Irregular corneas are increasing in prevalence bringing the opportunity for treatment specialisation, a CET event told delegates this week.
No7’s contact lens events earlier this month looked at the incidence of injury, infection and disease and post-lasik, which it said were all contributing to an increasing incidence of patients needing specialist contact lens care.
The seminars attracted hospital clinicians, independent optometrists and contact lens practitioners over two days.
Danny Pepper, No7 sales and marketing manager, said: ‘The day provided the confidence to assess and fit a wide range of contact lenses to patients with irregular corneas. We also looked at the well-being of these patients and psychological impact of realising that this is normally a life-long condition.
‘Many think the answer is a graft: they think the answer is to change the cornea, just as a troubled knee or hip can be replaced. Beyond the complications of the operation and recovery time do patients really want to be on anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives?’
Delegates were told that for the 90% of patients who do not undergo a graft contact lenses were their best option.
