CLS Supplement Presbyopia | February 2012 : Page 3
hours in a day for most people. Also, any active pur-suits are likely to be impacted by issues with depth perception. These activities and pursuits occur during a significant portion of people’s waking hours. You can bypass the issues of poor depth perception and reduced vision for computers and driving that come with monovision, by making multifocal contact lenses your first choice for presbyopes. It’s easy to get them adapted to multifocal contact lenses and easy to change the prescription as the presbyopia advances. And consider this: About 7 out of 10 patients prefer multifocals over monovision. 6 CHOOSING THE BETTER OPTION In the past, monovision was fitted in preference to multifocals because older multifocal designs didn’t de-liver the distance vision patients desired. The next-generation Air Optix Aqua Multifocal contact lens has a Precision Profile design, which has a smooth transition between the near, intermediate and far zones of the lens (Figure 2). This design offsets loss of accommodation by extending the depth of focus. All three ADD designs offer smooth transition from the center near zone. These lenses have a proven aspheric back surface design for optimal centration and fitting. The lenses also provide a constant ADD effect re-gardless of the patient’s distance prescription, result-ing in predictable, consistent clinical results with efficient chair time. They have one base curve (8.6) and one diameter (14.2), with distance power ranges from +6.00D to –10.00D in 0.25D steps, and three levels of ADD. Air Optix Aqua Multifocal lenses are made of breathable (Dk/t 138 @ -3.00D), moisture-retaining, deposit-resistant lotrafilcon B, the same comfortable material used in the Air Optix Aqua single-vision lens. What’s more, studies have shown that although monovision performance is often better than multifo-cal lenses in a clinical setting, patients prefer multifo-cals to monovision in practical activities and “real world” settings. 3-6 Monovision’s challenge to binocu-larity and limitations with regard to intermediate dis-tance are likely responsible for this. Finally, we have an option that gives our presbyopic patients the clear near, intermediate and distance vision they expect. FREEDOM AFTER 45 Does contact lens usage need to drop off around age 45? Do presbyopes need to be in eyeglasses? The Figure 2. Precision Profile Design Figure 2. Air Optix Aqua Multifocal lenses have a Precision Profile design, with a smooth transition between the near, intermediate and far zones of the lens. answer to both questions is “No,” and doctors are beginning to communicate this to their patients. The catalyst is the next generation of lenses such as Air Optix Aqua Multifocal contact lenses. When you help your presbyopic patients continue enjoying the freedom of contact lenses and their youthful no-glasses appearance, it’s a victory for you. This is a practice-building technology. The results are excellent, and the chair time is efficient. Instead of monvision and its attendant issues, you can give pa-tients clear-at-all-distances, comfortable vision with Air Optix Aqua Multifocal contact lenses to meet their high expectations. CLS REFERENCES 1. Studebaker J. Soft multifocals: practice growth opportunity. Contact Lens Spectrum ; June 2009. Available at: www.clspectrum.com/article.aspx?arti-cle=103013; last accessed Nov. 28, 2011). 2. Morgan PB, Efron N, Woods CA. An international survey of contact lens prescribing for presbyopia. Clin Exp Optom 2011;94:87-92. 3. Gupta N, Naroo SA, Wolffsohn JS. Visual comparison of multifocal con-tact lens to monovision. Optom Vis Sci 2009;86:E98 –E105. 4. Situ P, Du Toit R, Fonn D, Simpson T. Successful monovision contact lens wear-ers refitted with bifocal contact lenses. Eye Contact Lens 2003;29:181-184. 5. Woods J, Woods CA, Fonn D. Early symptomatic presbyopes — What cor-rection works best? Eye Contact Lens 2009;35:221-226. 6. Richdale K, Mitchell GL, Zadnik K. Comparison of multifocal and monovi-sion soft contact lens corrections in patients with low-astigmatic presby-opia. Optom Vis Sci 2006;83:266-273. 7. Air Optix Aqua Multifocal Lenses product detail aid; 2006. CONT A CT LENS SPECTRUM / FEBRUAR Y 2012 I 3
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