To what must be the frustration of the manufacturers, the answer lies with practitioners. Clearly, there are other factors that are responsible for the lower than anticipated uptake of silicone hydrogels. However for a large majority of patients, these lenses do offer effective continuous wear and that majority is certainly a much higher percentage of patients than the current market penetration. So can the blame be laid at the door of inadequate clinical performance? Well, perhaps slightly, as we know complications do occur and we still need antibacterial lenses with really biocompatible surfaces if we are to eliminate infection and achieve superior comfort. There seems to be no change in the number of inflammatory events compared to conventional hydrogels and of the mechanical complications, the early problems with superior epithelial arcuate lesions (SEALs) seem to have been eliminated with new design changes, and there is a slight increase in the level of giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC), also known as contact lens induced papillary conjunctivitis (CLPC). Yet five years on, penetration of silicone hydrogels is still low and of that penetration the use in daily wear with solutions ranges anywhere between 20 and 65% depending on whose data you read.Ĭlinically these lenses have produced in general, very impressive results with many indicators of corneal health and contact lens wear improving and although no definitive long-term data on microbial keratitis is available, all the indications are that the risks are significantly reduced and manageable. greater profitability from all of the above.more clinical involvement and use of clinical skills justifying higher fees.happy patients-fewer complications in continuous wear. ![]() They also delivered to practitioners the benefits of: It seemed that these original lenses were able to deliver what consumers wanted: Market research launch data from CIBA Vision, Bausch & Lomb and several other surveys have all confirmed that patients have an overwhelming desire for "permanent vision correction". As a practitioner who sat through all the clinical presentations, market research data, and commercial presentations at the launch of the first generation silicone hydrogels from CIBA Vision and Bausch & Lomb some five years ago, one has to reflect over that period since the launch and wonder has the profession missed an opportunity?
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