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Color contact lens wearers report high satisfaction
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ANAHEIM, Calif. – Patients wearing lotrafilcon B color contact lenses reported high levels of satisfaction with emotional benefits such as self-perceptions of beauty, confidence and happiness, according to a poster presented at the American Academy of Optometry annual meeting.
“As eye care professionals, we often think of ourselves – and patients also think of us – as the experts in visual correction. However, beyond the functional benefits we provide, there can be emotional benefits from our contact lens fitting for patients as well,” Carla J. Mack, OD, MBA, FAAO, director of professional and clinical support at Alcon, told Primary Care Optometry News in an interview. “The fact that color contact lenses impact how a person looks can then in turn impact how they feel.”
A total of 126 females between the ages of 18 and 34 years wearing lotrafilcon B color contact lenses participated in an online survey about their contact lens experience and satisfaction.
The majority of wearers were Caucasian (59%), followed by Hispanic (21%), African American (19%) and Native American (2%). Sixteen percent reported wearing the lenses for cosmetic purposes only.
Respondents reported feeling happier (80%) and more confident (85%) when wearing lotrafilcon B color contact lenses.
“As eye care professionals, we need to be considering and discussing color contact lens options even for patients who do not require visual correction,” Mack said. “We have the opportunity to now provide care and eye health education for patients who may have had no motivation in the past to seek routine eye heath care. Color contact lens wear has the opportunity to not only grow the contact lens market but also to increase access to eye care, particularly in young emmetropic females.”
Respondents reported that lotrafilcon B color contact lenses made them feel attractive (90%), enhanced their natural beauty (88%) and made their eyes look brighter than clear lenses or their natural eyes (81%).
These color contact lenses can provide a high level of satisfaction and address unique needs of patients requiring refractive correction and seeking cosmetic benefits, they said.
“The results of this survey were encouraging and exciting because it provides the opportunity for eye professionals to expand our ability to communicate and care for a patient beyond the traditional ‘how well a patient can see’ to care that impacts how a patient looks and feels,” Mack concluded. “That is powerful and full of opportunity both for patients and practices.” – by Abigail Sutton
Reference:
Mack CJ. Patient satisfaction and emotional benefits in color contact lens wearers. Presented at: American Academy of Optometry; Anaheim, Calif.; Nov. 8-12, 2016.
Disclosure: Mack is Alcon’s director of professional and clinical support.