CLINICAL

  contact lenses

Seek the Unique Cases

The uncommon contact lens cases may prove to be the most rewarding.

JASON R. MILLER, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O.

With all the new technology in contact lenses, now is the time to think outside the box and consider trying a new contact lens method. You may find an interesting case would benefit greatly from the use of contact lenses.

Many of these patients have heard that they may not be good candidates for contact lens wear, or maybe their previous doctor showed no interest in fitting them.

So, seize the opportunity to offer these unique patients something they thought they could never have. They aren’t expecting a successful outcome, so getting these patients into contact lenses could prove to be quite valuable for your practice.

Control the myopia.

Parents are, no doubt, concerned when their child’s myopia is climbing each and every year, sometimes quicker than they can keep up with. The research is still mounting, and the best is probably yet to come. However, we know that orthokeratolgy offers some myopia control.

Orthokeratology provides an opportunity to separate our services from the competition. We can offer a contact lens that can correct patients’ vision while they sleep, and potentially will result in a lower refractive error than otherwise expected. These patients may require some “hand-holding” through the first week, depending on the amount of correction.

As always, it is important to manage patient expectations. Be sure to discuss the process and ways to help during the transition.

Convert presbyopes.

How many times do you talk about presbyopia throughout the course of a day? Many emmetropic presbyopic patients have never even considered trying contact lenses, but would likely welcome the opportunity if presented to them. Instead of going through your usual reading glasses vs. PAL spiel, consider offering multifocal contact lenses as your first choice for those patients. Very few enjoy carrying around reading glasses and would love to be able to read their phone sans spectacle correction.

Tackle the rare cases.

Many of the unique contact lens cases can be the most rewarding, both because they take on a more individualized approach, and they help to create satisfied, life-long patients.

For example, say a teenage patient born with an iris coloboma presents seeking advice to improve his image (see figure 1). By taking a digital photo of his iris and sending it to a custom color contact lens manufacturer, you could virtually match his other eye, thus improving the patient’s perception of himself.

Figure 1: A male patient born with an iris coloboma was monitored closely during his youth and successfully fit with a color contact lens as a teenager to improve the cosmetic appearance.

Go for it.

With all the new contact lens designs and opportunities, take a chance and try something new. Take the time to fit a more challenging ocular surface patient with a mini-scleral rigid GP lens. Offer the emmetropic presbyopic patient a daily disposable multifocal lens design, and see what happens. These patients may become your most loyal and best referral sources. OM

DR. MILLER IS A PARTNER IN A PRIVATE PRACTICE IN POWELL, OHIO, AND IS AN ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBER FOR THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY. SEND COMMENTS TO OPTOMETRICMANAGEMENT@GMAIL.COM.