Bausch + Lomb Expands Specialty Vision Portfolio with U.S. Launch of ASANA™ Gas Permeable Lenses
Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a global leader in eye health products and services, has announced the launch of its ASANA™ gas permeable (GP) lenses in the United States. The new portfolio is designed to offer eye care professionals (ECPs) and patients a broad range of customizable rigid contact lens options, expanding the company’s specialty vision product line and addressing the diverse and complex visual needs of patients.
The launch underscores Bausch + Lomb’s long-standing commitment to providing innovative solutions across the eye care spectrum, from pharmaceuticals and surgical technologies to vision care and specialty contact lenses. With ASANA, the company is positioning itself as a one-stop partner for ECPs who require comprehensive contact lens options for patients with unique or challenging prescriptions.
Meeting the Needs of a Diverse Patient Base
Despite the widespread popularity of soft contact lenses, rigid gas permeable (RGP or GP) lenses remain an important option for many patients. These lenses offer crisp, stable vision and can be customized to address complex vision issues that may not be fully corrected with standard soft lenses.
“Many still prefer rigid gas permeable contact lenses for clear, comfortable, and consistent vision,” said Yang Yang, president of Global Vision Care at Bausch + Lomb. “ASANA offers eye care professionals a catalog of customizable GP lenses designed to fit each patient’s unique corneal curves, ensuring a fantastic fit and sharp vision. These GP lenses also complete our Specialty Vision Products portfolio, offering a comprehensive range of options – from scleral to custom soft, ortho-K, and now custom GP lenses.”
The ASANA line includes multiple design options such as spherical, aspheric, toric, multifocal, multifocal toric, reverse geometry, and keratoconic contact lenses. This versatility allows practitioners to address a wide array of vision correction needs, including high astigmatism, irregular corneas, keratoconus, and post-surgical corneal changes.
Key Benefits of Gas Permeable Lenses
Gas permeable lenses have distinct advantages over soft lenses for certain patient populations. Unlike soft lenses, which conform to the corneal surface, GP lenses retain their shape, creating a smooth optical surface that can correct corneal irregularities.
Some of the most significant benefits highlighted by Bausch + Lomb include:
- Superior Visual Acuity: GP lenses deliver sharp, consistent vision throughout the day due to their rigid design, which neutralizes corneal irregularities.
- Resistance to Deposits: Their material resists protein and lipid deposits, helping maintain clarity and comfort over long-term wear.
- Durability and Cost-Effectiveness: With strong resistance to chipping and breaking, GP lenses often last longer than soft lenses, reducing replacement frequency and lowering long-term costs.
- Customization for Complex Cases: Patients with high refractive errors, keratoconus, or post-refractive surgery needs often achieve better results with GP lenses compared to soft alternatives.
Dr. James R. Hoffman, OD, FAAO, of Orange Park Eye Center in Florida, emphasized the clinical importance of this product line:
“Rigid gas permeable corneal contact lenses are an excellent option for certain patients, and having access to consultants to assist with fittings is a critical component of success. With ASANA, eye care professionals get both, along with fast manufacturing and shipping times, a generous warranty period, and an extensive range of lens designs such as spherical, toric, multifocal, and more. It’s an excellent option, particularly for busy practices.”
Strengthening Bausch + Lomb’s Specialty Lens Portfolio
ASANA GP lenses are manufactured exclusively using Boston® materials, a trusted name in rigid lens technology. Bausch + Lomb has paired the launch with its EZ-Exchange Warranty Program, which allows unlimited lens remakes for up to 120 days, providing flexibility and assurance for both practitioners and patients during the fitting process.
The addition of ASANA completes Bausch + Lomb’s Specialty Vision Products portfolio, which now includes:
- Scleral lenses for irregular corneas and ocular surface disease.
- Custom soft lenses for unique prescriptions and special needs.
- Orthokeratology (ortho-K) lenses for overnight corneal reshaping and myopia management.
- Gas permeable lenses through the new ASANA line, covering a wide range of visual conditions.
This holistic approach makes Bausch + Lomb a rare player in the eye care market offering such a diverse and fully integrated set of specialty lens solutions.
Addressing Complex Vision Challenges
Certain patients cannot achieve satisfactory visual correction with glasses or soft contact lenses alone. For them, rigid GP lenses are often the preferred—or sometimes the only—solution.
Conditions particularly well-suited for GP lens correction include:
- Keratoconus: A progressive condition where the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape, distorting vision. GP lenses create a smooth refractive surface over the irregular cornea.
- High Corneal Astigmatism: Patients with significant astigmatism may experience sharper, more stable vision with GP lenses compared to soft toric lenses.
- Post-Surgical Vision Correction: Individuals who have undergone refractive surgeries such as LASIK or corneal transplants may develop irregular corneas that benefit from GP optics.
- Severe Refractive Errors: Patients with unusually high prescriptions may achieve better vision with GP lenses than with glasses or soft contacts.
For these patients, ASANA’s customizable designs could significantly improve quality of life by providing reliable and comfortable vision correction.
Safety Considerations and Patient Guidance
As with all contact lenses, GP lenses require strict adherence to safety and hygiene protocols. Bausch + Lomb emphasized several important warnings associated with lens wear:
- Improper use can cause serious eye injury, including corneal ulcers and potential vision loss.
- Daily wear only: ASANA GP lenses are not approved for overnight use, as wearing them during sleep significantly increases the risk of complications.
- Smoking-related risks: Contact lens wearers who smoke have a higher rate of adverse reactions.
- Prompt attention to symptoms: Patients should remove lenses and contact their eye care professional immediately if they experience discomfort, redness, excessive tearing, or vision changes.
Contraindications
ASANA GP lenses are not recommended for patients with:
- Active eye infections or inflammation
- Severe dry eye or insufficient tear production
- Corneal hypoesthesia (reduced corneal sensitivity)
- Allergies or sensitivities to lens care solutions
- Active corneal disease or injury
Potential Adverse Effects
Some common side effects of GP lens wear can include:
- Stinging, burning, or irritation
- Excess tearing or unusual eye discharge
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision, halos, or reduced acuity
- A feeling of a foreign body in the eye
Proper fitting, follow-up care, and patient education are essential to minimizing risks and ensuring successful outcomes.
Market Context and Industry Implications
The launch of ASANA comes at a time when the specialty contact lens market is growing steadily, driven by increasing demand for custom solutions for keratoconus, myopia management, and post-surgical vision correction. According to market analysts, GP lenses—though a smaller segment compared to soft contact lenses—continue to play a critical role for patients with complex visual needs.
By introducing ASANA, Bausch + Lomb is strengthening its competitive position against other specialty lens manufacturers, reinforcing its reputation as a comprehensive solutions provider for eye care professionals. The inclusion of warranties, consultant support, and rapid manufacturing also aligns with the practical needs of ECPs managing busy practices.
