Stat Tracker

Contact Lens Wearers Not Taking Proper Care of Their Lenses

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO, Santa Ana, Calif.) has launched Elevate Your Eye (EYE) Care, a global education campaign designed to educate contact lens wearers about proper lens-cleaning techniques.

The goal of the campaign is to help patients maximize the benefits of contact lens wear while minimizing the likelihood of infection. EYE Care, which features MTV reality show star Lauren Conrad as a spokesperson, was launched in response to concerns that contact lens wearers may not be practicing healthy lens care habits.

A recent national survey found more than 11 million of the 35 million contact lens wearers in the United States are not practicing proper contact lens care techniques and are putting themselves at daily risk for eye infections.

"This survey underscores the significant disconnect between eyecare professionals and their patients when it comes to contact lens care," said David W. Hansen, O.D., F.A.A.O., director, professional services at AMO. "Eleven million non-compliant contact lens wearers is too high a number to ignore."

The study, conducted by the Contact Lens Council, a non-profit organization and resource on vision correction, found that more than 70% of eyecare professionals surveyed cited that the main barrier to compliance is the patient's belief that a contact lens cleaning regimen is unimportant. Data also shows there are significant attitudinal differences with respect to proper lens care between doctors and patients, and that many contact lens wearers do not practice proper lens care technique.

Additional survey data included:

► Although more than 90% of eyecare professionals recommended rubbing contact lenses as part of their lens cleaning regimen, only two-thirds of patients do so, regardless of the type of solution they use

► More than 44% of contact lens wearers always or occasionally top off their contact lens case with new solution rather than emptying and cleaning it out after each use — a practice strongly discouraged by eyecare professionals

► Less than half (46%) of the respondents clean their lens case after each use, despite the fact that the majority of eyecare professionals (71%) recommend patients clean their case after each use

► The majority of eyecare professionals (70%) state that the main barrier to compliance is that the patient believes that it is not important

► Nearly half (49%) of contact lens users wear their contacts longer than the recommended replacement schedule

► Nearly one in five users wear their contact lenses more than 1 month longer than the recommended replacement schedule

"These research results are significant because they reveal a need to educate patients about going 'back to basics' on contact lens care and reinforce the importance of the 'rub-andrinse' technique," said Joseph Shovlin, O.D., F.A.A.O., in private practice in Scranton, Pa.

According to Simmons Market Research, nearly half of all contact lens wearers fall between the ages of 18 to 34 years old. Conrad's support was enlisted to reach this very important demographic and encourage them to work closely with their eyecare professional to determine the best contact lens solution for them.

"Many contact lens wearers think of their lenses as beauty products or fashion accessories," says Conrad, a contact lens wearer herself. "However, it's important to understand that contact lenses are actually medical products, and they should be treated that way." OM

About These Data:
The survey, conducted by the Contact Lens Councilm (CLC), included a total of 500 men and women between the ages of 18 and 65. These individuals were contacted between May 1 and May 2, 2007, along with a survey of 298 eyecare professionals conducted from May 15- May 29, 2007. Additional key survey findings can be found at the CLC Web site at www.mycontactlenses.org.