DULUTH, GA  – In the first quarter of 2007, the daily disposable segment increased to 10 percent of the total soft contact lens category revenue, the highest share it has ever achieved in the U.S.  Growth in this segment continues to be very strong, up 28 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2006 and CIBA Vision’s Focus^® DAILIES^® are driving the growth trend. The #1 selling daily disposable contact lens in the U.S., Focus DAILIES’ share of the daily disposable segment reached a two-year high, increasing 2.1 points versus the same quarter last year, and now accounts for 56.1 percent of the overall segment.

The benefits of the daily disposable modality include patient convenience and compliance, and it meets the needs of a wide variety of patient lifestyles. As the only family of daily disposable lenses available in sphere, toric and progressive designs, Focus DAILIES lenses offer greater convenience for more patients.  And with just one base curve, fitting for the eye care professional is also quick and easy. “Focus DAILIES is convenient for patients because they don’t have to worry about cleaning and disinfecting their lenses,” said Dr. Dwight Akerman, O.D., F.A.A.O. and Director of Professional Programs for CIBA Vision North America. “With its broad coverage, the Focus DAILIES family of lenses is also convenient for eye care professionals’ practices because they need just one lens to fit the majority of patients who are interested in a daily disposable option.” 

With the importance of appropriate wear and care of contact lenses gaining increased attention, eye care professionals and patients appreciate that the daily disposable modality eliminates the need for lens care products and offers wearers a clean pair of lenses every day.  Compared to other daily disposable lenses, only Focus DAILIES is a true daily disposable lens made of a material designed for single-use compliance. Additionally, 87 percent of Focus DAILIES wearers are compliant with recommended wear and care regimens, compared to 35 percent of total soft contact lens wearers.  With the U.S. introduction of Focus DAILIES with AquaRelease, which is now available on all Focus DAILIES designs, CIBA Vision introduced the first contact lens with a built-in moisturizing agent for sustained release all day. Because distribution of the AquaRelease moisturizing agent begins to diminish at the end of the day it helps ensure compliance with the recommended wearing schedule. 

Daily disposables also offer eye care professionals a real opportunity to build their practices. Virtually all (94 percent) Focus DAILIES wearers also own eyeglasses  and 43 percent of eyeglass wearers between the ages of 12-34 are interested in trying contact lenses, which indicates there is a large untapped market in many practices. Additionally, contact lens wearers visit their eye care provider more frequently for eye exams, with 59 percent having their eyes examined at least once a year versus 45 percent of eyeglasses wearers. Overall, the contact lens wearing population averages an eye exam every 18 months versus an average of 24 months for an eyeglasses wearer.

Much of this data points to the fact that the market for daily disposables in the U.S. is underdeveloped, with much additional potential for growth. “At year-end 2006, the daily disposable segment accounted for 58 percent of the total soft contact lens market in Japan, while in Europe it represented 39 percent,” said Henna Inam, president of the Americas Region for CIBA Vision. “While we’re seeing record share in the U.S. daily disposable market, as eye care professionals and patients become more aware of the benefits of the daily disposable segment, tremendous potential for future growth remains.”

About CIBA Vision
With worldwide headquarters in Atlanta, CIBA Vision is a global leader in research, development and manufacturing of optical products and services, including contact lenses and lens care products. CIBA Vision products are available in more than 70 countries.  For more information, visit the CIBA Vision web site at www.cibavision.com. 

CIBA Vision is the eye care unit of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS), a world leader in offering medicines to protect health, cure disease and improve well-being. In 2006, the Group’s businesses achieved net sales of USD 37.0 billion and net income of USD 7.2 billion. Approximately USD 5.4 billion was invested in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 101,000 associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.