Health x Wellness
ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day: Johnson & Johnson’s Answer to Presbyopia
Johnson & Johnson has launched its newest innovation in Singapore: ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day and ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day MULTIFOCAL contact lenses.
Singapore is the first and only Southeast Asian country to introduce this range, already available from 1 July 2024. These lenses promise all-day comfort and visual clarity.
Meeting Modern Demands
In today’s digital age, adults spend over 13 hours daily on screens, leading to increased eye strain. The ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day lenses are designed to address these challenges, offering:
- TearStable™ Technology: Maximizes tear-film stability and locks in moisture for exceptional all-day comfort.
- OptiBlue™ Light Filter: The highest level blue-violet light filter in the industry at 60%, reducing light scatter and increasing visual clarity.
- Built-in UV Protection: Blocks 99.9 percent of UVA rays and 100% UVB rays.
- Pupil Optimised Design Technology: For multifocal lenses, catering to pupil size variations due to age and refraction needs, providing effortless vision.
Johnson & Johnson has a rich legacy of innovation in eyecare. In the age of digital technology where extended screen time is the norm, our role is to stay ahead of the curve, continuously predicting, adapting, and innovating to meet the needs of modern contact lens wearers. Designed for the vibrant and fast-paced lives of wearers in Singapore, ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day is an innovation that tackles the challenges of eye strain caused by prolonged screen exposure so that our wearers can live life to the max with unparalleled clarity and comfort.
Kanchan Bhakoo, Business Unit Leader, Singapore, Vision Care, Johnson & Johnson
Addressing Presbyopia
Presbyopia, a common age-related eye condition, affects near vision and typically begins around age 40. In Singapore, with its high life expectancy, the prevalence of presbyopia is expected to rise significantly. Multifocal lenses like ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day MULTIFOCAL offer a discreet and convenient solution for those affected.
Multifocal contact lenses are favoured for their ability to provide good functional vision, allowing easy switching between distances. They offer a youthful solution to presbyopia, enabling wearers to maintain their lifestyle without the need for reading glasses.
We Speak With Mr. Lee Kang Lian, a practicing Optometrist at OJO Optometrist, and the President for Singapore Optometric Association about Presbyopia in Singapore.
the Active Age (AA): How prevalent is Presbyopia in the adult population in Singapore?
Mr. Lee Kang Lian (LKL): Presbyopia, or ‘Lao Hua Yan’, is a refractive error that causes near blurry vision, typically occurring around the age of 40.
According to the article “Untreated ‘Lao Hua Yan’ a major public health concern in rapidly aging Singapore“: “Singapore has one of the world’s highest average life expectancy rates, at 83 years, and it is estimated that a quarter of its population will be 65 and above by 2030. The prevalence of presbyopia is therefore expected to rise exponentially over time.”
The same article references a study by the Singapore Eye Research Institute and Duke-NUS Medical School from 2017 to 2022, which found that approximately a third of presbyopic adults in Singapore do not take measures to correct their declining near vision. Therefore, promoting presbyopia awareness is essential so our citizens can enjoy clear vision despite entering their forties. Uncorrected presbyopia may lead to symptoms such as eye strain and frontal headaches.
A common misconception is that wearing reading glasses will worsen presbyopia, which is untrue. Presbyopia will worsen naturally with age. Annual eye examinations by an optometrist can address visual issues and detect eye conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration.
AA: Why would customers opt to wear multifocal contact lenses instead of getting progressive or single-use glasses for the condition?
LKL: Multifocal contact lenses are popular among the new presbyopic population because they keep age a secret.
From my clinical experience, many clients prefer not to change their visual correction habits, as this can reveal their age or make them feel old when presbyopia begins.
More importantly, multifocal contact lenses offer the convenience of good functional vision, allowing easy switching from distance to near vision for various tasks throughout the day.
At 40 years old, one is still young, and presbyopia should not affect the quality of life, especially when dealing with long hours of near work. I enjoy fitting multifocal lenses for my patients because of the big smile on their faces when they discover the magical lenses that enable them to see clearly both near and far again! Many new wearers are presbyopes who want to enjoy clear vision once more.
Obtaining Multifocal Contact Lenses
The process of obtaining these lenses involves:
- Consultation: Understanding the patient’s contact lens-wearing history and visual needs.
- Eye Examination: Conducting refraction (power/degree finding) and slit-lamp biomicroscopy to examine the front part of the eye (cornea) to ensure eye health is suitable for contact lens wearing.
- Fitting: Trying diagnostic lenses and evaluating vision performance.
- Education: Teaching first-time wearers about lens insertion, removal, and care.
According to the Optometrist’s Code of Conduct by the Optometrist and Optician Board (OOB), the wearer should visit the optometrist every six months to have their eyes checked before continuing with the supply.
ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day trial contact lenses are available by scheduling an appointment with an eye care professional, with the list available at this link. FAQs are also available at this website.
Information shared in this article was shared by both Johnson & Johnson and Mr. Lee Kang Lian.
Images are credit to Johnson & Johnson and photo by David Travis on Unsplash.
