AAOpt 2026: Acuvue Oasys 1-Day lenses as an optimal option for athletes

Phil Rainey, OD, MPH, FAAO, a Johnson & Johnson speaker for about 7 years, describes how new contact lens options are helping him serve a wider range of patients. He attended AAOpt 2026 to learn about contact lenses and other developments that could help him provide patients with current technology and better vision.

One change he highlights is the expanded astigmatism parameters for the Acuvue Oasys 1-Day lens, now available up to 2.75 cylinder. In his view, this lets him fit more patients with a daily disposable lens, including people with higher-cylinder prescriptions. He particularly values this for high school and college athletes, who may benefit from having a daily replacement option suited to their vision needs and active lifestyles.

The parameter expansion was made available in summer 2026 and includes 3350 parameter combinations, giving Oasys 1-Day for Astigmatism the largest number of SKU parameters among key daily disposable contact lens brands.¹

Rainey also shares a case involving a new toric multifocal lens. His patient, a man somewhat older than Rainey, enjoyed fencing and wanted to see clearly as another person approached and the viewing distance changed. Rainey fit him with a toric multifocal lens from the Max family. The patient liked the result, and Rainey describes the case as a memorable example of how a particular lens design can address an individual’s needs and activities.

More broadly, Rainey appreciates having a range of contact lenses that can meet different prescriptions and patient requirements. He wants patients to feel confident both in his care and in the lens they receive. Ideally, patients experience improved vision, remain comfortable throughout the day, and can focus on their usual activities without being aware of their lenses. Rainey considers a patient saying at a later visit that they “haven’t thought about” the doctor all year a positive sign: it suggests their vision needs have been well addressed.

When choosing a lens, Rainey says he considers comfort, visual clarity, eye strain, and lens awareness. He favors daily disposable options, including the Oasys 1-Day and Oasys 1-Day Max families, because he wants patients to have a straightforward solution that remains comfortable over a long day. He concludes by expressing appreciation for the Academy as a place to learn and connect with others in the profession.

In other Johnson & Johnson news, the company announced during AAOpt 2026 that a new Moisture Retention Index is showing significant differences in 7 daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Of those differences, the company reported that Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day and Oasys 1-Day outperformed the other 5 daily disposable lenses evaluated in the study. Researchers tested the 7 lenses in order to evaluate “how well each one resisted water evaporation by using a new Moisture Retention Index, a measure of how much a lens slows evaporation compared with saline, at 35ºC and 40% humidity.” Oasys Max 1-Day was found to have the highest moisture retention index, with Oasys 1-Day having the second highest in the study.²

References

1. Optometry Times Staff Reports. Johnson & Johnson expands ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day for Astigmatism parameter range. Optometry Times. June 16, 2026. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/johnson-johnson-expands-acuvue-oasys-1-day-for-astigmatism-parameter-range

2. Joy J. Johnson & Johnson Acuvue Oasys lenses demonstrate favorable moisture retention. Optometry Times. September 29, 2026. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/johnson-johnson-acuvue-oasys-lenses-demonstrate-favorable-moisture-retention