She notes there are key areas of growth that ECPs can be looking into as they expand their offerings for older patients including products such as multifocal contact lenses .
“ As the baby boomer population increases , multifocal contact lenses offer the opportunity to grow your practice ,” she said . “ By successfully fitting multifocal lenses , you can boost patient satisfaction , retention , and referrals .”
Presently retention rates are fairly low with 49 per cent of contact lens wearers returning to glasses due to various health and comfort factors .
Lougheed said Bausch & Lomb have created tools for ECPs to help them inform patients about how to properly wear contact lenses and increase overall satisfaction .
She said there is greater awareness of challenges both ECPs and patients are facing .
“ We recognize those changes and have developed new products that will help to minimize some of those challenges ,” she said noting products like the new multifocal contact lens , PureVision 2 for Presbyopia offer greater clarity and comfort .”
She said 50 per cent of patients admit to having difficulty seeing at distances be it near or intermediate vision at work . For those presbyopes who demand better vision in real life , new PureVision 2 for Presbyopia lenses are designed to provide a real solution by bringing clarity to the real world .
The lenses have the same water content ( 78 per cent ) as the cornea and deliver the amount of oxygen needed to maintain healthy , white eyes during daily wear .
“ For patients who are looking to have the benefits of daily disposable contact lenses , what better option than a contact lens that is inspired by the biology of the eyes ,” she said .
Maintaining an open dialogue between ECP and patient is critical . More than two thirds of contact lens wearers say they are bothered by blurry vision or comfort issues , according to Lougheed . However , only one in three patients are actually telling their ECP about the problem .
“ The cumulative effects of vision related symptoms such as blurry vision , eye fatigue , or dryness symptoms over the course of the day may manifest themselves as end-ofday discomfort for the contact lens wearer ,” she said .
Taking the time to discuss these issues with patients will help address discomfort and keep patients in contact lenses longer . •
14 OPTICAL PRISM DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | AUG 2013