CooperVision Announces Roll-Out of Avaira® Toric Contact Lenses

PLEASANTON, Calif., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CooperVision today announced the national rollout of Avaira® Toric silicone hydrogel lenses for astigmatic patients in the United States.  Avaira Toric was launched in June, but demand was so high for this lens, the launch was restricted to a few thousand customers that had a fitting set.  The Avaira Toric lens is designed to provide consistent performance in a broad range of astigmatic patients regardless of a patient's prescription.  Avaira Toric offers exceptional stability, vision and comfort from a unique lens design that combines a consistent horizontal thickness, an optimized ballast, naturally wettable material, a low modulus and high water content.

"Avaira Toric has performed extremely well in the market.  We are pleased to now offer this outstanding product to a broad range of eyecare professionals," said James Gardner, vice president of Marketing, the Americas, at CooperVision.  "Avaira Toric is a great addition to our Avaira family of products and our growing portfolio of silicone hydrogel lenses."

Avaira Toric contact lenses provide improved visual performance in a broad range of astigmatic patients – regardless of their cylinder power or axis – through the positioning of the lens ballast and the smooth, junctionless surface of the lens.  In addition, the lens features a consistent horizontal thickness across the power range to improve lens stability and to reduce rotation and a wide ballast band that completely encircles the optic zone to optimize lens-lid interaction for both orientation and comfort.

Avaira Toric lenses provide a naturally wettable lens that uses CooperVision's Aquaform® Comfort Science™ that allows for maximum all-day comfort.  This technology creates a naturally hydrophilic contact lens that retains water, minimizing dehydration, eliminating the need for wetting agents, coatings or additives.

"I have been fitting the Avaira two-week lens in many patients and they are very pleased with the lens.  I am excited to also offer my astigmatic patients the same benefits with the Avaira Toric contact lens," said Bora A. Yurter, O.D., Cohen's Fashion Optical, Elmhurst, N.Y.  "Avaira Toric lenses give my patients all-day comfort and exceptional visual performance regardless of their prescription."

Avaira Toric Lens Parameters

Avaira Toric is manufactured from enfilcon A material.  Water content is 46 percent, Dk is 100, and Dk/t is 91.  The lens features sphere powers from Plano to -6.00D; a base curve of 8.5mm; a diameter of 14.5mm; cylinders of -0.75, -1.25, and -1.75; and an axis from 10 degrees to 180 degrees in 10-degree steps.  An expanded SKU range will be launching in the future.

About CooperVision

CooperVision, a unit of The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE: COO), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of soft contact lenses. Dedicated to enhancing the contact lens experience for practitioners and patients, CooperVision specializes in lenses for astigmatism, presbyopia, and ocular dryness. CooperVision manufactures a full array of monthly, two-week, and daily disposable contact lenses featuring advanced materials and optics.  For more information, visit www.coopervision.com.

SOURCE CooperVision