Healthcare Industry News: presbyopia
News Release - September 14, 2007
Bausch & Lomb Boston(R) XO2 Gas Permeable Lens Material Gains FDA Clearance for Daily Wear
New, Hyper-Dk Lens Material Supports Corneal Health and Overall ComfortROCHESTER, N.Y.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the use of the new Bausch & Lomb Boston® XO2 gas permeable contact lens material for daily wear in patients with ametropia and certain irregular corneal conditions. Lenses made with this new contact lens material allow 40 percent more oxygen to reach the eye than the original Boston XO® material, supporting corneal health and overall comfort.
Patients with refractive errors including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia are ideal candidates for contact lenses made with the Boston XO2 material. It is also suitable for daily wear orthokeratology and for the management of certain irregular corneal conditions such as keratoconus, pellucid marginal degeneration, or following penetrating keratoplasty or refractive (e.g. LASIK) surgery.
The Boston XO2 material boasts a hyper-Dk value of 141, versus the ISO/Fatt Dk value of 100 associated with the original Boston XO (hexafocon A) material. An ISO/Fatt Dk value describes the rate at which oxygen is able to flow through a material. The elevated rate of oxygen flow in Boston XO2 allows the cornea to "breathe," reducing swelling and the risk of abnormal blood vessel growth.
"The introduction of Boston XO2 continues Bausch & Lomb's leadership in Gas Permeable (GP) Technology, and is the only material that combines extraordinary oxygen permeability with the proven performance characteristics of the original Boston XO," said Dr. Joe Barr, vice president of Global R&D Vision Care, Bausch & Lomb. "This combination of leading-edge technology and proven performance makes Boston XO2 an ideal GP lens material."
The new Boston XO2 gas permeable contact lens material provides the excellent wetting characteristics, deposit resistance, stability and visual acuity of a lower Dk GP material while providing substantially more transmissibility. The Boston XO2 material can be machined in all custom lens geometries and parameters and is available in a variety of handling tints with or without UV absorbers. Boston XO2 has also been cleared for use in manufacturing contact lenses with diameters of up to 21mm for specialty fitting applications.
The Boston XO2 material was introduced in Canada on June 20 and is currently available to all Canadian Authorized Boston® Manufacturers. The new material will be available to all Authorized Boston® Manufacturers in the United States beginning September 17.
Eye care professionals interested in obtaining more information about the Boston XO2 gas permeable contact lens material can contact their Authorized Boston Manufacturer or visit www.bausch.com/boston
Bausch & Lomb is the eye health company dedicated to perfecting vision and enhancing life for consumers around the world. Its core businesses include soft and rigid gas permeable contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical and pharmaceutical products. The Bausch & Lomb name is one of the best known and most respected healthcare brands in the world. Founded in 1853, the Company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y. Bausch & Lomb's 2006 revenues were more than $2.2 billion; it employs approximately 13,000 people worldwide and its products are available in more than 100 countries. More information about the company can be found www.bausch.com.
®/(TM) denote trademarks of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.
Source: Bausch & Lomb
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