#53 Acuvue Vita: The New Monthly Lens

[AdminWolf]

#53: Acuvue Vita: The New Monthly Lens
with Jeff Sonsino, OD, FAAO and Cristina Schnider, OD, MBA, FAAO

Press play to listen:

The Acuvue Vita is a new monthly replacement lens by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

In this interview, I spoke with @Jeffrey Sonsino and @Cristina Schnider OD MSc MBA at AOA Boston about the new lens and how it fits into practice.

(Interestingly, Jeff was the very first person to place a commercial order for the lens, so as of now, he knows more than anyone about its long-term performance in the field.)

About Jeff & Cris:

Jeff Sonsino, OD, FAAO is the Chairman of the AOA’s Contact Lens and Cornea Section. He graduated from the New England College of Optometry with research honors, was a Faculty member at Vanderbilt Eye Institute for 12 years, and now is a partner in a multi-specialty private practice in Nashville, TN. Additionally, Dr. Sonsino consults for nine industry companies, including Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Cristina Schnider, OD, MBA, FAAO is a Global Professional Affairs Director with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. She received her Doctor of Optometry from Pacific University College of Optometry, a Master of Science from the University of New South Wales, and she spent 14 years as a contact lens educator and researcher at Pacific University College of Optometry, the University of New South Wales in Sydney, and at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. Dr. Schnider has worked with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. for 17 years.


If you have any questions, post 'em here!

Thanks
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[Paul Farkas]

I listened to the entire 25 minutes.

Great presenters and sound quality. Definitely worth your while listening to the entire program and asking questions.

 

[AdminWolf]

Jeff and Cris are of course members of the site, so feel free to ask questions here and they'll get back to you.

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[Charles A McBride]

I'm curious how the Senofilcon A (Oasys) material performed in the chamber compared to Senofilcon C.

 

[Charles A McBride]

I'm excited to begin experimenting with this lens, but haven't been offered a set yet.

 

[AdminWolf]

I'm excited to begin experimenting with this lens, but haven't been offered a set yet.

I'd talk to your rep -- it should be available starting today, or at least that's what they said in the interview.

 

[Cristina Schnider OD MSc MBA]

I'm curious how the Senofilcon A (Oasys) material performed in the chamber compared to Senofilcon C.

Hi Charlie - long time, no see! Hope all is well in the great state of Oregon.

At this time, we have only tested the monthly replacement lenses – ACUVUE® VITA™, Air Optix® Aqua, Biofinity® and Ultra®, based on the assumption that maintenance of hydration over the entire month is of particular importance in this wear schedule.

 

[Charles A McBride]

And hello to Drs. Schnider and Sonsino. Dr. Schnider was the head of the contact lens department when I was a student at Pacific.

 

[Charles A McBride]

Hi Charlie - long time, no see! Hope all is well in the great state of Oregon.

At this time, we have only tested the monthly replacement lenses – ACUVUE® VITA™, Air Optix® Aqua, Biofinity® and Ultra®, based on the assumption that maintenance of hydration over the entire month is of particular importance in this wear schedule.

Hi! It had to be tempting though. Maybe you could sneak into the lab to see how the A compares with the C.

 

[Cristina Schnider OD MSc MBA]

Hi! It had to be tempting though. Maybe you could sneak into the lab to see how the A compares with the C.

 

[Allan Panzer]

So, I got my set last week and fit one patient. They returned today to order...problem was...ABB did not yet have it posted as available. Rep was by today...I told her that there was nothing much posted about pricing and getting the set left me in an interesting position of looking for a price and not yet finding one.

Had to call in the order. We shall see.

 

[Charles A McBride]

So, I got my set last week and fit one patient. They returned today to order...problem was...ABB did not yet have it posted as available. Rep was by today...I told her that there was nothing much posted about pricing and getting the set left me in an interesting position of looking for a price and not yet finding one.

Had to call in the order. We shall see.

How'd you like the look of the lens Allan?

 

[Andrew Gore]

The Vitamin lens first became available for me on the ABB website starting today.

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

ODD that after all the flack a few of us got last week about deviating from daily wear, with the Oasys 1 Day, that now apparently everyone is gonna be all gaga for a new monthly. I personally don't like monthly, I think for MANY patients its too long. The new Sen C polymer better be VERY MUCH different from the current Oasys, as to durability and crud resistance, because I often see those really ratted out if pushed beyond two weeks. One week is a really nice mode for the current Senofilcon A stuff, no matter which box it is sold in. About the only lens that survives well beyond 14 days, IMHO is Airoptix Aqua, which of course I liked even better as the half-as-pricey 2 week O2Optix.

BTW, No one seemed to ask what the Vita parameters are, so I went to the website:

Pretty much same as Oasys, 14.0 dia, with BCs of 8.4, and 8.8, DK is 147 at -3.00, water is 41%, powers are same as Oasys, -12 to +8, with halfs above six each way. It is selling in six packs.

 

[Allan Panzer]

ODD that after all the flack a few of us got last week about deviating from daily wear, with the Oasys 1 Day,

I really want to stay out of this...ought to print that across the bottom.

I do many things "off label". Many things...

But the purpose of a one day lens is the convenience and comfort of a "one day lens".
I was at Costco with a friend and he wanted some Dishwasher Liquid.
I asked why not buy the "pods"..much easier?
Because its more expensive.....
And yet....and yet, they sell a ton of pods don't they?

I provide my patients with whatever modality they desire...oh...except EW..I don't much care for that modality. Got my very own marginal infiltrate in school 40 years ago..

And I wore my AV2 lenses too long and got my very own SLK...still there.
So, I have a little more experience than all of you wearing glasses.

I personally wear as many contact lens options as I can..and yes, I think tomorrow I will wear the Vita...Just because I can and will.

In the mean time, I prefer to sell one day lenses as one day...two week lenses as two week and one month lenses as one month..

Its just how I do it.
Any of you wanting to tell your patients about the mean old greedy contact lens companies, help yourself. Luck for all of us, we still live in America.

How did I like the Vita..truthfully, if I opened twenty different soflenses and dumped them in a bucket and grabbed one randomly, I am not sure I could tell the difference.

 

[Charles A McBride]

I really want to stay out of this...ought to print that across the bottom.

I do many things "off label". Many things...

But the purpose of a one day lens is the convenience and comfort of a "one day lens".
I was at Costco with a friend and he wanted some Dishwasher Liquid.
I asked why not buy the "pods"..much easier?
Because its more expensive.....
And yet....and yet, they sell a ton of pods don't they?

I provide my patients with whatever modality they desire...oh...except EW..I don't much care for that modality. Got my very own marginal infiltrate in school 40 years ago..

And I wore my AV2 lenses too long and got my very own SLK...still there.
So, I have a little more experience than all of you wearing glasses.

I personally wear as many contact lens options as I can..and yes, I think tomorrow I will wear the Vita...Just because I can and will.

In the mean time, I prefer to sell one day lenses as one day...two week lenses as two week and one month lenses as one month..

Its just how I do it.
Any of you wanting to tell your patients about the mean old greedy contact lens companies, help yourself. Luck for all of us, we still live in America.

How did I like the Vita..truthfully, if I opened twenty different soflenses and dumped them in a bucket and grabbed one randomly, I am not sure I could tell the difference.

What in heaven's name does that mean?

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

I really want to stay out of this...ought to print that across the bottom.

I do many things "off label". Many things...

But the purpose of a one day lens is the convenience and comfort of a "one day lens".
I was at Costco with a friend and he wanted some Dishwasher Liquid.
I asked why not buy the "pods"..much easier?
Because its more expensive.....
And yet....and yet, they sell a ton of pods don't they?

I provide my patients with whatever modality they desire...oh...except EW..I don't much care for that modality. Got my very own marginal infiltrate in school 40 years ago..

And I wore my AV2 lenses too long and got my very own SLK...still there.
So, I have a little more experience than all of you wearing glasses.

I personally wear as many contact lens options as I can..and yes, I think tomorrow I will wear the Vita...Just because I can and will.

In the mean time, I prefer to sell one day lenses as one day...two week lenses as two week and one month lenses as one month..

Its just how I do it.
Any of you wanting to tell your patients about the mean old greedy contact lens companies, help yourself. Luck for all of us, we still live in America.

How did I like the Vita..truthfully, if I opened twenty different soflenses and dumped them in a bucket and grabbed one randomly, I am not sure I could tell the difference.

I have just a little bit of experience myself, doc. I wore glasses since 1956, then 9.0 diameter on-K PMMAs fit by Stu Grant of O-K fame, from 1975 to 1981, then Aquaflex til 1983, when I had RK on the left eye, followed by an IOL in 2004. Still read with my -2.50 naturally uncorrected right eye.

I can tolerate a flat BC Oasys for about two hours, and a Total 1 for a bit less, I assume because they are so tight, at 8.5.. I have very dry eyes, really aspheric corneas, ( 47D central, but very flat peripherally, so that I choke out in any BC steeper than about 8.7) and presumably, from the PMMA, endo dropout.) I get about 1 hour in most other SiHys. I fog over in less than a half hour in any HEMA lens, regardless of H2O % or BC.

So yeah, I try everything on myself, too, and can tell the better ones in just a few minutes...I have to hope that if you had the personal experience of being so intolerant to tight low air lenses, like I am, you might be better able to discriminate what to prefer, and place on your patients.

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

Pity I will be retired in a few years, when they bring it out as a daily.

 

[Allan Panzer]

What in heaven's name does that mean?

It means that generally speaking all things considered, I can't tell much difference in the fit of a lens on an eye.
Nothing more nothing less.
Charlie asked what I thought of how it looked.

I got the statement from Sheldon Weschler, O.D. who worked for Frontier contact lens, the company that later became Vistakon.

 

[Charles A McBride]

It means that generally speaking all things considered, I can't tell much difference in the fit of a lens on an eye.
Nothing more nothing less.
Charlie asked what I thought of how it looked.

I got the statement from Sheldon Weschler, O.D. who worked for Frontier contact lens, the company that later became Vistakon.

Gotcha. I'd misread your statement, omitting the word "if."

 

[AdminWolf]

How did I like the Vita..truthfully, if I opened twenty different soflenses and dumped them in a bucket and grabbed one randomly, I am not sure I could tell the difference.

I tried the lens at AOA -- it felt like an Oasys to me (ie, didn't feel like much of anything -- so Allan is right, not much of an immediate difference.), the critical factor of course is what it feels like 30 days on... I'm hoping Jeff can share his experience, at this point he's got at least 10-15 patients who have made it that far.

 

[Paul Farkas]

What in heaven's name does that mean?

We need contact lens tester as the wine industry has wine tasters.

With so many options what are doctor's and consumers to think?

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

We need contact lens tester as the wine industry has wine tasters.

With so many options what are doctor's and consumers to think?

As has been widely shown, wine tasting is junk science...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis

BUT I sure can tell a lousy soft lens, from a good one, on MY eye, in a hurry.

But...like it or not, it DOESN'T get much different, for at least a few day's use.

I sometimes recall with a shrug, that back in 1980, when I first touched a soft lens, all lenses were polyHEMA, low Dk, and all were Rx'd for a YEAR. What WERE we thinking...? No wonder we sometimes saw GPC and Jelly bumps. A one day oasys, would have been hailed as the best 1 year lens on earth, back then.

 

[Charles A McBride]

As has been widely shown, wine tasting is junk science...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis

BUT I sure can tell a lousy soft lens, from a good one, on MY eye, in a hurry.

But...like it or not, it DOESN'T get much different, for at least a few day's use.

I sometimes recall with a shrug, that back in 1980, when I first touched a soft lens, all lenses were polyHEMA, low Dk, and all were Rx'd for a YEAR. What WERE we thinking...? No wonder we sometimes saw GPC and Jelly bumps. A one day oasys, would have been hailed as the best 1 year lens on earth, back then.

And quarterly replacement was a huge improvement for a lot of patients. Although back then patients were using separate cleaners most of the time.

And Dr. Gallap, don't trust yourself to decide the difference between and terrific and lousy contact lens. There isn't a lens around that someone doesn't hate.

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

And quarterly replacement was a huge improvement for a lot of patients. Although back then patients were using separate cleaners most of the time.

And Dr. Gallap, don't trust yourself to decide the difference between and terrific and lousy contact lens. There isn't a lens around that someone doesn't hate.

Boy isn't that the truth. I had a patient this week hate the Avaira toric, based solely on comfort, and much prefer the AirOptix for Astigmatism. While the Alcon toric lens has its virtues, in my experience I usually wouldn't count optimum on the eye comfort as being one of them.

I use several different lenses, for different reasons, and as you well know, we can usually find something to make most folks happy, absent a real problem with toleration. I am just SO intolerant to lens wear these days, that I do feel I can judge pure, raw, relative comfort pretty well.

At least, for the 1 or 2 hours I can stand to have one on, even here in humid Hawaii.

 

[Anonymous Post Bot]

An Anonymous Poster writes...

Acuvue Vita Feedback Thread (unofficial)

Well, N = 3, but so far:

One patient had "foggy vision".

One patient returned with two central tears in a lens in under 2 weeks.

I would like this lens to work. What are you seeing?

 

[Kandi S. Moller]

My N=2.
One pt liked it.
The other I decided to compare Ultra to Vita (one in each eye), Vita seemed better initially, she returns in a few more days.

 

[Mike Alvarez]

Most patients I've tried (about 6) have liked it. The Ultra, on the other hand.....

 

[Michael Gallap OD JD]

Most patients I've tried (about 6) have liked it. The Ultra, on the other hand.....

I find Ultra way too tight on most folks. I don't even bother to try it anymore.

Don't have a fit set of Vita yet.

 

[Stewart Gooderman]

Certainly price is not the issue. In fact, the MSRP for an annual supply of Oasys is $230, for the Vita it is $240

 

[AdminWolf]

An Anonymous Poster writes...

Acuvue Vita Feedback Thread (unofficial)

Well, N = 3, but so far:

One patient had "foggy vision".

One patient returned with two central tears in a lens in under 2 weeks.

I would like this lens to work. What are you seeing?

Hey anonymous, could you please send me a private message about the tearing issue? I want to learn more.

thanks,
ad

 

[Paul Farkas]

Hey anonymous, could you please send me a private message about the tearing issue? I want to learn more.

thanks,
ad

Nice having a direct line to high places.

 

[AdminWolf]

Nice having a direct line to high places.

One of the 'perks' of running the site (if there are any!) is that I get to meet a lot of the executives at the various companies in eye care.

I feel like the most important service I can give to everyone on the site is access to the people that I know. Particularly when a member is having a problem or some difficulty with a company or product, I want to make sure they're being heard.

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