By 2030, researchers estimate that more than 2 billion people will be presbyopic.1 Today’s presbyopes are often young at heart, active, and digital device users.2,3 These individuals may feel burdened by their near vision issues and believe their presbyopia negatively impacts their quality of life,4 self-esteem, and even work.5,6 As an eye care professional (ECP), it’s important to keep your presbyopic patients’ vision challenges in mind when considering the best course of treatment, including their occupational and lifestyle needs.7
One recent study shows that a patient’s visual performance in a multifocal contact lens mirrors the visual performance offered by a progressive addition lens.8 Despite the even visual acuity playing field, most patients prefer contacts.8 In fact, around 8 in 10 contact lens-wearing patients, including those aged 55 and older, agree they see better in contact lenses compared to spectacles, and more than 80% say they feel more confident, attractive, and natural in contacts.*†9
Despite new multifocal lens additions to the market and an increase in category growth in recent years, ECPs only fit about half of contact lens-wearing presbyopes in multifocal lenses.10 ECPs attribute their top barriers to fitting soft MF lenses as lack of fitting knowledge, low success rates, and increased fitting time.11 Further, lens dropout is higher in this patient group, and former wearers cite their top reasons for discontinuing wear to lens discomfort, dryness, and poor vision.12,13
MyDay® multifocal’s Advanced Technology
MyDay® multifocal with CooperVision’s Binocular Progressive System® is a novel contact lens with a unique 3-add system to help presbyopes achieve optimal visual acuity at all distances, while also improving ease of fit and fitting success for ECPs. The CooperVision Binocular Progressive System® features contact lenses with varying powers and designs for all levels of presbyopia.14
MyDay® multifocal lenses are soft, highly breathable, silicone hydrogel lenses that incorporate Aquaform® Technology, a novel lens material innovation that provides natural wettability and comfort to help keep the eye clear, white, and healthy15 without the need for surface coatings.15
We know contact lens dropout is a global problem with the reported frequency ranging from 12% to about 27%.16 For presbyopes, poor vision and discomfort are the most common reasons they give up their contact lenses, and dry eye is more frequent in this group.17
When considering the best treatment solution for your presbyopic patients, keep in mind that the material technology and optical system of the MyDay® multifocal lens help address these two issues.18
ECPs’ and Patients’ Real-World MF Experience
While numerous studies have reported high fitting success and patient satisfaction with MyDay® multifocal soft lenses, results from a recent, large observational survey reflect the real-world experience of both patients and their ECPs.18 The survey included responses from 196 ECPs and their patients in practice-settings from 11 countries. The survey, published in Clinical Optometry, asked ECPs about the ease of fit, success rate, and their patients’ wearing experience related to comfort, vision, and overall satisfaction with MyDay® multifocal lenses.
ECPs shared data from 10 consecutive patients they fit with MyDay® multifocal during routine clinical practice.18 Survey results reflected 1,505 initial fits 1,440 follow-up visits, in addition to 196 pre-fitting and 141 post-fitting ECP responses.
The researchers gathered responses from July to November 2021 from practices in the US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, and Singapore.18 As advised for best-practice, initial lens selection was recommended based on a current back vertex corrected spectacle prescription, with a recommended maximum of 0.75D of refractive astigmatism, and the patient’s dominant eye was determined using the +1.00D blur method as recommended by the lens fitting guide. This protocol was followed in most cases. After the assessment of the initial trial lenses, enhancements were offered as needed, using ±0.25D changes to the dominant eye to enhance distance vision, and/or ±0.25D changes to the non-dominant eye to enhance near vision.
ECPs Cite Strong Satisfaction with MyDay® multifocal
When fitting multifocal contact lenses, ECPs said overall vision performance, comfort, and high fit success were most important.18 Initially, 71% of ECPs were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with the soft multifocal options available, but that number increased to 84% after they fit MyDay® multifocal.18
Overall, ECPs expressed a high level of satisfaction with MyDay® multifocal and achieved acceptable fits at the initial visit 95% of the time.18 Further, three-quarters of the initial lenses they selected were the final prescribed lens, with only 16% requiring an enhancement.18 At the follow-up visit, 77% of those fit with an enhancement were successful.18 The remaining patients cited issues with near vision, distance vision, and overall vision.
When considering overall vision performance, 89% of ECPs agreed that the lens met or exceeded their expectations, and 96% said it met or exceeded their expectations for patient comfort.18 Additionally, a strong majority of ECPs said the lens had a high fit success rate and delivered ease and speed of fit.18 Most ECPs found the fit guide simple and easy to use, with 78% of responders relying on it for fits.18
The survey also polled ECPs on their perceptions about other vision correction alternatives.18 Most ECPs agreed MyDay® multifocal lenses were a better option for their patients than monovision and single vision contact lenses with reading glasses (94% and 96%, respectively).18 They also believed MyDay® multifocal was an excellent option for new contact lens wearers with presbyopia,18 and 84% of ECPs agreed that MyDay multifocal is an excellent option for their patients with presbyopia who have dropped out of contact lens wear.18
MyDay® multifocal Earns High Marks with Patients
Patients were also happy with their MyDay® multifocal experience.18 Patient satisfaction ratings at both the initial and follow-up visits ranked higher than eight out of ten for comfort, vision, and overall satisfaction, as well as for vision experienced at near, intermediate, and distance.18 Overall, the study showed that MyDay® multifocal soft lenses met expectations across a wide range of patients, wear options, refraction types, and stages of presbyopia.18
Existing vs. New Wearer Perceptions
While the overall results were strong, it may be helpful to understand the lens experience among different patient groups, so ECPs can custom-tailor conversations with individual patients and set realistic expectations.18
Among patients, the multifocal experience differed slightly between existing and new contact lens wearers.18 Though fit success and scores for comfort, vision, and satisfaction remained high for both groups, they were much higher in existing contact lens wearers compared to new wearers at follow-up (Figure 2). Still, the scores for new wearers stayed on the high end and ranged from roughly 8 for overall satisfaction to 8.5 for overall comfort.18
Additionally, new wearers scored nearly 8 out of 10 for overall satisfaction at the one week follow up.18 Existing multifocal wearers were more successfully re-fit into a MyDay® multifocal when compared to their single vision counterparts, but at follow-up, no significant difference was noted between the groups.18
These findings underscore that MyDay® multifocal lenses are a great option for both the presbyope interested in wearing contacts for the first time or for existing wearers who are unsatisfied in their current multifocal lens or are unhappy with readers over their contacts.18
Fitting Guide Assists in Low-High Spectacle Adds
In some circles, it’s debated whether it may be more challenging to achieve a successful multifocal fit in advanced presbyopes with high adds. However, all add groups, from low to high, averaged a ranking of more than 8 out of 10 when it came to overall comfort, vision, and satisfaction (Figure 2).18 This finding underscores that MyDay® multifocal lenses can be successfully worn by early to advanced presbyopes when following the fitting guide.18
Refractive Error Considerations
Some ECPs may be concerned about not being able to achieve a successful fit in patients who have varying levels of ametropia. However, overall comfort scores were high across the board for myopes, hyperopes, and emmetropes.18 Myopes and hyperopes had strong satisfaction scores overall, and 71% of emmetropic fits were successful (Figure 2).18
What these findings tell us is that patients with all types of refractive error can be fit in MyDay® multifocal lenses, although, emmetropes may be more aware of a decrease in distance vision with multifocal contact lenses. However, their experience is still similar to the other groups, and successful emmetropic fits were still achieved a majority of the time after one week of daily wear.18 These results highlight that even patients not previously considered ideal contact lens candidates can be successfully fit in this lens.
Results Point to Significant Opportunities for Your Practice
Considering the growing presbyopic population, high performance MyDay® multifocal contact lenses present a great opportunity for ECPs to build successful multifocal contact lens practices, ‡18 which is important for overall practice growth. With an increase in the number of multifocal lens designs, materials, and prescription ranges, more patients should be offered this option. Of note, the survey found two-thirds of patients agreed that they preferred MyDay® multifocal over their current correction.18
Remember, a patient’s satisfaction with their vision in a multifocal lens is the best indicator of their desire to continue wearing it.20
Learn more about MyDay® multifocal and find more resources and learnings at CooperVision’s Online Success Center.
