New Research Highlights Practical Strategies to Improve Patient Retention and Satisfaction

By Mark Matthews

Contact lens dropout remains a pressing challenge in eye care. Despite technological advancements, up to one in four new wearers abandon lenses within the first year.

The latest research from the Contact Lens Institute (CLI) sheds light on key factors influencing patient retention and provides actionable insights to improve satisfaction.

By addressing comfort, cost, handling, and communication gaps, eye care professionals can turn first-time wearers into lifelong contact lens users.

Understanding the Dropout Dilemma

The CLI study surveyed 401 U.S. adults who wear soft contact lenses at least once a week, categorizing them into new wearers (less than two years) and long-term wearers (two or more years).

Findings revealed a notable satisfaction gap: 67% of new wearers reported high satisfaction compared to 86% of long-term wearers.

This disparity highlights an opportunity to enhance early experiences for new users. Comfort emerged as a dominant factor in satisfaction, with 69% of long-term wearers citing it as a key reason for continued use, compared to 61% of new wearers.

Vision quality also played a significant role, as 67% of long-term wearers were highly satisfied with their vision, compared to 51% of new wearers.

Convenience followed closely, with 51% of long-term wearers appreciating the ease of contact lenses, while only 46% of new wearers felt the same. On the other hand, dissatisfaction largely stemmed from cost, handling difficulties, and vision-related concerns, with new wearers particularly vulnerable to these frustrations.

The Role of the Entire Practice Team

A crucial finding of the study was the significant influence of the entire eye care team on patient retention. While optometrists play a leading role, new wearers are especially influenced by their interactions with opticians, technicians, and administrative staff. T

he study found that 74% of new wearers said their eye doctor had a substantial impact on their decision to continue wearing contact lenses, compared to 59% of long-term wearers. Opticians, technicians, and front-office staff also played an outsized role for new wearers, reinforcing the necessity of a comprehensive, practice-wide approach to patient engagement and support.

The top three influences for new wearers were their eye doctor, followed by interactions with opticians and technicians, and the overall practice experience, including front-office staff.

For long-term wearers, their continued confidence in their eye doctor remained a key influence, but the importance of previous positive experiences and the ability to manage costs more effectively also emerged as major factors.

Addressing Cost, Handling, and Comfort Challenges

Among new wearers, 49% identified cost as a primary concern, compared to 41% of long-term wearers. Handling difficulties, including insertion and removal, were another common issue, with 40% of new wearers struggling, compared to 32% of long-term wearers.

To mitigate these challenges, practices can adopt proactive strategies that directly address patient concerns.

Providing alternative price-performance options and clearly outlining total costs, including rebates, can help alleviate financial concerns.

Thorough training and follow-up support for insertion and removal techniques can build confidence in new wearers, reducing frustration and potential dropout. Similarly, proactive outreach to check in on comfort and vision, and tailoring lens recommendations based on individual needs, can enhance patient satisfaction and long-term retention.

The Power of Proactive Communication

Ongoing communication and patient education play a pivotal role in contact lens retention.

New wearers in particular expressed a strong preference for personalized follow-ups, with 77% stating that they would appreciate a post-exam check-in to assess their vision and comfort. Furthermore, 80% of patients identified “fully listening to my concerns” as the most important factor in resolving contact lens-related issues.

Implementing regular follow-ups through text messages, emails, or video consultations can reinforce confidence and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship.

Lifestyle-Centered Prescribing

Beyond clinical factors, lifestyle considerations significantly influence patient satisfaction and retention. Contact lenses offer advantages such as greater freedom in sports, enhanced aesthetics, and improved daily convenience.

However, many new wearers fail to recognize these benefits without proper guidance from their eye care provider.

The study revealed that 48% of new wearers continued lens use due to the freedom from glasses, while 39% cited the confidence of having the best possible vision.

Long-term wearers were more likely to appreciate the superior comfort of contact lenses over glasses (46%), indicating that reinforcing these benefits early in the patient journey can improve retention rates.

Eye care professionals should actively communicate these lifestyle benefits, ensuring that patients see the long-term value of their contact lenses beyond immediate vision correction.

A Coordinated Approach to Success

Contact lens dropout has long been accepted as an inevitable challenge, but the latest research from CLI provides a roadmap for meaningful change.

A team-based approach, proactive patient communication, and targeted strategies to address cost, handling, and comfort issues can significantly improve retention rates.

By fostering engagement at every stage of the patient journey, reinforcing the benefits of contact lenses, and providing tailored support, eye care professionals can ensure both clinical success and business growth.

The key lies in seeing every new wearer as a long-term patient in the making—one who, with the right guidance and care, can become a lifelong contact lens advocate.

References:

1 Sulley, A., Young, G., & Hunt, C. (2017). Factors in the success of new contact lens wearers. Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 40(1), 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2016.09.005

Disrupting the Dropout Dilemma: Practical Steps to Keep Patients in Contact Lenses -Fall 2024www.optiknow.ca/CLdropouts

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