Abstract
Purpose
To document contact lens prescribing trends in the United Kingdom over the past quarter
of a century.
Methods
An annual survey of contact lens prescribing was conducted each year from 1996 to
2020, inclusive, by asking a random selection of optometrists and contact lens opticians
to provide information relating to 10 consecutive contact lens fits between January
and March.
Results
Over the 25 year survey period, 2,671 practitioners returned survey forms, reporting
a total of 25,575 contact lens fits. The mean (± standard deviation) age of lens wearers
was 35 ± 15 years, of which 64 % were female. Over the survey period, rigid lens new
fits decreased from 22 % to 2%. The prescribing of silicone hydrogel lenses has increased
steadily since their introduction towards the end of the 1990s, and now represent
80 % of soft lens fits. Soft toric lens prescribing has gradually increased to 47
% – a value at which astigmatism ≥ 0.75DC is theoretically corrected in all contact
lens wearers. Daily disposable prescribing increased steadily over the survey period
and now represents 63 % of lenses prescribed. Extended wear fits remain at very low
levels, except for some prescribing for overnight orthokeratology. Multi-purpose lens
care solutions are ubiquitous; peroxide and other systems are now seldom prescribed.
Rigid lenses and monthly replacement soft lenses are predominantly worn on a full
time basis, whereas daily disposable soft lenses are mainly worn part time.
Conclusions
This report documents the evolution of contact lens fitting in the United Kingdom
over the past 25 years. The most likely lens fit is a spherical design silicone hydrogel
daily disposable contact lens prescribed for a 35 year old female and worn on a part-time
basis.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 13, 2021
Accepted:
April 9,
2021
Received in revised form:
March 28,
2021
Received:
January 6,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
