Study shows opportunities to reduce contact lens wear dropout
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Survey results indicated that commitment to contact lens wear increases after 6 months, and the biggest obstacles were concerns over handling and comfort.
A study of 1,000 adults who had been wearing contacts between 2 and 12 months offers information for eye care providers (ECPs) relating to wearer dropout rates, concerns to new wearers and interest in new technologies, according to a press release from CooperVision, who commissioned the study.
“Our partnership with ECPs around the world extends well beyond our products and services, including offering viewpoints from consumers that can advance clinical successes and practices’ business outcomes,” Kevin Barrett, CooperVision senior vice president of strategy and lifecycle management, said in the release. “This new research validates some assumptions that have existed for years and gives ECPs compelling data to engage new contact lens wearers in conversations that could improve their near- and long-term experiences.”
The research found an uptick in wearer commitment to contact lenses after they had been wearing them for longer than 6 months. After 3 and 6 months of starting wear, 31% of respondents noted they would likely stop using contact lenses, in comparison to the 19% of people who had begun their lens wear 9 months prior.
The study identified insertion and removal as top obstacles; however, 75% of new wearers reported no problems with these factors. It found that wearers who believe they will continue to wear contact lenses reported a higher degree of concern with handling and comfort vs. those more likely to drop out.
The survey also found that 32% of respondents are interested in a contact lens that is healthier for the eye, and 29% are interested in lenses that improve hydration for dry eyes.
ECPs can use this information to better reach new patients, increase patient satisfaction and reduce wearer dropout, CooperVision said in the release.
According to Barrett, this recent survey “supports that a well-informed contact lens wearer is a more committed wearer.”
The survey included 1,013 adults: 511 in the U.S. and 502 in Germany. It was conducted online as part of the CooperVision Consumer Insights Series.