Innovating for multifocal fitting success

Part 1 of this series highlighted the opportunity to increase the prescribing rate for multifocal contact lenses in the UK and examined the design principles behind the currently available lens options.1

We saw that presbyopes remain under-represented among contact lens wearers since relatively few are switched from single-vision to multifocal lenses and almost as many each year are switched out.2,3 Dropout from multifocals is also higher than from single-vision lenses,4 not only due to dissatisfaction with vision but also to issues relating to the ageing eye, such as tear film changes and reduced comfort.

Multifocal contact lenses differ between manufacturers, and brands, and behave differently on the individual eye. A lens that provides good visual stability and comfort – and has optics optimised according to pupil size by age and also by distance refraction – has the potential to increase multifocal prescribing and improve success rates. In addition, the lens needs to centre well on the eye, be made of a material compatible with the ageing eye, and come in a modality that is flexible and easy for patients to use.