FDA approves first drug-eluting contact lens

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s Acuvue Theravision with Ketotifen, according to a press release. The daily disposable contact lenses contain 19 mcg of the antihistamine ketotifen and are indicated for the prevention of ocular itch due to allergic conjunctivitis.

“Ocular allergic itch in contact lens wearers may soon be an issue of the past thanks to the decision of the FDA in approving Acuvue Theravision with Ketotifen,” said Brian Pall, OD, MS, FAAO, Director, Clinical Science, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care in a press release.  “These new lenses may help keep more people in contact lenses, since they relieve allergic eye itch for up to 12 hours, without the need for allergy drops, and provide vision correction.”

Read the full press release here.