Truth or myth: Contact lens coefficient of friction (surface lubricity) is a key driver of contact lens comfort?

Discomfort is a major factor contributing to contact lens (CL) dropout.^1,2 For optimum success, eye care professionals (ECPs) must be aware of the possible steps to take to mitigate any discomfort that may be experienced by their patients. Soft CLs have many material properties, but not all will have a significant impact on comfort.³

The coefficient of friction (CoF) of the surface of a CL material, commonly referred to as ‘lubricity’,^4,5 is being increasingly recognised by the research community as a property that plays an important role in CL comfort.³ While this may be the case, are clinicians aware of these latest developments regarding the importance of friction?