contact lens focus

A Natural Fit

Daily disposable lens combines comfort and convenience.

JOSHUA LAHIFF, O.D.

I'm a firm believer in the value of daily disposable contact lenses. That's why I fit roughly 90% of my soft contact lens wearers in this modality.

Here, I discuss the 1-Day Acuvue TruEye Brand Contact Lenses (narafilcon A), from Vistakon, my initial recommendation for most wearers.

Overview

End-of-day comfort is a key measure of successful wear to me and many of my colleagues. The 1-Day Acuvue TruEye lenses provide this through Hydraclear 1 Technology, in which a moisture-rich agent is embedded in the lens material itself.

The lenses are comparable to the natural eye in terms of comfort. Also, bulbar conjunctival hyperaemia, limbal hyperaemia, corneal staining, conjunctival staining and papillary conjunctivitis were clinically equivalent for 1-Day Acuvue TruEye wearers and non-contact lens wearers.¹

In addition, the lens has a relatively large diameter, so the edges rest on the conjunctiva to increase comfort, and the narafilcon A material allows 98% of oxygen to reach the cornea. Finally, with a single-use lens, patients appreciate not having to deal with cleaning and care or remembering when to change their lenses.

Fitting and chair time

In my clinical experience, the fit of 1-Day Acuvue TruEye is typically successful following one trial pair, which reduces return visits.

Overall, I have found that these wearers spend less time coming to the office for follow-up appointments, which leads to a positive experience for them. In addition, the 1-Day Acuvue TruEye 1-2-3 inversion mark aids in lens insertion and removal by ensuring the lenses aren't inside out.

Further, the lenses' blue tinting eases handling. As a result, I don't spend much time having to refit or tweak fits, and less of my overall chair time is spent trying to find solutions to contact lens-related problems.

1-Day Acuvue TruEye
MATERIAL: Narafilcon A
DK/T (EDGE CORRECTED): 118 × 10−9
WEARING SCHEDULE: Daily wear
RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE: Daily disposable
DIAMETER: 14.2 mm
BASE CURVE: 8.5 and 9.0
SPHERE POWERS: −0.50D to −6.00D and +0.50D to +6.00D (0.25-D steps); −6.50D to −12.00D (0.50-D steps)

Marketing and ROI

When I take the approach of explaining to patients all the benefits of the 1-Day Acuvue TruEye, as outlined above, they generally see the value in it, despite the higher cost compared with reusable lenses.

Word of mouth about the performance of this lens has brought and continues to bring multiple patients back to my practice. When patients are impressed with a lens' comfort and performance, they are more willing to refer a patient to your practice, which results in growth of one's contact lens patient base.

A testimonial

From my own experience wearing 1-Day Acuvue TruEye Brand, I can leave these lenses on all day and still be comfortable at the end of the day.

My patients report similar experiences, which has turned them into advocates for me and my practice. OM

1. Morgan PB, Chamberlain P, et al. Ocular physiology and comfort in neophyte subjects fitted with daily disposable silicone hydrogel contact lenses Contact Lens & Anterior Eye 2013;36:118-25.

DR. LAHIFF IS A PARTNER AT THE CHEYENNE VISION CLINIC IN CHEYENNE, WYO. HE IS A CONSULTANT TO VISTAKON DIVISION OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE, INC., WHICH PROVIDED EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ARTICLE, AND ALLERGAN PHARMACEUTICALS. E-MAIL HIM AT DOCLAHIFF@PACIFICU.EDU.