#Rigid Contact Lenses Industry

[dharamsheeladevihospital]

Understanding Conjunctivitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin membrane that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids. This condition can cause discomfort, redness, and in some cases, even vision problems. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various types of conjunctivitis, delve into their causes and symptoms, discuss effective treatment options, and emphasise the importance of seeking care at the best multispeciality hospital for optimal management.

Types of Conjunctivitis

Infectious Conjunctivitis: This type is caused by bacterial or viral infections. Common bacteria involved include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, while adenoviruses are a common viral culprit.

Allergic Conjunctivitis: Triggered by allergens like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander, this type results from an overactive immune response and often accompanies other allergies like hay fever.

Irritant Conjunctivitis: Exposure to irritants such as smoke, chemicals, and chlorine can lead to this type, causing temporary inflammation.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC): Typically linked to prolonged contact lens wear, GPC involves the formation of bumps on the inner eyelids.

Causes and Risk Factors

Infectious Conjunctivitis:

Bacterial: Highly contagious, it spreads through direct contact with contaminated items or personal contact.

Viral: Spread through respiratory droplets, it's common in crowded places and among those with compromised immune systems.

Allergic Conjunctivitis:

Allergens trigger an immune response, leading to symptoms.

Individuals with a history of allergies are more susceptible.

Irritant Conjunctivitis:

Environmental irritants lead to this type.

Common in people working in chemical-heavy industries or those exposed to smoke.

Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC):

Prolonged contact lens use and improper hygiene are common causes.

More prevalent among those who use rigid gas-permeable lenses.

Symptoms

Redness and Irritation: The eyes appear bloodshot and feel itchy or gritty.

Watery or Discharge: Excessive tearing or discharge can indicate infection.

Swelling and Sensitivity: Swollen eyelids and sensitivity to light may occur.

Blurry Vision: Vision might be impaired temporarily.

Giant Papillae Formation: GPC can lead to discomfort and blurred vision due to bumps on the inner eyelids.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis:

Healthcare professionals conduct comprehensive eye exams.

Medical history and possible triggers are considered.

Samples of eye discharge may be collected for testing in infectious cases.

Treatment:

Infectious Conjunctivitis:

Bacterial: Antibiotics in the form of eye drops or ointments are used.

Viral: Usually self-limiting; lubricating eye drops offer relief.

Allergic Conjunctivitis:

Antihistamine Eye Drops: Over-the-counter or prescription drops alleviate symptoms.

Avoidance: Identifying and avoiding allergens is crucial.

Irritant Conjunctivitis:

Artificial Tears: Lubricating eye drops flush irritants.

Avoidance: Prevent further exposure to irritants.

GPC:

Lens Management: Temporarily halt lens wear and maintain proper hygiene.

Medication: Eye drops with anti-inflammatory properties may be prescribed.

Finding Care at the Best Multispeciality Hospital

Conjunctivitis, though common, requires timely and accurate care for optimal recovery. When seeking treatment, consider the following aspects of the best multispeciality hospital:

Expertise: Look for hospitals with experienced ophthalmologists specializing in various types of conjunctivitis.

Comprehensive Care: Opt for a hospital offering a wide range of diagnostic services, treatments, and follow-up care.

Advanced Technology: The hospital should be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment for accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.

Patient-Centric Approach: Choose a hospital that prioritizes patient comfort, education, and individualized treatment plans.

Hygiene and Safety: Given the contagious nature of certain conjunctivitis types, ensure the hospital maintains strict hygiene protocols.

Reputation: Seek recommendations and read reviews to gauge the hospital's reputation and quality of care.

Prevention

Preventing conjunctivitis involves hygiene, allergen avoidance, and careful lens use:

Hand Hygiene: Regular handwashing minimizes the risk of spreading infectious conjunctivitis.

Lens Hygiene: Proper contact lens care reduces the risk of GPC and other complications.

Allergen Awareness: Stay informed about allergen levels and take precautions during peak allergy seasons.

ConclusionConjunctivitis is a common eye condition that can be caused by infections, allergies, irritants, or contact lens misuse. Understanding its types, causes, symptoms, and treatment options is crucial for effective management. Seeking care at the best multispeciality hospital ensures access to experienced professionals, advanced technology, and comprehensive treatment plans, ultimately promoting faster recovery and better eye health. Remember to prioritize hygiene and follow preventive measures to minimize the risk of conjunctivitis and its complications.

[atharvajadhav]

Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Market Outlook and Forecast 2024-2030

Russia Conventional Contact Lenses market was size valued at US$ 145.6 million in 2024 and is projected to reach US$ 198.4 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030.

Traditional contact lenses with annual replacement schedules.

Download FREE Sample of this Report @ https://www.statsmarketresearch.com/download-free-sample/8018119/russia-conventional-contact-lenses-2024-2030-324

This report contains market size and forecasts of Conventional Contact Lenses in Russia, including the following market information:

•    Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Market Revenue, 2019-2024, 2024-2030, ($ millions)

•    Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Market Sales, 2019-2024, 2024-2030,

•    Russia Top five Conventional Contact Lenses companies in 2023 (%)

Report Includes

This report presents an overview of Russia market for Conventional Contact Lenses , sales, revenue and price. Analyses of the Russia market trends, with historic market revenue/sales data for 2019 - 2023, estimates for 2024, and projections of CAGR through 2030.

This report focuses on the Conventional Contact Lenses sales, revenue, market share and industry ranking of main manufacturers, data from 2019 to 2024. Identification of the major stakeholders in the Russia Conventional Contact Lenses market, and analysis of their competitive landscape and market positioning based on recent developments and segmental revenues.

This report will help stakeholders to understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights and position their businesses and market strategies in a better way.

This report analyzes the segments data by Type, and by Sales Channels, sales, revenue, and price, from 2019 to 2030. Evaluation and forecast the market size for Humidifier sales, projected growth trends, production technology, sales channels and end-user industry.

Segment by Type

Soft Lenses

Hard Lenses

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

Segment by Applications

Hospital Pharmacies

Optical Shop

Online Stores

Others

Key Companies covered in this report:

Johnson & Johnson

Alcon (Novartis)

Bausch & Lomb

CooperVision

Carl Zeiss AG

Esson Russia

Optica Lens Master

Softcontact

Vision Optic

1DayLens.ru

Including or excluding key companies relevant to your analysis.

Competitor Analysis

The report also provides analysis of leading market participants including:

•    Key companies Conventional Contact Lenses revenues in Russian market, 2019-2024 (Estimated), ($ millions)

•    Key companies Conventional Contact Lenses revenues share in Russian market, 2023 (%)

•    Key companies Conventional Contact Lenses sales in Russian market, 2019-2024 (Estimated),

•    Key companies Conventional Contact Lenses sales share in Russian market, 2023 (%)

Key Indicators Analysed

•    Market Players & Competitor Analysis: The report covers the key players of the industry including Company Profile, Product Specifications, Production Capacity/Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin 2019-2030 & Sales with a thorough analysis of the market’s competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors and comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of major market vendors.

•    Russian Market Analysis: The report includes Russian market status and outlook 2019-2030. Further the report provides break down details about each region & countries covered in the report. Identifying its sales, sales volume & revenue forecast. With detailed analysis by types and applications.

•    Market Trends: Market key trends which include Increased Competition and Continuous Innovations.

•    Opportunities and Drivers: Identifying the Growing Demands and New Technology

•    Porters Five Force Analysis: The report provides with the state of competition in industry depending on five basic forces: threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitute products or services, and existing industry rivalry.

Key Benefits of This Market Research:

•    Industry drivers, restraints, and opportunities covered in the study

•    Neutral perspective on the market performance

•    Recent industry trends and developments

•    Competitive landscape & strategies of key players

•    Potential & niche segments and regions exhibiting promising growth covered

•    Historical, current, and projected market size, in terms of value

•    In-depth analysis of the Conventional Contact Lenses Market

•    Overview of the regional outlook of the Conventional Contact Lenses Market

Key Reasons to Buy this Report:

•    Access to date statistics compiled by our researchers. These provide you with historical and forecast data, which is analyzed to tell you why your market is set to change

•    This enables you to anticipate market changes to remain ahead of your competitors

•    You will be able to copy data from the Excel spreadsheet straight into your marketing plans, business presentations or other strategic documents

•    The concise analysis, clear graph, and table format will enable you to pinpoint the information you require quickly

•    Provision of market value (USD Billion) data for each segment and sub-segment

•    Indicates the region and segment that is expected to witness the fastest growth as well as to dominate the market

•    Analysis by geography highlighting the consumption of the product/service in the region as well as indicating the factors that are affecting the market within each region

•    Competitive landscape which incorporates the market ranking of the major players, along with new service/product launches, partnerships, business expansions, and acquisitions in the past five years of companies profiled

•    Extensive company profiles comprising of company overview, company insights, product benchmarking, and SWOT analysis for the major market players

•    The current as well as the future market outlook of the industry concerning recent developments which involve growth opportunities and drivers as well as challenges and restraints of both emerging as well as developed regions

•    Includes in-depth analysis of the market from various perspectives through Porter’s five forces analysis

•    Provides insight into the market through Value Chain

•    Market dynamics scenario, along with growth opportunities of the market in the years to come

•    6-month post-sales analyst support

We offer additional regional and global reports that are similar:

•    Global Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    United States Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    Japan Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    Germany Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    South Korea Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    Indonesia Conventional Contact Lenses Market 

•    Brazil Conventional Contact Lenses Market

Customization of the Report: In case of any queries or customization requirements, please connect with our sales team, who will ensure that your requirements are meet.

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Table of content

1 STUDY COVERAGE

1.1 Conventional Contact Lenses Product Introduction

1.2 Market by Type

1.2.1 Russian Conventional Contact Lenses Market Size Growth Rate by Type, 2019 VS 2023 VS 2030 1.2.2 Soft Lenses     1.2.3 Hard Lenses 1.2.4 Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses

1.3 Market by Application

1.3.1 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Market Size Growth Rate by Application, 2019 VS 2023 VS 2030 1.3.2    Hospital Pharmacies 1.3.3    Optical Shop 1.3.4    Online Stores 1.3.5    Others 1.4 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Sales Estimates and Forecasts 2019-2030 1.5 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Hydrocephalus Shunts Revenue Estimates and Forecasts 2019-2030 1.6 Study Objectives 1.7 Years Considered

2 COMPETITION BY MANUFACTURERS

2.1 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Sales by Manufacturers 2.1.1 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Sales by Manufacturers (2019-2024) 2.1.2 Russia Conventional Contact Lenses Sales Market Share by Manufacturers (2019-2024) 2.1.3 Top Largest Manufacturers of Conventional Contact Lenses in 2023 in Russia 2.2 Russia Conventional

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[stepperonline52]

Design features and selection principles of linear stepper motors

1.Working principle of linear stepper motors The working principle of linear stepper motors is to drive the slider to move along a straight line through an electromagnetic field. Its basic structure includes a stator and a mover. The stator is usually composed of two electromagnets, and the mover is composed of a slider with a permanent magnet. The working principle is to generate an alternating magnetic field by alternately exciting the electromagnets, which pushes the slider to move along a straight line. When one electromagnet is activated, it generates a magnetic field that attracts the slider and moves toward it; when the other electromagnet is activated, it generates an opposite magnetic field that pushes the slider to move in the opposite direction. By alternately activating these two electromagnets, the slider can reciprocate along a straight line.

2.Common application areas of linear stepper motors ‌1.Industrial automation‌: Linear stepper motors are widely used in industrial robots, mold machinery, printing machinery and other equipment, and can provide high-precision, high-stability and high-efficiency motion control‌. ‌2.Planar mobile devices‌: Linear stepper motors are often used in planar mobile devices such as laser cutting machines, printers, scanners, etc., and achieve high-quality processing and printing effects by precisely controlling the movement of the motor. ‌ 3.Measuring instruments‌: In high-precision 3D scanners, optical measuring equipment and other measuring instruments, linear stepper motors are used for precise measurement and positioning to ensure the accuracy of measurement‌. ‌4.Medical equipment‌: Linear stepper motors are widely used in medical equipment such as medical instruments and surgical instruments to drive the movement of scanning frames to ensure accurate imaging of medical imaging equipment‌. ‌5.Other applications‌: Linear stepper motors can also be used in scenes such as focusing of camera lenses and moving optical equipment to provide high-precision position control‌.

3.Design features of linear stepper motors 1.High precision‌: Linear stepper motors adopt a direct drive structure, with no backlash and high structural rigidity. The accuracy of the system mainly depends on the position detection element, which can reach the submicron level through a suitable feedback device‌. ‌2.No mechanical contact wear‌: There is no mechanical contact wear between the stator and the mover of the linear stepper motor. The system motion contact is borne by the linear guide rail, with fewer transmission parts, smooth operation, low noise, simple structure, simple maintenance, or even maintenance-free, high reliability and long service life‌. ‌3.Modular structure‌: The stator of the linear stepper motor adopts a modular structure, and the running stroke is theoretically unlimited‌. ‌4.Wide operating speed range‌: The speed range of the linear stepper motor is from a few microns to several meters per second, which can meet different application requirements‌. ‌5.High acceleration and speed‌: In practical applications, the linear stepper motor has achieved an acceleration of 5.5g and a speed of 2.5m/s‌. ‌6.High efficiency‌: Since there is no intermediate transmission link, the energy loss during mechanical friction is eliminated, and the efficiency is high‌. ‌7.Fast response speed‌: Since some mechanical transmission parts with large response time constants, such as lead screws, are eliminated, the dynamic response performance of the entire closed-loop control system is greatly improved, and the response is extremely sensitive and fast‌. ‌8.Wide application‌: Linear stepper motors are mainly used in automatic control systems, long-term continuous operation drive motors, and devices that need to provide huge linear motion energy in a short time‌.

4.Selection principles of linear stepper motors 1.Load characteristics‌: Select a suitable motor according to the rotational inertia and friction load of the load. Loads with large moment of inertia should use motors with large frame sizes, while friction loads need to consider static torque, which is usually 2-3 times the friction load. 2.Speed ​​and step angle: The step angle of the stepper motor should be selected according to the load accuracy requirements, and the step angle should be equal to or less than the resolution required by the load. For example, if the positioning accuracy of the load is ±0.5°, the angle rotated by one pulse of the motor should be less than 0.5°. 3.Current parameters: Motors with the same static torque have very different operating characteristics due to different current parameters. The current of the motor can be judged by the torque-frequency characteristic curve. 4.Working environment: Select a suitable stepper motor according to the use environment. For example, for special environments that require waterproofing and oil resistance, special stepper motors should be selected. ‌5.Application scenarios‌: Linear stepper motors are generally used in low-speed situations, with a speed not exceeding 1000 revolutions per minute. It is best to control the speed between 1000-3000PPS (0.9 degrees). Appropriate deceleration devices can improve work efficiency and reduce noise‌.

[sikshapedia]

Introduction to Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice (ADCLP) to build Your Carrier

The Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice (ADCLP) is a specialized 2-year diploma designed to equip students with comprehensive knowledge and skills in the field of contact lens fitting, care, and management. This course is ideal for those looking to pursue a professional career in optometry and eye care, focusing on contact lenses. With the growing demand for eye care specialists, the Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice opens up numerous opportunities in the healthcare industry.

What is Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice?

What is Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice? This program provides students with advanced knowledge of contact lens technologies, fitting techniques, lens materials, and patient management. The Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice (ADCLP) is crucial for those aspiring to specialize in this niche area of optometry, preparing them for roles in clinics, hospitals, and private practice.

Eligibility for Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice

To apply for the Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice, candidates must meet the specific Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice eligibility criteria. Typically, applicants should have completed a diploma or bachelor’s degree in optometry or a related field. However, eligibility may vary among different institutions offering the Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice.

Application Form for Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice

The application process for the Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice usually begins with filling out the Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice application form, which is available through the institution’s official website. The Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice application form typically asks for personal information, educational background, and relevant certifications.

Course Details and Syllabus of Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice

The Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice course details encompass both theoretical and practical training. Students gain hands-on experience in fitting contact lenses, managing lens-related issues, and ensuring patient comfort. The Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice syllabus covers topics such as contact lens materials, soft and rigid lenses, orthokeratology, and the management of complicated cases.

Top Colleges for Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice in West Bengal and India

Several leading Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice colleges in West Bengal offer this program, providing students with cutting-edge facilities and expert guidance. Additionally, Advance Diploma in Contact Lens Practice colleges in India are well-recognized for producing skilled professionals ready to make an impact in the field of eye care and optometry.

[gqresearch24]

Seeing Clearly: The Evolution And Impact Of Contact Lenses

Contact lenses have revolutionized the way millions of people see the world, offering a convenient and versatile alternative to traditional eyeglasses. From their humble beginnings to the cutting-edge technologies of today, they have continually evolved, providing wearers with enhanced comfort, clarity, and freedom.

A Brief History:

The concept of contact lenses dates back centuries, with some of the earliest recorded attempts at vision correction involving crude glass discs placed directly on the eye. However, it wasn’t until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that significant advancements were made in the development of modern medical devices.

In 1887, German glassblower F.A. Muller produced the first scleral lenses, large glass shells that covered the entire eye to correct vision. These early lenses were cumbersome and uncomfortable, but they laid the foundation for further innovation in the field.

One of the most significant breakthroughs came in 1949 when California optician Kevin Tuohy developed the first corneal contact lens made from a lightweight plastic material called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). This material was more comfortable to wear than glass and allowed for greater oxygen permeability, reducing the risk of eye irritation and infection.

Advancements in Material Science:

Since Tuohy’s pioneering work, contact lens technology has continued to advance rapidly, driven by innovations in material science and manufacturing techniques. Today, they are made from a variety of materials, each offering unique benefits in terms of comfort, breathability, and vision correction.

Soft lenses, introduced in the 1970s, revolutionized the industry by providing a more comfortable alternative to rigid gas-permeable lenses. These lenses are made from hydrogels or silicone hydrogels, which contain water and allow oxygen to pass through to the cornea, keeping the eyes moist and healthy.

In recent years, silicone hydrogel lenses have emerged as the gold standard in contact lens technology, offering superior oxygen permeability and comfort compared to traditional hydrogel lenses. These lenses are highly breathable, making them ideal for extended wear and overnight use.

Customization and Precision:

Another major advancement in contact lens technology is the ability to customize lenses to fit the unique curvature and prescription needs of each individual’s eyes. This level of customization is made possible through computer-aided design and manufacturing techniques, which allow for precise control over lens parameters such as base curve, diameter, and power.

Custom lenses offer several advantages over off-the-shelf lenses, including improved comfort, vision quality, and overall satisfaction. By tailoring the fit and design of the lens to the specific needs of the wearer, custom lenses can provide a more personalized and optimized vision correction solution.

Specialized Lenses for Unique Needs:

In addition to standard corrective lenses, there are specialized lenses available to address a wide range of vision and eye health issues. For example, toric lenses are designed to correct astigmatism, a common refractive error caused by irregularly shaped corneas. Multifocal lenses offer simultaneous correction for presbyopia, a condition that affects near vision as we age.

Furthermore, specialty lenses such as scleral lenses and hybrid lenses are used to treat more complex vision problems, including keratoconus, irregular corneas, and post-surgical complications. These lenses provide enhanced comfort and visual acuity for patients with challenging eye conditions, allowing them to enjoy improved quality of life and independence.

The Future of Contact Lenses:

Looking ahead, their future holds exciting possibilities for continued innovation and advancement. Researchers are exploring new materials, coatings, and manufacturing techniques to further improve the comfort, breathability, and optical performance of lenses.

One area of focus is the development of smart contact lenses that integrate electronic sensors and microelectronics to monitor health metrics such as intraocular pressure, glucose levels, and tear composition. These wearable devices have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and management of ocular diseases such as glaucoma and diabetes-related eye conditions.

Furthermore, advancements in 3D printing technology are enabling the rapid prototyping and production of custom lenses with unprecedented precision and accuracy. This technology holds promise for streamlining the lens fitting process and reducing lead times for patients in need of specialized vision correction.

Addressing Environmental Concerns:

As contact lens usage continues to rise globally, there is growing concern about the environmental impact of discarded lenses and packaging materials. Traditional soft lenses are typically disposed of in household waste, where they contribute to plastic pollution in landfills and waterways.

To mitigate these environmental concerns, manufacturers are exploring eco-friendly materials and recycling programs for lenses and packaging. Some companies have introduced biodegradable contact lenses made from plant-based materials, while others offer recycling initiatives that allow users to return used lenses and packaging for proper disposal and recycling.

Furthermore, advancements in lens design and production techniques aim to minimize material waste and energy consumption throughout the manufacturing process. By adopting sustainable practices and promoting responsible disposal habits among consumers, the contact lens industry is working to reduce its environmental footprint and protect the planet for future generations.

Enhancing Comfort and Convenience:

In addition to improving vision correction, contact lens manufacturers are continuously striving to enhance wearer comfort and convenience. One area of focus is the development of moisture-retaining materials and surface coatings that help prevent dryness and irritation, particularly during extended wear.

Advancements in lens design, such as thinner profiles and smoother edges, aim to minimize friction and discomfort, ensuring a comfortable wearing experience throughout the day. Additionally, innovations in packaging and storage solutions, such as preservative-free saline solutions and hygienic contact lens cases, contribute to maintaining lens integrity and freshness.

Moreover, the rise of daily disposable contact lenses has transformed the way many people approach vision correction, offering the ultimate in convenience and hygiene. With daily disposables, wearers enjoy the benefits of fresh, sterile lenses every day without the need for cleaning and storage, making them an ideal choice for busy lifestyles and occasional wear.

Expanding Access to Vision Care:

Contact lenses play a crucial role in providing vision correction for individuals with diverse needs and lifestyles, including those who are unable to wear traditional eyeglasses due to factors such as occupation, sports, or personal preference. By offering a wide range of lens options and customization capabilities, contact lens providers aim to ensure that everyone has access to quality vision care.

Furthermore, initiatives aimed at increasing affordability and accessibility to lenses, such as subsidized programs and telemedicine consultations, help break down barriers to care for underserved communities. Remote monitoring technologies and virtual fitting services also enable patients to receive personalized vision correction solutions from the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for in-person appointments and travel.

Conclusion:

Contact lenses have come a long way since their inception, evolving from bulky glass shells to sophisticated vision correction devices tailored to individual needs. With ongoing advancements in material science, manufacturing technology, and design innovation, contact lenses continue to offer unparalleled comfort, clarity, and convenience for millions of wearers worldwide. As we look to the future, the possibilities for contact lens technology are virtually limitless, promising even greater improvements in vision correction, eye health, and overall quality of life. Whether it’s custom-designed lenses for optimal comfort and precision or smart lenses that monitor our health in real-time, the future of contact lenses is undoubtedly bright, bringing into focus a world of possibilities for clearer vision and healthier eyes.

[coherentmarketinsights]

"Diving Deep into the Specialty Polymers Market: Trends, Innovations, and Strategic Insights

Specialty Polymers: Harnessing the Power of Specialty Macromolecules for Next-Generation Technologies Specialty Polymers Overview

Specialty macromolecules, also known as engineering macromolecules, are a class of macromolecules that are specially engineered to have targeted physical and chemical properties that make them suitable for advanced applications. Though they only represent a small fraction of the total macromolecules market, specialty macromolecules command a significant revenue share due to their higher value and more niche end uses. Types of Specialty Macromolecules

There are several main types of specialty macromolecules classified based on their monomer makeup and resultant properties. Some of the major types include: Polyamides (Nylons)

Polyamides, best known by the brand name Nylon, are a class of thermoplastic macromolecules containing amide linkages along their polymer chains. They are known for their high strength, toughness, and relative durability compared to other plastics. Engineering polyamides such as Nylon 46 and Nylon 610 can withstand higher temperatures than commodity nylons. Fluoromacromolecules

Fluoromacromolecules contain strong carbon-fluorine covalent bonds which give them unique oil, chemical, heat and weather resistance properties. Popular fluoromacromolecules include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). They are used in applications requiring non-stick, low friction surfaces. Polyesters

Engineering polyesters such as liquid crystal macromolecules (LCP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) can be formulated with enhanced heat resistance, strength and rigidity over traditional polyesters. They are employed in automotive, electrical/electronic and consumer goods. Liquid Silicone Rubbers

Liquid silicone rubbers (LSRs) are two-part addition-cure silicone elastomers that vulcanize at room temperature. Their biocompatibility, stability and flexibility make them well-suited for medical, food and microfluidic device applications. Low compression set LSRs retain shape over time. Polyketones

Polyketones are a family of thermoplastics with high strength, heat resistance and chemical resistance derived from their ketone groups in the polymer backbone. They include comacromolecules like polyetheretherketone (PEEK) used in demanding mechanical and electrical end uses. Markets and Applications

Specialty macromolecules are developing across diverse markets driven by the need for advanced material performance. Some of the major application areas include: Automotive

In automotive, specialty macromolecules enable lightweighting through replacement of traditional metals. Nylons, PBT, polycarbonate and liquid silicone aid composites in vehicles. Use in engine components require heat resistance of PEEK and liquid crystal macromolecules. Electronics

Electronics rely on specialty macromolecules for miniaturization and reliability. PTFE, FEP, PET and PVDF bring dielectric, insulating properties. PBT molding aids housings. Semiconductor uses benefit from high heat resistance of PEKK and LCP. Medical

Biocompatible and non-leaching properties of silicones, nylons and PEEK suits medical industry. Implants, catheters, sensors and drug delivery use these. PEKK aids orthopedic devices. Silicones serve prosthetics, wound care and contact lenses. Infrastructure

Resistance to chemical, heat and environmental stress qualifies many macromolecules for infrastructure. PVDF and silicones protect coatings and paints. Dams, tunnels utilize durability of PTFE and polyketones lining. Other Developments

New technologies foster demand for high performance plastics. Renewable energy harvest requires specialty macromolecules in wind turbines, solar cells. Aerospace gravitates toward sturdy yet lightweight materials like PEKK, PEEK. Microfabrication leverages specialty silicones and fluoromacromolecules. As applications diversify, advanced macromolecules enable novel solutions. Future Prospects

The specialty macromolecules market is forecast to sustain strong growth over the medium term supported by their rising penetration across major end-use industries. Polyketones, liquid silicone rubbers and high-temperature polyamides will be key winning product types. The Asia Pacific region is expected to lead future demand growth driven by its large manufacturing industries. Robust R&D focus on bio-based and high-tech specialty macromolecules will further fuel new product innovations and market opportunities going forward.

In Summary, specialty polymers represent a fascinating realm of materials science, offering tailored properties and applications beyond traditional macromolecules. These advanced materials are engineered to meet specific performance requirements, such as enhanced durability, conductivity, or biocompatibility. From aerospace components to medical devices, specialty macromolecules play a crucial role in a wide range of industries, driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

[chemicalresearchupdates]

Sulfone Polymer Market: Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on the Market

Sulfone Polymers: A Versatile Class of Thermoplastics Sulfone polymers are a class of high-performance engineering thermoplastics known for their exceptional heat resistance, chemical resistance and electrical properties. They have been used in diverse applications ranging from electrical and electronic components to medical devices. In this article, we will discuss the key characteristics of sulfone polymers along with their various uses and future potential. Chemical Structure and Properties

Sulfone polymers are characterized by the sulfone group (O=S=O) in their main chain. The most common commercial sulfone polymer is polysulfone (PSU) which was first developed by Union Carbide in the late 1960s. PSU has an aromatic backbone containing bisphenol units linked together by sulfone groups. This linear structure gives PSU its robust thermomechanical properties. PSU exhibits excellent thermal stability with a glass transition temperature around 185°C and a continuous use limit of 125-150°C. It also demonstrates outstanding chemical resistance to acids, alkalis and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Sulfone polymers are highly resistant to oxidation, hydrolysis and radiation damage as well. Their dimensional stability, rigidity and melting point of around 270°C makes them useful for high-temperature applications. In addition, sulfone polymers also have good dielectric properties with a dielectric constant of around 3.0 and very low dielectric losses. Uses in Electrical & Electronics industries

Due to their superior electrical properties, sulfone polymers find major use in electrical and electronics applications. PSU is commonly used to produce printed circuit boards (PCBs), capacitors, connectors and switches as insulating materials that can handle high voltages and temperatures. Its ability to survive lead-free soldering processes further adds to its attractiveness for printed electronics. Sulfone polymer are also used to manufacture housings and parts for industrial equipment operating in harsh conditions like metering devices, semiconductor fabrication equipment, high voltage switchgears etc. Their resistance to corona discharge and hydrolysis makes them well-suited for outdoor insulators. New derivatives of sulfone polymers are being evaluated as gate insulators in photovoltaics and thin film devices owing to their favorable insulating properties. Medical Applications

In the medical industry, sulfone polymers find extensive applications owing to their biocompatibility and processing versatility. PSU is commonly used to make blood dialysis equipment including hemodialyzers, blood lines and dialysis cartridges. It provides an excellent thromboresistant surface and can be steam sterilized repeatedly. Sulfone polymers are also gaining popularity for manufacturing contact lenses as they can be easily fabricated into thin structures and impart significant oxygen permeability to the cornea. Their moldable nature allows producing complex contact lens geometries for orthokeratology and vision correction. Other medical uses include catheter tubing, drug delivery components, implantable devices and cartridges for insulin pens or syringes. New Developments

Continuous research efforts are being made to develop sulfone polymers with advanced properties. Copolymerization with other stabilizing units has enabled engineering higher glass transition temperatures over 250°C in new sulfone polymers. Grafting with siloxane side chains has also produced modified sulfone polymers with better hydrolytic stability and microporosity. Combining sulfone groups with biphenyl groups led to the development of polymers with extremely high modulus and strength, making them potential candidates for ballistic shielding and armor applications. New sulfone polymers based on polyamides, polyimides and polysulfides have also emerged with enhanced properties such as permeation resistance and bioerodibility. Future Outlook

Going forward, sulfone polymers are expected to gain further acceptance in niche applications that demand robust performance under extreme conditions of heat, chemicals and high voltages. New advanced materials from this family can facilitate greater penetration in developing technologies like water purification membranes, fuel cells, electrical energy storage, implantable medical devices and aerospace structural components. Continuous innovations in polymer chemistry are likely to birth novel sulfone polymers catering to emerging application spaces. Conclusion In conclusion, with their excellent thermal and chemical stability along with good processability, sulfone polymers have established themselves as premium engineering thermoplastics. They fulfill critical requirements in strategic industries from electronics and electrical equipment to medical technologies. Constant advancement in sulfone polymer chemistry is further expanding their application potential. Undoubtedly, sulfone polymers have a bright future ahead as high-performance materials for demanding environments.

[bubbleeyecareuk]

What Opticians do?

A healthcare professional with a focus on eye care and visual health is called an Optician Lancaster. In order to address vision issues and maintain optimal eye health, people need the appropriate eyewear, such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, provided by opticians. Along with optometrists and ophthalmologists, they are essential members of the eye care team, working together to ensure patients' visual health. The fundamental duties of an optician cover several crucial facets of eye care, including.

Prescription Interpretation

To identify the precise corrective lenses patients need, optometrists and ophthalmologists write prescriptions translated by opticians. They examine the parameters of the prescription, including the sphere, cylinder, axis, and other metrics.

2.Frame selection

One of Optician Preston main responsibilities is helping patients choose eyeglass frames that suit their individual tastes, face shapes, and prescription requirements. When assisting patients in selecting the appropriate frames, opticians take into account a number of variables, including comfort, aesthetics, and functionality.

3.Lens customization

Opticians attempt to create lenses that are unique to each patient's prescription and preferences after choosing a frame. For multifocal correction, they take into account elements like lens material, thickness, coatings (such as anti-reflective coatings), and progressive lenses.

4.Adjustments and fittings

Eyeglasses are skillfully fitted and adjusted by opticians to provide the wearer with the best possible vision and comfort. A proper fit helps avoid pain, headaches, and poor alignment, which could cause additional vision issues.

5.Contact Lens Fitting

Opticians are adept at prescribing and fitting contact lenses. To determine the most appropriate type of contact lenses, whether soft, rigid gas-permeable, toric for astigmatism, or multifocal, they evaluate the patient's eye curvature, tear film, and lifestyle.

6.Measurements and Refractions

In order to establish the precise prescription required for spectacles or contact lenses, optometrists perform measurements and refractions. To measure refractive errors, they employ specialized tools like phoropters and autorefractors.

7.Ongoing Care and Maintenance

Opticians offer advice on how to maintain and care for eyewear properly. They inform patients about safe contact lens handling and wearing precautions, cleaning procedures, and lens care products.

8.Assistance with Low Vision Aids

Opticians can suggest and supply low-vision aids for those with low vision, such as magnifiers, telescopes, and customized eyewear made to improve visual function.

9.Patient Education

Educators, such as opticians, teach various facets of eye health, the value of routine eye exams, and how various eyewear alternatives affect vision correction.

10.Industry expertise

Opticians keep up with the most recent developments in frame styles, lens coatings, and eyewear technologies. This information enables them to offer patients the finest recommendations based on their needs. Opticians must be properly licensed or certified in several places in order to perform their profession. This guarantees that they have the abilities and expertise required to deliver precise vision correction and eye care services. Opticians frequently work in private practices, eye clinics, optical retail settings, and even with ophthalmologists and optometrists in bigger healthcare facilities.

[sophiareddy123]

The Contact Lenses Market is Segmented By Product Type (Soft Contact Lenses, Hybrid Contact Lenses, Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses, and Other Product Types), Usage (Corrective Contact Lenses, Therapeutic Contact Lenses, Cosmetic Contact Lenses, and Prosthetic Contact Lenses), Modality (Conventional and Disposable), Design (Spherical, Toric, Multifocal, and Other Designs), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America). 

Download Free Sample Report - Contact Lenses Market

[gogreenfze]

Plastic Raw Material : Polymers in our Daily Life

All Around us are Polymers which are found in every material in our daily life. The importance of polymers is now rapidly increasing due its various applications in sciences, technologies and industry. Nowadays we cannot imagine a life without polymers. This rapid increase has increased the demand for manufactured products from the raw materials. 

Plastic Raw Material Suppliers in UAE

There are numerous natural and manufactured uses of polymers. As we hear the word Polymers alot lets see what polymers and different types of polymers and its application is in our daily life.

Polymers and Food 

As polymers are part of everyday life, they are most widely used in kitchen applications and food like in the production, packaging and preparation of food. Packaging includes vacuum packaging, insulated packaging and a variety of packaging types.

Polymers and Medical Products

In Opticals, the material of contact lenses was originally made after polymerisation. Also there are several types of polymers which provide biological and physical protection in wound care. In Dental, for fillings the silver and mercury amalgam are replaced by polymeric materials.

Polymers and Sports

In various sporting equipment it includes different types of polymer like athletic footwear in laces, its fabric and synthetic leather contains polymer. In Protective equipment like helmets polymers play a crucial role.

Among the different types of polymers, polypropylene is the highest industrial plastic and Polyethylene Terephthalate is the widely used plastic in the world.

Polyethylene or Polythene

Prominent Plastic Polymer which is further classified into Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). The common use of LDPE is to manufacture plastic bags and also used to fabricate containers, dispensing bottles, tubes, and plastic parts in various laboratory equipment. HDPE is a recommended choice in piping due its cost efficiency and corrosion resistance.

Polypropylene or Polypropene

Polypropylene is mainly utilized in fabric industries. Also Engineered in a wide range of packaging from medicine to baby foods. In marine industries also polypropylene is used in various applications as they are strong and moisture resistant.

Polyvinyl Chloride

The thermoplastic material is available in two forms, rigid and flexible. Used as an insulation for electric wires and to manufacture sliding doors and window frames. It also acts as an critical safety role in life saving medicine through IV bags and medical tubing.

Polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon

Synthetic Fluoropolymer known as Teflon. Its Cost effective feature enables its processing applications from industrial to electric sector. Used in several automotive parts like gaskets, power steering and also used as coatings in tanks, containers, autoclaves etc.

Polymer Supplier in UAE

Since the beginning polymers have been around us like cellulose, starch and natural rubber. Man made polymers came into existence in the mid nineteenth century. Today the Polymer industry has rapidly developed more than Steel and Aluminium Industries. There are synthetic and natural polymers used in inorganic and organic polymer form like coatings, adhesives, plastics and so on. Go Green FZE is a Polymer Company in UAE also specialized as Best Chemicals Suppliers in UAE. Also known for Agricultural Products in UAE and Engineering Plastics Supplier. To Establish Environment friendly nature in Business and Society Go Green FZE globally source polymers, chemicals, and agricultural products with more than 20 years of manufacturing and trading of Plastic and Polymers across the world from warehouses in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Europe at competitive rates meeting customer expectation globally by ensuring the packing and delivery schedule with exemplary range of plastic products. To know more Request for Free Quote with Go Green FZE.

[corsairoriginal]

Rowan “Rebis” Menser

In the distant future, two hundred years after the massive solar flare that nearly wiped out the industrialized world in 2006, Rowan “Rebis” Menser has gotten sick of the game. The systems they were once a part of, the same ones that stripped everything from them the second they stopped conforming to gender, are the target of Rowan’s spite. But they can’t deny they were a part of the machine, forcing themselves to live inauthentically to benefit from privilege and wealth. They were Maverick “Rick” Menser back then, and they stayed in line, even when the machine threatened to swallow them whole.

TW: Body dysphoria, gender dysphoria, dubious consent, dubcon, nsfw

Being written from the perspective of that time, Rowan calls themselves Rick, and still uses he/him. 

Rick Menser neared his fourth year with the Wayland Moniker Group. Hospitality never crossed Rick’s mind while studying for advertising and marketing in college, but the cross section of opportunities that landed him in Wayland Moniker were an unexpected boon. With Rick’s extensive network of contacts from his family and university, corporate management took notice and allowed him to rapidly navigate the lower echelons and pedestrian campaign drudgery, directly upwards into corporate event planning. 

Wayland Moniker’s most lucrative business was in providing the spaces for the elitest of the elite, the kind of money that Rick’s in-laws spoke of as though making them paupers by comparison. Finding ways to impress the terminally-unimpressed was no small task—providing elegant spaces for designer-narcotic-fueled orgies, the most threadbare of expectations. Wayland Moniker resorts, retreats, and venue spaces wove sensory experiences and subtle chances for debauchery expertly, and kept guests returning and recommending year after year.

The level of exceptional hospitality Wayland Moniker provided pulled their reputation even above the open secret of their real expertise: recording the preferences and favorite vices of their clientele. Never cataloged on video or audio, but known, organized, and cataloged nonetheless. When the lobbyists needed lobbying, when aristocratic squabbling needed diffusion, when politicians needed bribing, and crime lords needed a foot in the door with “legitimate” corporate powers, the Wayland Moniker Group was there. What settings relaxed the hottest tempers, what palette of foods loosened the tightest lips, and just what flavor of escort appealed to the staunchest of monogamists—the Group’s encyclopedic knowledge and extensive resources meant that the gamut of power spectrums trusted Wayland Moniker to provide the most artfully-set stages where world-altering human connections happened.

And Rick Menser took personal pride at standing in the epicenter of that controlled storm of fantasy, wealth, power, and leisure. So no, not the kind of marketing he studied, but it was so much more intellectually thrilling.

Rick looked over the readouts displayed on his AR lenses, subtly brushing windows aside as he scanned the messages of the various teams he coordinated, both at headquarters in New Kingston, and his current location at the resort between LAXI and Delta City. 

By pure habit, Rick idly rubbed his jaw and chin, though it was absent any beard to straighten. The corporate retreats the Silver Dunes Resort currently hosted were a New Century City-based advertising/media conglomerate, and a Japanese-owned construction development firm. Through repeated dealings with east Asian capitalists, Rick caught on quickly that standards of professional appearance changed little over the last four hundred years, and facial hair was both a rarity, and potentially soured the perceptions of the more rigid conservatives. He always struggled with how his face looked without a beard, but occupational concerns came first.

As Rick finished making note of any pressing messages he would need to pay attention to later, he brought his focus back to walking past the dining areas currently wrapping up the breakfast service. While there were no strict hours for meal times at these sorts of retreats, eleven a.m. marked when the kitchens would switch to light lunch options. His dress shoes made the lightest tap on the matte, sandstone tiles of the seating areas, and he paused to watch a wait staff member arranging both a coffee press and tea service at a table of guests. He nodded approvingly as the young woman briefly made eye contact with him, a subtle congratulations on how expertly she arranged the tea in perfect Japanese etiquette. 

 Rick turned to make his way toward an employee door, but stopped when he heard a voice call out his name. He immediately turned to address the guest speaking to him, and gave a relaxed smile to the woman his age of twenty-eight, half-jogging from the dining area’s door to the patio. Her immaculate, brunette locks bounced in the late-morning sunlight as she approached him, her dark-rose lips shining in an elated grin, and a designer skirt fluttering with her steps. 

“I knew it!” the guest said with a giggle, craning her arms out for a hug as she reached Rick. “I can’t believe I didn’t catch you until now, I’ve been looking for you all weekend.”

Returning her hug with a gentle pat to her shoulder (careful not to jostle the Long Island iced tea in her hand), Rick allowed a chuckle. “I thought I saw your name on the guest list.”

“And how could I not realize who that baby-faced nerd in the welcome package was?” Patti Lenton said, allowing the hug to linger. “You look absolutely fabulous, Ricki.”

After Patti finally leaned back, Rick’s smile grew unconsciously. “Not as good as you. That’s a perma-shade, isn’t it?”

“You better believe it’s Chanel,” Patti affirmed with a nod, pressing her lips together twice. The gestures caused her lips to change colors, from a vibrant flame to a subtle nude. “And look at you in a suit. Your hands look naked with only a wedding band.”

The jab caused a reflexive scoff from Rick, and he adjusted his tie, as though his hands couldn’t resist bringing attention to his pressed collar—rather than strings of beads or v-neck or spaghetti-strapped shirts of his dormitory days. “Sure, college was my brazen slut era, but come on. It was everyone’s.”

Patti let out a surprised laugh, and rested a hand on Rick’s arm. “Oh, holy shit, there’s the Ricki I remember! And nothing makes me sadder than to hear marriage ended your slut era. Absolute war crime. It’s not like mine ever went away,” Patti said, giving him a wink. She then tugged at his jacket’s sleeve. “Come meet my friends. I insist. I’ve been telling everyone about you all weekend.”

While Patti urged him forward, Rick subtly pulled up a window to his on-site manager on his glasses’ interface. Mentally, he informed Brian Jackson that one of the guests insisted on diverting Rick’s time for a while, a text forming with the command. Jackson responded he’d let the rest of the staff managers know to handle their own affairs as long as needed—after all, harmless requests from platinum-level clientele would never be refused.

Patti led Rick outside, and the gentle air from the Oregon coast brushed against them as they entered the covered patio. As the two approached a currently unlit, stone fire pit, Rick removed his glasses and slipped them in the inside pocket of his suit coat—a visible announcement to the seated guests that anything said or done around him had no risk of leaving the seating area. He inwardly jotted down which pairs of eyes relaxed as he did so.

“I’m sure all of you remember our host,” Patti announced as she elegantly cradled Rick’s hand, presenting him flamboyantly. “But Mr. Menser is a good friend of mine from college!”

“You went to Duke?” one of the guests, an older woman in a diaphanous sundress, asked.

Rick nodded with a genial smile, slipping his hands in his pants pockets. “That’s right. The sorority was co-ed.”

“Alpha Psi Lamda was so much more laid-back than any of the others,” Patti said with an exhausted sigh. 

“You never mentioned you were Alpha Psi Lamda!” another woman chimed in, her tan face brightening. 

Patti gasped, and Rick’s eyebrows unconsciously raised. “No, you’re joking,” Patti said breathlessly, trotting to the woman’s side and flopping to a seat beside her.

“Columbia!” the woman replied with an eager smile. 

“We’ve been at the same board meetings for the last three years and—Get over here, Ricki!” Patti insisted, waving him over. “Sisters and misters!”

The exuberance from the two women clearly made several of the Japanese investors in the seated group tense up in disapproval, so Rick kept a calm exterior as he joined them. His manner settled the women’s squealing quickly, and with honed skill, Rick engaged his sorority siblings while simultaneously drawing in other guests into relaxed conversation. Several of the more at ease international guests, ones with barely-noticeable accents and a marked familiarity with US culture (perhaps even time spent living in the States), were easy targets for Rick to aim for in blending the topics of conversation. Not a one of them seemed to notice his direction of the conversations, and a soothing ebb and flow took hold, swathing all present in a comfortable tide. 

As hours passed, the group dropped or gained new members, changed locations, but no shifts brought any discomfort. Rick trusted the Silver Dune’s staff to handle preparations for dinner, and he found himself and Patti’s entourage in one of the lounges. He had long ago opened his suit coat to relax as best he could, and comfortably reclined on the low sofas facing the last dregs of sunset fading from the expanse of the former national park. Many of the other circle of guests switched out since that morning, most of the older guests from the Takauji Conglomerate retiring to prepare for their morning flights. Several still remained, including a few men around Patti and Rick’s ages, ones who projected significantly-lowered restraints around the Westerners.

Patti polished off her latest martini in the long, uninterrupted chain of beverages she indulged in since breakfast, and rested the side of her head against a hand propped on the back of her seat. For the first time in a few hours, she laid her brown eyes directly on Rick. “Did anyone ever prove that petty brat outted you?”

The question was so off-topic, several of the others gathered immediately leveled their eyes on Rick. His chest fell from an exasperated sigh, perhaps the most unguarded reaction he allowed himself all weekend, and he gestured for a server to attend them. “Of course not,” he said after calling for a new round of drinks (himself included, this time). “Beaggie Bindel couldn’t get me fired, but nobody could pin it on her, either.”

“Oh, God, Bitty Beaggie Bindel!” Patti said with a cackle, kicking her legs as she sank in her chair. “I just had a war flashback from that.”

“Someone outted you?” one of the foreign guests, a man in a button-up shirt (rolled up in a way that barely hid the edges of sleeve tattoos), asked with a suddenly-hard expression.

“Oh, and it wasn’t just some slip of a tongue. It was disgusting,” Patti seethed, struggling to sit straight. “Posted revenge porn in a bunch of business servers. It made it to my office, even. Like, a bunch of people with professional contacts with him got spammed.”

A violent blush overtook Rick’s face, his jaw slacking and mirroring the stunned expressions of the others gathered.

She just. Said that. Patti just spelled out what happened to Rick in front of her business associates so casually. She just…said that.

The wound being so callously reopened caused a surge of white-hot shame and rage to fill Rick’s chest, the tightening of his lips barely hiding his resentment. Now he remembered why he hadn’t kept up with so many of his Alpha Psi Lamda “sisters.”

“It was scrubbed so fast,” Patti assured the circle, waving a hand dismissively. “And honestly, who cares if a man likes to suck dick anymo—”

“Patricia!” an older man snapped, his brow tight. “Jesus Christ, a friend of mine once had that happen to her. You don’t just dredge that up. You’re his friend, but we’re clients.”

Clearly embarrassed, Patti sank back into her seat, mumbling something about martinis.

Rick didn’t glance at the man who scolded her, but his face softened, grateful for the intervention. 

 “You can’t prove who did it?” the foreign guest asked, earning a cold glare from his fellows in similar silk shirts and tieless suits. 

Attempting to diffuse the thick smog of unease, Rick shook his head and gently smiled. “It doesn’t matter,” he lied. “Patti’s right, the Wayland Moniker Group, and I and my wife’s family, supported me and handled any technical and legal matters. My exes assured me they don’t know how any of it got into the wrong hands, and I believe them. It’s water under the bridge.”

The Japanese guest, one Rick recalled being named Sumiyoshi, scoffed audibly and sneered. “If anyone where we’re from tried to make any of us lose that kind of face, they wouldn’t be able to disappear. Not unless we wanted ‘em to.”

One of the other foreign guests let out a sharp hissing sound, a noise making it clear his companion should allow the subject to be dropped.

As the server arrived with the drinks, Rick took the moment to stand and rebutton his coat. “I deeply, sincerely apologize for any awkwardness.” He whispered to the server to just set his drink on the table in front of the group and allow someone else to take it. “If any of you need any form of extra care, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Anything. No questions.”

“Absolutely not,” the man who chided Patti said firmly. “I won’t allow it. Wayland Moniker was right to fight for a host like you, and I’ll make sure your seniors know it.”

Several of the Japanese guests bowed their heads to show their agreement. “Thank you for your service, Mr. Menser,” one of the older ones said, head remaining lowered. “Your diligence has been exemplary.”

In response to this, Patti let out a high-pitched, audible sob, and leapt from her seat to scurry out of the lounge, her face covered by a hand.

“Pardon me,” Rick said to the group, moving to follow Patti (and assure her that her gross negligence of his privacy wasn’t anything she needed to be ashamed of…no matter how much of a crock of shit that was). 

One of Patti’s friends immediately rose and placed a hand in front of Rick. “No, no, Rick. I can handle that. You get back to your job, we have stolen you long enough. Thank you for such a wonderful time.”

Relieved, Rick gave a short nod to her. “Thank you. I appreciate it. Excuse me.”

Rick parted ways with the guests, and made eye contact with absolutely no one before escaping through an employee door. In the quiet of the back halls, he sighed and slumped against a wall for a few moments. He could only hope the other guests were serious about praising him in front of the rest of management, because Rick had few hopes about Patti’s clownery not actually coming back to bite him in the ass. 

***

As the night went on (between the slow trickle of a few guests having to check out before morning and missing the entertainment of the retreat’s final night) Rick felt his anxiety wane as indeed, several guests sent glowing compliments to Dunes’ management. He wrapped up his duties for the night, and trudged his way to his room on site, this singular day and night siphoning more of his energy than the rest of the weekend combined.

Just before he took off his glasses, however, a notification popped up from a name he didn’t recognize—it being written in kanji. Rick paused before removing his tie, and opened it. A window filled his vision, Sumiyoshi’s face greeting him. Rick half-expected to see one of the many rooms offering diversions for the guests behind him, but Sumiyoshi appeared to be in his suite. 

“Sumiyoshi…Rin, correct?” Rick began, bringing up the guest list by pure memory.

A half-grin formed on the man’s chiseled face, and he nodded. “Yeah,” he replied in his perfectly-acclimated mastery of American English. “Rin is fine, by the way. And I just found out your name is Maverick?”

By reflex, Rick replied, “Please, Rick, I insist. Is there anything I can do for you?” He wasn’t entirely sure what digging Rin did since they parted ways hours ago…Rick had his full name on approximately zero of his professional links.

Pausing a moment, Sumiyoshi ran a hand through his cropped, black hair. “Yeah, if you could. You know…my associates and I were really impressed with how you handled yourself earlier.”

Self-consciously, Rick gave a nod of appreciation to Rin. “If anything, I can’t apologize enough. We do our best to keep that kind of unpleasantness out of guest sight.”

Laughing once, in a way that made Rick suddenly wonder if Rin wasn’t actually US-born, Rin shook his head. “No, no, I mean it. More than that, this is the first time some of them have been to a Wayland Moniker thing.”

Thing, Rick noted, another more native word choice. “I hope we met all expectations.”

“They fuckin’ loved it,” Rin replied. “They want to set somethin’ up in Kyoto, and they’re dead set on you being there.”

Taken aback by the sudden offer (and the rapid loosening of Rin’s speech), a smile overtook Rick’s face. “We don’t have an extensive presence in the area, but I would be honored to tailor some packages for you.”

“How long?” Rin asked.

“How long would it take me to design an experience?” Rick asked to clarify for himself. “I could have a few suggestions waiting for you by the time you make landfall at home.”

Smirking, his full lips pursed, Rin cocked an eyebrow. “Or…you could come up to my room and we can make some suggestions tonight?”

A professional meeting so spur of the moment wasn’t unheard of, not by any means. It was well-past time for Rick to be winding down to sleep, but this kind of opportunity with the Takauji Conglomerate wouldn’t happen twice.  “Let me grab my deck, and I can be there in twenty.”

“Alright,” Rin affirmed. “I know you know which number.” He then disconnected.

Taking in a deep breath, Rick allowed himself only a moment before mustering his thoughts. Dipping in the bathroom, Rick rinsed his mouth and face to give some impression he was more refreshed than possible after as long as a day as he just went through. Changing out suit coats, he simultaneously ran through what Wayland Moniker connections existed on mainland Japan, information scrolling over his glasses at rapid-fire rate. He also did a quick swap of ties, deliberate in his choice of one in the same gold as the Sumiyoshi-kai’s primary color. 

Every detail mattered during informal courtship.

His business deck in hand, Rick strode through the main halls of the resort as he made his way to the presidential suites. Excitement roiled in his chest, eager to give good news to his bosses in the morning. He arrived at Sumiyoshi Rin’s room and rolled his shoulders out once before reconstructing a calm smile and knocking.

Rather than answering directly, the lock indicator simply changed from red to green. Rick opened the door and stepped in, allowing it to clack closed behind as he eased himself into the suite’s main seating area. “Sumiyoshi-san?” he said loudly. From Rin’s call, Rick expected other Takauji members to already be present, but the empty sofas and chairs around the low central table said otherwise. The lamps around the spacious seating and bar era were lit, but only enough for Rick to see the shape of his reflection in the wall to ceiling windows—sharp in contrast to the black night over the dunes.

“Just one sec,” a voice called from the door to the bedroom and bath. 

“I’ll just take a seat,” Rick replied, sitting and opening his deck on the table. He adjusted his glasses and started bringing up what little information he’d started gathering over his digital workspace.   

A noticeable shift in the room’s humidity brought Rick’s attention to the bedroom door, and Rin stepped through. Rick froze, stunned to see steam wafting off of Rin’s wide, bare shoulders, and water dotted over his round pecs as he lifted a hand to slick back his wet hair. Wearing only a towel, Rick soaked in an unobstructed view of Rin’s toned, firm body, and the striking yakuza tattoos that covered his upper arms, wrapping around his back and hugging his upper chest. Vibrant carp swam through coils of waves on his right side, shifting and transforming into dragons that wound around his left.

Easing to a stop beside the table, a hand resting on the folded towel around his waist, a smirk tugged at Rin’s lips. “You…gonna keep recording or…?”

Turning red, Rick quickly yanked off his AR glasses and fumbled to slip them into his inside pocket. “Sorry! S-Sorry. I wasn’t in recording mode, I was just…”

“Staring?”

Rick tried to cover his embarrassment with a pained chuckle, and he locked his eyes onto the deck’s screen. “My b—Excuse me. However relaxed you want to be for a discussion is fine.” 

No matter how well (or poorly) Rick could cover being flustered, he couldn’t suppress his sharp awareness that nothing about this situation was business as usual. From what Rick knew, the Japanese might have fewer inhibitions when in spa or onsen settings, but no meeting, no matter how informal, was this informal. Especially not with a foreigner. 

And if Rin was as American as Rick suspected, then Rin’s behavior was clearly a power move. Rin knew about Rick’s bisexuality, Rin even pressed about it when in the lounge that evening. But Rick could keep himself together. He wouldn’t duck out just because he couldn’t handle being near an (extremely) attractive man. It wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t a big deal. It had been almost three years since Rick and Angelica had a man together (what wealthy couple was strictly monogamous, after all?), but it wasn’t a big deal. 

Watching Rick collect himself, Rin chuckled. “Uh huh. None of that ‘san’ shit on this side of the Pacific, ‘kay?”

“My apologies,” Rick said. “I shouldn’t assume, but you are fairly-high ranking in Sumiyoshi-kai…?” 

Flopping onto the sofa beside Rick (the towel concealing precious little as it waved with the movement), Rin draped an arm on the sofa back and stretched out his neck. “Mm. That would be a leap if you didn’t actually know. Is that some of that Wayland Moniker confidentiality?”

 “Your family have been regular clients for over a hundred years—unrelated to the Takauji Conglomerate,” Rick replied coolly, bringing up project templates on his deck.

“And you just bring up those numbers without lookin’ at ‘em,” Rin noted, a color of amusement in his voice.

Allowing his own smirk, Rick continued to keep his eyes away from Rin and focused on his prep work. “Does that intimidate you?”

A laugh tumbled out of Rin, warm and genuine. “Your sense of humor is what got you married, isn’t it?”

Rick paused, and his gaze briefly landed on his wedding band, but he ignored the question. “If no one else is showing up, I can at least give you a run down of the resorts Wayland Moniker has joint ownership of in Japan. But honestly, we can make anything happen. If there’s experiences you and your partners have in mind, I know we can…” His voice dried in his throat as Rin took hold of Rick’s left hand and lifted it up to study the wedding band, his rough digits tracing across Rick’s own.

“You had every chance to leave the second you knew I didn’t call you in for this. What are you trying to prove, Maverick?”

The sound of his birth name was the only thing that could knock Rick out of his momentary trance. “R-Rick…” he mumbled, his eyes drifting to Rin’s, and the visible embers radiating from their dark depths.

Lids half-open, Rin ran his gaze over Rick’s hand, then gradually brought it toward his lips. Rick felt the man’s heat waft over his skin. Then, as Rin slipped the ring finger into his mouth, Rick’s breath shuddered sharply. Smoothly, Rin’s tongue caressed his finger, then stroked the web between his ring and middle fingers. Easing them out, Rin then rested the captive hand on the towel draped between his legs. “Mav,” he whispered.  

His breath shaky, Rick made no effort to reclaim his hand, instead feeling the unmistakable, rigid shape under the plush cloth. Not long, but wide and solid, throbbing hungrily. “I…c…”

Rin abruptly turned in the sofa to lean closer to Rick and rested his fingertips near his lips. “You about to say you can’t? When I’m watching you wanting it?”

Rick was rapidly losing himself, a tremble taking over his entire frame. He couldn’t think straight. This wasn’t what Angelica would want, and it wasn’t what Wayland Moniker expected of him. He couldn’t even decide if he wanted Rin as much as his stubborn disregard of all warnings suggested—but a fire was rising, and quickly overcoming Rick’s senses. “I sho—”

With a nudge of his hips, Rin’s erection pressed harder into Rick’s hand. Rin’s fingers drew a line from his lips and rested on Rick’s jaw, then a brief, faint whirr signaled a shift under Rin’s skin. Directly inside Rick’s ear (through a vibration from Rin’s fingers), a sound played—a familiar one that caused Rick to tense and his breathing to seize. The voice moaning in pleasure was his own, an unrestrained, higher pitch that would tumble from Rick unconsciously when in the throes of deepest ecstasy. This was a very specific recording of that sound, the images that accompanied the college-age footage immediately overtaking Rick’s mind.

Mortified, Rick jolted back from Rin’s touch and his stomach lurched violently. “Oh God, how could you possibly have found th—?”

Following Rick’s movement and straddling over him, Rin held Rick’s wrist in a vise, the other gripped his tie. The towel slid off Rin’s waist from the jostling, and he smiled down at Rick’s wide-eyed stare. “Doesn’t matter. All that matters is I want that. Right now the only fantasy I want is you.”

Panting, Rick’s eyes locked onto Rin, unable to swivel his gaze to see more than his savage expression. “F-Fantas…?”

“Don’t pretend this isn’t getting you hard,” Rin murmured, his grip on Rick’s wrist tightening. “Ain’t no damn way little wifey can fuck you the way you want to be fucked. Yeah?” Helpless under the shorter man’s superior strength, Rick made no resistance as Rin pulled on the tie and brought their faces close. His breath heavy and wanting, Rin whispered, “Whimper for me like you did in that video, Mav. Give it to me. I want it.”

No matter how many conflicting thoughts battled through his head, he melted under Rin’s scorching touch. He wanted to be this desired, and something about being called “Mav” only made that desire all the more intense. His eyes fluttering closed, Rick surrendered to the demand, and a soft sound fell from his parted lips. 

Rin’s chest rumbled from a purr of approval. “That’s it.”

“F-Fuck me,” Rick whispered desperately.

Rin pressed their lips together, and Rick fell into a daze as their tongues sought each other. Savage growls from Rin brought out eager pants from Rick, the octaves already starting to climb in a way he normally fought to suppress. Rick was this man’s fantasy, he said, a bestial hunger Rin couldn’t deny. Rick’s head rolled back and he moaned as he felt Rin’s hands move to yank open his suit coat and wrap his strong arms around his chest, gripping and clawing at Rick’s back through his expensive shirt’s fabric. 

Rin’s tongue slid across the column of Rick’s neck as Rick wiggled his shoulders to slide his coat off. “L-Let me get my shirt off,” Rick said breathily, writhing under the brushes of Rin’s teeth against the quivering skin of his throat. 

Unintelligible Japanese rolled out of Rin’s mouth, and, on his knees, he leaned back from Rick—though he still held firmly to Rick’s tie like a silk lead. From the distance allowed, Rick squirmed and shifted to get his shirt and collar unbuttoned in a rush. As he fought with his shirt, his eyes darted between Rin biting his lip in lust, and Rin’s exposed lower half. The faintest line beside Rin’s raised cock suggested he had work done, and as it gradually expanded past its prior length, Rick’s assumptions were proven correct. Few things were sexier than a cybered-up dick.

With a final jerk, the shirt whipped out from under the tie, and Rick threw it aside. Grinning, Rin yanked on Rick’s collar, and slapped his other hand on the top of Rick’s head to shove it into his crotch.. Without hesitation, Rick’s tongue dragged over and circled the head of Rin’s cock, sighing as Rin moaned gratefully. Taking a breath, Rick brought his mouth over it, and Rin hissed loudly in pleasure as Rick took in every last inch.  

“Shit—!” 

A muffled giggle came from Rick, then he shifted it to a gentle hum as he slid his tensed lips up and down the length of Rin’s member. The fierce hold on Rick’s hair gradually eased into sensual strokes as Rin settled into the sofa. While Rin’s leathered fingers wove through Rick’s hair, he wished he had more of it for Rin to play with—the soothing, encouraging sensation was such a drastic difference from Rin’s previous domination. Rick continued to taste Rin, moving one hand to firmly hold the base, while the other reached to massage his balls. At this, Rin’s head lolled back and he exhaled in appreciation. 

“Fuck, you’re good at that…” Rin said in a low murmur. His hand idly dropped the tie, and he brought up both hands to rub his face. “Hold on for a sec.”

Slowly, very deliberately, Rick raised his head and released Rin’s dick, inwardly reveling at the arch of Rin’s back as they parted. “I should finish getting undressed…” The statement was also a question, a need for assurance that Rin wasn’t going to simply get sucked off and kick his whore out as soon as he was satisfied. 

(And fuck, the thought of being called a whore just got Rick hotter.)

To Rick’s relief, Rin nodded and shook out his still-damp hair. He stood and lazily motioned for Rick to do the same. Their half a head in height difference was striking when Rick reluctantly brought himself to his feet, making him feel gangly and strangely exposed, despite being half-dressed. Rin made no indication of Rick towering over him being any deterrent, his upward gaze into Rick’s face smoldering and formidable. 

Instead of helping Rick out of his clothes, Rin’s eyes drifted over Rick’s bare skin, and gently raised his hands to his chest. “Go on,” he said, his neutral tone belying the power in the demand. 

Shyly, Rick undid his tie and let it fall from his neck, then unbuckled his belt as he stepped out of his shoes. Rin continued to give no assistance, just watching intensely as Rick unbuttoned his pants and slid the zipper down—taking it in like a personal performance. Rin’s hands rested around Rick’s ribcage, then the thumbs brushed over his nipples. Rick moaned by reflex, his back shifting while Rin played with them, repeatedly stroking the raised flesh and sending electric shocks down Rick’s back.

“Oh, you like that?” Rin said with a grin, just before lowering his face to start sucking on one of Rick’s nipples. In between licking one, then the other, Rin added, “Don’t stop. Lemme see that cock.” 

With a sharp gasp, Rick drunkenly closed his eyes and moaned. He wrangled the band of his gray briefs away from his hips, and both they and his pants fell down his legs. The instant he felt his erection meet the air, Rin’s hand wrapped around it and made Rick’s back straighten sharply. “Rin…!”

Stroking him, Rin leaned closer and dragged his tongue over Rick’s collarbone. He then chuckled. “You have no idea how fuckin’ hot I think those garter things are.”

Suddenly taken from the moment, Rick threw a self-conscious glance at the garters holding his socks above his calves and physically winced. “They’re not even thigh highs, please don’t make me fuck in socks.”

Both Rin’s smile and eyes widened, and his hands wrapped around Rick to fiercely slap them into a grip on his ass—sending a startled cry out of Rick. That kind of hold might leave souvenirs…!

“Stop me,” Rin said with a half-growl. He then pushed another shocked exclamation out of Rick as he bodily slung the taller man over his shoulder. 

“Oh, fuck…!” Rick blurted dumbly, too shocked to do more than steady himself across Rin as he was bodily carried into the bedroom. While Rin certainly looked built enough to pull it off, Rick couldn’t help but wonder if the cybernetics he showed off in his hand before indicated more in the arms. Laughing in delight, Rick allowed himself to be tossed carelessly onto the blanketed ocean of a bed, his shoulders shaking from his excitement. Gazing up at Rin, he said, “No one’s done that before.”

Throwing his square-shouldered shadow over Rick, Rin tilted his head. “Fine,” he purred. “I’ll be the first to treat you like the whore you are.”

Rick’s eyes grew larger, a twinge of shame tugging at him for how thrilled being called that did actually make him. “Yes…Yes, I am…I am such a bitch.”

“That’s what I thought.” Kneeling forward, Rin ran his hands along the sides of Rick’s legs, cradling his hips as he hovered his mouth over his abdomen. In anticipation, Rick rolled his shoulders and murmured eagerly, soaking in each kiss that trailed down his midsection, stopping at the base of his member. 

“Rin…Oh, oh, please…!” Rick cried out in pleasure as Rin wrapped his mouth over his cock. Rubbing his hands on Rin’s shoulders, Rick repeatedly moaned and gasped as Rin sucked on him expertly. He bobbed his head, grunting with each thrust of Rick’s cock further into him, and pushed on by Rick’s subtle writhing. 

“Oh, oh, fuck…!”

At last, Rin parted his mouth and took a loud lungful of air as he straightened. Trembling, Rick pinched his own nipples as he hotly gazed up at Rin. Rin watched Rick tug and flick at his nipples eagerly, fondling his chest into a passable cleavage. 

A smile spread over Rin’s face as Rick bit his lip and silently begged for more. He rested a hand on his cock and began stroking it, squeezing its base in a curious way. “What do you want?” A viscous fluid seeped out of the tip of Rin’s cock. Rick’s jaw went slack as he realized Rin had some very nice modifications as Rin coated what was undeniably lube over his length. 

An unconscious whimper came out of Rick, and he began to back himself further across the bed. He rolled onto his belly, and threw a lustful look over his shoulder as he spread his legs apart.

Propping himself behind Rick, Rin reached a hand and rubbed his thumb around the rim of his hole. Rick could hear himself implore, his voice pitching to a feminine whine while Rin pressed around the skin and repeatedly circled, but didn’t penetrate. Rin brought out such ridiculous desires from him, pulled reactions from the deepest, most embarrassing corners of Rick’s sex-addled brain. But Rick’s metaphorical transformations didn’t stop Rin. Rin didn’t recoil, didn’t insult, didn’t laugh, he instead slapped a hand across Rick’s ass and hissed as Rick screamed in delight. Taking hold of Rick’s hip, he steadied his heaving, glistening cock, and then firmly pushed into him.

Rick howled in pleasure, his head snapping back from the sensation of being so utterly filled. His hands went from clasping at the blankets, to bundling them under his chest to help prop himself as fevered thrusts shook his entire frame. Rin’s powerful hands clamped on Rick’s hips, he heaved and panted as he pounded, the slapping of their bodies unable to be drowned out by Rick’s passionate cries. 

“That’s it,” Rin snarled. “That’s what I wanna hear…!”

“Oh, Christ!” Rick wailed, lost as his eyes rolled back.  He repeatedly gasped Rin’s name, like a punctuation to each retreat and return of his ravenous body. Then Rick’s eyes blearily drifted to the bedroom’s window, and the reflection of the two of them in their tangle of muscle, skin, and sweat. The way that the blankets bundled beneath Rick made his masculine silhouette blur, and Rin mounted him like he was satisfying a desperate female in heat. 

His eyes widening, Rick clutched the blankets harder. “R-Rin! Rin! Touch me, I wanna cum like this…!”

“Fuck yeah,” Rin seethed, gasping as he slid a hand reach Rick’s member. He gripped him, stroking to match the motion of Rin’s cock in and out. “You want me to make you cum.”

   “Yes!” Rick pleaded hotly, rocking his hips with each impact of their bodies, and crying out in ecstasy. The pressure and heat blended and intensified with Rin’s touch, and Rick’s face contorted as he watched that feminine double in the window being both furiously railed and yanked. “Oh, that’s it…that’s it…!”

Gritting his teeth, Rin violently shook droplets of sweat from his hair. “You want it, Mav, fucking cum. Fucking cum.”

“I want it…!” Then abruptly, a fire overtook Rick’s entire body, and the genderless thing in the window parted their lips in a violent scream of pure rapture. While still trapped in the throes of orgasm, Rick felt Rin’s hand flee from his cock to replant itself back on his other hip. His strength and senses leaving him, Rick was unable to protest the sudden and exponential rise in the ferocity of Rin’s pounding. Little more than a panting, powerless toy, Rick bit his lip and struggled against his body’s pleas for Rin to be done with it and release him. He half-hoped that being Rin’s plaything would last hours…

Abruptly, Rin’s entire frame seized, and he moaned out deeply, curling against Rick’s back as he tensed. Heaving out groans into Rick’s ear, he slowly let his grip relax, and sank against him fully, pulling out of Rick’s body as he did.

The two panted in a post-orgasm fog, and gradually Rin dragged himself to flop beside Rick. They did nothing more than catch their breaths for a bit, Rick staring up at the ceiling dumbly. Rin grunted out something in Japanese, petting the top of Rick’s head momentarily before groggily sitting up. He stretched out his neck and back, and left Rick to stagger into the bathroom and close the door behind him.

 Stunned, Rick’s senses began to settle by degrees, brought to reality by the sensation of lying alone in a puddle of sex. He replayed the visions that invaded his mind during their passion, and he swallowed uncomfortably. He hadn’t acted like that in a long time, well into dating Angelica. Rick didn’t like it when he lost control of himself, rolling around and moaning like a revolting caricature of a porn star. A femme porn star, at that. What the hell was wrong with him, that he felt the need to giggle and squeal like a freak? He hadn’t done that in years, it was cartoonish, and Rin should have mocked him for it.

Like others did…

The flush of the toilet preceded the flinging open of the door, and without a word, Rin lumbered back into the suite’s entertaining area.

Rick watched him disappear, the shapes of his ominous tattoos lingering in Rick’s vision like an after-image. All of this was a mistake. Rick knew that the second he saw Rin walk out in a towel, but he couldn’t imagine what else he could have done. Refused a client? A member of the yakuza? Gotten indignant like an insulted straight man? Run out like a terrified victim?

Rick chose the only real option, and at least got some bombastic sex out of it. Angelica would never find out. Who knew? She’d probably agree with Rick’s choice. He brought himself to his knees, and idly pulled the blanket over his chest. He didn’t dare look at his reflection, but his eyes lingered over the shape of him covering himself, vulnerable in a tangle of post-coital thoughts and anxieties.  

His attention suddenly snapped to Rin, who stood in the bedroom’s door, leaning an arm on the frame. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Rick replied, blushing as he brushed his hair away from his forehead.

Rin grinned smugly. “All-inclusive retreat, right?”

Uncomfortably, Rick forced himself to chuckle. “I hope the service was acceptable.”

Meaningfully, Rin titled his head and thinned his eyes. “Best service the whole weekend. When do you wrap up and head back to Kingston?” 

Unconsciously, Rick’s hand gripped the blanket tighter, suddenly anxious under Rin’s steely gaze. “Everyone not paying for extra days with the resort checks out by one p.m. That’s when it’s officially over. My flight is at four.”

Rin tossed something, causing Rick to flinch as it landed on the blanket beside him. 

“No, it’s not,” Rin said casually. “You don’t leave tomorrow, you leave Wednesday. Call your wife. Tell her.”

Dumbly, Rick’s eyes landed on his phone, now laying beside him, then back up at Rin. “I…what?” he murmured lamely.

Strolling beside the bed, Rin pointed at the phone he’d taken from Rick’s discarded clothes. “The phone. Use it. Call her and tell her you’re not coming back until Wednesday. Late Wednesday.”

Wincing, Rick picked up his phone, and turned to crawl off the bed. “You know, I’m sorry, I can’t. This was great, but—”

A stony hand landed on Rick’s shoulder, then shoved him back on the bed. His breath pushed out of him, Rick blinked up at Rin. “R-Rin?” he mumbled, in shock. “I’m not saying it can’t happen again, I want it to!” he blurted, acutely small under Rin’s unreadable stare. “Hell, we’ll be meeting in Kyoto, right? We’ll make it a date. Ride your—cock in a kimono?” he stammered. His eyes widened as Rin firmly took hold of the wrist holding the phone.

“Be a good girl and call your wife,” Rin said, his voice cool. “Tell her you’ll be back on Wednesday.”

A cold sweat breaking out over him, Rick wirelessly connected his phone to his network implants, and mechanically made a call. After several rings, Angelica’s voice greeted him, directly in his head. 

“Hey, Ricki,” Angelica said brightly. “I didn’t expect to hear from you until tomorrow. How are you?”

“Great,” Rick said with perfect control. His gaze settled firmly on Rin’s dick as he knelt on the edge of the bed and stroked it silently. “You know I miss you.”

“Always,” she replied with a light laugh. “But you wouldn’t need to call me unless something came up.”

Rick swallowed once, the effort of keeping his breath even herculean. “Yeah,” he said with a performative tinge of disappointment. “Something came up. Nothing about the retreat itself, just some networking I can’t miss out on.”

“Of course you can’t!” Angelica immediately agreed. “I love to hear it. When will you be back? Is this gonna be a big hunt, or what?”

Forcing a chuckle, Rick swallowed as Rin draped next to him, his rock-hard cock level with Rick’s face and open mouth. “Don’t get too excited, hon, I don’t know what you’re expecting. Should be l-late Wednesday—at the latest.”

“Thanks for letting me know, hon,” Angelica said gently. “Go get ‘em.”

“Sure thing,” Rick whispered. “I—I love you, babe.”

“I love you too. Hear from you soon. Call me tomorrow night, if you can.”

“I hope I can,” he replied. “G’night.”

Angelica allowed a kiss sound to serve as her goodbye, and Rick went completely numb as the call disconnected. 

Rin’s hand petted the side of Rick’s face, moving between affectionate caresses across his cheeks to moving aside strands of his brunette hair. Rin then gently turned his head to bring Rick’s lips to his awaiting erection. Without argument, Rick’s mouth accepted him, and his eyes closed as started moving his head. 

“That’s it…” Rin cooed softly. “Fuck, you’re amazing. And now I can’t stop thinkin’ about you bucking in my lap in a kimono. That is getting me so hot, we are gonna make that happen. A woman’s kimono,” he said in between soft sighs and short moans. “Blue…naw, pink, with sakura print. You’re gonna look so sexy with the shoulders slipping off, Mav. I know people that tailor ‘em custom for men…Wifey won’t even know what she’s missing.”

 No, she wouldn’t. Never. Rick could never let her know just how easily he was reduced to…whatever the hell he was right then. All he knew was Rin treating him like some kind of concubine made it too easy to go along with whatever he demanded. So long as Rin kept calling him Mav, maybe he’d never break free. 

…Maybe he’d never want to. Rick wasn’t sure. Or Mav? Mav…________________________________________________________________

Rowan trembled as they closed the door to the apartment, a rising tide of anxiety swelling in their gut—the stress aches in their shoulders reminding them that forty was much closer than they liked to accept. 

Thirty-seven, a year divorced, and a wealth of all zero options for a single person to also appreciate Rowan’s extensive body work. It was easy to say the changes were only for Rowan when they started transitioning, a lot harder to feel like they’d ever be loved again when in an empty apartment.

In a daze, their feet dug alleys into the plush carpet as they dragged themselves past the still-unpacked boxes that formed a backdrop behind the office furniture serving as their kitchen table—one of the few pieces Rowan pried away from their ex-wife’s clutches. The chairs didn’t remotely match the table, just four bought from a budget homeware store that were vaguely in the same color.

Rowan sank into a chair, sighing as they fit poorly into the rigid, reconstructed wood. They tossed the newest set of papers served to them into the pile. This made the fifth credit card out of seven suing them since they lost their job as a high-level marketing manager at Wixel Media. 

Rowan wasn’t entirely sure their lawyer knew why exactly so many cards defaulted simultaneously, or that the new job in vacation sales didn’t remotely come close to paying their bills. Not the creditors, and definitely not a lawyer. With how abysmal Rowan’s performance numbers were, they doubted this latest job was going to last long. 

They were trying. They were trying so hard. They just needed a chance to bounce back. Rowan hadn’t been below upper management since their early twenties. They could still do that kind of work! Someone just…someone had to give them the chance…

Breaking down, Rowan folded their arms and wept. At least accepting not being a man meant they didn’t feel the need to swallow down tears anymore. If only Rowan could just make it one goddamn day without crying, that’d be a step up.

A notification momentarily interrupted Rowan’s newest downward spiral. Wiping their face with their hands, they sniffled noisily and picked up their phone. Someone with a protected number sent Rowan a text: I can make it go away.

Blinking away moisture, Rowan stared at it curiously. This was a new phone under their new legal name…what kind of spam was that?

A new one: Just let me make it go away. 

Mav.

Audibly, Rowan gasped, the phone slipping from their fingers. In a mad dash, Rowan grabbed their shoes and coat, shoving the phone in their pocket as they ran for the door. They had to get to their carrier and end the account. No question. No blocking this protected number, just drop the carrier and get a new number with a new company. One of Rowan’s credit cards was still good. They even had just enough to swap to an entirely new phone. Who cared how many accounts and contacts were attached to this number? 

Done. Gone. Bye.

Rowan was never going to be Mav again. They were Rowan. Rowan.

Rowan…

[graham634-blog]

Top Wild Eye Halloween Contact Lens Are Red Cat Eye, Black Out Lens And A Lot More

Shaded contact central focuses have become a course of action rage any place on the globe with United States and France driving from the front as pioneers of molded central center interests. This constantly making need of individuals to shake exceptional covering central focuses for parties have engineered a shelter in the adapted contacts industry. These minor covered contacts have set the cash register ringing. Also, to add to the consistent shaded contact fever, comes Halloween contact central center interests Zombie Lenses .

Introduction of Halloween central focuses have offered improvement to the concealed contact point of mix industry. These central communities could be reasonably named as organization central focuses that are in astonishing interest for amusement basically gatherings and subject dress parties.

A wide arrangement of Halloween central focuses makes your choice more straightforward. These Halloween central focuses come in various groupings. It might be a crazy spot of association or a wild eye point of mix. A bit of the Halloween central focuses may appear, apparently, to be splendid as well.

These potential sorts help you with picking fit spot of association that goes perfectly with your organization and subject of the party. Adolescents may even a lot of need to contribute energy with these central bright lights on their eyes for redirection. Momentous individuals long several wild eye central center interests. These central habitats are extra and are embraced to be used for the planned time. Figured, their use past the proposed time may give your few hassles.

A Halloween purpose of blending could be a dull out spot of association that gives your eye a rigid white appearance. With this spot of gathering on your eyes you take after a living dead body. On the other hand a Halloween point of gathering could be thoroughly dull spot of blend by covering even sclera with faint. It likewise gives your eye a novel appearance.

Hot and Cat Eye Halloween central focuses wind up being prominent for wild fun gatherings. Depleted looking and Wolf central focuses are furthermore celebrated.

These central habitats are dependably used with alert flicks because of being unimportance central center interests. These central places add to the presentation of a scene with nauseating apprehension films. It conveys an upsetting appearance to eyes of performers that might be an essential for the plot of movies. Consistently in vampire based motion pictures, Halloween central focuses are used.

Regardless, going prior to using these central communities you should get settled with the forte of putting on and taking out these central habitats, in case you are captivated about the utilization of contact point of association. You should clean it with the cleaner preceding putting it on eye.

[lucas43oliver]

Contact Lenses Market 2019-2025: Market Size & Forecast, Industry Trends

Contact Lenses Market 2019-2025: Market Size & Forecast, Industry Trends – Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Bausch + Lomb, Carl Zeiss AG, Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., CooperVision, Inc., Essilor International S.A., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., SynergEyes, Inc., Hoya Corporation, Seed Co., Ltd.

According to a new research report published by xResearch, the global contact lenses market is expected to exhibit positive growth trend and reach a significant valuation by the end of the forecast period of 2018-2024. The report provides 360° analysis of contact lenses market size, share, growth, future trend and forecast from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries and this factor which is useful to the business.

The contact lenses market was valued at USD XXX Million in 2019 and is projected to reach USD XXX Million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period. In this study, 2019 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for contact lenses.

Buy Now: https://www.xresearch.biz/shop/global-contact-lenses-market 

Regional Analysis

The global contact lenses market spans across the regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. North America and Europe collectively account for XX% of the market. In North America, U.S. is the prominent market in North America. However, Asia Pacific is slated to be the fastest growing market for Contact Lenses. Countries such as China, India and Japan are anticipated to be the major contributor to the growth of contact lenses. 

Segmentation

The global contact lenses market has been segmented based on type, design, product and distribution channel. By type, the global contact lenses market has been segmented into Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) contact lenses, soft contact lenses and hybrid contact lenses. The soft contact lenses segment is capturing XX% the market while RGP contact lenses segment is expected to exhibit significant growth during the forecast period. 

By design, the global contact lenses market has been segmented into spherical, bifocal, multifocal and toric. The spherical segment market was held to be USD XXX Million in 2018 and is anticipated to reach to a market valuation of USD XXX Million by the end of 2023. The bifocal contact lens segment is expected to showcase positive growth trend. 

By product, the global contact lenses market has been segmented into corrective lens, therapeutic lens, cosmetic lens and prosthetic lens. The corrective lens segment accounted for XX% of market share in global contact lenses market. Also, cosmetic lens segment is anticipated to showcase a growth of X.X% over the forecast period.

The research report also analyzes the market by distribution channel, segmented into online stores and offline stores. In distribution channel segment, online stores distribution channel is believed to grow at highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Browse Full Report: https://www.xresearch.biz/shop/global-contact-lenses-market 

Competitive Landscape

The key players operating in the global contact lenses market include Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Bausch + Lomb, Carl Zeiss AG, Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., CooperVision, Inc., Essilor International S.A., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., SynergEyes, Inc., Hoya Corporation, Seed Co., Ltd. and Other Key & Niche Players. Company profile provide key facts, company background, SWOT analysis, market assessment, key strategic objectives and challenges, recent developments, regional category analysis and competitive positioning and prospects.

Request Sample: https://www.xresearch.biz/shop/global-contact-lenses-market  

About xResearch:

xResearch is a leading independent provider of strategic and analytical market research. We create data and analysis on thousands of products and services around the world. Our market research reports empower companies with strategic data, analysis and consumer trends in a single resource.

We unite the most profound insight over the vastest arrangement of capital-escalated businesses and markets. By interfacing information crosswise over factors, our analysts give our clients a wealthier, profoundly incorporated perspective of their industry. With experienced domain experts, xResearch strives to provide best solutions and accurate forecast which enables the client to take informed decisions.

Contact:

xResearch 

sales@xresearch.biz 

+1 718 619 4771

[lupinepublishers]

Lupine Publishers| Contact Lens Materials and Modalities

Lupine Publishers| Ophthalmology Open Access Journal

Abstract

Introduction: Past two decades have seen a steep rise in the usage of contact lenses and that brought a major revolution in the materials research, design and manufacturing technologies. This also impacted the optometrists thus influencing the patient usage, modalities and duration. The current article briefs the changes in the field of contact lenses and the changing trends.

Methods: Contact lens materials and its manufacturing, wearing modalities and changing trends in prescribing them were identified, reviewed and summarized as per the topic requirements from scientific papers, authentic articles, books and websites to cover the challenges our ancestors have faced and the solutions that were provided in the past were summarized for the reader in an easy accessible way.

Conclusion: Newer generation of contact lens materials made an average contact lens wearer comfortable by wearing lenses for longer hours without discomfort and with minimal complications. Due to the advent of newer lens materials, practitioners have been given more options for choosing a best suited lens based on specific wearer requirements and needs. In this way, newly available materials and designs make the lens wear safer and less prone to complications by shifting the patient from conventional to planned replacement lenses (PRL) and from PRL to daily disposables to ensure a healthy and safer vision.

Keywords: PMMA; Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses; HEMA; Silicone Hydrogels; Extended Wear; Flexible Wear; Daily Disposables; Multifocal Contact Lenses; Aspheric; Toric

Abbreviation: CAB: Cellulose Acetate Butyrate; RGP: Rigid Gas Permeable Lens; P-HEMA: Poly Hydroxy Ethyl Methacrylate; PVP: Poly Vinyl Pyrolidone

Introduction

Contact lenses are medical devices commonly used to correct the vision without the need of spectacles. Even though the concept was very old, till 1887, a structure similar to our today's contact lens was not made. A first contact lens like structure was made in 1887 by F. A Muller by blowing glass to make a prosthetic eye. In 1930's a first contact lens made up of glass was used which covers whole the cornea and a small part of sclera was used for vision correction making glass the first contact lens material [1]. In 1937, a material named Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) was introduced as a contact lens material which mimics todays' scleral lens of a larger diameter. In 1948, Kevin Tuohy made a contact lens called "Microlens" which covers only cornea with 10 to 12 mm diameter [1,2]. After using PMMA as a contact lens material for some time, hypoxic complications arise due to it’s very poor oxygen permeable nature after use, making.com to explore for newer lens materials. Currently, due to its zero-oxygen permeability, it is used to make diagnostic trial contact lenses instead of actual contact lenses due to its ability to retain the parameters, ease of care and maintenance [3].

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses (RGP)

Noting the importance of Oxygen permeability, few developments were made to the material to be permeable to oxygen. In the year 1972, Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) was proposed as a material to use by Irving Fatt, later in 1978 CAB as a contact lens material got FDA approved. A term (RGP) Rigid gas permeable lens was coined and the lens made with this (CAB) material was manufactured in 1978 in United States [2,4]. In the advent of silicone usage in the medical industry, Siloxane methacrylate material was developed in 1970 by using silicone molecules bonded to methyl methacrylate structures making a contact lens more oxygen permeable [2]. Siloxane acrylates material was patented in 1974 under the name Polycon and was introduced commercially in 1979 which lead the wearing time longer than CAB due to its high oxygen permeability without showing any hypoxic changes in the cornea. However, it was observed that the siloxane acrylate lenses tend to attract more of lipid and less of protein deposits on the lens surface, making the care and regime of newer RGP lens materials different than the previous lens. These deposits lead to lesser lens life than the previous lenses [2].

"Boston" a contact lens material manufacturing company started to develop working towards parameters like oxygen permeability, strength and deposit resistance for improved lens on eye performance since 1972. Elements Fluorine and Carbon were used in specific proportions to synthesize Fluoro-siloxane acrylates and Fluorocarbon acrylates were found effective in controlling the lipid deposits to occur on the lens surface with increased oxygen permeability. These materials still stand good in terms of availability, deposit resistance with good oxygen permeability [5]. Addition of Silicone, Fluorine and Carbon with appropriate amounts made it possible to achieve highest levels of oxygen permeability ever, leading to continuous wear, flexible wear and extended wear modalities possible. During this period in 1987, Fluoro-silicone acrylate material was made available [6]. Due to changing trends in the contact lens market and due to innovations in soft contact lens materials, there is a constant and a sharp decline in the RGP wearers that was observed in the past two decades due to the comfort achieved by soft contact lenses [7].

Silicone Elastomer

In 1956, Silicone elastomer material was developed by Walter Becker which has a highest ever oxygen permeability which is more flexible than RGP lenses, making the contact lens industry to explore newer ways of improvising the lens material in terms of flexibility But, for a product to manufacture out of silicone elastomer was not possible at that time due to its flexible nature, poor wettability and the material adheres to the cornea(suction). Later in 1981 a lens made up of silicone elastomer material was commercialized for correcting children to use as an overnight wear lens due to its exceedingly high oxygen permeability. This material got approved for 30 day continuous wear for non-aphakic prescriptions in 1983 making it the first extended wear lens to be produced [6,8]. Till now these elastomer lenses are available as a mode of correction for aphakia (congenital and acquired) cases mostly in children [9]. The only drawback with these lenses is the brittleness of the material and affinity to attract lipid deposits, making its usage declined in this decade [6,8].

Soft Contact Lens (Hydrogels)

Progress in contact lens materials was extremely rapid and the market equations of using RGP lenses were quickly changed after the development of Poly hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (P-HEMA) as a lens material in 1963 by Otto Wichterle. This material coined a new term called "soft contact lens" due to its soft and flexible nature. The lens made with HEMA was available in 1971 as a commercial product [2,6]. The usage of HEMA as a lens material in the current contact lens market still holds good. After the invention of HEMA as a hydrogel material, the comfort obtained by a wearer lead the path for a term called intermittent contact lens wear, which is not possible with RGP due to the discomfort it caused to an average wearer. However, the water content which is the only source of oxygen transmission through the hydrogel lens was too less when compared to RGP lenses due to their movement and tear exchange. There is a need for a diverse care and regime to be followed to soft contact lens wearers for which different contact lens solutions were devised to clean, rinse, disinfect, and hydrate and to store these lenses.

Due to limitation of water content and oxygen permeability in hydrogel lenses, there were diverse complications that were seen in the soft contact lens users and the users due to the comfort of the lenses, tend to sleep with the lenses on the cornea making the condition more worsen [10]. Observing these diverse ocular changes, few of the traditional RGP practitioners were reluctant to shift their practice and keep on dispensing RGP lenses only [11]. As there is a limitation in increasing the water content that we achieve with hydrogel lenses, scientists started to explore new ways to increase the oxygen passing through the lens which can enable the wearer to achieve better comfort lens with lesser complications [12]. Concept of Disposable soft contact lenses came into the field in 1985-1986 as the increasing complications can be counteracted by discarding the lenses before the deposits on the lens surface become sufficient enough to create problems like discomfort, bulbar conjunctival redness, allergic reactions in the upper tarsal conjunctiva and lack of oxygen supply due to deposits [13]. Gradually, frequent replacement lenses were so frequently replaced due to increasing in water content of the lenses that there is a need for a modality termed Daily disposable lenses in 1994-1995 to ensure maximum comfort and good ocular health with no requirement of care and maintenance which is a boon for existing, new contact lens wear. As the production need to meet the consumer needs a new manufacturing method called cast moulding turned the disposable modality a practically possible reality [2,14].

Even now, majority of the contact lens market share in developing countries is still contributing to Hydrogel lenses where as in developed countries, majority of the population is using silicone hydrogels and daily disposable hydrogel lenses for their visual needs [15-17]. In this stage, Silicone elastomers were more easily available and used in the market as a commercial product leading the materials science experts to turn their vision towards it. This change made them to think and combine the silicone with hydrogel lenses which set a stage for the generation of silicone hydrogels. The first silicone hydrogel lens was marketed in 2002 [2,9].

Silicone Hydrogels

In soft contact lenses the silicone material is incorporated based on the skeletal structures of classical hydrogel materials like HEMA and thereby making it a better lens material by incorporating:

a) OH groups for increasing the bound water content of the lens materials [18]

b) Materials like polyvinyl pyrolidone (PVP) for improving the wettability of the lenses [18]

Due to the innovation of Silicone hydrogel contact lenses, high oxygen transmissibility is made possible, hence by minimizing corneal hypoxia changes that include corneal oedema, Descemet’s membrane folds, microcysts, limbal hyperaemia and neovascularisation [19]. There are a few patient related .difficulties with these new lenses due to increased stiffness than existing hydrogels, hydrophobic nature and more attraction of lipid deposits. So, there is a need for a better and improved materials and designs making them readily acceptable by the patient [9]. In 2010, Custom made silicone hydrogel lenses are made available in the market [20]. In case of Silicone hydrogel lenses, these inventions can be technically classified into three phases in which the lens materials are synthesized by not only decreasing the stiffness of the lens material, but also by increasing the wettability and water content to a desired level for enhancing the comfort level of silicone hydrogel wearer equal to that achieved by a hydrogel contact lens wearer [18,19,21,22].

Developments in Silicone Hydrogel Materials

Table 1:  First generation lenses.

1. Good Dk

2. Slightly stiffer

3. Deposit prone surface

4. Decreased Wettability

Table 2:  Second generation lenses

b) Properties (Table 2)

2. Flexible lens material

1. Improved wettability

c) Properties (Table 3)

Table 3:  Third generation lenses.

1. Better Water content

2. Decrease stiffness

3. It is a Breakthrough technology, which redefines the soft contact lens relationship between Dk and water content by having a higher Dk than water content predicts!

Contact lens advancements in the Future

a) Myopia control contact lenses are very soon going to be available in Asian countries where Myopia is more prevalent.

b) Aberrometers values combined with prescription can help customize the correction to a personalized contact lens manufacturing is possible soon [23].

c) A Multifocal design of contact lens which can have an autofocus capability near the pupillary centres of the eyes using fluid dynamics can be manufactured and fitted which can help.com gain complete visual satisfaction to the wearer [23].

d) Health monitoring systems embedded in the form of a computer chip in contact lenses will help.com plan our diet and treatment plan based on the parameters like blood sugar level, intraocular pressure [24].

e) The use of LCD crystals in the bulk of a silicone hydrogel lens can help.com to use virtual projection; digital screens in the near future will aim for [23].

f) In Contact lens materials, even though the penetration of silicone hydrogels in the current market is low, majority of the market share will shift using this material due to its break thought the invention of improved oxygen permeability, it can retain their share well in the markets in the future [17,23].

g) Improvements like anti bacterial coating on contact lenses are giving promising results which can help use them for extended wear without any worry of infections. Possibilities for making a Photo chromatic contact lenses are explored and will be achieved soon [25-29].

Modality

Silicone hydrogels will take the majority of the market and will exist even in future. Mostly the contact lenses have a freedom to wear and remove easily whenever we want and where ever you want [30-34].

Conclusion

Contact lenses have an exponential growth in material development, design and production in the last two decades.Newer technologies in the coming years can help.com make a more productive, versatile, comfortable and safer wearing lenses for the coming generations ahead [35-39].

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[materialsworld]

Snail-like reversible adhesive strong enough to hold a human

By Anthony Caggiano

A polymer-based product can be hard when dried out, yet soft again when rewetted. Image credit: Max Pixel. 

Scientists have accidentally discovered a hydrogel that can stick to objects and release itself, quite like a common mollusc. 

Researchers at Penn Engineers, USA, were working on another project that involved a hydrogel made of a polymer called polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA) and noticed its unusual adhesive properties. 

PHEMA is rubbery when wet but rigid when dry, a quality that makes it useful for contact lenses but also, adhesives, as discovered by the team under the firm’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering professor, Shu Yang.

When PHEMA is wet, it conforms to all of the small grooves on a surface, from a tree trunk's distinct ridges to the invisible microporosity of a seemingly smooth wall. This conformal contact is what allows PHEMA to stick to a surface.

As PHEMA dries, it becomes as rigid as a plastic bottle cap, but, uniquely, it doesn't shrink. Instead, the material hardens into the cavities, fastening itself securely to the surface.

These properties that helped Yang's team identify PHEMA as a unique candidate for reversible, strong adhesion are the same properties found in a snail's epiphragm. On a sunny day, a snail's slimy epiphragm, initially wet, conforms to the surface it's on and hardens, barricading the snail from the dry environment and holding the snail firmly in place. At night, when the environment becomes moist, the epiphragm softens, allowing the snail to move freely again.

That reversibility between wet flexibility and dry adhesion was tested by the group. The team ran several tests on their PHEMA hydrogel, evaluating its ability to hold weight and the time it takes for water to infiltrate the adhesive and reverse its grip. They found that PHEMA acted remarkably similar to the snail epiphragm. It was 89 times stronger than gecko adhesion, but its hold was easily broken when it got wet. A postage-size amount of the material was able to support an adult suspended from a harness.

‘When it's conformal and rigid, it's like super glue. You can't pull it off. But, magically, you can rewet it, and it slips off effortlessly,’ Yang said. 

‘Additionally, PHEMA doesn't lose its strong adhesion when scaled up. Usually, there's a negative correlation between adhesion strength and size. Since PHEMA is not dependent on a fragile structure, it doesn't have that problem.’

Yang sees durable, reversible adhesives like her PHEMA hydrogel as having massive potential for household products, robotics systems, and industrial assembly. Despite its promise in applications like heavy manufacturing, PHEMA is not a fit for most industries because its reversibility is controlled by water. 

"With a lot of things, you don't want to use water. Water takes time to diffuse. In the future, we want to find the right material that can switch the property like that," says Yang.

The researchers hope to eventually find or engineer adhesives that could respond to cues like pH, specific chemicals, light, heat, or electricity, broadening the potential applications of reversible adhesion.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation through grants DMR-1410253 and EFRI-1331583, and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering under Award DE-FG02-07ER46463.

The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.