RGP insights

RGPs and the Young Practitioner

BY EDWARD  S. BENNETT, OD, MSED
JULY 1998

During a recent discussion on Walt Mayo's Optcom e-mail network, it became apparent that many young practitioners are not fitting any RGP contact lenses! In addition, some participants of the discussion suggested that the "20/80 rule" exists, indicating that only 20 percent of all eyecare practitioners fit 80 percent of all RGPs.

Many Optcom participants placed much of the responsibility for this trend on the contact lens educators. However, I can justify that my colleagues in the Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators (AOCLE) and I are only a small part of the problem. Certainly one factor for why our students receive insufficient RGP experience is the impact of, and fascination with, treating ocular disease. Likewise, the curriculum at some schools has been changed to limit students' exposure to contact lenses, often to the dismay of the affected contact lens educators.

Addressing the Problem

Enhancing students' RGP fitting experience is extremely important and accounts for a significant part of the Rigid Gas Permeable Lens Institute (RGPLI) budget. Many RGPLI dollars fund a one-day, hands-on workshop and seminar program conducted at most schools of optometry with the gracious support of the AOCLE members at each participating institution. There are spherical, aspheric, toric, bifocal, keratoconic and postsurgical RGP-wearing patients at each workshop. The RGPLI and other contact lens industry members try to help students understand how much practice income is derived from contact lenses, as well as the profitability of RGPs. It's a message that students can't hear enough (Table 1).

An Optimistic Resolution

The good news is that several young practitioners on the Optcom list who fit 40 percent or more of their new patients into RGPs spoke up about taking the initiative to try RGPs and about the subsequent benefits of practice growth and profitability, vision, ocular health and ease of care. RGPLI advisory committee member Ken Maller summed it up the best when he said, "If RGPs are so wonderful for so many reasons, why are they being reserved for only the exotic cases? Instead of waiting for the next keratoconus patient, maybe this [discussion] will inspire some doctors to try them on the next easy one who sits down in the chair."

Patients may be "soft" in their thinking, but if you recommend RGPs, most will be satisfied and successful with them. Remember that they still look to you for advice on which type of contact lens is best for them.

Dr. Bennett is an associate professor of optometry at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and executive director of the RGP Lens Institute.