Johnson & Johnson Vision (J&J) has teamed up with photochromic lens developer and manufacturer Transitions Optical to develop and launch the first ever contact lens which automatically adapts to changing light conditions.
Combining Transitions’ Light Intelligent Technology and J&J’s Acuvue Oasys technology, the new lens creates a new category of contact lenses and expands the photochromic category beyond the now well-known spectacle lenses.
“This breakthrough technology will revolutionise contact lenses and photochromics by introducing the benefits of light adaptation to more patients,” said Chrystel Barranger, president of Essilor Photochromics and Transitions Optical. “(This) first of its kind contact lens, provides wearers with vision correction and a dynamic photochromic filter that helps to continuously balance the amount of light entering the eye… quickly and seamlessly adjusting from clear to dark in response to changing sunlight conditions; reducing exposure to bright light indoors and outdoors, including filtering blue light based on the level of activation and blocking UV rays.”
The new innovation was triggered by changing consumer lifestyle needs and J&J’s commitment to care for human sight, said Dr Xiao-Yu Song, J&J’s global head of research and development in a parallel statement released with Transitions Optical’s. “After more than a decade of product development and numerous clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients, we are excited to bring to market a solution to help contact lenses wearers manage the changing light conditions they face every day in their modern, active lives.”
The Acuvue Oasys with Transitions lens has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The two-week, reusable, spherical contact lens will be marketed by J&J and will be commercially available in first half of 2019, said the companies.
