DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY:

…there are seemingly more podcasts than people that listen to them?
…Amazon packages never arrive in the morning?
…there is now always the “option” to tip?
…TV remote controls require us to type?
…we had to learn cursive?

Why do we fit soft lenses that “cover” the limbus? Why do we call them “scleral” lenses? Why did we use tap water to rinse GP lens materials?

It is important that we stop and think about behaviors and critically examine things that we do, especially in clinical practice. Sure, sometimes we have no option because technological or societal norms require us to do otherwise (many thanks to my third-grade teacher for extra penmanship lessons, for which I earned generous “C” marks). But, other times, take a step back and ask the question: “Why?” It is at least an important thought experiment, if not a game-changer.

EDITOR’S POSTSCRIPT

A long-standing tradition of Contact Lens Spectrum has been to recognize a contact lens event of the year. This event is something that occurred in 2023 that stood out in the contact lens field as being extraordinary or remarkable. More recently, we started a tradition of naming a “product of the year”—which could be a specific contact lens, care solution, design, device, or concept (e.g., patent) that you think warrants recognition based on its impact or potential impact on the contact lens market.

As always, we would love to hear from you. If you have nominations for the event or product of the year—a person, event, idea, technology, theme, product, etc., that you think is substantial in the contact lens field and that stood out in 2023—please let us know by emailing me directly at 
jason.nichols@broadcastmed.com.

JASON J. NICHOLS, OD, MPH, PHD
Editor-in-Chief