With Christmas fast approaching, a few 'pearls' in this last I-site newsletter of 2011 will be highlighted - as if they were a few additional presents under the Christmas tree. First of all is the announcement that IACLE (the International Association of Contact Lens Educators) will make its contact lens modules available to anyone who is interested. Next is the annual (R)GP lens issue of Contact Lens Spectrum, which always makes me happy - as proof that (R)GPs are alive and kicking. This has been an exceptionally interesting year for (R)GPs, with a renewed interest in the many different applications they have to offer. An overwhelming interest was apparent at several specialty lens symposia and at many other large contact lens meetings around the world. 2012 will be no exception, and I look forward to hopefully seeing you at one of the many events around - starting with the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas in the USA in January. And if for some reason we don't meet up, I hope to frequently 'see' you here on this platform. Please continue to let us know your ideas, wishes and comments. I wish everybody a happy and healthy new 2012! 

Click on the link below for a full overview of the October (R)GP issue in Contact Lens Spectrum. A few highlights: Ed Bennett et al look at Resolving the Problem of a Filmy (R)GP lens, which happens sometimes with a fresh pair of lenses. Susan Gromacki looks at 'Handling and Care of Scleral lenses,' while Jason Jedlicka, Marsha Malooley and Renee Reeder consider 'Semi-Scleral Applications for Healthy Eyes.' More on sclerals in this special issue of Spectrum: Greg DeNaeyer writes a column on 'A New Way to Classify Scleral Contact Lenses,' which is based on bearing of the lens on the ocular surface (e.g. a lens that rests on the cornea is a corneal lens, a lens that rests on the cornea and the sclera is a corneo-scleral lens and a lens that rests solely on the sclera is a full scleral lens), rather than relying on sometimes arbitrary diameter categories. The main difference between the different lens groups is the amount of tear reservoir that can be held behind the lens. Patrick Caroline and Mark André also look at 'Fitting Hyperopic Ortho-k' and report on their experience with this modality since their first work with it in 2003 in this special issue on specialty lenses. 

Contact Lens Spectrum October 2011

Do we have a clue about the corneal shape and asphericity of the cornea - commonly defined as the Q-value? We know the cornea has a prolate shape on average - which means the cornea flattens toward the periphery. This was confirmed by a recent large study by Zhengwei Zhang et al in China of 1052 right eyes. They found a significant difference in four quadrants in shape, where the Q-value of the nasal corneal quadrant was statistically significantly more oblate than that of the temporal quadrant (mean Q-values were -0.38 and -0.25, which corresponds with e-values of 0.62 and 0.50) whereas the superior quadrant was statistically significantly more oblate than that of the inferior quadrant (corresponding with e-values of 0.58 and 0.55, respectively). But why this is remains a mystery. Maybe these differences in corneal shape are related to extraocular muscles and gravity traction, the authors suggest. More questions to be answered. 

Optometry & Vision Science, October 2011 

IACLE (International Association for Contact Lens Educators) is in the process of making all of its ten contact lens fitting modules available on the organization's website. The first five modules as PowerPoint presentations are now free for download for anyone interested (after registration), with information on contact lens fitting and care, slit lamp techniques, etc. This includes a substantial part on (R)GP fitting approached from a neutral, objective, global angle.  

IACLE Contact Lens Course