fit elsewhere.

We encourage forward-thinking contact lens practitioners to embrace the Proclear Compatibles Toric and Sphere lenses. 

1. Lemp, et al, CLAO Journal, 1999
2. Hall, et al, CLAO Journal, 1999
3. Guillon, et al, Optometry and Vision Science, 1999

DR. EIDEN IS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AT NORTH SUBURBAN VISION CONSULTANTS LTD. IN DEERFIELD, ILL. CONTACT HIM AT (847) 412-0311.