IT'S GETTING PERSONAL—Customized Contact Lens Care” is the theme of the Global Specialty Lens Symposium for 2025. The “art and science” of contact lens fitting is by no means a new concept. However, what is new is the idea of customized (otherwise known as personalized) contact lens care.

Customized contact lens care is not just on the horizon but is emerging as we speak—and we should be thinking about this broadly, including, but not exclusive to, specialty contact lenses. For example, this relates to fitting the very specific dimensions of the ocular surface for the individual patient. There is such growing enthusiasm for this individualized fitting approach, and it is becoming a reality.

Think about contact lens material selection or surface coatings, for example. Can we start to match an ideal contact lens material chemistry to the patient in terms of their specific tear biochemistry? In doing so, we should be able to one day eliminate contact lens-related dry eye. What about personalized contact lens care regimens? We should be thinking about moving beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach; the care regimen should be individualized to the patient’s overall ocular surface environment. Smart contact lenses are becoming a reality as we speak—from health status monitoring to visual enhancement and performance and telehealth. The sky is the limit!

Canadian physician William Osler said, “The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” We should all embrace this personalized care as we move forward in providing our patients with the very best options with contact lenses.