Is this the next design for your presbyopic correction of contact lens, laser vision, or cataract procedure?

Implications: The article points out that a small percentage of contact lenses and laser vision correction procedures, and cataract procedures deal with presbyopia. The field is wide open for improvement and exploitation. Numerous companies are looking for the "next best" idea.

Analysis: Presbyopia is the need for a different prescription for distance viewing, than near viewing. It occurs naturally to people between the ages of 38 and 43 years of age. Often called, "my arms are too short to read."

Thanks to the greying of America, the need for presbyopic correction is huge, and growing bigger every day. Novartis (Ciba Vision), Johnson & Johnson (Vistakon), CooperVision, and Baush & Lomb all have contact lenses that try to correct for this natural life process. Synergeyes is a small company that has released the newest presbyopic correcting lens. The only problem is the optics may work, but the product rips easily, and is difficult for an eye care practitioner to fit a patient with comfort, clarity and health.

No manufacturer does it well. All are looking for the next best design due to the large size of the potential market. Is this design by a small start up able to do what it says, create a situation whereby presbyopia is corrected?

They have FDA approval to market a contact lens to correct presbyopia. This is often called a bifocal, or multifocal contact lens. Ciba & Vistakon are both seeking the "next best" design. The contact lens, and intraocular lens fields are littered with "wannabes" that didn't make it.

I think this is where a new design will come from, the small inventor with a great idea. The history of contact lenses shows this has been a good source of sound new ideas, such as the "soft hydrophilic" contact lens, designed in Hungary in the 1960s.