lens solutions
A Guide to the Latest Solutions
Existing contact lens solutions have been approved for new uses and one entirely new solution has entered the marketplace. Keep them straight with this update.

This contact lens solution update will review new solution indications as well as new solutions in general so you can become knowledgeable about what options to offer your contact lens patients.

A look at what's new

In July 2002, Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) spun off from Allergan, Inc. AMO offers practitioners and consumers two contact lens care products:

► Complete Multi-Purpose Solution. A one-bottle lens care that cleans, rinses disinfects and stores soft lenses. Its proprietary formulation has a built-in lubricant that helps to provide longer, more comfortable wear.

► UltraCare Disinfecting Solution provides the full benefits of hydrogen peroxide disinfection for soft lenses in a one-step system; available only in the United States.

► In July 2002, Bausch & Lomb received FDA approval clearing the use of ReNu MultiPlus Multi-Purpose Solution No Rub Formula for all soft contact lenses, regardless of how often patients replace their lenses. The solution was originally cleared for use with soft lenses that patients replaced every 30 days or less. In November, 2001, the FDA cleared the solution as a no-rub regimen for soft lenses.

► ReNu MultiPlus Multi-Purpose Solution, Boston Simplicity Multi-Action Solution and Boston Advance Comfort Formula System are all existing products that the company offers.

Last month, CIBA Vision announced that the FDA cleared its AOSept Clear Care solution for use with gas permeable (GP) lenses in the United States. According to the company, it's the first one-bottle peroxide lens care solution cleared in the United States for use with GP lenses.

► CIBA announced the Canadian launch of SOLOcare Plus in December 2002. The solution was previously approved for use in the United States in April 2002. SOLOcare Plus is a no-rub, no-rinse formulation for soft contact lenses and, according to the company, promotes lens moisture retention while reducing protein deposits.

► Also in December, 2002, CIBA's AOSept Clear Care no-rub peroxide-based lens care formula gained FDA approval to store contact lenses for up to seven days following disinfection. Previously patients could only store their contact lenses in this solution for 24 hours after disinfection.

Clear Conscience makes solutions that are developed for any patient who's environmentally conscience or who subscribes to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

► It introduced its Multi-Purpose Solution a few years ago and recently reformulated it this past fall. It's designed for use with soft lenses.

► To cater to GP lens wearers, Clear Conscience introduced Multi-Action Solution in October 2002.

Patients use either solution to clean, disinfect, store and rinse their lenses. Both formulations are sterilized by filtration without the use of radiation and are cruelty free because they aren't tested on animals. (As a side note, Lobob's products aren't tested on animals either.) Neither of Clear Conscience's products contains chlorhexidine or thimerosal.

► Unique-pH multipurpose solution is the newest Alcon Laboratories, Inc. product to come to the market. The company shipped the first starter kits out to GP labs in May 2001. According to the company, the solution self adjusts to match each patient's eye chemistry. Menicon received FDA PMA approval in December 2002 to ship its Menicon SF-P GP lenses in Unique-pH as an alternate shipping solution.

Last month, doctors' offices and retailers received new Unique-pH cartons reflecting that the solution can be used with GP lens brands including Boston, Menicon and Paragon Corneal Refractive Therapy lenses.

Starter kits for both products now include patient instructions in English and in Spanish.

► Opti-Free Express No Rub received the additional indication for silicone hydrogel lenses during the early fall of last year.

Lobob Laboratories, Inc. offers Optimum C/D/S, a sterile cleaning, disinfecting and storing solution for use with fluorosilicone and silicone acrylate GP lenses and for hard lenses.

Armed with knowledge

Now you're fully informed about the lens care options available to your patients. Just keep a look out for any new products that enter the marketplace in the months to come.