AOA 2026: Integrating a workhorse contact lens into your toolkit

Melody Tavakoli, OD, an optometrist based in San Diego, California, and a professional affairs consultant for Johnson & Johnson Vision, discussed the clinical advantages and design features of Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe for Astigmatism, emphasizing why it is her preferred “workhorse” lens and a primary recommendation among her colleagues.

A central focus is the Blink Stabilized Design used in Johnson & Johnson’s toric lenses. Unlike conventional toric lenses that are weighted inferiorly, this design employs four stability zones positioned approximately at 10, 2, 4, and 8 o’clock. By distributing stability in this way rather than relying on a heavy base, the lens maintains orientation without irritating the lower eyelid. Tavakoli noted that this construction also includes a prism-free optic zone, which is particularly important for monocular astigmats, since induced vertical prism disparity can lead to headaches and asthenopia.

She further explained that because the lens is not bottom-weighted, the maximum misorientation on insertion is about 90 degrees, allowing the lens to rotate into the correct position more quickly. This rapid settling reduces chair time for practitioners and improves the morning routine for patients, as effective astigmatism correction is achieved sooner after lens application.

Comfort is another key theme. Tavakoli consistently questions her toric patients about lens shifting and end-of-day dryness. When she switches them to ACUVUE OASYS 1-Day with HydraLuxe or another lens in the Johnson & Johnson family, patients typically report immediate comfort improvement. She attributes this to PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) integrated throughout the lens matrix, a tear-like molecule that helps retain moisture, and to the invisible edge design, which reduces lid interaction and awareness of the lens edge with each blink.

Tavakoli positions this lens family as an ideal first-line option for new wearers and for patients transitioning from reusable to daily disposable modalities, citing benefits in comfort, compliance, and rotational stability. Finally, she highlights the Johnson & Johnson multifocal lens, describing it as a “people-optimized” design that provides functional distance, intermediate, and near vision for presbyopic patients. She encourages clinicians to become proficient in fitting these multifocals, underscoring the positive impact on quality of life for patients who prefer contact lens–based solutions to glasses for managing presbyopia, hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism in a daily disposable format.