ADVERTORIAL
By Gina M. Wesley, OD, MS, FAAO
When prescribing two-week or one-month contact lenses, CLEAR CARE hydrogen peroxide solution is always my first choice. I know this solution will thoroughly clean the lens, resulting in more comfortable and healthy contact lens wear.
You need to think of recommending a solution in terms of keeping your contact lens wearer happy and in contact lenses, and preventing drop outs. If your patients have a less-than-ideal wearing experience every day, they may wear lenses less frequently and eventually drop out altogether. Studies continue to show us that our contact lens patients are, on average, around $50-$150 or more profitable every year than our glasses wearers alone (Jobson Medical Information data, Best Practices in Contact lens wear). If these patients become glasses-only patients, or are lost from your practice, the financial impact can be significant.
The average US practice is 30 percent contact lens wearers, and the annualized drop out is around 16 percent. New wearers are entering, on average, at the same rate, so hopefully, doctors are replacing them at the same rate. But, what if you aren’t? What if your losses are greater than that because of non-compliance and poor wearing experience leading to earlier drop outs? Or, in the case of my practice, 50 percent of my patients wear contact lenses, so imagine the financial impact of many patients dropping out of contact lenses. The financial impact is greater for a practice with a greater amount of wearers.
Prevent CL Dropouts
Using CLEAR CARE helps to prevent contact lens drop outs by minimizing deposits, debris, allergens and biofilm build-up that can lead to every-day lens discomfort and sub-optimal vision performance. If your patient starts to reduce lens wearing time, and then average lens wearing days per week, you are headed toward them dropping out of contact lens wear completely. We sometimes assume our wearers suddenly made a decision one day to no longer wear contact lenses. However, if we ask the right questions and elicit real wearing habits, we have the opportunity to find solutions to the mild irritations and issues that can be solved by using a solution like CLEAR CARE.
Like Putting in a New Lens Every Day
I educate my patients that using CLEAR CARE is like having a fresh, new lens every day because of the great cleaning it provides. This leads to enhanced comfort because of reduced build-up, and a more consistent wear experience throughout the life of that contact lens. A monthly wearer, for instance, may have a much better wear experience in the first few weeks of the lens than the last week. CLEAR CARE can make this lens more comfortable for the entire month. Eye health is also improved because we are mitigating the exposure of ocular tissues to bacterial build-up, and very importantly for many patients, allergens that lead to itch or mild irritation every day. Many patients may think this irritation is “normal” for contact lens wear, and you can easily help them improve their wear experience by prescribing CLEAR CARE for daily use.
I tell patients I have a hydrogen peroxide solution system that works very well to eliminate build-up, deposits and debris on their lenses from every-day wear that’s contributing to their issues (I relate it specifically to the issue they are having). I then instruct them how to use it, making sure to never put the solution in their eye or onto the lens in their eye. Key tips are also making sure they place the lens case in a spot where it won’t get easily knocked over, as well as making sure to replace the case every time they get a new bottle of solution. This may be an ingrained habit that’s hard to break, as our MPS users are used to hanging on to cases for at least several months at a time.
Sensitive Eyes, Allergy Suffers Helped
I recommend CLEAR CARE to my patients with allergies, sensitivities to other solutions or just sensitive eyes in general, dry eye patients who wear contact lenses, anyone with a history of deposit issues, patients with a history of ocular inflammation or infection issues, or any patient who is desiring a cleaner-feeling lens and whose regular MPS solution is not working for them.
Don’t Miss Opportunity to Enhance Wear for All Patients
Some of my peers make the mistake of only prescribing CLEAR CARE to patients with issues such as sensitive eyes and allergies. I would point out they may be missing a lot of opportunities to help other patients with their mild complaints and issues. We tend as a profession to be reactive, and this is a great way to be proactive and keep your patients in lens wear longer.
Not All Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions Equal
CLEAR CARE has been the gold standard for years in the hydrogen peroxide solution market, and has proven time and again in research to provide superior cleaning capabilities.
