The Global Specialty Lens Symposium (GSLS) was held in Las Vegas from Jan. 19 to Jan. 22, re-turning to an in-person venue after being held virtually in 2021. Presented by Contact Lens Spectrum, which is also published by PentaVision, GSLS focuses on the successful management of ocular conditions using today’s specialty contact lenses.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR
“We were tremendously excited to be back in person in Las Vegas for the 2022 GSLS,” said Jason Nichols, OD, PhD, executive chair of GSLS’ education committee. “This year’s meeting had four clinical workshops, more than 20 CE breakout sessions, and, of course, our cutting-edge general sessions that each included the hottest topics in contact lenses this year. In addition, our speakers are the world’s clinical experts and rank amongst the top in their field.”
This year’s general sessions included “Myopia Control: Treatment Showdown 2.0” and “What’s Special About Specialty Contact Lenses,” held on Jan. 20; “Specialty Lens Practice in Motion” and “Safety and Contact Lens Compliance,” held on Jan. 21; and “Irregular Cornea Management in 2022” and “Scleral Lens Super Session,” held on Jan. 22.
In addition to Dr. Nichols, the education committee includes: Karen DeLoss, OD, vice chair; Edward Bennett, OD, MSEd; Patrick Caroline, COT; Lynette Johns, OD; and Eef van der Worp, BOptom, PhD.
BELOW ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VARIOUS BOOTHS FROM THE EXPO FLOOR THIS JANUARY.
ABB Optical Group
ABB Optical Group is a provider of optical products, services, and business solutions in the eye care industry. ABB operates through three business pillars: ABB Contact Lens, ABB Labs, and ABB Business Solutions. ABB is focused on helping eye care professionals increase efficiencies and retain patients.
AccuLens
AccuLens’ products include the Maxim 3D Free Form scleral lens design, which can be fit with or without using a corneo-scleral profilometer.
Acuity Polymers
Rochester, NY-based Acuity Polymers is focused on creating specialty contact lens materials to provide optimal protection of ocular health and improved vision for patients around the world. The company is the first to create an Ultra Dk* GP material, Acuity 200, latheable contact lens material with a Dk* of 200. (*ISO/FATT Method).
Advanced Vision Technologies
Advanced Vision Technologies (AVT) offers expert consultation and customized contact lens services, including soft, GP, and scleral designs. AVT has contact lens designs to work with normal, pediatric, myopia management, presbyopia, high astigmatic, prosthetics, and extremely diseased corneas, including keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, and post surgical.
Alcon Vision, LLC
Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care, we offer a broad portfolio of surgical and vision care products, and serve more than 260 million people in over 140 countries living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors.
Allergan
Allergan is committed to physicians and patients and has more than 70 years experience protecting and preserving vision. The company continues to create new treatments, programs, and education.
Art Optical Contact Lens, Inc.
As an experienced specialty contact lens lab, Art Optical offers high-quality service and leading lens options for patients, including Ampleye scleral and MOONLENS, its new, overnight orthokeratology lens system that includes customization features to help manage myopia for a broad range of patients.
Avellino Labs
AvaGen, the Genetic Eye Test, allows eye care professionals to use personalized patient genetic data to protect and preserve vision. AvaGen identifies the risk of keratoconus and presence of corneal dystrophies.
Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is a global eye health organization with core businesses in over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices, and instruments. Bausch + Lomb develops, manufactures and markets a comprehensive portfolio of ophthalmic products.
Boston Sight SCLERAL
BostonSight SCLERAL helps practitioners design lenses best suited to their patients. Designed with data from 20,000+ eyes, BostonSight SCLERAL supports improved comfort and long-term ocular health. With diameters from 16 mm to 19 mm, Smart360 empirical fitting, and SMART features assist practitioners in designing an optimal fit.
Bruder Healthcare Company
Daily lid hygiene routines using a silver-infused antibacterial Bruder Moist Heat Eye Compress and Bruder lid hygiene products can help treat or prevent problems for dry eye, blepharitis, and contact lens patients. For more information, visit Bruder’s website.
Contact Lens Museum
The Contact Lens Museum, established in 2019, is home to the largest collection of contact lens memorabilia in the United States, with more than 6,000 historical items documenting the evolution of contact lenses over the past 135 years. Visit thecontactlensmuseum.org/donate.html to learn how to acquire a Joseph Dallos “glass” scleral that is almost 90 years old.
Contamac
For more than 30 years, Contamac has manufactured intraocular and contact lens materials, including its new Optimum Infinite GP material. It also offers HyClear, a .01% hypochlorous acid solution for daily eyelid hygiene, and Nutrifill, a saline solution for rinsing and filling scleral and other specialty contact lenses.
Coopervision Specialty Eyecare
CooperVision Specialty EyeCare helps address the unmet needs of practitioners and patients whose ocular challenges compromise both vision and quality of life. Its portfolio of specialty lens designs helps practitioners better assist their patients.
DAC International, Inc.
DAC International supplies contact lens, scleral lens, and IOL production equipment, software and support. The company’s ALM and 100A Series lathes help offer advanced technology to its customers. Optional automation, toric, and specialty lens design capability, on-lathe fenestration, and laser engraving are also available.
DGH Technology, Inc
DGH Technology, Inc. has been serving eye care professionals since 1982 and specializes in ophthalmic ultrasonic equipment. The Scanmate A-Scan assists a practice’s myopia management program by providing reliable and accurate axial length measurements. The Scanmate FLEX Ultrasound system is a combination A-Scan/B-Scan/UBM available in multiple configurations to meet a practice’s needs.
Dompé
Dompé farmaceutici S.p.A. is an Italian biopharmaceutical company conducting business in the United States through its subsidiary located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dompé’s ophthalmic portfolio includes a topical biologic FDA-approved for an ophthalmic indication.
Eaglet Eye
Eaglet Eye specializes in ocular profilometry. The Eye Surface Profiler measures the cornea and sclera with improved accuracy. Sophisticated lens-fitting algorithms and software assist in finding the best fitting lens. The device works with all the leading scleral labs.
Essilor Custom Contact Lens Specialists
Essilor CCLS is comprised of a passionate team that shares an expertise in specialty vision care. The company offers a wide product portfolio, and additional assistance through warranties and consultation. For more information, visit Essilor’s website or call (800) 366-3933.
Euclid
Euclid specializes in Advanced Orthokeratology and Proactive Myopia Management. Euclid Ortho-K has been used on millions of eyes around the world. Each lens is specifically designed for the individual patient’s eyes and yields an 87% first fit success.* No trial set required. (*Based on internal data)
Eyefficient
Eyefficient’s products emphasize efficiency and cost-effectiveness, with the goal to make high digital and optical quality compatible with a lower price.
EyePrint Prosthetics
EyePrint Prosthetics utilizes ocular impression or scanned data with patented Elevation Specific Technology to vault irregularities on the ocular surface. Each scleral device is custom fit to each patient’s eyes, offering alternatives to patients who have corneoscleral irregularities, and provides a stable platform for premium optics.
EyeSpace Contact Lenses
EyeSpace is a lens design software that allows practitioners to upload topographical and refractive data to create custom GP Ortho-K lenses. Its software is designed for ease of use, and allows practices to quickly create myopic, hyperopic and toric designs.
Glaukos
Glaukos Corporation is an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders, and retinal diseases. Glaukos is focused on using its platform technology to build a proprietary portfolio of micro-scale surgical and pharmaceutical therapies in glaucoma, corneal health, and retinal disease.
GPLI
The Gas Permeable Lens Institute, supported and affiliated with the CLMA membership companies, is dedicated to providing eye care professionals unbiased educational and “practice-building” resources highlighting GP and custom manufactured soft contact lenses. For more information, including how to donate and support GPLI’s mission, visit its website.
iMatrix
iMatrix provides web presence solutions for a wide variety of budgets and needs. The online marketing services are designed to help eye care professionals succeed. Solutions include an advanced SEO solution, custom HD video and video marketing, paid advertising (PPC), social media management, and professional websites.
Johnson & Johnson Vision
Johnson & Johnson Vision’s goal is to change the trajectory of the global myopia epidemic. The company is featuring a new suite of myopia therapies and resources with the ACUVUE Abiliti myopia management portfolio.
K&Y Diamond LTD
K&Y Diamond has been supplying precision diamond tools since 1976. Its new facility, built in 2018, uses the latest polishing and metrology equipment available to better provide high-quality tools for eye care professionals.
Konan Medical
Konan Medical develops and distributes ophthalmic diagnostic devices that help clinicians diagnose and manage vision-threatening or potentially life-threatening disorders. The new CellChek 20 specular microscope, with improved speed, was displayed at Konan Medical’s booth.
LAMBDA-X
Lambda-X creates & manufactures optical systems for metrology & imaging applications. For any professional in need, Lambda-X offers Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) metrology tools and custom optical systems. Numerous applications in a number of markets are covered, including: far-field or near-field imaging (custom microscopes), image processing, custom spectroscopic measurements over various ranges, and lighting systems.
Luneau Technology | Optovue
Luneau Technology | Optovue is the global manufacturer and exclusive sales, service, and training provider for Optovue, Visionix, Briot, and Weco brands in North America. The company has more than 100 years of experience, with an expanded product line and new levels of support, clinical education, and practice integration.
May Eye Interrupt
May Eye Interrupt, powered by OCULUS, is an eye care roundtable discussion show that explores questions and topics of interest with industry-leading experts.
Medcorp International
At GSLS, Medcorp distributed two Colour Guides (Prosthetic & Hand Painted) tools for disfigured eyes. Any attendees who did not receive theirs can request one by emailing Medcorpint@cox.net.
Medmont International
The medmont meridia Advanced Topographer is the latest device to use the E300 technology, introduced 20 years ago and emphasizing efficiency and precision. The medmont meridia is a single multi-modal system, including a suite of dry eye modules, aimed to assist practitioners improve patient health.
Menicon America
Menicon is proud to be celebrating 70 years of contact lens innovation. Menicon offers a full range of products and services, ranging from rigid GP lenses, disposable contact lenses and lens care solutions, to a myopia control management system, in order to satisfy the needs of customers worldwide.
Metro Optics
Metro Optics manufactures a large portfolio of custom scleral, corneal GP, and soft contact lenses for patients who have high prescriptive powers, presbyopia, and highly irregular corneas. Visit Metro Optics’ website for more information on how their lens designs can help patients and practices.
Mojo Vision
Mojo Vision is a Saratoga, Calif.-based startup building a “true” smart contact lens. Mojo Lens plans to incorporate a small dynamic display and computing power/sensors in a scleral lens design to deliver eyes-up information to consumers and vision enhancement for those with impaired vision.
National Keratoconus Foundation
NKCF is a patient education and advocacy program dedicated to keratoconus. Based at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at UC-Irvine, the Foundation was established 35-years ago by a small group of concerned families, and is the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to keratoconus. NKCF provides information to patients and their families, and raises public awareness of this cornea disease.
OCULUS, Inc.
OCULUS has been serving the eye care industry since 1895. The company offers a wide range of products, including the Pentacam, visual field perimeters, corneal topographers, slit-lamp cameras, pachymeters, autorefractors, keratometers, trial frames, and loupes. OCULUS products are 100% made in Germany and fully supported in the United States.
Optocraft GmbH
Optocraft’s wavefront-based measuring and inspection systems for ophthalmic lenses helps facilitate the daily work in R&D, quality assurance and process monitoring. Optocraft’s goal is to enhance lens metrology, so that it is more reliable and cost-effective.
Ovitz
OVITZ’s custom, patented Wavefront-Guided contact lens system integrates a specially designed aberrometer that enhances visual acuity for patients who have compromising vision conditions.
Regener-Eyes
Regener-Eyes is a natural, biologic ophthalmic solution that is preservative-free and contains naturally occurring cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Regener-Eyes has been safely used in millions of treatments. For more information on the biologic eye drop, visit the Regener-Eyes website.
Rotlex
Rotlex produces advanced metrology instruments and solutions, specializing in the ophthalmic industry. Products include: Contest II-A system for high-resolution measurement and mapping all types of contact lenses and BRASS 2000-A surface inspection.
SCHNEIDER Optical Machines Inc.
SCHNEIDER is a supplier of high-quality processing solutions to the ophthalmic industry. Its experience building several thousand diamond-turning machines helped it to create a new machine design for the contact lens market, with competitive pricing, on-board 3D processing capability, integrated laser marking, and ready for automation.
Scleral Lens Education Society
The Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS) teaches contact lens practitioners the science of prescribing scleral contact lenses. SLS supports public education that highlights the benefits and availability of scleral contact lenses. The SLS provides hands-on workshops, COPE-approved lectures, and webinars to educate practitioners about scleral lenses.
SpecialEyes
SpecialEyes is designed for practices that wish for more flexibility from their contact lenses. SpecialEyes offers custom soft toric, multifocal, and multifocal toric designs that can assist patients who have unique optical challenges.
SynergEyes, Inc.
SynergEyes, a manufacturer of specialty contact lenses, focuses exclusively on independent eye care professionals, providing a wide variety of specialty lenses. Brands include SynergEyes iD and Duette hybrid lenses for astigmatism and presbyopia, UltraHealth hybrid and SynergEyes VS scleral lenses for irregular corneas, and SimplifEyes 1Day soft daily disposables.
Tangible Science
Tangible Science is introducing Tangible Care — at-home support for custom lens patients. Eye care professionals can register at tangiblescience.com to enroll patients in Tangible Care. Practices can give patients access to a personal Care Coach, and easy access to Tangible Clean and Boost, while earning revenue from their purchases.
TruForm Optics, Inc
TruForm’s focus is specialty lenses. The company specializes in advancing the science and technology of scleral designs for dry eye and ocular surface disease management, myopia management with orthokeratology, bifocal and multifocal lenses for presbyopia, and traditional GP designs.
Valley Contax, Inc.
Since 1981, Valley Contax has continued to advance its ability to deliver quality GP contact lenses and support eye care professionals. Its flagship lens is the Custom Stable Elite scleral, which is designed to emphasize versatility.
Visionary Contact Lens, Inc.
Visionary is introducing its new scleral lens design, the FAQT lens. The FAQT is unique due to Visionary’s curvature system that is tailored to match the shape of both the cornea and scleral shape.
Visionary Optics
Founded in 2010, Visionary Optics offers the Latitude, Europa, Jupiter, Elara scleral lenses to manage corneal irregularity most commonly from keratoconus or post-surgical, and post-refractive complications, as well as dry eye and ocular surface disease. The VibrantVue product line is the newest addition to Visionary Optics’ portfolio.
Visioneering Technologies, Inc.
Visioneering Technologies Inc. (ASX:VTI) is committed to enhancing patients’ vision. Its flagship product is the NaturalVue Multifocal contact lens, enhanced with comfort ingredients; VTI has also expanded its portfolio of technologies to address a range of eye care issues.
WAVE Contact Lens System
WAVE Contact Lens System is a robust custom contact lens software platform for designing and fitting scleral, Ortho-K, and GP contact lenses. WAVE has been helping eye care practitioners design personalized contact lenses for their patients using corneal topography data since 1999.
Weave
Weave is a customer communication and engagement platform for small business. Weave connects the entire customer journey, from start to finish, and its software solutions can enhance how local businesses attract, communicate with, and engage customers.
Woo University
Woo U provides continuing education for low cost or free, assisting optometrists earn CE credits without worrying about how they are going to be able to obtain CE to maintain their license.
X-Cel Specialty Contacts
X-Cel is a specialty lens-focused company, globally serving ECPs with a focus on customer care and a large selection of specialty contact lenses, including: Atlantis Scleral, a wide offering of corneal GPs (including the new REMLens for overnight orthokeratology) and a wide array of custom soft designs.
SEE YOU NEXT MEETING!
The next GSLS event will be GSLS Virtual, taking place from June 9 to June 11. Registration for that event is opening soon. For more information on GSLS Virtual, please visit clspectrum.com/gsls-virtual , and for information on future GSLS events, visit GSLSymposium.com .
