Defocus Media Podcast Network

Defocus Media Podcast Network


Optometry Podcast: Is It Time to Think Differently About Your Patients’ Contact Lens Needs?

July 30, 2020

This podcast is sponsored by Alcon. Defocus Media and Dr. Pam Lowe were compensated by Alcon for their participation. Mr. Redman is an employee of Alcon.

Dr. Pam Lowe

Contact lenses address a medical need; but they are also very personal, with many factors influencing what is best for each individual patient. According to studies, many contact lens wearers—particularly new wearers—are unsatisfied by their contact lens experience and ultimately drop out of lens wear. In this episode, Dr. Lyerly interviews Dr. Pam Lowe and Bill Redman, asking if it’s time for eye care professionals to think differently about how we meet our patients’ needs. Dr. Lowe shares experiences from her optometry clinic in Chicago, Illinois, while Bill discusses some very large market research recently conducted by Alcon. 

By understanding several “big-picture” patient types identified in the market research, Dr. Lowe and Mr. Redman hope that providers can better understand what drives patients to contact lenses in the first place, and the needs, wants and expectations that they deserve their contact lenses—and the practitioners who recommend them—to fulfill.

Important information for AIR OPTIX® plus HydraGlyde® (lotrafilcon B) contact lensesFor daily wear or extended wear up to 6 nights for near/far-sightedness. Risk of serious eye problems (i.e., corneal ulcer) is greater for extended wear. In rare cases, loss of vision may result. Side effects like discomfort, mild burning or stinging may occur.

Important information for AIR OPTIX® COLORS (lotrafilcon B) contact lensesFor daily wear only for near/far-sightedness. Contact lenses, even if worn for cosmetic reasons, are prescription medical devices that must only be worn under the prescription, direction and supervision of an eye care professional. Serious eye health problems may occur as a result of sharing contact lenses. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. Side effects like discomfort, mild burning or stinging may occur. To help avoid these problems, patients must follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by their eye doctor.

Bill Redman, Employee of Alcon

Important information for DAILIES® COLORS (nelfilcon A) contact lensesFor daily wear, single use. Contact lenses, even if worn for Cosmetic reasons, are medical devices that must only be worn under the prescription, direction and supervision of an eye care professional. Serious eye health problems may occur as a result of sharing contact lenses.

See product instructions for complete wear, care and safety information.

References

* Dumbleton K, Woods C, Jones L, Fonn D. The impact of contemporary contact lenses on contact lens discontinuation. Eye Contact Lens. 2013;39:93-99.* Sulley A, Young G, Hunt C. Factors in the success of new contact lens wearers. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2019;40:15-24.* Alcon data on file, 2019. * Cummings S, Giedd B, Pearson C. Clinical performance of a new daily disposable spherical contact lens. Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96:E-abstract 195375.* Angelini TE, Nixon RM, Dunn AC, et al. Viscoelasticity and mesh-size at the surface of hydrogels characterized with microrheology. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013;54:E-abstract 500.* Alcon data on file, 2018. 

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