Use of daily disposable contact lenses is on the up

Despite the contact lens market remaining relatively flat, we are seeing a significant shift in modalities with the 1 day disposable market growing at a remarkable rate.

New products are undoubtedly leading this rapid growth and silicone hydrogel 1 day contact lenses now represent 21 percent of all 1 day fits - compared to 14 percent this time last year[1] - driven by the patient’s need for a convenient and healthy lens which fits into a faster-paced lifestyle.

At Livermore Optometry Group, California, contact lenses play a significant part in the practice’s total revenue, amounting to approximately 15 to 16 percent of total revenue for the past five or six years[2]. The practice’s OD, Steven Faith, describes the impact of contact lenses on the business, saying: “Contact lenses are a vital part of our total messaging to patients. We view them as part of our mission to provide quality care to customers and patients in our community.”

Faith and Livermore are also big believers in making it easy for the patient to get their supplies and have streamlined the process to make the business as efficient as possible. Commenting on their approach, Faith stated: “We’re finding that almost 60 percent of new contact lens fits are dailies and although we still encourage patients to keep up their regular visits to the practice we also offer to send patients their contact lenses whether they want to purchase one box or a year’s supply. It’s actually more efficient for us to do this than to ask them to come in and have our staff manage those in-office pickups.”

A significant growth opportunity is additionally represented by the increase in product availability within the 1 day toric and multifocal specialty segments, providing daily vision care solutions for patients with more specific requirements. Again, Faith has seen substantial growth in this area and much of this is as a result of discussions he started having with his patients years ago when the first signs of presbyopia were hitting longer-term contact lens wearers. Those patients are now ready to make the move and try the new products and in this way the practice encourages continued contact lens use and proactively works to avoid patient drop out.

To find out more about the 1 day disposable contact lenses available for your patients contact your CooperVision representative or visit www.coopervision.com.