Here is a look at the latest new contact lens product launches and other related news from the past few weeks.
New Product Launches
At the American Optometric Association's Optometry's Meeting™ last month, Alcon — a division of Novartis — previewed its new Dailies Total1® Multifocal contact lenses. The lens is reportedly the world's first and only water gradient contact lens for patients with presbyopia. It features a hydrophilic surface gel that is designed to offer exceptional lubricity, and aims to reduce end-of-day dryness with a water content that approaches nearly 100 percent at the outermost surface of the lens. The lens uses a Precision Profile™ 
Design for a smooth progression of power gradients and has been optimized for a number of pupil sizes. According to Alcon, the Dailies Total1 Multifocal contact lenses will be launched nationally around September 1, 2016.
Also during the same time as Optometry's Meeting, CooperVision announced its new Biofinity Energys™ with Digital Zone Optics™ contact lens, designed specifically for digital device users. According to CooperVision, seven in 10 adults experience discomfort after 
using their digital devices for long hours, with most just chalking it up to being "normal." Biofinity Energys contact lenses were designed to help the wearer's eyes adapt easier when transitioning their sight from digital devices to offline activities, with Digital Zone Optics to help reduce eye strain and Aquaform® Technology that helps retains moisture even during times of reduced blinking. CooperVision reportedly plans to roll out these new lenses in U.S. this month and into European markets later in the year.
And Johnson & Johnson announced their entry into the monthly contact lens category with the launch of Acuvue® Vita™ — a 30-day wear contact lens that uses HydraMax™ Technology to help extend wear comfort throughout the month. According to J&J, they conducted a survey of monthly contact lens wearers and found more than two-thirds had comfort-related issues with their lenses at 
some point during the month, resulting in the need to use rewetting drops or take breaks from wearing the lenses. The new Acuvue Vita lenses reportedly use a new non-coated silicone hydrogel formulation that helps maintain hydration through optimal density and distribution of beneficial lipids throughout the lens while maintaining a low deposition profile. Additionally, the lens provides UV protection by blocking approximately 93.4 percent of UVA and 99.8 percent of UVB rays.
Other News
Bausch + Lomb (B+L) recently announced data the company collected from patients wearing its Ultra® for Presbyopia contact lenses — a monthly replacement silicone hydrogel lens that features MoistureSeal® technology. Data was collected from 339 presbyopic patients across the U.S. For those who were already contact lens wearers, 90 percent of wearers felt the lenses delivered comfortable vision while looking at a smartphone tablet or reading a book, 92 percent said their vision was comfortable while on the computer or seeing the dashboard while driving, and 90 percent reported comfortable vision while viewing street signs while driving. And data for patients who wore prescription glasses or readers before trying the contact lenses was 82 percent, 88 percent and 90 percent, respectively.
Earlier this week, B+L launched an updated rebate website, BauschRebates.com, for its contact lens portfolio for both patients and ECPs. The new site is reportedly more user-friendly, working seamlessly on digital devices and offering a "scan and upload" function for completing and submitting rebate forms online. Patients can also track the status of their rebates and donate a portion of their rebate directly to Optometry Giving Sight.
And scleral lens designer Blanchard Contact Lenses was recently named one of the top 19 leading vision care vendors in the world by Technavio in its "Global Vision Care Market 2016-2020" report. Vendors were reportedly identified based on their revenue and market dominance in terms of experience, research and development, product portfolio, financials and geographical presence.