Leading hybrid specialty contact lens company, SynergEyes announced a new partnership with NKL Contact Lens, Europe's largest specialty contact lens manufacturer and wholly owned subsidiary of Menicon Co., Ltd. The partnership paves the way for SynergEyes to offer a complete line of scleral, gas permeable and hybrid contact lens products in North America. Starting in 2017, SynergEyes will expand its specialty contact lens portfolio beyond hybrid lenses to include GP and scleral lenses, the fastest growing segment in specialty contact lenses.
Sixty seven percent of hybrid lens prescribers agree that offering scleral lens technology is a way to differentiate their practice, according to a survey of independent eye care professionals (ECP). As a specialty contact lens provider servicing independent ECPs, it's a natural extension for SynergEyes to offer other high-quality scleral and GP specialty products.
"We want to offer independent eye care professionals a complete line of the best-in-class specialty contact lenses for every corneal condition," said James K. Kirchner, president and CEO of SynergEyes. "SynergEyes is known for hybrid lenses and has now partnered with NKL to offer ECPs a one-stop-shop for all their specialty contact lens needs."
By combining the SynergEyes branding, technical support and sales team with the proven lens designs of NKL, independent ECPs will now have access to a complete line of specialty contact lens products from SynergEyes. Providing a robust continuum of specialty products will allow a seamless transition for ECPs from one lens type to another, optimizing the visual outcome and comfort for each specialty contact lens patient.
Menicon, the world's largest producer of gas-permeable contact lenses, is a leader in lens materials, lens designs and lens care solutions. NKL has been a producer of GP lenses for over 40 years and is recognized globally for state-of-the-art lens designs and manufacturing technology.
"We are very excited to work with SynergEyes," said Peter Nijhuis, managing commercial director of NKL Contactlenzen. "Teaming up with SynergEyes to bring these proven lens designs to the US market is an exciting development for our company. SynergEyes is known for their expertise in hybrid specialty contact lenses and now they will expand that specialty expertise to GP and scleral contact lenses."
The new line of SynergEyes GP and scleral contact lenses will be introduced in January at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas.
SynergEyes is the only advanced-technology, high-performance and OD-led contact lens company focused exclusively on the leading independent eye care professionals.
NKL B.V. was founded in 1974 and is a leading European producer of GP, scleral, custom-soft and Ortho-K lenses. Based in Emmen (Netherlands), NKL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Menicon Company (Japan), a worldwide leader in the development of lens materials, designs and lens care solutions.