Conferences: On trend with contact lenses

Though a major theme throughout the recent CooperVision-supported online Virtual Perspectives conference was myopia management (see Optician 24.03.23), Marcella McParland (pictured), senior director for professional affairs, EMEA, CooperVision, was keen to emphasise that the agenda reflected many other hot topics of relevance to those in contact lens practice. 

Zoe Bull (pictured), director of category management, EMEA for CooperVision, is becoming the go-to expert when it comes to digging into data to concerning trends and growth opportunities in contact lens practice. 

Describing some of the latest market analysis figures, Bull first of all highlighted some patient-specific (or consumer-specific) trends. Notable of these were that 53% of consumers regularly use social media, that 65% were worried about climate change and 72% would prefer ‘environmentally friendly’ contact lenses. Surely, denial is no longer an option for eye care professionals (ECPs). As our patients want to ‘live sustainably’, then it is essential for practices to be transparent about this, to communicate their values effectively, to educate patients on all available choices and to be proactive when it comes to sustainability.