What Is Blink Stabilized Design in Toric Contact Lenses?

blink-stabilized-design

The proprietary BLINK STABILIZED Design by Johnson & Johnson works naturally with the eyelids to keep the lens in the correct position, even during head tilts, blinks, and eye movements.

What Is Blink Stabilized Design?

To fully appreciate Johnson & Johnson’s Blink Stabilized Design, we need to understand the mechanics of a blink. When you blink, your upper eyelid moves up and down while your lower eyelid moves horizontally toward your nose.

Blink Stabilized Design harnesses the power of the blink, allowing your eyelids to work with the contact lens. The design, which has four zones of interaction, helps decrease rotation due to gravity if you’re not looking straight ahead (yes — gravity can pull your contact lenses out of place, which could mean blurry vision). Those zones of interaction help to keep the contact lens in the correct position when you look up, down, or side to side.

Another key aspect of Blink Stabilized Design is its thin profile. With toric contact lenses that have a conventional prism-ballast design (another stabilizing feature), your lower eyelid can interact with the lens’ thicker area when you blink. In contrast, contact lenses with Blink Stabilized Design have a thin profile at the bottom, so there is minimal interaction between the contact lens and your lower eyelid.

Blink Stabilized Design also quickly orients and stabilizes the contact lens almost as soon as you insert it, and it also realigns the contact lens naturally with every blink. The result is clear, crisp, and stable vision throughout the wearing period.

Why Is Lens Stability Important?

Lens stability is extremely important when it comes to toric contact lenses.

Toric contact lenses correct astigmatism — a condition in which either your cornea or lens is curved such that the refraction of your eye differs between the vertical and horizontal planes. This causes blurry vision at all distances.

Toric lenses (from the word “torus”) are shaped like a slice of the side of a donut. That particular shape creates different refractive powers on the vertical and horizontal orientations, increasing or decreasing gradually as you move around the lens. In contrast, standard lenses have a spherical surface and are shaped like a slice of the side of a beach ball. This is why conventional lenses cannot provide the desired visual acuity for wearers with astigmatism.

Because toric lenses have different focusing powers on the vertical and horizontal orientations, they need to be placed on the eye a certain way. They also need to stay in that position during wear. This is where special stabilizing features like Blink Stabilized Design come into play.

Plus, the more stable toric lenses are, the longer they can be worn comfortably.

Contact Lenses With Blink Stabilized Design

Blink Stabilized Design is found in several toric lens offerings from Johnson & Johnson.

1. ACUVUE® OASYS for ASTIGMATISM

ACUVUE OASYS for ASTIGMATISM is a bi-weekly replacement lens designed to correct astigmatism. Introduced in 2008, it is FDA-approved for daily wear and up to seven days of extended wear.

Aside from Blink Stabilized Design, ACUVUE OASYS for ASTIGMATISM is equipped with proprietary HYDRACLEAR® PLUS Technology, which keeps the lens wet and smooth for all-day comfort. Plus, the lens material allows optimal levels of oxygen to flow for white, healthy eyes. ACUVUE OASYS for ASTIGMATISM also features Class 1 UV protection — the highest level available. It is tinted for easy handling.

2. ACUVUE® OASYS 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM

If you have astigmatism and enjoy the convenience of a daily replacement lens, try ACUVUE® OASYS 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM. Featuring HydraLuxe™ Technology, these toric lenses provide consistently clear and stable vision and hydrating comfort throughout the wearing period.

ACUVUE OASYS 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM also supports a healthy wearing experience, and it can block more than 90% of UVA rays and more than 99% of UVB rays.

3. ACUVUE® VITA® for ASTIGMATISM

Yet another high-performance toric lens by Johnson & Johnson, ACUVUE VITA for ASTIGMATISM offers excellent visual acuity and refreshing comfort all day.

These monthly toric lenses stay in place because of Blink Stabilized Design. They also feature innovative HydraMax™ Technology, which helps maximize and maintain hydration throughout the lens. A silicone hydrogel lens, ACUVUE VITA for ASTIGMATISM allows oxygen to reach the eye to keep it bright, clear, and healthy. Plus, it comes with Class 1 UV protection.

4. 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST for ASTIGMATISM

1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST for ASTIGMATISM is a solid option for lens wearers who are always on the go. Featuring exclusive LACREON® Technology, these toric lenses stay moist all day.

Plus, 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST for ASTIGMATISM provides Class 2 UV protection, blocking approximately 82% of UVA and 97% of UVB rays.

5. ACUVUE® ADVANCE & ACUVUE® ADVANCE for ASTIGMATISM

Blink Stabilized Design could also be found in the now-discontinued ACUVUE ADVANCE product family, which included spherical and toric options.

Both ACUVUE ADVANCE and ACUVUE ADVANCE for ASTIGMATISM featured HYDRACLEAR® (the early version of HYDRACLEAR PLUS), which helped make the contact lenses feel smooth and moist. Both lenses were designed to be replaced after 14 days and made of a highly breathable silicone hydrogel material.

Blink Stabilized Design creates a better visual experience for lens wearers with astigmatism. Talk to your eye doctor today about trying contact lenses with Blink Stabilized Design!