A sixteen year survey of Canadian contact lens prescribing.

PURPOSE

To understand long-term contact lens prescribing habits of Canadian optometrists.

METHODS

One thousand optometrists were surveyed annually from 2000 to 2015. Information was requested on the first ten patients examined after receiving the survey.

RESULTS

Over the 16-year survey period, 1987 optometrists provided information on 19,143 patients. Mean age of the patients was 32.7±14.4years. Ratio of females to males was 2:1, the ratio of new fits to refits was 2:3. Soft contact lenses represented 94.5% of all fits. Rigid lenses were more often used as a refit compared to a new fit. Over the 16 years, market share for silicone hydrogel materials grew from 0% to 69.6%, mid-water content materials declined from 75.7% to 14.1%. The multifocal market share grew at the expense of spherical designs, with no change in toric lens fitting. Monthly soft lens replacement remained the preferred option at 48.2%, followed by daily disposable at 40.8%; two-weekly replacement declined to less than10% of patients by 2015. Extended wear was likely used to refit and only to a small proportion of wearers, representing 2.6% of SCL by 2015. The lens care system of choice throughout the period was multipurpose solutions, although the proportion for peroxide systems more than doubled by 2015 from 9.6%, to 21.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the 16-year period, SCL material preference changed to silicone hydrogels with monthly replacement being preferred; daily disposables replacing 2-weekly as the alternate. Lens care preference continued to be multipurpose solutions. Rigid lenses appear to be sustained for specialist fitting.