VEW 2024: Survey assesses best practice behaviors to help retain contact lens wearers
The Contact Lens Institute research found that both new and long-term wearers of contact lenses were positively impacted by their eye care providers allowing adequate chair time during exams, among other factors.
Image credit: AdobeStock/Svitlana
New research on consumer data released by the Contact Lens Institute (CLI) has found that new and long-term soft contact lens users are positively influenced by similar factors to continue their wear. New users are defined by those wearing lenses for less than 2 years, while long-term users have been wearing for 2 or more years, according to a news release.
“Broadly speaking, we found that new wearers benefit from more personalized care to meet their lifestyle needs, more attention from the entire practice team, and more encouragement and training,” said Stan Rogaski, CLI’s executive director, in a release.
Participants in the survey were ages 18-64 and reported wearing soft contact lenses at least once per week. Survey data was collected amongst the 200 new wearers and 201 long-term wearers from August 9-21, 2024, as conducted by Prodege.1
The survey found that 86% of long-term contact lens patients stated that their overall satisfaction was high (ranging between 8-10 on a 10 point scale), with only 2% rating their satisfaction at 4 or less. For short-term contact lens patients, those who rated their satisfaction as high was at 67%.1
CLI research also surveyed patients on what actions doctors and their staff can take to ensure continued wear. Both short and long-term users cited that making sure contact lens prescriptions are updated to adapt to lifestyle changes (69% new wearers, 51% long-term wearers), providing trial lenses for new prescriptions (69% new wearers, 66% long-term wearers), and ensuring that patients are educated on contact lens care (67% new wearers, 51% long-term wearers) as effective to ensure continued contact wear.1
The company also stated that this new research reinforces the importance of eye care practice’s taking an all-hands-on-deck approach. For long-term patients, 59% reported that their optometrist extremely or greatly influences their decision to keep using contact lenses, with 51% stating the same for their optician, 35% for exam staff technicians, 25% for optical staff, and 21% for administrative staff. New contact wearers are even more influenced by eye care professionals in their decision, with 74% for their optometrist, 64% for their optician, 53% for exam staff, 53% for optical staff, and 44% for administrators.1
New contact wearers are also more likely to gain trust in their optometrist and exam staff on their recommendations the longer they spend time with them, with 74% reported in new wearers and 57% reported in long-term wearers. The median opinion of what constituted “adequate” total exam time is between 16-20 minutes for both groups.1
“After spending the past several months discussing how the eye care community can attract new contact lens wearers, we’re excited to turn everyone’s attention to keeping current wearers enthusiastic. The data we’ll share at Vision Expo West is only a fraction of what’s to come in our comprehensive research report later this year,” Rogaski said.
Reference
New Contact Lens Institute research pinpoints practice behaviors that help retain new contact lens wearers. News release. September 19, 2024. Accessed September 19, 2024.
