PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. — There’s new hope in a potential breakthrough for the 10% to 30% of Americans who suffer from eye allergies.
Johnson & Johnson recently received Food and Drug Administration approval for the first and only antihistamine releasing contact lens that will not only correct vision but eases those itchy eyes.
“About one-third of contact lens patients suffer a lot during allergy season. a lot of them become frustrated because they can’t wear their contacts as comfortably, they get redness, itchiness, so a lot of them resort to over-the-counter anti-histamine drops which can’t even be used with contact lenses,” said Dr. Gabriela Olivares, an optometrist.
Olivares said the new antihistamine releasing contacts can provide allergy relief for up to 12 hours.
She said the lens will only be available through eye doctors, probably by early 2023.
And a new test that could possibly help diagnose early-stage Alzheimer’s disease has received a green light from the Food and Drug Administration.
The Lumipulse test is a lab-based diagnostic that could provide results on the same day, offering an alternative to time-consuming and expensive tools like pet scans.
The test is for people age 55 and up who have shown cognitive impairment but the FDA cautioned that the test is only meant to be used in conjunction with other clinical information to confirm if a patient has Alzheimer’s disease.
The agency also noted that the test carries a risks of false-positive results that could lead to unnecessary treatments and stress on patients, as well as false-negative results that could delay patient treatment.
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