Disposable contact lenses : Ways to increase the sell in market by eye care professionals and various forms of CL modality.

1. Optom. Ankit S. Varshney
M.Optom, Ph.D. in Optometry (pursuing) Fellow of IACLE (Aus.), Fellow of ASCO(Mum.)
Prof. at (Shree Bharatimaiya College of Optometry & Physiotherapy, Surat)
Educator Member of International Association of Contact lenses Educators (Australia)(IACLE)
Associate Member of Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry(ASCO)
Life Member of Indian Optometric Association (IOA)
Member of Optometry Council of India(OCI)
Mail id: ankitsvarshney@yahoo.com
Whatsapp no. +918155955820
How to encourage for
Disposable CLs…

2. ALL THE LENSES:
Daily,
Biweekly,
Monthly or
Conventional
ARE AVAILABLE IN MARKET.
With
Good property
Good material
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 2

3. But !!!
 Then question arises;
 Which one is better?
 Which contact lenses we want to provide our customer?
 Which lenses will make the things more easier?
 Which is the most convenient one?
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 3

4. Learning Objectives
 To understand the degree and potential consequences
of non-compliance in contact lens wearers
 To understand patient behaviors and how to influence
 To highlight strategies to enhance CL wear
 To develop abilities to tailor different strategies to
different individuals and more penetration in market.
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5. The Goals is to encourage more & more
CLs wear
 Contact Lens is better than spectacles
 Contact lens is free from all complications
 Contact lens can be worn in the eye for longer duration
without removal
5
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney

6. Why Contact Lenses ?
 Correction of refractive errors.
– Sph./ Toric/ Multifocal
 Better, less distorted optical correction
 Therapeutic uses
– Protect Cornea
– Drug delivery/ Myopia control
 Cosmetic appearance – “Natural Look”
 Enhance performance.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 6

7. Benefits of CL
Natural appearance
Confident movements
Increased side vision
Why Contact Lenses ?
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8. Why Contact Lenses ?
No change in image size
Comfortable near work
Use eyewear's/sunglasses
No weather dependency
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9. Consumers Demand
– Convenience
– Health/ Hygiene
– Quality
– Value
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10. 10
Today’s consumers are more health conscious
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11. What does "health" mean to consumers?
In their own words, consumers described "healthier" …
"will not cause infection“
"better for you, better for your eyes"
"comfortable, lubricated, safe"
"optimal perfection, clean and pure"
"worry free, infection free"
"healthier body, vision, lifestyle"
"less strain, less maintenance, less infection"
"fewer side effects, won't cause problems"14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 11

12. Contact Lens options
 Lens design and material
 Lens parameters available
 Frequency of replacement
 Modality of wearing
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 12

13. Contact Lens modalities
 Daily wear
– High Rx - fit high water on Daily wear.
 Flexible wear (one night, occasional)
 Extended wear (6 nights, 7 days)
 Continuous wear (> 1 week extended)
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 13

14. Contact Lens Replacement
 Conventional
 Frequent replacement/Disposable
Daily disposable
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15. Conventional Lenses = FACTs
 LIFE SPAN of a Contact Lens ?
– Physical + Chemical = USABLE ??
 USAGE will cause Wear and Tear.
– Physical factors - friction, deposits
– Chemical factors - Lens Care System.
 Surface quality will degrade every time lens
is used, even when CLEANED (LCPs).
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16. Surface deposits
 Deposit is defined as any surface coating which is not flushed or
rinsed from a lens by tears during blinking (* by IACLE).
 As soon as a lens is placed on the eye, the depositing processes
initiates.
 Even the BEST lens care systems cannot make the contact lens
Deposit FREE !
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17. Effects of deposits = Bad
 Reduce wetting of lens surface
 Alter lens parameters and shape
 Degrade lens polymer
– Reduce Visual acuity
– Increase irritation & discomfort
– Increase risk of infections - GPC
– Patient drop out of Contact Lens wear.
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18. Source of deposits
 Indigenous - Tear Film.
 Exogenous - Environmental factors like pollution,
cosmetics, dry weather.
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19. Classification of deposits
 Layers of Tear film
– Oil, Aqueous & Mucus (lipid)
 Protein deposits occur within minutes of lens wear,
usually invisible to naked eye.
 Lipid - occur after 15 days of usage.
 Mucin - occurs in 1 hour of lens wear
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20. Factors influencing deposition
 Individual differences in Tear film.
 Contact Lens material.
 Lens care system modality & use.
 Contact Lens Wearing schedule.
 Environment - pollution, temperature.
 Patient hygiene.
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21. Contact Lens Complications
 Most commonly occur because of non-compliance
by the patient.
 Should be noticed by practitioners at Follow-up
checkups.
 After 6 months of lens wear, 50% problems are due to
surface deposits.
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22. Contact Lens Complications
 (GPC) Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis
 (CLARE) Contact Lens Acute Red Eye
 (CLPU) Contact Lens Peripheral Ulcer
 (MK) Microbial Keratitis = SERIOUS
 (IK) Infiltrative Keratitis (Asymptomatic)
 Neo-vascularisation & infiltrates
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 22

23. What are the ways to eliminate these
obstacles to successful contact lens
practice?
Replace the lenses as often as possible
 Frequent lens replacement schedule (DCLs)
– A solution for Excellent HEALTH !
 Advantages
– New surface every time NEW Lens worn.
– Provides healthy comfortable VISION
SHORTER IS BETTER
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24. Why Disposable Contact Lenses
 Most healthy option
 Increased comfort
 Reduce complications
 Wear and tear occurs with every use
 Deposits denature, cause discomfort
 Increased risk of complications
Why NOT Conventional CLs ?
Degree of
contamination
and/or
damage
AGE
Lens
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 24

25. Disposable CL’s - What’s that
 Disposability is a CONCEPT
– Not simply use and throw.
 Period of disposability is the time frame after which it may not
be healthy to use that contact lens.
“Designed to be thrown away after one use and not to be
laundered or refilled”
(Concise Oxford Dictionary)
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26. Conventional to Disposable
 Since many years Indian market jumped from
Conventional lenses to Disposable
 Yet, Practitioners approach to solve the problem
needs to be modified.
 Patient’s attitude will not change over night
- We have to be the catalyst
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27. Frequent Replacement lenses
 Conventional Lenses required frequent change due to
various reasons
– Refractive status, Wear & Tear.
– Allergic problems, Ocular effects.
 This lead to Frequent Replacement with time factor as
common variable.
 Thus: “Intended to be worn & disinfected, on a daily
wear basis and replaced between 1 month and 3
months”14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 27

28. Disposable Points
 Disposable Lenses = LESS Side Effects.
 Disposable Contact Lenses for Practitioners who have
time for Patient education of possible side effects.
 Disposable Contact Lenses only for patients with good
disposable Finances (not necessary).
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29. ?
For Better Hygiene
and Healthy Eyes.
For
Superior
Comfort.
For Greater
Convenience.
1 2 3
Why should one switch to
Disposable Contact Lenses?
 Crisp Vision.
 Trouble Free Lens wear.
 Spare pair availability at all times.
 Better Value for Money.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 29

30. Myths about Disposables
Eye Care Practitioner =
 Patients take trial pairs, never come back - I loose my
time & practice.
 DCL’s are expensive for my patients.
 Patients will run away if I tell about DCLs
 CL prescription goes out of my clinic.
14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 30

31. Myths about Disposables
Patients =
 DCL’s are VERY Expensive !
 I can sleep with DCL’s, NO side effects
 I can wear DCL’s till problems occur.
 Not suitable for Indian conditions !
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32. Replacement Schedules
Conventional Soft lenses
 3 to 6 months Frequent Replacement
– Part time wear (special occasions, sports)
– Border line dry eye.
– Compliant to lens care instructions
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33. Replacement Schedules
 2 to 4 week disposable
– Full or part time wearer
– Dry eye patients with problems
– Poor compliance for lens care
 One Day disposable
– Full or part time wearer
– Highly non-compliant patient
– Solution allergy
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34. Frequent Replacement ?
 NOT the BEST solution for Excellent HEALTH !
 Change C. Lenses at Specific Intervals!!!!
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35. Time for a CHANGE ?
 WHEN and HOW do We decide to change the Soft
Contact Lenses ?
 Occurrence of eye problems ?
– Prevention better than cure
 Physical degradation of Lens surface ?
– Follow-up checkup very essential
 Specific Time Frame ?
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36. All the lenses have some drawback
And this leads to encourage for best replacement method
“DAILY DISPOSABLE LENSES”
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37. How it is different ?
 It is the safest and the cleanest option. No lens care
needed.
 Most hygienic form of wear.
 Most comfortable lens.
 Clear and hazel free vision.
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38. So….
 From these points it can be said that
 Daily disposable are the nice one .
 It can be worn in pool ,occasionally, during sports ,
travelling.
The most important factor “TIME”
TIME IS MONEY
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39. Convenient
 It is most comfortable in all way
 Very thin lenses –high oxygen
permeability.
 Healthy life.
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40. Present scenario
Still wearers don’t know what is the differences
between disposable and daily disposable.
Because of
 Non compliance
 Incomplete information
 Wrong instruction about lens replacement for
their benefit.
 Some Practitioner play with wearers eye,
to full their pocket.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 40

41.  Because of that –he is the one who suffer’s
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42.  But it is in our hands , we can change the present
scenario in future
because
 We will be the one who will decide which lenses will be
best for our customer .
 According to the need and requirement of our patients.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 42

43. Patient counseling to enhance compliance:
 Patients motivation
– Eye health, reduced lens care, unit cost
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44. Some Tips for promoting compliance in DDCLs
1. Keep the message simple.
2. Stress the benefits of using the lenses for single use, daily wear only and reinforce
the risks of incorrect lens use or overnight wear
3. Give verbal and written instructions on lens wear and care, customized to DDCLs
4. Question the patient carefully at each aftercare visit and reinforce instructions
5. Don’t assume that if wearers do discard their lenses daily they are fully compliant
6. Be aware that infections can and do occur with daily disposables
7. Focus discussion on key modifiable behaviours most likely to reduce risk in this
group
8. Demonstrate and have them demonstrate correct hand washing
9. Make sure your supply and pricing policies encourage compliance
10. Ensure spectacle prescription is current and dispensed
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45. Wearers should .
 Follow the practitioners instruction.
 Ask the eye care practitioner for the new lenses in the
market.
 And ask the lenses which are best for him.
 Immediately come to the practitioner if they have any
problem due to CL wear.
 Never compromise in terms of comfort and quality.
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46. Promotional aspect
 Promote the lenses by,
advertisement.
posters
media
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47. How to convince
 Educate & Inform Patients
By knowing the,
 Requirement
 Need
 Schedule
 Comfort and convenient
We can try to convince our patients and make there
life easy.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 47

48. Healthy Practice
 Good mind set.
 The Personal Touch….You’re in
the News.
 Focus on the patient’s satisfaction
– not ours.14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 48

49. Keep a track of big shots
 Always watch the big players
in the market
– Price and offers.
– Profit margin.
– New product.
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50. Customer service
 Pleasing staff.
 Appointment system….
 Prompt delivery.
 Seasonal greetings.
 Recreational facilities.
 Regular reminders.
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51. Avoid Drop-outs
 Address Discomfort Issues.
 Fitting to right patient
 Make aware of various lenses.
 Grooming patient loyalty.
 Price, Convenience, Better Service.
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52. Cost Effectiveness ?
 GOOD HEALTH costs money
 Excellent COMFORT costs money
 All Precious things in life are always worth the
expenses
 ONLY One Life = One pair of Eyes !
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53. Target
Echo boomers
Baby boomers
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54. SUMMARY
Definitely the best option is daily disposable CLs
And, currently it should be advice to all CL wearers.
 People dropping out because of time , discomfort , blurred vision.
 Care and clean & most importantly the person being lazy
 Thus, Patients needs a CLs that provides great vision and comfort
whole day in this digital world.
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55.  All of us will like to use and dispense daily
disposable lens
For best result.
Happy & Satisfied Patients !!14 July 2020 Optom. Ankit Varshney 55