Comment #: 19 American Academy of Optometry June 23 , 2004 Federal Trade Commission/Office of the Secretary Room H- 159 (Annex L) 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington , DC 20580 RE: Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act, 15 U. C. 7601 - Contact Lens Study, Project V04001 0 Dear Sirs: On behalf of the Section on Cornea and Contact Lenses of the American Academy of Optometry I would like to comment and make a recommendation regarding the Act and the Study mentioned above. The Federal RegisterNol. 69 , No 78 of April 24 makes numerous references to the price and the cost of contact lenses to our patients. Certainly we would all agree that our patients have the right to fair trade , competition in the marketplace , and a fair price for their contact lenses. However , our concern transcends this right. Our greatest concern it is the safety and health of our patients. Therefore, we recommend that in all of your deliberations regarding this "the Act" , that the welfare of the patient , especially their safety and eye health , be your greatest concern. The attached reference , Steinemann TL , Pinninti U , Szczotka LB , Eiferman RA, Price FW. Ocular complications associated with the use of cosmetic contact lenses from unlicensed vendors. Eye & Contact Lens 29(4):196- 200, 2003, demonstrates how important patient care and education and examination are , as compared to p rice and cost. Respectfully, Joseph T. Barr, 0.0. , M. S., FAA. Professor , The Ohio State University Chair , Section on Cornea and Contact Lenses American Academy of Optometry