Light-adaptive contact lenses announced

Transitions Optical and Johnson & Johnson Vision (JJV) have announced a partnership that will make light-adaptive photochromic technology available in a contact lens.

Following approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, Acuvue Oasys with Transitions light intelligent technology will be commercially available from JJV in the first half of 2019.

It is a two-week reusable, spherical contact lens that provides wearers with vision correction and a photochromic filter that continuously balances the amount of light entering the eye.

The contact lens adjusts to changing sunlight conditions, reducing exposure to bright light indoors and outdoors and filtering blue light.

Transitions Optical explained that the technology creates a new category of contact lenses, while expanding the photochromic category beyond ophthalmic lenses.

President of Essilor Photochromics and Transitions Optical, Chrystel Barranger, said: “This breakthrough technology will revolutionise contact lenses and photochromics by introducing the benefits of light adaptation to more patients.”

“Innovations like this reflect our efforts to diversify our product offering, modernise our brand and make it relevant to more, and younger, wearers,” she added.

Transitions Optical told OT that information about country-level launch plans and European approval is not available at this time.