LENSES FOR LIFE
Help patients stay healthy and comfortable
with customized care regimens for contacts
This article originally appeared in the June 2015 edition of INVISION.
Imagine if the old TV series Kung Fu did an episode on ECPs. A young student asks the wise Master Po: “Master, when it comes to the proper care of contact lenses, what is the answer?” The old sage replies, “Ah, Grasshopper. You have much to learn, for the solution to your question lies in the solution.”
Not everyone wears daily disposable contacts, so users of other lens types need effective solutions to disinfect and moisten lenses for comfort all day long, says Dr. Benjamin Chudner of Bausch & Lomb. The Centers for Disease Control estimates nearly 1 milllion annual visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for contact-related problems. Dr. Charissa Lee of Johnson & Johnson says that although people should know to read and follow labels, ECPs still ought to talk with patients upfront about effective lens care. This “show and tell” is something mass merchandisers can’t do, so helping patients learn good lens hygiene is a way to keep them coming to you for their contacts. — CAROL GILHAWLEY
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POINTS TO CONSIDER
➤ ECPs need to be comfortable addressing patient concerns head on. This means tackling questions related to visual acuity, price, fear of touching one’s own eye, and end-of-day comfort. We’re committed to helping ECPs recommend a particular lens care solution. We have increased samples, educated eyecare staff and added a free lens case with every bottle of contact lens solution. We also try to help consumers navigate some potentially misleading communications. — Eric Bruno, Alcon Laboratories
➤ Doctors should prescribe a specific solution for each patient, knowing how their patients will interact with the lenses. They should show patients how to store and clean them, to rub the lens, and recommend they use a fresh solution daily. It’s a no-no to top off old solution by adding fresh solution to the contact lens case. Patients might do this for financial considerations, from pure laziness, but most likely don’t know why they shouldn’t do it. — Dr. Charissa Lee, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care
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➤ The ECP should recommend the most appropriate contact lens solution to clean and disinfect based on conditions, mainly the type of contact lenses the patient has chosen or their eye health. Internet shops or drugstores do not offer these professional services, and the end user could end up purchasing an inappropriate solution. Using the right solution is as important as choosing the right contact lens. — Agustin Garello, Avizor Eye Care Solutions
➤ Only a handful of ECPs sell solutions. They don’t want to stock them or have an inventory. We’re a go-to solution when a patient has tried several other products but still could not get their lenses clean. — Jerry Uy, Lobob Laboratories
WHAT ECPs SAY
Dr. Chris Lievens
The Eye Center, Southern College
of Optometry, Memphis, TN
➤ “A patient needs to be informed about their risk factors for complications. If there’s risk of non-compliance with proper daily care and lens disinfection, recommendations will likely be altered. Patients should be taught about wearing contacts, caring for contacts and wearing schedules with contacts. All of this is analogous to similar discussions in the medical realm, like scheduled dosing with the correct medication for a patient who has glaucoma.”
➤ “As an ECP, I believe it’s our silver bullet to tackle patient education. Repetition is the hallmark of recollection, which is true for children and adults. Patients are more likely to understand and act if they hear it multiple times. All the components of what works effectively as a contact lens solution depends on the patient, their lifestyle, ocular history and ocular surface as well as the lenses they’re wearing. It’s not the same set of recommendations for every patient, so ECPs need to deliver a message that is customized.”
