CONTACT LENS FOCUS

INCREASE EFFICIENCY

BIOFINITY XR TORIC HELPS YOUR CONTACT LENS PRACTICE THRIVE

KERRY GIEDD, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.

UNTIL NOW, patients with high refractive astigmatism seemed to follow the Pareto principle, or the 80-20 rule, in the life of a contact lens practitioner. They may have accounted for 20% (or less) of our patients, but they often consumed disproportionately more of our chair time and practice resources. Efficiently meeting and exceeding the expectations of these patients is a top priority to help contact lens practices thrive. The extended power range in CooperVision’s Biofinity XR Toric has come to my aid in achieving this goal.

OVERVIEW

The Biofinity XR Toric lenses are available from +10.00D to -10.00D sphere, up to -5.75D cylinder and in axes every 5° around the clock. (See Lens Profile.) The lens offers predictable, stable and consistent performance, fitting and ordering ease, a high Dk and the benefits of frequent replacement. Also, it’s familiar to practitioners, due to its similarity to the base design Biofinity Toric.

FITTING AND CHAIR TIME

I have had the opportunity to recommend this lens to numerous patient populations, such as those who felt trapped in glasses and those previously unable to find success with contact lenses. I also found success in using this lens to upgrade current hydrogel lens wearers to a silicone hydrogel material and providing a better wearing experience to patients dissatisfied with custom silicone hydrogel or GP lenses. These patients are happy and, in almost all cases, the first pair of diagnostic lenses ordered and dispensed were successful.

Like the base product, the XR lens is available in a single base curve (8.7) and diameter (14.5 mm). While, intuitively, we may think this limited parameter set will not meet the needs of all of our myopic and hyperopic highly astigmatic patients, this has not been the case in my experience. In fact, this lens has worked for a wide variety of patients, has reduced chair time, including the number of patient follow-up visits, and has increased patient satisfaction. I have had success fitting the lens on patients with keratometry readings as flat as 41.00D to as steep as 49.00D, including in keratoconus patients who did not want GP lenses.

PRACTICE BENEFITS

This lens is a valuable tool. In my experience, it improves the efficiency of fitting highly astigmatic contact lens patients, thus allowing me to see more patients in less time. OM

DR. GIEDD Dr. Giedd is a founding partner of Eola Eyes, in Orlando, Fla., specializing in contact lenses. She has served as a clinical investigator, consultant and/or speaker for contact lens companies including Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, J&J Vision Care, Alcon and Allergan. She is a member of the AAO and AOA. To comment on this article go to tinyurl.com/OMComment.