AAOpt 2024: Key findings from a recent CLI report on contact lenses

Dana Shannon, OD, FAAO, details The Contact Lens Instiute's latest report, The Dropout Dilemma, which details survey findings of what factors contribute to patients sticking with contact lenses.

Video transcript:

Editor's note: The below transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Dana Shannon, OD, FAAO:

I'm Dr. Dana Shannon. I practice at Clarendon Vision Advanced EyeCare in Westmont, Illinois, a suburb just west of Chicago, Illinois. The Contact Lens Institute [CLI] just came out with their fall report, The Dropout Dilemma. It came out with really interesting data, one of them including how patients really appreciate having more time with their doctors or with staff members to discuss how to properly wear their contact lenses, especially if they're new wearers, how to ensure that they have comfort, what is their regimen for their contact lens wear. A lot of patients will drop out of contact lenses, especially if they're early wearers, if they're not really sure about how to wear the contact lenses, if they should be wearing them for 12 hours, or if should they only be wearing them for 10 to 12 hours, or 12 to 14 hours. Some of them tend not to have that instruction out the gate, and so it's very important for the patient's health, eye health, and also for their ability to wear their lenses comfortably over the years.

In the Contact Lens Institute's data, they demonstrated that once patients get past that 2-year point, 85% of wearers continue to wear their contact lenses for the long term. How do we help our patients with the dropout? One thing is ensuring they're comfortable, making sure that they're in a contact lens that allows for their lifestyle. Are they a rock climber? Are they a tennis player? I know that if a patient is working on the laptop or on their computer all day long, maybe they'll want to wear their glasses, but they want to have the option and flexibility in their life to wear contact lenses when they go to social events. Some patients think that it's either/or, but we just have to let them know that they have the flexibility of both options.

Another portion that the CLI report discusses is the benefits of contact lens wear, and as acknowledging those benefits for our patients to help with the dropout dilemma. When we explain to them that comfort is an option with contact lenses and also having excellent vision in their contact lenses, that may be a motivator for them. For instance, if you have a patient that's a higher myope, maybe they want to be able to see better. That includes allowing them to have a wider peripheral field in their glasses, maybe explaining to them that images may seem more minimized for them, so when they have their contact lenses on, they can see things more magnified with more clarity, and also have that peripheral vision if they were to be driving at night or if they're playing any sports. These are benefits that we need to discuss with our patients to help them and encourage them into contact lens wear, and also just to have understanding that they are more empowered to have more flexibility in their lives.

For new contact lens wearers, a big challenge is helping them with handling. I know that for some of my patients that may be starting contact lenses later in life, especially some of my presbyopic patients, they may have difficulty with figuring out is their contact lens oriented in the right way, because maybe they can't see it as well up close. Having your staff members sit down with them and discuss different ways to determine is your contact lens facing in...it's shaped in the right direction, is it inside out or is it the right direction is helpful. Showing them different strategies on how to hold their lids is also super helpful. This goes for children. This goes for adults and older adults. All across the board, having your staff take time with the patient and help them with those strategies will ensure that your patients are going to wear their contact lenses for the long run.

Our office, our policy is once we have the patient come in for a contact lens exam, especially if they're a new wearer, we tell them that we're going to have them sit down with our technicians or some other staff member to teach them how to wear their contact lenses. We allot for at least 45 minutes, and we always encourage them that, hey, you don't have to get it the first time. You're welcome to come back a few more times, so that we can teach you and make sure that you're comfortable with the wear. After the training, the patient will come back in a week later, and we discuss everything with them. How is your vision? How is your comfort? How often are you wearing your lenses? We also ask about their strategy of how they're putting their contact lenses in, just to make sure before they leave our office that they're doing all the right steps for hygiene and not putting themselves at risk for infection or being too aggressive with their eyes in their strategy for removal and insertion.

One of the key takeaways from the report is that 74% of new contact lens wearers report that they are very compliant with their contact lens hygiene and schedule. However, we can't forget about our long-term wearers. Sixty-five percent report that they are compliant with their contact lens-wear regimen and hygiene. It's very important that at every annual exam we reinforce good habits and we talk to our patients about their wear schedule. You can be surprised at how some patients may either be extending their wear or not wearing their contact lenses as often because they're putting themselves in situations that are not optimal for their contact lens experience. By having a brief discussion in the office, even for our long-term wearers, it will allow them to have comfortable wear and good vision for as long as they would like to wear their contact lenses.

If you would like more information, you can visit [www.]contactlensinstitute.org to view the full free report.