THE CONTACT LENS market in the U.S. is exploding and estimated to reach $3.1 billion this year. A new report by Global Industry Analysts says users are younger and there is a rapid expansion in the wearer base. It cites strong growth in the specialty lens segment and advancements in material science which are improving the industry’s prospects. The market for daily lenses is growing, primarily due to their convenience. Some patients may baulk at the price, but when you factor in the cost of lens solution for a reusable lens, the cost of a daily is not much more.
Menicon
Miru 1-day Flat Pack.
(800) 636-4266 | meniconamerica.com
Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb ULTRA Multifocal for astigmatism.
(800) 828-9030 | bausch.com
VSP Optics
Unity BioSync with HydraMist daily disposables in 8.5 and 8.8 base curves.
(800) 245-6414 | unitycontactlenses.com
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Eyeris
Eyeris daily comes in hioxifilcon A material and an 8.5 base curve.
(833) 439-3747 | myeyeris.com
CooperVision
MyDay toric is a silicone hydrogel 1-day lens with around-the-clock axes and 0.25D steps in plus powers.
(800) 341-2020 | coopervision.com/practitioner
Visioneering Technologies
NaturalVue Multifocal 1-day lens.
(844) 884-5367 | vtivision.com
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Johnson & Johnson Vision
ACUVUE Multifocal with Optimized Pupil Design.
(800) 874-5278 | jnjvisionpro.com
Alcon
TOTAL30 uses Alcon’s proprietary Water Gradient material for nearly 100% water at the surface in a reusable contact lens.
(800) 875-3001 | alcon.com
Smart Ways to Sell Contact Lenses
Shane Kannarr, ODKannarr Eye Care, Pittsburg, Girard & Fort Scott, KS
It’s not a one size fits all approach when prescribing contact lenses. We assess the patient’s personality, their visual demands and the anatomy of their eye and then customize a fit to maximize their vision, comfort and experience. Our staff are trained to ask questions non-intrusively and politely from the time the patient arrives in our practice to the time they leave. Communication in our office is everything. I would fit everyone in a daily if I could but sometimes there is patient pushback, if they consider them wasteful or cost prohibitive. We fit dailies about 50% of the time, two-week lenses about 30% of the time and the rest wear a monthly. We try to maximize the patient experience in whatever modality they choose, unless there are ocular health issues, and then I will always prescribe a daily. We like the ACUVUE family of lenses the best.
Aaron Luekenga, ODHeritage Valley Eye Care, Santa Paula & Fillmore, CA
The introduction of water surface technology is the latest innovation in contact lenses and is exclusive to Alcon. It came out with the Precision1 in 2019 and Precision1 for Astigmatism in late 2020. Both are daily CLs that add a water surface to the lens. The material is hybrid with silicone hydrogel at its core. Other lenses tend to be hydrophobic, pushing moisture away from the surface, but Alcon uses permanently bonded hydrophilic molecules that attract water between the cornea, eyelid and contact lens. It’s been so successful in our practice that it has become my number one lens and fits 90% of my patients. They say they can’t feel the lens at all, it’s comfortable and moist, and the clarity of the lens is very good. Seven years ago, we were fitting most of our patients with two week modalities. Now, we’re prescribing single use lenses about 80% of the time. We’ve had a natural migration to the healthier, daily modality, especially among young people. In so doing, we’ve managed to practically eliminate corneal ulcers. Patients don’t need to carry a lens solution with them and the cost is a minor factor after they wear them.