Just as it rejuvenated the monthly replacement category a few years ago with the Total30 contact lens, Alcon is now looking to stimulate more interest in weekly replacement with the launch of a new lens called Precision7, approved for either daily or extended wear of up to one week. The company announced the lens’s launch today during the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting. Some practitioners have access to the lens now and widespread US availability is expected by January 2025, according to Alcon. Single-vision and toric options will be available at launch, with multifocal and toric multifocal designs anticipated in the future.

A sustained-release wetting agent in Precision7 contribute to its long-lasting comfort, Alcon says. Photo: Alcon. Click image to enlarge.

The company says that what sets Precision7 apart from other extended wear products is its unique wetting properties. The 55% water content SiHy lens contains a hydrophilic wetting agent embedded in the matrix and a sustained-release agent that continually replenishes surface wettability, according to the company. Alcon’s marketing calls these wetting capabilities “Activ-Flo” and says company research shows that Precision7 wearers can maintain 16 hours of comfort even on day seven.

Although daily disposables remain the preferred contact lens option among most eyecare practitioners, cost concerns sometimes hold back patient adoption of this modality and more than half of all new contact lens fits are in a reusable modality, Alcon said in a press release. The company hopes Precision7 will appeal to patients looking for comfort and convenience when daily disposables are not an option for them, as well as others who find weekly replacement conducive to their lifestyle.

For more information, visit www.alcon.com.