Clinical survey of lens care in contact lens patients.

Purpose: Overall, contact lenses provide a safe and effective modality for vision correction. However, problems do occasionally arise. Up to 80% of contact lens complications can be traced to poor patient compliance with recommended lens care guidelines. We conducted a survey to evaluate the level of patient compliance in specific areas of lens care and maintenance and to assess patient knowledge of basic contact lens information.

Methods: Patients were asked to complete an anonymous 15 question survey that focused on lens care--specifically the use of contact lens cleaners, methods of disinfection, enzyme treatments, use of rewetting drops, and the frequency of follow-up exams. In addition, the survey included six true/false questions relating to contact lens care and safety.

Results: There were a total of 103 participants in the study. Approximately 24% of patients stated they never cleaned their lenses prior to disinfection, and 5% used saline solutions as their primary mode of disinfection. A sizable portion of those surveyed (43% of soft lens wearers and 71% of rigid gas permeable lens wearers) either never used enzyme cleaners or used them less than once a month. Seventy percent of patients either never used rewetting drops or used them less than once a day. Twenty-nine percent of patients consulted their eye care professionals every 2 years and 6% less often than every two years. Six questions assessed patient knowledge of contact lens care safety. Of a possible six out of six correct answers, the mean number of correct responses was 3.74.

Conclusions: A sizable proportion of contact lens wearers do not adequately adhere to recommended contact lens care, and many have an inadequate understanding of contact lens care guidelines. Therefore, it is important that practitioners place more emphasis on patient education at the time of initial contact lens fitting and reinforce such instruction during follow-up visits.