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ADDRESS THE RISK

PROVIDE YOUR CONSUMERS WITH THE FACTS, GOOD AND BAD

JUSTIN BAZAN, O.D.

THERE ARE three simple steps to buying contact lenses without a valid prescription. The editors of Optometric Management removed them from this column, but consumers can find them easily enough through a Google search. My intention in presenting the steps was not to encourage purchases without a valid prescription (which is illegal in the United States), but to show how risky it is to do so.

Nearly 1 million trips to the doctor every year are due to eye infections, according to the CDC’s November 2014 “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.” As eye care professionals, we know the single largest risk factor: contact lens wear! Do your patients know this?

WHAT CAN WE DO?

The question is: What are we doing to minimize or eliminate this unhealthy and illegal activity? One step is to encourage patients to schedule annual eye exams. The AOA, American Academy of Ophthalmology, FDA and CDC all recognize the importance of an annual eye exam in helping to safeguard eyes for optimal success with contact lens wear. Do you do enough to share this knowledge?

CONSUMERS LACK INSPIRATION

Turning our attention to the consumers, we can surmise that this lack of a desire to have an annual eye exam and contact lens exam is likely due, in part, to the perception that it really isn’t worth their time and money to make an appointment, right? Is this the patient’s fault? Is it that many eye docs poorly convey the importance of this care and fail to inspire a desire for patients to return? We, as doctors, need to let consumers know what we are doing and why it’s important. I, personally, educate before, during and after the exam.

BETTER THAN ‘FINE’

Or maybe it’s that consumers have always been “fine” with their current contact lenses, so why not just reorder them without the exam? There is a clear risk in such thinking that we need to address. During the exam, we, as doctors, should be re-educating on proper contact lens wear and care. We should be giving patients chances to try healthier or better performing types of contact lenses, such as daily disposables and new generation silicone hydrogels.

RECOGNIZE HEALTH BENEFITS

We should be giving them an earful regarding how the annual exam can identify signs of trouble in their eyes, before it becomes an infection or affects their vision. Docs, you may say you are doing these things, which is great, but how good are you at it? After the appointment, does your average patient understand the health benefits of coming to your office?

PRESENT THE FACTS

I’m amazed that despite one in 500 contact lens users are affected by potentially blinding eye infections, according to an October 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, anyone would take a chance on ordering contact lenses online without a valid prescription. OM

If you suspect the contact lens rule is being violated, report it at tinyurl.com/FDAContact, or email stopillegalCLs@aoa.org.

DR. BAZAN is founder of Park Slope Eye, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He is a member of the AOA, NYSOA and the American Academy of Orthokeratology & Myopia Control. In 2014, he received financial compensation for services from Allergan, Bausch + Lomb, Vision Service Plan, Luxottica, The Vision Council and Foster Grant.