Bausch + Lomb Announces Global Licensing Agreement with UltraVision CLPL to Market KeraSoft® Contact Lenses
January 31, 2011 - United States Of America
Bausch + Lomb announced today a global licensing agreement with U.K.-based UltraVision CLPL to market and sell KeraSoft® soft contact lenses throughout the world, through the network of Bausch + Lomb lab channel partners. KeraSoft patented technology allows for custom-made contact lenses for irregular corneas and keratoconus. As part of the agreement, Bausch + Lomb acquired the KeraSoft trademark. The announcement was made at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas. The global roll-out of KeraSoft lenses will begin later this year and will be executed around the world in phases.
“This technology has totally transformed my view of contact lens management of keratoconus and irregular cornea patients. The visual results and enhancement of life are true advances,” said Joseph Barr, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O., vice president, Global Clinical & Medical Affairs and Professional Services, Vision Care, Bausch + Lomb.
Each KeraSoft contact lens is custom made for the patient’s exact needs, making it an ideal fit for manufacture and distribution through the Bausch + Lomb custom lab channel network. By utilizing Bausch + Lomb distribution channels throughout the world, Bausch + Lomb and UltraVision plan to significantly increase the number of patients who are able to benefit from customized KeraSoft contact lenses.
"Demonstrating our commitment to our laboratory partners, we are pleased to offer KeraSoft contact lens technology for those keratoconus patients looking for a soft lens alternative," said Jerry Warner, vice president, Marketing and general manager, Bausch + Lomb, Global Contact Lens. "Extending the KeraSoft technology allows the labs to expand the ability of practitioners to offer life-changing vision correction to a wider range of patients who have a variety of irregular cornea conditions resulting from keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration.”
Irregular corneas can be caused by a number of reasons including disease, trauma, corneal transplants and complicated laser surgery. Such patients can have considerably reduced vision that is not adequately addressed by standard contact lenses. Traditionally, patients with irregular corneas have been limited to hard or rigid gas permeable lenses which resulted in reduced wear time for some patients. KeraSoft lenses can increase wearing time for some of these patients.
KeraSoft lenses, which are recognized with the U.K.’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Innovation, are a patented combination of the latest technologies in soft and silicone hydrogel materials using geometries from complex mathematics to offer comfortable wear and excellent vision.
“We are delighted that Bausch + Lomb will be making KeraSoft contact lenses available around the world, through its lab channel partners,” said J. Keith Lomas, Group President and CEO, UltraVision CLPL. “As more people are introduced to KeraSoft lenses by Bausch + Lomb, UltraVision CLPL will continue to serve its existing customers and maintain its core focus on research, development and licensing of advanced contact lens designs and technologies.”
About UltraVision CLPL
UltraVision CLPL is a world class contact lens technology innovation group, specializing in developing and patenting leading edge technologies for licensing to third party contact lens manufacturers on a worldwide basis. The U.K.-based group is led by J. Keith Lomas, Group President and CEO. UltraVision CLPL also manufactures and supplies contact lenses to practitioners and professional distributors in more than 60 countries around the world.
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare companies in the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. Its products are available in more than 100 countries.
“This technology has totally transformed my view of contact lens management of keratoconus and irregular cornea patients. The visual results and enhancement of life are true advances,” said Joseph Barr, O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O., vice president, Global Clinical & Medical Affairs and Professional Services, Vision Care, Bausch + Lomb.
Each KeraSoft contact lens is custom made for the patient’s exact needs, making it an ideal fit for manufacture and distribution through the Bausch + Lomb custom lab channel network. By utilizing Bausch + Lomb distribution channels throughout the world, Bausch + Lomb and UltraVision plan to significantly increase the number of patients who are able to benefit from customized KeraSoft contact lenses.
"Demonstrating our commitment to our laboratory partners, we are pleased to offer KeraSoft contact lens technology for those keratoconus patients looking for a soft lens alternative," said Jerry Warner, vice president, Marketing and general manager, Bausch + Lomb, Global Contact Lens. "Extending the KeraSoft technology allows the labs to expand the ability of practitioners to offer life-changing vision correction to a wider range of patients who have a variety of irregular cornea conditions resulting from keratoconus and pellucid marginal degeneration.”
Irregular corneas can be caused by a number of reasons including disease, trauma, corneal transplants and complicated laser surgery. Such patients can have considerably reduced vision that is not adequately addressed by standard contact lenses. Traditionally, patients with irregular corneas have been limited to hard or rigid gas permeable lenses which resulted in reduced wear time for some patients. KeraSoft lenses can increase wearing time for some of these patients.
KeraSoft lenses, which are recognized with the U.K.’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Innovation, are a patented combination of the latest technologies in soft and silicone hydrogel materials using geometries from complex mathematics to offer comfortable wear and excellent vision.
“We are delighted that Bausch + Lomb will be making KeraSoft contact lenses available around the world, through its lab channel partners,” said J. Keith Lomas, Group President and CEO, UltraVision CLPL. “As more people are introduced to KeraSoft lenses by Bausch + Lomb, UltraVision CLPL will continue to serve its existing customers and maintain its core focus on research, development and licensing of advanced contact lens designs and technologies.”
About UltraVision CLPL
UltraVision CLPL is a world class contact lens technology innovation group, specializing in developing and patenting leading edge technologies for licensing to third party contact lens manufacturers on a worldwide basis. The U.K.-based group is led by J. Keith Lomas, Group President and CEO. UltraVision CLPL also manufactures and supplies contact lenses to practitioners and professional distributors in more than 60 countries around the world.
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare companies in the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. Its products are available in more than 100 countries.