Alcon, a division of Novartis, announced the US launch of DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses, at the 116th Annual AOA Congress and 43rd Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry’s Meeting. The US launch marks the culmination of more than a decade of product development and follows the successful European rollout of DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses.
Alcon says that DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses are the first and only water gradient lenses that featuring an increase from 33 percent to more than 80 percent water content from core to the surface, approaching 100 percent water content at the very outer surface. DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses have the highest surface lubricity tested and the highest breathability of any daily disposable contact lens and deliver exceptional comfort that lasts through the end of the day.
“The US launch of DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses is a major milestone for Alcon that is more than a decade in the making,” says Erich Bauman, OD, research and development program leader for DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses. “Our company’s mission is to create innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people see better. Thanks to the diligent efforts of our R&D team and the contributions of hundreds of professionals across the eyecare world, DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses will bring unprecedented comfort and breathability in a daily disposable lens to contact lens wearers throughout the United States.”
Need for Improved Contact Lens Comfort
Annually one out of six American patients who are fit for contact lenses stop using them. Discomfort and dryness are the two most common reasons for patients to discontinue contact lens use.
According to Alcon, our eyes blink approximately 14,000 times per day, meaning the eyelid slides over the front of the cornea–and the contact lens–approximately once every six seconds. A lubricious lens surface can help reduce friction between the lens and the eyelid, resulting in greater comfort for the wearer. DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses are specifically designed to provide comfort that lasts until the end of the day by offering the highest lubricity available. The lenses maintain 100 percent of their lubricity, even after a full day of wear.
“My patients have been amazed by the comfort they feel when wearing DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses,” says Mile Brujic, OD. “These lenses are one of the biggest technological breakthroughs I have seen during my career. People shouldn’t think of DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses in the same light as traditional contact lenses. They belong in their own category.”
The Science Behind the Patented Water Gradient Contact Lens
DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses combine the heritage of silicone hydrogel innovation with the newest generation of Alcon’s proprietary LightStream lens technology and new advancements in surface chemistry to create the delefilcon A water gradient lens material.
The lenses have a gradient design in both their material composition and water content, which enhances performance at the core and surface of the lens. DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses are comprised of a highly breathable silicone hydrogel core, with a low water content of 33 percent, which transitions into an ultrasoft hydrophilic surface gel made up of more than 80 percent water content, approaching 100 percent water content at the outer surface.
The highly lubricious lens surface results in reduced friction and minimizes interaction with the delicate tissues of the eye. With a Dk/t of 156 at the center of a -3.00D lens, DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses are also exceptionally breathable, so more oxygen is allowed through the lens, which is important for healthy contact lens wear.
High Patient Satisfaction for DAILIES TOTAL 1
Alcon says it has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from consumers who have tried DAILIES TOTAL 1. According to a recent survey, patients preferred DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses over their habitual contact lens brand by a ratio of 13 to 1.10 Survey results also showed that:
• Nine out of 10 patients said DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses were so comfortable they didn’t feel anything at all.
• Eighty-five percent of patients said DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses felt comfortable at the end of the day.
• Ninety-three percent of patients said that their vision felt clear at the end of the day after wearing DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses.
Technical Information for DAILIES TOTAL 1 Water Gradient Contact Lenses
DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses have a diameter of 14.1mm, an 8.5mm base curve and a center thickness of 0.09mm at -3.00D. They are made from a material called delefilcon A, which has a modulus of 0.7MPa.
DAILIES TOTAL 1 water gradient contact lenses are available in trial packs of five and retail packs of 30 and 90. The lenses are currently available with a power range of -0.50D to -6.00D (in 0.25 steps); and -6.50D to -10.00D (in 0.50 steps).
