AS REPORTED IN the January issue of Contact Lens Spectrum, the soft contact lens market makes up 74% of the contact lens industry (Nichols and Fisher, 2023). The article went on to demonstrate not only that soft lenses have dominated the market, but also that this portion of our industry continued to grow in 2022 despite multiple challenges.

This data should not be surprising to most practitioners. Soft lenses are extremely popular among various patient demographics. But, as we know, they don’t appeal to everyone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that while 164 million people in the U.S. are eyeglass wearers, only 45 million people are contact lens wearers (CDC, 2021). So, why does only a small segment of the population elect to wear contact lenses?

 Several factors, including cost, maintenance, replacement schedules, and risk of infection, appear to play a role in this discrepancy. While we may be able to address all of these issues with patient education, how often are you using rigid gas permeable (GP) lenses to answer some of those challenges?

While rigid lenses may not intuitively be considered as a viable option, some of their advantages have the potential to make them preferable to soft lenses. Rigid contact lenses are known to provide sharper vision and increase oxygen supply, reducing the risk of infection (Musgrave and Fang, 2019; Philips et al, 2007).

Additionally, study of their use in myopia management is increasing (Wolffsohn et al, 2020). Soft contact lenses usually require replacement on a daily, biweekly, or monthly basis, which may not be financially feasible for some of our patients. On the other hand, one of the many advantages of rigid contact lenses is its long lifeline at a significantly lower cost.

While it may be easy to state the benefits of GP lenses, there is a stigma associated with these rigid lenses in terms of comfort. Let’s review some quick reminders on how to best present this option:

1. Use careful education. Be sure to always use the right words. Avoid words like “pain” and “discomfort.” You will find much more success with phrases like “lens awareness” and “lid sensation.”
2. Highlight the great initial response. Empirical fitting allows the first visual experience to be a positive one. Promote the technology that makes that possible. Although the practice can be controversial, utilizing anesthetic drops can also assist with initial patient comfort.
3. Customization is key. A good fitting relationship is absolutely necessary for a comfortable fit. This involves understanding modifications such as lens thickness, diameter, and edge design.

Offering GP contact lenses to more patients during office visits as an alternative to spectacle correction could result in an increase in sales, benefiting both the patients and the practice. With proper education, patients who wish to finally replace their glasses may become interested in this safe, effective, and cost-friendly option. CLS

References

1. Nichols JJ, Fisher D. Contact Lenses 2022. Contact Lens Spectrum. 2023 Jan;38:20-27.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Contact Lens Wear and Care: Fast Facts. 2021 Dec 30. Available at cdc.gov/contactlenses/fast-facts.html#one . Accessed Jan. 12, 2023.
3. Musgrave CSA, Fang F. Contact Lens Materials: A Materials Science Perspective. Materials (Basel). 2019 Jan 14;12:261.
4. Philips AJ, Speedwell L, Morris J, eds. Contact Lenses, 5th ed. Butterworth-Heinemann; Oxford, UK: 2007.
5. Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global trends in myopia management attitudes and strategies in clinical practice - 2019 Update. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2020 Feb;43:9-17.