REVIEW of Alcon NEW PRECISION 1 Contact Lenses

PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses

Alcon is doing it again! We're getting a brand new line of daily disposable contact lenses by the contact lens giant called PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY CONTACT LENSES.

As of now (November 2019), Alcon is in the very early stages of launch of this product. In this article, I will discuss what is currently known about this new brand.

Why Make PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses?

Alcon already boasts a very large portfolio of contact lenses of all types — monthly contact lenses, daily contact lenses, contact lenses for astigmatism, multifocal contact lenses, color contact lenses, etc. So why create PRECISION 1? What makes it different?

Alcon looked at a study that set out to identify the most common reasons that lead to new contact lens wearers dropping out of contact lenses. They found that the top 3 reasons for this were:

1. Problems with vision
2. Problems with comfort
3. Problems inserting and removing the lenses

This data was taken from the study by Sulley A, Young G, Hunt C, et al. titled "Retention rates in new contact lens wearers."

With this in mind, Alcon developed a contact lens to address these problems with the goal of preventing contact lens drop-out by new contact lens wearers.

Quality of PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses

Silicone Hydrogel

PRECISION 1 contact lenses are made from a brand new silicone hydrogel contact lens material called verofilcon A. In the past decade or so, silicone hydrogel contact lens materials have become the standard for healthy, breathable contact lenses.

SMARTSURFACE Technology

PRECISION 1 contact lenses are the first to be treated with Alcon's proprietary SMARTSURFACE TECHNOLOGY. Contact lens companies rarely give in-depth explanations about how their proprietary technology actually works, and this is no exception — but Alcon positions it as a surface treatment designed to improve initial comfort and ease of insertion and removal, which directly addresses the top reasons for contact lens drop-out listed above.

UV Blocking

PRECISION 1 contact lenses have Class 1 UV blocking properties. That means that they block >90% of harmful UVA and >99% of harmful UVB light rays.

It is important to note that although Class 1 is the highest class of UV protection in contact lenses, it still does not substitute for wearing proper sunglasses when you're out in the sun. Learn more about the negative effects of UV light on the eyes.

How does PRECISION 1 compare to Alcon's other daily disposable contact lenses?

Alcon seems to be positioning the PRECISION 1 brand as an affordable high-quality contact lens. It's not as high-end as their premium brand DAILIES TOTAL 1, but a better, more comfortable option than their value brand DAILIES AquaComfort Plus.

Who are PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses for?

Alcon is heavily marketing PRECISION 1 contact lenses at brand new contact lens wearers. They want eye doctors to recommend PRECISION 1 to all of their patients interested in trying contact lenses for the first time.

Is it for people with astigmatism?

For now PRECISION 1 contact lenses are not available for people who require astigmatism correction. This is the case for virtually all contact lens brands when they first launch. If the PRECISION 1 does well and there is demand for a toric version, we will probably see it come out in the near future.

And presbyopia?

Since PRECISION 1 is a new brand it does not have a multifocal version. Multifocal versions of contact lenses don't typically come about unless the regular version of the brand has proven to be successful on the market. Time will tell for PRECISION 1.

Available Parameters

PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY contact lenses are available for people who have nearsightedness and farsightedness. Here are the available parameters:

Property	Value
Material	verofilcon A (silicone hydrogel)
Dk/t (breathability)	100 — very breathable
Water Content	51%
Base Curve	8.3 mm
Diameter	14.2 mm
Power Range	−12.00D to +8.00D

Price of PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses

As is the case with all contact lenses, the price varies depending on the outlet. Of course, once it's been rolled out the cheapest place to purchase them will be online — but even then the price will vary from website to website.

Generally speaking the price will be somewhere between that of DAILIES AquaComfort Plus (~$30 USD per 90 pack) and DAILIES TOTAL 1 (~$60 USD per 90 pack).

Contacts Advice will be comparing the price of PRECISION 1 contact lenses across all contact lens websites to find the lowest price for you.

Where are PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY Contact Lenses available?

As of early 2020, PRECISION 1 contact lenses became available in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Alcon plans to expand to other countries throughout 2021 and beyond.

What's your experience with PRECISION 1 ONE-DAY?

If you've tried PRECISION 1 contact lenses, I would love to hear your experience with them. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!