Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze recent contact lens user data at a large single center in Japan.
Methods: :
The subjects were 135,008 contact lens patients presenting at Okada Eye Clinic and purchasing contact lenses in the one-year period from April 2006 to March 2007. The data of the subjects were retrospectively analyzed according to sales records with regard to age, gender, lens type, and lens care method.
Results: :
The subjects’ ages ranged from seven to 94 years old, with a mean of 30.0±10.5 years. There were 50,042 male (37.1%) and 84,966 female (62.9%) subjects. The largest group was those aged between 21 and 30 years old. The most popular lenses were 2-week frequent replacement lenses with daily disposable lenses second (49.9% and 36.4 % respectively). Even though lens use decreased in those aged forty and over, the number of daily disposable lens wearers still remained relatively high (mean user age 30.9±10.2 years). Two-week lenses tended to be more popular with younger wearers (28.0±9.9 years). The ratio of hard to soft contact lenses purchased over the year was 6.0% to 94.0%. The types of the lenses were spherical (83.8%), toric (10.8%), color (4.7%), bifocal (0.6%), and others (0.1%). The majority of the subjects used multi purpose solutions in their lens care routines (52.6%), with hydrogen peroxide the second most popular choice (27.3%).
Conclusions: :
Although contact lenses are widely used in Japan they are mainly popular with the under forty age group who generally require spherical lenses. It was thought that the popularity of the lenses was determined by the users’ individual needs, considering issues such as eye health, lens comfort, lifestyle, economics, and parameter availability. A good bifocal lens acceptable optically and physiologically may be the key for further expansion of lens user population. This large-scale survey gives a realistic picture of current lens user tendencies in Japan. This information will be useful in forecasting future trends, and in managing and advising current patients.