Recent global research suggests unmet needs of astigmatic people could be addressed by consideration of properly fitted toric contact lenses. According to Bausch + Lomb, dissatisfaction among astigmatic contact lens wearers could similarly reflect a need for more appropriately selected and fitted lenses.
One global study cited by B+L identified 43 per cent of spectacle-wearing and 38 per cent of contact-lens wearing patients with astigmatism reported less-than-complete satisfaction with the spectacles or contact lenses they wear most often, as judged by a score of seven or less on a scale of one (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied). The symptoms most often experienced by toric soft lens wearers include blurry or hazy vision, fluctuating vision, distorted vision, and glare or halos in low-light conditions.
The company said another report, which claims the prevalence of patients showing astigmatism of 0.75 and 1.00 D or greater in at least one eye is 47.4 per cent and 31.8 per cent, indicates a potentially untapped population for toric contact lenses fitting.
In fact, they say, about four out of ten patients with astigmatism, who have never worn contact lenses, have not tried them because of information from family, friends or something they read that said people with astigmatism could not wear lenses. Three out of ten have not tried them due to advice from their doctor.
Refreshingly, Bausch + Lomb says, studies of both eye care professionals and 201 astigmatic contact lens wearing patients, aged 18 – 50, found that when it comes to selecting toric soft lenses, the importance
of visual benefits rises to the top.
