JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Johnson & Johnson Vision, a global leader in eye health and part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, has announced Acuvue Abiliti, a new brand for future products and services to help parents and eyecare providers address the growing prevalence and progression of myopia in children. The Abiliti product is still in the developmental pipeline, a spokesperson said. The new Abiliti brand will provide parents and eyecare providers with comprehensive resources, including products and services, to address the progression of myopia in children.

Each annual purchase of an Abiliti product will provide a free comprehensive eye health exam to a child in need through Sight for Kids, a joint program from Johnson & Johnson Vision and the not-for-profit program from the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF). Sight for Kids is one of the largest-known, school-based eye health programs that mobilizes Lions and eyecare professionals to provide comprehensive eye health services in low-income schools around the world.

In response to a query from VMAIL about the anticipated timing of the new Acuvue Abiliti contact lenses, a spokesperson told VMAIL, "J&J Vision looks forward to bringing therapeutic contact lenses, products and services to help address the progression of myopia in children under the Abiliti brand by the end of this year in the U.S. and other parts of the world based on discussions with regulatory authorities. They will share additional information as products and services become available."

“There is no greater purpose than addressing the severity and prevalence of myopia,” said Peter Menziuso, worldwide president, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. “For decades, Johnson & Johnson has been leading with science to deepen the clinical understanding of myopia as part of our vision to help the world see better, connect better and live better. Our new Abiliti brand is another important step forward in our efforts to change the trajectory of eye health with a suite of future products and services that can help address the progression of myopia for so many families.”

The introduction of Abiliti is the latest from Johnson & Johnson Vision to address the growing myopia epidemic following the company’s partnership with Menicon, as reported by VMAIL earlier this month, which is a global strategic collaboration to create a portfolio of products and services and bring forward a therapeutic contact lens to help address the progression of myopia in children.

Earlier this year, the company also announced the development of a first-of-its-kind myopia management guide with recommendations for eyecare professionals to assess, monitor and treat myopia in children. The guide, titled Managing Myopia: A Clinical Response to the Growing Epidemic, is a result of a year of collaboration with leading organizations in optometry, including the American Optometric Association (AOA), American Academy of Optometry (AAO), Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) and Singapore Optometric Association (SOA).

Parents and eyecare providers who want more information can visit SeeYourAbiliti.com.