Alcon, Inc. a world leader in eye care, with more than 50 million implants sold since early 1990s, has announced the launch of their AcrySof IQ ReSTOR Multifocal Toric intraocular lens(IOL) outside of US during their annual general meeting in Paris. These lenses are designed to provide cataract patients that have astigmatism a surgical option that delivers quality vision at all distances with increased spectacle independence.

Alcon's president and CEO, Kevin Buehler, said "This is a significant advancement in IOL technology because it allows surgeons to offer their patients who have pre-existing astigmatism a lens that provides quality vision after cataract surgery".

Cataract surgery is the removal of the natural lens of the eye that has developed an opacification or clouding, which is reffered to as a cataract. During cataract surgery, a patient's cloudy natural lens in removed and replaced with a synthetic lens to restore the transparency and vision. Following the removal, an artificial intraocular lens is implanted. The IOLs that Alcon produces are trusted by surgeons worldwide for their ease of insertion, proven technology and consistent predictable outcomes.

Now, as these new, improved IOL's enter the European market, the chances for a full recovery after cataract surgery are even higher and perhaps no longer require the use of toric contact lenses.

The Can-Fite BioPharma has announced on the 8th of September 2010 that it has opened an Investigational New Drug application for a Phase 3 study, with its lead drug CF101 on patients with 'dry eye' syndrome.

'Dry eye' syndrome is known to greatly affect users of contact lenses. Based on recent data, it is believed to affect about 30 million people in US alone. Can-Fite entered the market for safe and effective treatment and since then they have been developing new ways for treating this disease – now entering Phase 3 with CF101 as a monotherapy.

During previous phases, CF101 was documented as having significant benefit in the removal of fluorescein staining in all parts of the cornea. It was also found to be safe and well tolerated by the patients. Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman said "We are now confident that the Phase 3 clinical protocol has the appropriate design features, clinical endpoints, and statistical power to serve as the first of two Phase 3 trials that will lead us to the approval of CF01 for this indication".

The trial will cover 240 patients enrolled at multiple centres, there they will be treated for 24 weeks, comparing 2 doses of CF101 to placebo. The clinical endpoints are an improvement of corneal flurescein staining, tear production and 'dry eye' symptom scores.

Everything started after Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video became a hit, in which her eyes were enlarged on a computer, so she had a kind of manga-like look - her eyes are much bigger and bolder then normal.

Teenage girls all across America but not only America, started wearing similar looking contact lenses - that would not be a problem itself if they had bought them after an optician has approved a prescription. However The 'circle lenses' are illegal in the US, as they have not been approved by health officials, so the girls are forced to buy them over the internet from Japan,Korea and China, where these type of lenses are widely used. Without medical advice this can be very dangerous.

The problem that US opticians are concerned about is that due to a lack of quality control of these Asian contact lenses, eye infections or even damage to the wearers vision may occur – in defense the companies selling these lenses and people using the 'circle lenses' say that they are just like any other type of contact lenses available on the market except for place of production.

As Dr. Jennifer Ashton say "Wearing contacts that have not been properly fitted by a doctor increases the risk of infection - you do not want to mess with this".

Though eyeglasses that react to light have been available for decades, researches have had problems developing contact lenses with similar capabilities. The previous attempts were largely unsuccessful because it is extremely difficult to apply the special dye uniformly to the surface of a contact lens.

The researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore used a new polymer that makes it possible to embed dyes in the material of the lens itself, so it is not necessary to put it on the surface of the lens. What is more, dyes may be distributed uniformly, which in turn allows manufacturers to embed more dye molecules, resulting in enhanced sensitivity to light and a faster reaction. The latter has been increased so dramatically that they may react ten to even twenty times faster than photochromic eyeglasses. This is especially important for drivers, who need clear vision at all times.

Having successfully tested the material on rabbits, the researchers are now preparing to test the lenses on humans. It is, however, unknown when the new lenses will be ready for mass production.

In the Western World, glaucoma remains the second most common cause of blindness. It affects the optic nerve by increasing intraocular pressure and depriving the nerve of nutrition and oxygen. As a result, the nerve gradually atrophies and the patient becomes permanently blind. So far, the only treatment for this disease consists in lowering the elevated intraocular pressure, either surgically or with the use of special eye drops. Both these methods require regular follow-up exams, which is time consuming and inconvenient for patients. Another issue is the fact that changes in intraocular pressure may be sudden and might not show during examinations.

New contact lenses recently approved for sale in Europe are a breakthrough in the treatment and monitoring of glaucoma. They are a silicone hydrogel lens with an embedded microprocessor measuring changes in eye pressure and transmitting the results to a receiver. This way eye care practitioners will have all the data necessary for effective treatment and will be able to adjust it before irreparable damage to the optic nerve occurs.

The system, called Triggerfish, should also be approved by the American Food and Drug Administration by late 2011.