Alcon supports real-world disinfection testing of lens care products

Fort Worth, TX-Alcon recently announced its support for new standards that advise that contact lens care products be evaluated in accordance with real-world conditions for disinfection. 

Prior standards for lens care products evaluate the intrinsic antimicrobial efficacy of a solution without a contact lens and without assessing how the product will perform when stored in a contact lens case.  More recently, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and several leading optometry and ophthalmology associations have been evaluating new methods for assessing disinfection efficacy of contact lens solutions in real-world conditions, including disinfection efficacy using contact lenses stored in lens cases. 

FDA convenes to discuss updating contact lens guidance

In September of 2014, FDA co-sponsored a public workshop about revamping microbiological testing methods for contact lenses, products, and accessories with the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, Inc.  The discussion included a focus on Acanthamoeba disinfection efficacy, as well as methods for real-world simulated testing of contact lens care products. 

ISO published Standard 18259 in October 2014. The new standard more closely simulates real-world conditions than the prior disinfection efficacy standard, through the addition of organic soil, and by evaluating contact lenses stored in lens cases for various storage times, including the manufacturer-recommended minimum soaking period, at 24 hours, at seven days, and at the maximum manufacturer-recommended storage period.

The harsh reality of contact lens care compliance