Contact lens market has commoditised before its time, says mark'ennovy

Contact lenses have become commoditised prematurely with the prevalence of lenses designed for the average eye and fitters have to be able to offer all of their patients a viable solution to differentiate themselves and allow the market to grow.

Chris Carter, group sales and marketing director at mark ‘ennovy, said all of the big contact lens supplier have focused their attention on what he describes as the ‘average eye’ and this risked some contact lens fitters making compromises.

Once you move outside the needs of the average eye fitters have to tell patients they can’t wear contact lenses or fit a ‘good enough’ lens. ‘Offering the ‘good enough’ is shaky ground,’ he said. At a time when practices needed to differentiate being able to offer contact lenses which met all wearers’ needs was a valid route to take.