Number of contact lens wearers increases 11%

The latest statistics compiled by the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers indicate that there were 2.95 million wearers in 2002, accounting for 6.1 per cent of all adults in the UK. This represents a rise of 11 per cent from 2001 and surpasses the previous peak of 2.72 million in 1997.
In 2002, the market value for contact lenses increased by 18 per cent on the previous year, as reported by the 18 contributing members of the ACLM. The total size of the market was £133.2m. Over the same period, the number of units sold increased by 13 per cent to more than 302 million lenses.
Almost half the market value (48 per cent) came from daily disposables and a third (32 per cent) from soft frequent replacement lenses. Silicone hydrogels made up only 5 per cent of market value but showed the largest percentage growth, up 41 per cent on 2001.
This year was the first time the number of lenses sold has been converted into the total number of lens wearers and wearers of each lens type (see Table).
Sales of contact lens care products fell 29 per cent from £43.8m in 2001 to £31.3m, although these figures are affected by changes in the contributing companies in this sector.
See page 25 for ACLM vice-chairman Marcus Swalwell's comments on the industry's Market Growth Initiative, launched two years ago.