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Home About Us Research and Development Research and Development Achievements
Research and Development Achievements PDF E-mail

The Institute has delivered major advances in eye care by undertaking ambitious research projects in collaboration with leading research and industry partners from around the world.

It has designed and conducted research projects leading to the development of several highly successful commercial products.
  • The Institute collaborated with CIBA VISION in the development of a new highly oxygen permeable breakthrough material, the silicone hydrogel polymer. This is currently commercialised as the CIBA VISION products: the AIR OPTIX™AQUA and AIR OPTIX™ NIGHT & DAY contact lenses. The invention of the silicone hydrogel contact lens solved the problem of supplying high enough levels of oxygen to the cornea to overcome the problem of hypoxia.
  • Soft toric contact lenses for the correction of astigmatism. These lenses were developed in collaboration with Ocular Sciences Inc and were successfully launched worldwide in 2002 as the Biomedics lens. The lens is one of the most successful toric designs ever launched.
  • Multifocal soft contact lens for correction of presbyopia launched by CIBA VISION in February 2009 as the AIR OPTIX™ AQUA MULTIFOCAL contact lenses.