However, Johnson and Johnson latest soft-toric lens – the Acuvue Oasys for Astigmatism was not included in the study.  The authors of the study also pointed out that not all of these lenses are recommended for one month of daily wear, some are recommended for 2 week wear only, and this might have impacted participants view of the “best overall lens”.

LensAlert is rapidly becoming a must have item for contact lens wearers and AC Lens was the first retailer to carry the product online. Improve your eye health by never forgetting doctor recommended change times with this customer approved, 5 star rated product. Pick up a copy of Woman’s Day magazine, on newsstands now, to read the full write up.

This lens has been available in the UK for several months and is the first daily disposable silicon hydrogel on the market. The lens is expensive at $67 for one months supply. Is it worth this premium price? Here is my take on the lens.

I have worn contact lenses for 32 years starting with PHEMA lenses (low water content and not good in term of oxygen permeability) and have tried many different polymers and designs, including very high water content lenses and daily disposables. I am an opticians worst nightmare: 1) Sensitive to preservatives, many cleaning agents and enzymes. 2) A heavy depositor and a sensitivity to them as well. 3) Problems with dry eyes. 4) A need for very high oxygen permeability or I get corneal oedema (as evidenced by rainbow effect round lights).

Daily disposables (both Acuvue Moist and Focus Dailies) get round the deposit problem, but dryness and insufficient oxygen flow was always an issue. Frequent replacement high water content lenses using Clear Care (the only solution that I tolerate) was a preferable alternative. However, even after one week’s use, the deposit problem would start to kick-in. Problems with dryness remained.

I moved to silicon hydrogels with mixed results and, in my 30 years wearing experience, I am very aware that the ‘best’ contact lens is very much a matter of fit, oxygen flow, resistance to dehydration and really the surface characteristics of the lens and the way this interacts with an individuals particular tear composition. This latter aspect is often underestimated in its importance.

So a brief encounter with O2 Optix; not a lens that suited me at all. Acuvue Advance was a big step forward. No oedema, nice white eyes, little dryness at the computer and the ability to nap in them as well. However, these lenses do not have good surface wetability (although J&J get round this initially with a wetting agent in the blister pack). The major problem was that the lenses deposited very heavily with lipids into only a few days of wear…and not being able to use a strong cleaner like Miraflow this was problematic. Thence to Acuvue Oasys. This lens was a definite improvement. The lipid problem was still present, but less so. However, the wetability of the surface still fell short and there was an annoying tendency for the lens to smear. I needed to replace this lens on a weekly basis. Next on the list was the new Avaira lens from Coopervision and for me, this really was a step in the right direction. I was often totally unaware of the lens and the visual acuity and tear film stability was excellent. The lens performed well for around 5 days before the deposit effect kicked in. Finally, the new Acuvue Trueye lens. This has been a revelation to me. I assumed that this would just be a re-packaged clone of the Advance lens, albeit with a different polymer variant. However, I was wrong in this and pleasantly surprised. The tear film stability and optical clarity is simply outstanding. Perhaps similar to a premium high water content lens. However, unlike the latter, problems with dehydration is almost non-existent and consequently dimensional stability and exceptional oxygen flow is maintained all day long…and I can nap.

I’m lucky in that the fit of the lens is spot on for myself and this may not be the case for everyone. However, in my mind, J&J have absolutely set the new standard for contact lenses. I really feel that this is a genuine step-change in lens technology to the extent that I’ve deferred on laser surgery.

The price is hefty, but in my own situation, as a problem patient, this lens is worth the price. Wait to see the other manufacturers play catch up. That will drive the price down and also provide the variations in fit characteristics to suit more patients. Good days ahead for contact lens wear!

Donald M. – Scotland

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This post is by a guest blogger. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of AC Lens or ACLens.com employees. Any medical references are opinion only. Please consult with your optometrist when making decisions regarding your vision care options.

Well first off, its expensive, typically costing several thousand dollars, although this is hardly likely to be an issue for today’s sporting superstars.  Second, while the procedure is generally safe and effective, in about 1-2% of cases, the procedure is a failure in that the patient ends up with less than perfect vision, and possibly seeing halos around objects (especially at night).  The third reason is that our vision changes with time, if you have the procedure now, you might need to have a “touch-up” a few years down the line.  A perfect example of this is Tiger Woods – he has had LASIK twice, but it clearly hasnt adversely impacted his golf game.  Other well-known golfers have stuck with their contact lenses.  Kenny Perry, the 47 yr old who has won 3 times on tour this year, is perfectly happy with his contact lenses.