Are Extended Wear Contacts the Same as Dailies?

HVAC · #1 (**permalink**) 01-15-2008, 01:57 PM

I read this article from a British newspaper claiming that contact lenses that are sold as "monthly" are exactly the same as the ones called "dailies."
They claim that all these lenses are exactly the same, even going so far as to claim that "all these lenses are made of the same material in exactly the same proportions - 42 per cent polymer and 58 per cent water."

The article goes on the say that "The only difference is that the daily versions have fractionally different diameters and curves."

That sounds like a lot of what the late British author Douglas Adams might call "a load of dingo's kidneys" to me.
Has anyone heard of any British newspapers being sued lately by contact lens manufacturers?
Could this actually be true?

mickey · #2 (**permalink**) 04-19-2008, 08:18 AM

Extendable wear (or continuous wear lenses) night and day by ciba vision are different to daily lenses they are made from different material contain more oxygen so that your eyes can breathe, these are worn for upto 30 days and nights continuous wear. I have just stopped wearing them after 5 years and am wearing dailies. Daily lenses compared to night and days are thinner. Im in the uk and not heard anything about that.

#3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2009, 05:12 PM

I think the biggest different between daily contacts and monthly contacts is that you do not need to buy lens cleaner or cases because you throw them away each night. This also helps with the reduction of eye infections because the contacts come out brand new and do not have a chance to collect debris sitting in a case. Monthly contacts can be worn longer but you risk eye infections and the added expense of cleaners and cases.

gamblinglord · #4 (**permalink**) 09-03-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickey

Extendable wear (or continuous wear lenses) night and day by ciba vision are different to daily lenses they are made from different material contain more oxygen so that your eyes can breathe, these are worn for upto 30 days and nights continuous wear. I have just stopped wearing them after 5 years and am wearing dailies. Daily lenses compared to night and days are thinner. Im in the uk and not heard anything about that.

I think the ones that could be use continuously would be better. It would be less cost than the other one. Are there available monthly contact lenses with different colors? My friend would like to have fancy styles too.

Vita_man · #5 (**permalink**) 09-04-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coojew23

I think the biggest different between daily contacts and monthly contacts is that you do not need to buy lens cleaner or cases because you throw them away each night. This also helps with the reduction of eye infections because the contacts come out brand new and do not have a chance to collect debris sitting in a case. Monthly contacts can be worn longer but you risk eye infections and the added expense of cleaners and cases.

Very well said, Coojew. I see this is your first post. Welcome to Lens 101. That's a very good summary of the daily disposable vs extended wear contact lens comparison. Keep up the good work and post some more.

HVAC · #6 (**permalink**) 09-04-2009, 01:14 PM

Thank you everyone for logging on and taking the time to answer my question. Lens 101 is a great source of information.

kyles414 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-08-2009, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coojew23

I think the biggest different between daily contacts and monthly contacts is that you do not need to buy lens cleaner or cases because you throw them away each night. This also helps with the reduction of eye infections because the contacts come out brand new and do not have a chance to collect debris sitting in a case. Monthly contacts can be worn longer but you risk eye infections and the added expense of cleaners and cases.

I think the daily contacts are more expensive than the monthly one. However, it would be safer than the latter. Would it be expensive to buy lens cleaner and case? Is it consider as a regular contact lens?

BoSoxFan · #8 (**permalink**) 09-08-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyles414

Would it be expensive to buy lens cleaner and case? Is it consider as a regular contact lens?

I'm not sure how to answer your last question, so I'll go ahead and answer the other one.

Contact lens cleaners and cases are not expensive. Sometimes your eye doctor will give you a case and a free sample of cleaner when you get your first contact lenses. After that you can get a bottle of lens cleaner for about ten dollars and I saw a site where you could get a contact lens case for about a buck and a half, or a set of twelve for $7.95.

HVAC · #9 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan

Contact lens cleaners and cases are not expensive. Sometimes your eye doctor will give you a case and a free sample of cleaner when you get your first contact lenses. After that you can get a bottle of lens cleaner for about ten dollars and I saw a site where you could get a contact lens case for about a buck and a half, or a set of twelve for $7.95.

Thanks for that information, BoSoxFan. You're right in that cleaners and cases are not very expensive at all.

Vita_man · #10 (**permalink**) 11-09-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HVAC

I read this article from a British newspaper claiming that contact lenses that are sold as "monthly" are exactly the same as the ones called "dailies."
They claim that all these lenses are exactly the same, even going so far as to claim that "all these lenses are made of the same material in exactly the same proportions - 42 per cent polymer and 58 per cent water."

The article goes on the say that "The only difference is that the daily versions have fractionally different diameters and curves."

That sounds like a lot of what the late British author Douglas Adams might call "a load of dingo's kidneys" to me.
Has anyone heard of any British newspapers being sued lately by contact lens manufacturers?
Could this actually be true?

It took me about two minutes to refute this. Just choosing a daily disposable lens at random, I found out that 1-Day Acuvue contacts are 58% H2O and 42% Polymer (etafilcon A in this case.) So far the Brits are correct with the proportions.

Now let's look at a monthly disposable contact lens, Purevision. The recipe for one of these lenses is 36% H2O and 64% Polymer (balafilcon A).

Well, so much for "all contact lenses being the same." You could go to Lens.com and see these proportions for yourself.

HVAC · #11 (**permalink**) 12-31-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vita_man

It took me about two minutes to refute this. Just choosing a daily disposable lens at random, I found out that 1-Day Acuvue contacts are 58% H2O and 42% Polymer (etafilcon A in this case.) So far the Brits are correct with the proportions.

Now let's look at a monthly disposable contact lens, Purevision. The recipe for one of these lenses is 36% H2O and 64% Polymer (balafilcon A).

Well, so much for "all contact lenses being the same." You could go to Lens.com and see these proportions for yourself.

Thank you Vita-Man. I've seen Lens.com. It's a very informative site.

Knotlob · #12 (**permalink**) 12-31-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HVAC

Thank you Vita-Man. I've seen Lens.com. It's a very informative site.

Hi HVAC

I don't know if this was the same article, but I posted an article here from the Daily Mail On-line (circa 2005). This particular article did NOT say that all contact lenses are the same AND it did not refer specifically to Extended Wear. Extended Wear lenses usually use a silicone hydrogel lens material with high oxygen permeability. Most, if not all, of the Daily Disposable lenses use a lower oxygen permeability material - they are already expensive enough!

http://www.lens101.com/1-day-acuvue/78213-re-using-them.html

post #32 onwards

In fact it mentioned two manufacturers only.

Eyecaramba tried to rubbish this article, but I posted a counter.

In fact it is TRUE that two manufacturers use(d) the same material in one of their Daily Lenses as they do in one of their Two Weekly or Monthly lenses. The two manufacturers were Bausch & Lomb (hilafilcon B) used in Daily Soflens and their Soflens 59 Monthly lens and the other manufacturer was Johnson & Johnson, whom the article quotes 'The company (J&J) admitted to the Daily Mail that there is no medical reason why the daily lenses could not be reused and worn as long as the other brands (1-2 weekly and Monthly Disposables), provided they were disinfected in the same way'. (Information inside the brackets added by me to clarify the statement).

As I said in the article, if there was not an element of truth in this article, the Daily Mail On-Line would have been dragged kicking & screaming through the courts. Although I don't live in the UK, I do follow the UK News closely and I think I would have heard about that, especially with the amount of contact lens searches I have done recently on the Internet.

Given the controversy about O2 and Air Optix, the frequent re-branding of contact lenses in parts of Europe and even a recent post a few days ago, on this forum about lower manufacturers recommended wear times for disposable lenses in developed countries, than for example in China, I think this article is substantially truthful (provided you read it carefully and take only what the article actually says).

knotlob

Vita_man · #13 (**permalink**) 01-21-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Hi HVAC

I don't know if this was the same article, but I posted an article here from the Daily Mail On-line (circa 2005). This particular article did NOT say that all contact lenses are the same AND it did not refer specifically to Extended Wear. Extended Wear lenses usually use a silicone hydrogel lens material with high oxygen permeability. Most, if not all, of the Daily Disposable lenses use a lower oxygen permeability material - they are already expensive enough!

http://www.lens101.com/1-day-acuvue/78213-re-using-them.html

post #32 onwards

In fact it mentioned two manufacturers only.

Eyecaramba tried to rubbish this article, but I posted a counter.

In fact it is TRUE that two manufacturers use(d) the same material in one of their Daily Lenses as they do in one of their Two Weekly or Monthly lenses. The two manufacturers were Bausch & Lomb (hilafilcon B) used in Daily Soflens and their Soflens 59 Monthly lens and the other manufacturer was Johnson & Johnson, whom the article quotes 'The company (J&J) admitted to the Daily Mail that there is no medical reason why the daily lenses could not be reused and worn as long as the other brands (1-2 weekly and Monthly Disposables), provided they were disinfected in the same way'. (Information inside the brackets added by me to clarify the statement).

As I said in the article, if there was not an element of truth in this article, the Daily Mail On-Line would have been dragged kicking & screaming through the courts. Although I don't live in the UK, I do follow the UK News closely and I think I would have heard about that, especially with the amount of contact lens searches I have done recently on the Internet.

Given the controversy about O2 and Air Optix, the frequent re-branding of contact lenses in parts of Europe and even a recent post a few days ago, on this forum about lower manufacturers recommended wear times for disposable lenses in developed countries, than for example in China, I think this article is substantially truthful (provided you read it carefully and take only what the article actually says).

knotlob

That's some thread if there were 31 posts that came before the part that is relevant to this one.

So are you saying that daily contact lenses are identical to monthlies, and that people can safely wear, say, 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses for a month with no ill effects?

Knotlob · #14 (**permalink**) 01-21-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vita_man

That's some thread if there were 31 posts that came before the part that is relevant to this one.

So are you saying that daily contact lenses are identical to monthlies, and that people can safely wear, say, 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses for a month with no ill effects?

No, I did not say that. There is nothing generic in what either I said, nor the article by the Daily Mail on-line.

They mentioned only 2 manufacturers and only for one specific lens, I think.

I did a personal test with a Bausch & Lomb Daily SofLens and was able to wear that several weeks, before boredom set in and I discarded them. (I sterilised them with 2 step peroxide each night and checked for deposits, etc). In that case the Daily lens was made of the same lens material as the Bausch & Lomb Soflens 59 Monthly lens (Hilafilcon B). However, I used to wear Yearly Lenses and now on Biofinity Monthly, transitioning onto Menicon RGP lenses. I don't normally wear Daily lenses (only in an emergerncy) and if I did, I don't think I would be wearing them for more than a day before I binned them.

The evidence suggests that there are SOME Daily lenses, which can be worn for a month, but certainly not all. However, people should follow their doctor's advice unless they hear to the contrary from a reputable source.

knotlob

HVAC · #15 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

No, I did not say that. There is nothing generic in what either I said, nor the article by the Daily Mail on-line.

They mentioned only 2 manufacturers and only for one specific lens, I think.

I did a personal test with a Bausch & Lomb Daily SofLens and was able to wear that several weeks, before boredom set in and I discarded them. (I sterilised them with 2 step peroxide each night and checked for deposits, etc). In that case the Daily lens was made of the same lens material as the Bausch & Lomb Soflens 59 Monthly lens (Hilafilcon B). However, I used to wear Yearly Lenses and now on Biofinity Monthly, transitioning onto Menicon RGP lenses. I don't normally wear Daily lenses (only in an emergerncy) and if I did, I don't think I would be wearing them for more than a day before I binned them.

The evidence suggests that there are SOME Daily lenses, which can be worn for a month, but certainly not all. However, people should follow their doctor's advice unless they hear to the contrary from a reputable source.

knotlob

Knotlob,

I have read many of your posts and even responded to some of them. I find your posts to be clear, intelligent and persuasive.

That's why I'm amazed to read that your have worn "Bausch & Lomb Daily SofLens" for not just two days, but "several weeks." I hope you didn't damage your eyes. Have you seen an eye doctor since you did this little experiment? Does he or she know about your wearing schedule?

I worry so much about the information contained in Lens 101. If someone damages their eyes because of something they read here, I would feel terrible, even if I wasn't directly impossible. Please be careful about the things you post and of course, more importantly, be careful how you wear your contact lenses.

Knotlob · #16 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HVAC

Knotlob,

I have read many of your posts and even responded to some of them. I find your posts to be clear, intelligent and persuasive.

That's why I'm amazed to read that your have worn "Bausch & Lomb Daily SofLens" for not just two days, but "several weeks." I hope you didn't damage your eyes. Have you seen an eye doctor since you did this little experiment? Does he or she know about your wearing schedule?

I worry so much about the information contained in Lens 101. If someone damages their eyes because of something they read here, I would feel terrible, even if I wasn't directly impossible. Please be careful about the things you post and of course, more importantly, be careful how you wear your contact lenses.

Hello HVAC

Yes, I have seen an eye doctor several times and opticians also, for new contact lenses (Biofinity and recently RGP lenses). In fact I was at the optician again today for a follow up visit. I also had a check by a hospital eye doctor, but that was unrelated to eye sight.

I didn't do this trial without some extensive and detailed research and only proceeded when I was happy on any potential risks.

I have justified this in some detail in response to questions previously posted on this. Basically, I didn't over wear the lenses in terms of hours/day so was not risking neovascularisation, etc. This trial was a completely different animal.

I use a 2 step peroxide cleaning regime. This is in my view much safer than Multi Purpose Disinfectant or Single Step Peroxide disinfectant systems.

I have 35 years experience wearing contact lenses (mainly yearly) so I think I will recognise very quickly if something is wrong.

If you check the lens material for the Bausch & Lomb SofLens Daily you will see it is Hilafilcon B. Now check the lens material for the Bausch & Lomb Soflens 59 (Monthly Disposable) and guess what - it is also Hilafilcon B.

I checked religiously for lens damage and deposit build up. These were insignificant. There was no increase in discomfort.

I posted before and will post again - I don't recommend that any readers of Forum 101 do this, or think it is an acceptable practice. I don't wear Dailies but if I did, I would not be doing following this practice. I wanted to discover more about the characteristics of these lenses in practice - professional curiosity - I'm an engineer by training.

Obviously, anybody including the intellectually challenged can read posts on Lens 101 forum without even logging on. I have no idea who are reading the post. But there are countless examples outside this forum where people have the opportunity to self harm deliberately or unintentionally. e.g. you can buy rat poison or weed killer in a garden centre, you used to be able in Europe to buy Pink Paraffin (kerosene) until they said children may drink it - though it is difficult to imagine paraffin being pleasant to drink!! The store has little or no control over the actual end use of the product (e.g. possible human consumption).

I sometimes do things that the opticians wouldn't initially approve of, but they accept my justification and my academic background skills. e.g. I make up my own hydrogen peroxide solutions, but again I don't recommend anyone else follows my example unless they are sufficiently trained and have access to the correct materials.

knotlob

Artie · #17 (**permalink**) 05-09-2010, 06:37 PM

In fact, 1-day Acuvue and Acuvue 2 lenses are virtually identical in their physical properties, the biggest differences being packaging, marketing, the "convenience" of disposability, the net cost to users, and the profit margins derived by J&J (which was sued over the alleged deception and settled for a hefty sum some years ago). J&J has since conceded that 1-days can be reused if cleaned/stored properly (making 1-day Acuvue among the most cost-effective choice for any user willing and able to maintain them properly and discard after about a week or so). My high-priced optometrist (to whom I was referred by an eminent cataract/Lasik surgeon who is a UCLA professor of ophthalmology) just confirmed to me that 1-days can in fact be used safely for 7-10 days if cleaned/stored properly each night. I suspect that some commenters here who stress "cost=safety" and "reuse=dire risk" may be ringers working for manufacturers. Of course, your mileage may vary; consult your own (trustworthy) optometrist.

Knotlob · #18 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

In fact, 1-day Acuvue and Acuvue 2 lenses are virtually identical in their physical properties, the biggest differences being packaging, marketing, the "convenience" of disposability, the net cost to users, and the profit margins derived by J&J (which was sued over the alleged deception and settled for a hefty sum some years ago). J&J has since conceded that 1-days can be reused if cleaned/stored properly (making 1-day Acuvue among the most cost-effective choice for any user willing and able to maintain them properly and discard after about a week or so). My high-priced optometrist (to whom I was referred by an eminent cataract/Lasik surgeon who is a UCLA professor of ophthalmology) just confirmed to me that 1-days can in fact be used safely for 7-10 days if cleaned/stored properly each night. I suspect that some commenters here who stress "cost=safety" and "reuse=dire risk" may be ringers working for manufacturers. Of course, your mileage may vary; consult your own (trustworthy) optometrist.

Hello Artie and welcome to the forum

Do you have any references to the Legal Settlement that J&J made some years ago?

Users may have good reasons for wearing Daily Lenses (and discarding after one day), e.g. high protein deposit build up on their lenses, allergies, inability to follow the manufacturer's cleaning regimes for longer term contact lenses, etc. etc. For others a 2 weekly or monthly lens may be a more cost effective option.

From my own personal tests, I know that B&L Soflens Dailies will last several weeks if looked after carefully and are the same lens material as their monthly lenses.

However, I don't normally wear daily lenses, as they are usually low oxygen permeability (low Dk value) - so prefer to wear a high Dk Monthly silicone hydrogel or high Dk RGP lens.

knotlob

Artie · #19 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 02:20 PM

Knotlob,

Here's a link to a CBS News account of the $860 million settlement in 2001, as requested:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327040.shtml

There are other such links archived online. Even my optometrist mentioned this settlement to me last week when I asked about the possibility of extended wear of "1-day" lenses. He also told me that 1-day Acuvues can be worn safely for 7-10 days if cared for properly.

So at currently available online bulk prices, a user of 1-day Acuvue who wore a pair for only 1 week each could cut his/her annual cost to under $73 (@ approx. $21 for 30 lenses). That's little more than half the cost of Acuvue 2 (week) lenses purchased at the lowest Costco prices and worn for 14 days each, for example.

MillersLastChance · #20 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

There are other such links archived online. Even my optometrist mentioned this settlement to me last week when I asked about the possibility of extended wear of "1-day" lenses. He also told me that 1-day Acuvues can be worn safely for 7-10 days if cared for properly.

Does that apply to everyone, or just this one particular person? Has anyone been told by their doctor that they can wear 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses for a week? If Artie is right, then there should be a whole bunch of people responding in the positive.

Knotlob · #21 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

Knotlob,

Here's a link to a CBS News account of the $860 million settlement in 2001, as requested:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327040.shtml

There are other such links archived online. Even my optometrist mentioned this settlement to me last week when I asked about the possibility of extended wear of "1-day" lenses. He also told me that 1-day Acuvues can be worn safely for 7-10 days if cared for properly.

So at currently available online bulk prices, a user of 1-day Acuvue who wore a pair for only 1 week each could cut his/her annual cost to under $73 (@ approx. $21 for 30 lenses). That's little more than half the cost of Acuvue 2 (week) lenses purchased at the lowest Costco prices and worn for 14 days each, for example.

Hello Artie

Many thanks for the link to the CBS report

knotlob

Ynot · #22 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

Knotlob,

Here's a link to a CBS News account of the $860 million settlement in 2001, as requested:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/31/health/main327040.shtml

There are other such links archived online. Even my optometrist mentioned this settlement to me last week when I asked about the possibility of extended wear of "1-day" lenses. He also told me that 1-day Acuvues can be worn safely for 7-10 days if cared for properly.

So at currently available online bulk prices, a user of 1-day Acuvue who wore a pair for only 1 week each could cut his/her annual cost to under $73 (@ approx. $21 for 30 lenses). That's little more than half the cost of Acuvue 2 (week) lenses purchased at the lowest Costco prices and worn for 14 days each, for example.

I checked out that article. Thanks for posting the link. Here's the bottom line: In an article dated April 19, 2001 CBS News reported that "For years, contact lens manufacturer Johnson & Johnson told consumers to throw away their Acuvue 1-day lenses after a single use and put in a new pair.

This week the company agreed to pay up to a $860 million dollars to settle a lawsuit alleging that Johnson & Johnson misled consumers. The suit claimed the 1-day contacts could last up to 2 weeks.

'Johnson & Johnson misrepresented to consumers [and] to eye care professionals like eye doctors that 1-day contact lenses had some type of special physical property that limited its use to 1 [day] when, in fact, Johnson & Johnson knew very well that that's not true,' says Jay Eisenhoffer, the plaintiff's attorney."

However . . . "One person who is happy with Johnson & Johnson's daily lenses is medical student Emily Rosenbush. Every morning she pops in a new, sterile pair. Even after the lawsuit, she insists that won't change.

'I like the convenience of popping them out, throwing them in the garbage and not worrying about cleansing solutions, or chemicals, or anything like that', says Rosenbush."

There you have it.

Artie · #23 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ynot

I checked out that article. Thanks for posting the link. Here's the bottom line: In an article dated April 19, 2001 CBS News reported that "For years, contact lens manufacturer Johnson & Johnson told consumers to throw away their Acuvue 1-day lenses after a single use and put in a new pair.

This week the company agreed to pay up to a $860 million dollars to settle a lawsuit alleging that Johnson & Johnson misled consumers. The suit claimed the 1-day contacts could last up to 2 weeks.

'Johnson & Johnson misrepresented to consumers [and] to eye care professionals like eye doctors that 1-day contact lenses had some type of special physical property that limited its use to 1 [day] when, in fact, Johnson & Johnson knew very well that that's not true,' says Jay Eisenhoffer, the plaintiff's attorney."

However . . . "One person who is happy with Johnson & Johnson's daily lenses is medical student Emily Rosenbush. Every morning she pops in a new, sterile pair. Even after the lawsuit, she insists that won't change.

'I like the convenience of popping them out, throwing them in the garbage and not worrying about cleansing solutions, or chemicals, or anything like that', says Rosenbush."

There you have it.

There you have...what? CBS News' verbal intro to the student's quote is a red-herring non sequitor; the premise of the lawsuit was not that people were unhappy with J&J's daily lenses, but rather that the plaintiffs disliked being deceived into believing that they HAD TO discard the lenses daily. Obviously, the option of throw-away convenience is a great selling point. But consumers deserve to know that the more-expensive Acuview 2s with 2-week life spans are virtually the same lenses as the less-costly 1-day Acuvues.

Moneyfornothin · #24 (**permalink**) 05-11-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

There you have...what? CBS News' verbal intro to the student's quote is a red-herring non sequitor; the premise of the lawsuit was not that people were unhappy with J&J's daily lenses, but rather that the plaintiffs disliked being deceived into believing that they HAD TO discard the lenses daily. Obviously, the option of throw-away convenience is a great selling point. But consumers deserve to know that the more-expensive Acuview 2s with 2-week life spans are virtually the same lenses as the less-costly 1-day Acuvues.

Yes, you seemed to have summed it up nicely, Artie.

What is your reaction to this article? Do you personally wear 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses? If so, are you going to change your wearing schedule?

What about the rest of you? Are you going to ask your doctor about this, or just start wearing them longer?

Nutradude · #25 (**permalink**) 05-21-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artie

There you have...what? CBS News' verbal intro to the student's quote is a red-herring non sequitor; the premise of the lawsuit was not that people were unhappy with J&J's daily lenses, but rather that the plaintiffs disliked being deceived into believing that they HAD TO discard the lenses daily. Obviously, the option of throw-away convenience is a great selling point. But consumers deserve to know that the more-expensive Acuview 2s with 2-week life spans are virtually the same lenses as the less-costly 1-day Acuvues.

That article tells me everything I need to know. That a US court of law found Johnson and Johnson guilty of "misrepresent[ing] to consumers [and] to . . . eye doctors that 1-day contact lenses had some type of special physical property that limited its use to 1 [day] when, in fact, Johnson & Johnson knew very well that that's not true."

That being the [court] case, there are still people, like Emily Rosenbush, who wears them as daily lenses anyway.

So what happens now? J & J will probably sell more 1-Day Acuvue lenses, but won't get new orders as often, because people will begin to wear them 14 times longer. Then again, doctors will likely prescribe 1 Day Acuvue lenses for daily wear until they "get with the program." There's always the possibility of of a counter-suit or an appeal.

Is this good news or bad news for J & J?

Artie · #26 (**permalink**) 06-09-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moneyfornothin

Yes, you seemed to have summed it up nicely, Artie.

What is your reaction to this article? Do you personally wear 1-Day Acuvue contact lenses? If so, are you going to change your wearing schedule?

What about the rest of you? Are you going to ask your doctor about this, or just start wearing them longer?

I was more concerned than many would be about extended wear of dailies, because I started wearing one to correct a small residual refractive error after cataract surgery with Crystalens implants and limbal relaxing incisions to eliminate astigmatism (so I have multiple corneal incision scars, and thus approached contact wearing cautiously).

Nonetheless, as OKd by my doc, I've been wearing 1-day Acuvues for a week or longer each (with careful lens handling, cleaning and storing, though using ultracheap Target brand no-rub solution [but rubbing a bit anyway to be thorough], which seems identical to the pricey stuff you get as a sample from the O.D.).

Both eyes have the minute scars (which I can't see), so I can easily compare any sense of irritation, etc., vs. the eye without the contact: Since I started wearing it almost daily in April, I've seldom noticed it, and the other, non-contact eye often feels more fatigue, dryness, irritation at day's end.

I could get a comp laser treatment to fix the refractive error, but I see the contact as a cheap no-trauma, no-risk alternative. So far I'm OK with that.

Droopy · #27 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nutradude

That article tells me everything I need to know. That a US court of law found Johnson and Johnson guilty of "misrepresent[ing] to consumers [and] to . . . eye doctors that 1-day contact lenses had some type of special physical property that limited its use to 1 [day] when, in fact, Johnson & Johnson knew very well that that's not true."

That being the [court] case, there are still people, like Emily Rosenbush, who wears them as daily lenses anyway.

So what happens now? J & J will probably sell more 1-Day Acuvue lenses, but won't get new orders as often, because people will begin to wear them 14 times longer. Then again, doctors will likely prescribe 1 Day Acuvue lenses for daily wear until they "get with the program." There's always the possibility of of a counter-suit or an appeal.

Is this good news or bad news for J & J?

Now, does that mean that we can go ahead and wear any daily disposable contact lenses for two weeks, or just 1-Day Acuvue? Are we witnessing a contact lens revolution, where 1 day disposable contact lenses will become a thing of the past?

Knotlob · #28 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Droopy

Now, does that mean that we can go ahead and wear any daily disposable contact lenses for two weeks, or just 1-Day Acuvue? Are we witnessing a contact lens revolution, where 1 day disposable contact lenses will become a thing of the past?

Not all Daily lenses are the same as their 1/2 Weekly or Monthly equivalents.

You would need to do some research of your own, preferably on the FDA Web site where the lenses approved by the FDA are listed.

knotlob

Foxyboxer · #29 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Not all Daily lenses are the same as their 1/2 Weekly or Monthly equivalents.

You would need to do some research of your own, preferably on the FDA Web site where the lenses approved by the FDA are listed.

knotlob

Do you mean this site? http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ContactLenses/ucm062602.htm

By the way, on the above link, you will find some Important Contact Lens Care Tips, the very first of which is "Follow recommended wearing schedule."

Direct from the FDA.

Knotlob · #30 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxyboxer

Do you mean this site? http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ContactLenses/ucm062602.htm

By the way, on the above link, you will find some Important Contact Lens Care Tips, the very first of which is "Follow recommended wearing schedule."

Direct from the FDA.

Yes, that would be a good starting point.

The FDA comment is just your regular legal statement to the general public to to ward off predatory attorneys.

There is nothing to stop an Educated and Sensible person from doing their own research. This FDA site often shows several different names for the same physical lens (rebranding), particularly for CooperVision lenses. You can choose, which rebranded lens to buy, at the most favourable price. Naturally, you can pay opticians' sometimes inflated prices for their particular flavour of the rebranded lens if you wish.

Depending on your optician and the relationship you have with them, you can discuss a switch to an alternative rebranded lens name and/or different recommended life cycle - referring to the FDA data on this site.

Some people need to use Daily lenses because of Lens Cleaning issues or perhaps excessively high protein accumulation on the lenses.

You pays your money and makes your choice.

knotlob

Petra · #31 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Yes, that would be a good starting point.

The FDA comment is just your regular legal statement to the general public to to ward off predatory attorneys.

knotlob

Do you think the FDA is afraid of attorneys? Even predatory ones?

Knotlob · #32 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petra

Do you think the FDA is afraid of attorneys? Even predatory ones?

Well, it's usually difficult to sue the 'Government' (some say you may as well try suing God, if it's something like the local Government not salting/gritting the pavement's properly in winter and you fall and break a hip, etc as a result). However, I think a simple disclaimer would save a lot of nuisance calls from such people.

knotlob

Petra · #33 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knotlob

Well, it's usually difficult to sue the 'Government' (some say you may as well try suing God, if it's something like the local Government not salting/gritting the pavement's properly in winter and you fall and break a hip, etc as a result). However, I think a simple disclaimer would save a lot of nuisance calls from such people.

knotlob

Yeah, I didn't think suing a section of the government like the FDA was possible. Still your disclaimer is a good one. I don't know how it is in Europe, but when you see a commercial here in the Colonies about some weight loss drug and they tell you how it suppresses your appetite and that Miss Anne Thrope of Boise, Idaho lost fifty-seven pounds, then quickly follow it by saying "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." It's almost like the FDA is saying "Don't blame me, I didn't know anything about this junk."

Artie · #34 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 10:35 PM

More good reading about litigation, this time about alleged conspiracies and collusion related to the "progress exam" frequency standards of O.D.s who dispense soft-lens prescriptions:

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/04/jan04/011504/03p-0291-c00061-03-Tab-02-vol3.pdf

LP39A · #35 (**permalink**) 06-15-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petra

Yeah, I didn't think suing a section of the government like the FDA was possible. Still your disclaimer is a good one. I don't know how it is in Europe, but when you see a commercial here in the Colonies about some weight loss drug and they tell you how it suppresses your appetite and that Miss Anne Thrope of Boise, Idaho lost fifty-seven pounds, then quickly follow it by saying "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." It's almost like the FDA is saying "Don't blame me, I didn't know anything about this junk."

Miss Anne Thrope! I get it!

EV123 · #36 (**permalink**) 02-03-2012, 03:06 PM

They are definitely different. Daily means you grab new ones in the morning, and dispose of them at night. Then repeat every day. Extended wear means you can even sleep with them for a certain number of days.

UNIT · #37 (**permalink**) 02-03-2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EV123

They are definitely different. Daily means you grab new ones in the morning, and dispose of them at night. Then repeat every day. Extended wear means you can even sleep with them for a certain number of days.

Yes, that's correct.