Chris Bennett: Turning contact lens innovation into sales

Young people are being engaged in contact lenses as never before but can we be sure this sector, which has grown on innovation, is creating a character that will see it continue to grow?

Contact lenses were created for people who didn’t like wearing glasses. As contact lenses became increasingly accepted they didn’t sell because of the chemistry in the plastics being employed, they met a need and excited people.

The speed and scope of developments in the sector has been staggering. I doubt the average non-wearer has a clue about the lenses available they could be wearing.

The breakthroughs reported from the BCLA, CooperVision’s Force project, Alcon’s Academy and 70th birthday celebrations show the strength in depth of innovation, education and engagement of young people. But has the contact lens sector wrapped itself a little too heavily in a clinical cloak of science?