Johnson & Johnson’s New Contact Lens to Break the Limit for Lens Usage

Johnson & Johnson’s is exploring the traditional limits of what contact lens can do. The New Brunswick, a New Jersey-based company, has developed a combination contact lens. The lens provides vision correction and Ketotifen, an antihistamine drug to help relieve symptoms for people experiencing allergy or itchy eyes. People can also skip eyedrops by using these contact lenses. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) received approval to market the Acuvue Theravision lens with Ketotifen. The company says that this approval is just a “first.”

Global Head of Research & Development from Johnson & Johnson’s Vision, Xiao-Yu Song, MD, Ph.D., said, “This approval marks another significant milestone in Johnson & Johnson’s Vision’s legacy of rethinking what’s possible with contact lenses and bringing forward innovations to help eye care practitioners better meet the needs of their patients around the world.”

He also said that the goal at Johnson & Johnson’s Vision is to change eye health trajectory. They also aim to continue to drive innovation and technologies that enhance, correct and restore people’s vision over their lifetimes.

Companies have made many attempts to make contact lenses go beyond their traditional use. However, not all have been successful in their endeavors. The MiSight contact lenses from San Ramon, CA-based CooperVision, got approval from the FDA to correct the issues like nearsightedness and slow myopia progression in children with healthy eyes.

Verily’s work in the same space could be written in the not-so-successful column. While MiSight can be said to be a part of the success column.