World Council Of Optometry Awards ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brands With Global Seal Of Acceptance For UV Absorbing Contact Lenses

Contact lenses meet highest standard for contact lens UV protection

Boston, MA .– Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., today announced that its ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE® OASYS™ with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS Brand Contact Lenses are the first contact lenses to receive the World Council of Optometry’s (WCO) Global Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing Contact Lenses. The announcement was made at the annual meeting of the American Optometric Association in Boston.

“In awarding the Global Seal of Acceptance, the World Council of Optometry Global Commission on Ophthalmic Standards (WCO GCOS), which provides independent evaluation of ophthalmic related products, has determined that the ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ and ACUVUE® OASYS™ brands meet established, recognized and accepted standards that are adopted by the WCO GCOS,” said WCO President Robert Chappell. “These include published standards of International Standards Organization (ISO) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).”

The ISO and ANSI standards classify UV-blocking contact lenses into two groups based on the lens’ absorptive capacity at its minimum thickness. Class 2 UV-blockers must absorb at least 70 percent of UVA and more than 95 percent of UVB radiation. Class 1 UV-blockers must absorb a minimum of 90 percent UVA and at least 99 percent UVB radiation. Only products that meet these standards may claim to be UV blocking. All three lenses previously received the American Optometric Association (AOA) Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbers/Blockers.

“Not all contact lens lines offer UV protection, and, of those that do, not all provide similar absorption levels,” explains Cristina Schnider, OD, Director, Medical Affairs, VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. “All ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses offer effective UV-blocking, and among contact lens brands, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE® OASYS™ with more than 90 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays blocked*†are the only lenses to achieve Class I UV blocking status.”

Experts say the effects of UV radiation are cumulative and can do irreversible harm to all structures of the eye and surrounding tissue that are left unprotected or under-protected. Certain conditions, such as age-related cataract, may not manifest for years at which point the damage is already done and it is too late to reverse the effects of the sun. “That’s why it is important to get maximum protection beginning in childhood,” advises Dr. Schnider. “The most complete measure of UV protection can be achieved with a combination of UV-absorbing sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking contact lenses.”

Because they cover the entire cornea and limbus, UV-blocking contact lenses offer an added level of protection when worn with UV blocking sunglasses. While many sunglasses block UV rays that enter through the lenses, most do not prevent unfiltered rays from reaching the eyes through the sides, as well as the top, and/or bottom of the glasses. Due to their inability to block these peripheral rays, some sunglasses block as little as 50 percent of all UV radiation from reaching the eyes.

“It is just as important to block these peripheral UV rays,” warns Dr. Schnider. “UV-blocking contact lenses provide added protection by effectively blocking sunlight that may enter the cornea from the top, bottom, or sides of the glasses.” Although UV-blocking contact lenses provide important added protection for patients, they should not be viewed as a stand-alone solution. Contact lenses should always be worn in conjunction with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat for maximum UV protection for the eyes.

ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS are indicated for daily wear vision correction. ACUVUE® OASYS™ may also be worn for up to six consecutive nights/seven days of extended wear as recommended by an eye care professional.

Contact lenses should not be worn for longer periods than recommended by an eye care professional. As with all contact lenses, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may also experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be worn if the wearer has an eye infection or experiences eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If these conditions occur, the wearer should contact their eye care professional. Consult the patient information guide available from your doctor for complete information. For further information, talk to your eye care professional or call 1-800-843-2020 or visit www.acuvue.com.