In Partnership with Johnson and Johnson Vision

As optometrists the interest in contact lens wear as we emerge from the pandemic seems higher than ever – whether it’s kids returning to the classroom and just now discovering that they have had a major change in vision, or from adults who are frustrated with fogging issues with glasses caused by mask wear. But studies show that especially new contact lens wearers are at significant risk of discontinuing contact lens use. Research shows that on average 21.7% of existing contact lens wearers drop out every year. New wearers actually drop out at a higher rate than existing lens wearers, with a 2017 study showing a new wearer drop out rate of 26%, and of those 50% drop out in the first 2 months! So what can we do?! Our expert guests on this live stream panel include Dr. Danielle Richardson of Zak Eyes and Fierce Clarity, Dr. Luis Rojas of DeNovo Eye, and Dr. Kurt Moody,  Director of North American Professional Education at Johnson and Johnson Vision. 

When it comes to new contact lens wearers, optometrists only get 1 chance to make that first impression with the contact lens technology they select. With studies indicating roughly 13% of new wearers won’t make it past the first two months of wear, for a significant percentage of your patients, the initial lens you select may be the only one they ever try! Starting with the best contact lens option for your patient will lead to a more successful fit and fewer office visits and chair time on the back end.

What are some of the factors that are causing such high drop-out rates?

* Lots of device use! The average Gen Z (age 10-25) device use is 9hrs per day of screen time * Digital device users blink 60% less when using devices and contact lens use reduces the blink rate too, causing the perfect storm to disrupt the tear film. *  Research on new wearer drop out shows that the top reasons for discontinuing contact lens wear were poor vision (47%), discomfort (25%), and lack of motivation (18%). 

How are contact lenses designed to address these issues? Dr. Kurt Moody breaks down the science behind the comfort of ACUVUE contact lenses, and how these lenses were specifically designed to address the main issues that cause drop out. 

* A tapered edge: the ACUVUE infinity edge is tapered to reduce interaction with the eyelid as we blink. We blink 12-14,000 times per day so a comfortable edge is essential!* Coefficient of friction of the lens material is directly correlated to contact lens comfort; lower is better. In head to head studies, ACUVUE OASYS 1-DAY has a coefficient of friction that is comparable to the natural cornea, and maintains this low coefficient of friction even after 18 hours of wear.

https://www.