US launches searchable contact lens database

The searchable contact lens database for eyecare practitioners (ECPs)—the Contact Lens Compendium—is now accessible in the United States (U.S.). Over 500 contact lens listings appear in the database, offering ODs comprehensive and up-to-date information on contact lens products, including lenses, solutions, and rewetting drops.

The listings are sustained and updated regularly by the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo. The site allows visitors to filter, compare, and search for a variety of contact lenses and contact lens products. A feature allows manufacturers to log in and update product information directly, to keep listings current.

When it comes to capabilities, the site allows ODs to find and compare contact lens products in seconds. Fitters can easily locate lenses that fit any patient’s needs. For instance, one could search and find silicone hydrogel daily disposable lens options for a patient who needs an -8.00 D lens in a few clicks. The advanced search enables users to find exact parameters.

ODs weigh in

Optometry Times® asked optometrists about the new database. Editorial Advisory Board member Crystal Brimer, OD, FAAO, says she’s incredibly excited and hopeful that the database will make searching for contact lenses more efficient and effective.

“We have such limited time during an exam to figure out which brands are available in an off-the-wall power,” Brimer says. “For years, I saved the yearly catalogue from Review of Optometry, then I graduated to asking staff to search parameters on the ABB website.”

Editorial Advisory Board member Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO, says he’s confident about the excellence of everything CORE does, including this high-quality database.

“CORE’s intuitive search engine makes accessing contact lenses with desired parameters and characteristics easily performed” Bruijic says. “It is a valuable tool for the clinician entrenched in keeping up with the changes in the contact lens industry.”

The Contact Lens Compendium is available free online at the following link: https://compendium.contactlensupdate.com/us.

Related: Smart contact lens update