The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published Issue 91 of Contact Lens Update, which focuses on optimizing communication skills to help educate patients about contact lenses for presbyopia. The bi-monthly publication is available at no charge by visiting ContactLensUpdate.com.
“No one likes to be reminded that they are getting older, and the onset of presbyopia can be one of the first changes that makes someone aware of their age. Eye care practitioners play a vital role in reassuring patients that although presbyopia affects everyone, there are safe and effective contact lens treatment options to reduce their need to wear spectacles. The latest issue of Contact Lens Update helps practitioners discuss this important topic with their patients,” said Lyndon Jones, principal scientist at CORE.
Shalu Pal, an optometrist and owner of The Yorkville Eye Institute in Canada, shares her clinical expertise on contact lenses for presbyopia in the issue’s opening editorial. Her comprehensive guide outlines practical tips for practitioners to incorporate every day, covering a proactive approach to early education, a personalized method to explain accommodative status, a detailed guide of the entire fitting process, and the best way to assess visual satisfaction.
Susan Gromacki, an optometrist and director of the contact lens service at First Sight Vision Care in the United States, reminds colleagues of patient perspectives and concerns regarding presbyopia in this month’s feature article. She discusses the findings of a questionnaire and focus group that examined feelings about presbyopia and the most popular forms of vision correction in adults from ages 36 to 48.
This issue’s clinical insight is a patient handout from CORE that explains the basics of presbyopia and how different types of contact lens correction can be used to manage the condition. The full-color handout is available to download as a PDF and can be used as a helpful starting point for practitioners to explain the pros and cons of contact lens correction types, and to aid in identifying which option would best suit their patient’s lifestyle.
The conference highlight is contributed by Marc Vincent, an optometrist and head of Professional Affairs at CooperVision in France. His study examined the prescribing rate and satisfaction of 1,064 new and experienced contact lens wearers at 118 French eye care practices. Presbyopes were fit with soft daily disposable or frequent-replacement multifocal contact lenses, who then rated overall comfort and satisfaction, ease of handling, and quality of vision upon completion of the trial period. The study also reported the percentage of patients choosing to continue with lens wear or their reasons for discontinuation.
In addition to a complete archive of back issues, ContactLensUpdate.com offers a resource library that provides no-cost professional tools, patient resources, images and video. It also houses complimentary technical training videos produced by International Association of Contact Lens Educators, plus an industry glossary. Industry professionals can access the latest issue directly from ContactLensUpdate.com or quickly sign up for email receipt of future issues.
The publication receives support from the educational arms of Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.
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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) was established in 1988 at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science. Over the next three decades, the organization evolved from a three-person operation into a thriving hub of basic and applied research, collaborating with sponsors, agencies and academia on advanced biosciences, clinical research and education. Its uncompromising independence and results of the highest quality have been at the heart of many of the most prominent advances in eye health. Today, its team serves a range of ophthalmic sectors, including medical devices, ocular pharmaceuticals, digital technology and others, with a focus on the anterior segment. For more information, please visit core.uwaterloo.ca.
