Promoting Daily
Contact Lenses in Your Practice

Ever since the first year of optometry school, I’ve been taught to “push dailies” on any patient who meets the qualifiable parameters because a multitude of studies have shown that daily disposable contact lenses are irrefutably the superior modality for ocular health, hygiene, and comfort compared with monthly and biweekly contact lenses.¹ Not surprisingly, I’ve now adopted this mindset myself, not only because daily wear lenses are the healthiest modality for patients, but also because they reduce the amount of contact lens-related medical emergencies that I see and because patients are more likely to purchase an annual supply from the office, thanks to manufacturer rebates.

Most ODs have heard every reason imaginable from patients as to why daily lenses are not a good option for them, from “dailies are too expensive,” to “I don’t have any problems with my current monthly lenses.” I have found the most success converting patients to daily wear lenses when I’ve taken the time to discuss specific points, which I’ll review below.

OCULAR HEALTH AND HYGIENE

As eye care professionals, we know that daily wear contact lenses, specifically silicone hydrogels, are the healthiest modality for patients because they have a significantly lower risk of causing corneal infiltrates and a higher oxygen transmission, therefore reducing the risk of corneal infections and ulcers, as well as corneal edema and hypoxia, respectively.¹ It’s important for patients to also be aware of these benefits. I explain to my patients that the newest generation of daily disposable lenses have the technology to make lenses as thin as possible, while using the best materials to allow the greatest amount of oxygen to reach their eyes. I also point out that there is less opportunity for contamination that could potentially lead to sight-threatening infection with dailies because we are eliminating the need for a storage case and proper lens cleaning habits.

All of these points highlight the superior ocular hygiene of daily wear lenses, because a fresh new lens on the eye each day allows less time for buildup of harmful bacteria and deposits compared to reusable lenses.¹ Daily disposables have also been shown to have the highest compliance compared with other modalities with regard to lens overwear and overnight sleeping in lenses, making them the best option for patients with a history of lens wear abuse.²

COMFORT AS IT RELATES TO SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DRY EYE

The strongest determining factor in contact lens comfort is tear film stability.³ When a contact lens has good wettability, meaning the lens keeps its moisture during wear, it provides a stable tear film, which the patient perceives as comfort. In one study involving more than 300 eye care professionals from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, more than 80% of doctors reported that their patients experienced the highest levels of comfort with silicone hydrogel dailies.⁴

We want our patients to be as comfortable in their contact lenses as possible, and with the increase in screen time and digital device use since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is now more demand on the eyes than ever, and more patients reporting dry eye symptoms. Studies have found that daily wear contact lenses cause less ocular surface disruption and less proinflammatory cytokines than reusable options, as defined by both patient questionnaires (ie, Ocular Surface Disease Index) and functional testing (eg, tear break-up time).^5-7

I pointedly ask my patients at what time of day their lenses start bothering them or at what time they start to experience lens awareness, rather than asking the vague question of whether they are having any issues with their lenses. These questions require the patient to provide the specific time of day and don’t let them off easy by simply responding that their lenses are fine. What’s more, their answers allow me to transition into talking about how switching to daily wear lenses would alleviate their symptoms.

NEW TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

Contact lens technology has improved to the point that daily wear lenses are now the thinnest lens option with the most comfortable edge profile and easiest handling for insertion and removal.¹ Of course, a doctor-to-patient discussion on lens technology would be incomplete without mentioning that this modality is now available in multifocal and astigmatic designs to accommodate a multitude of prescriptions, which may have been a barrier for some patients who were previously told that they were not candidates for daily contact lenses.

Our patients rely on us as eye care experts to keep them up to date on new parameters and designs, so if something new comes out, let them know! They will appreciate that you took the time to show them an upgrade, rather than keeping them in the same outdated modality they have worn for years.

COST

Of all the reasons against switching to daily wear contact lenses, increased cost is by far the most common one I hear. Whenever a patient cites cost as a barrier, I break down the expenses of their current reusable lenses combined with the cost of replacing solution and storage cases and compare that amount with the price of an annual supply of daily lenses, which often includes a company rebate (see Do the Math).

After all that, what if your patient is now interested in dailies, but they say, “Thanks for the info doc, but I think I’ll purchase my lenses online because they are cheaper”? Are they really? It only takes about a minute to go through the checkout process on these contact lens ordering websites with your patient, and the result is patient education and more patients ordering from you. This extra time can add up to help build your practice and save patients money. And likely, they’ll tell their friends and family about you, too!

CLOSE THE DEAL/HANDOFF TO FRONT OF OFFICE STAFF

One of the best tips I have learned for handing the patient off to a front office staff member is to address the front desk staff and say, “(Patient’s name) has been authorized for (brand name) daily disposable lenses.” I use this exact wording to reinforce that contact lenses are medical devices that need authorization from an eye care professional, with the scientific backing to keep the eyes healthy and comfortable. Proper staff training on cost, lens parameters/technology, and basic benefits to the ocular health is essential for the staff to be able to provide the patient with any additional information to facilitate ordering. If the trials given at the initial contact lens exam in office provide clear vision and comfort, and there are no out-of-the-ordinary circumstances, a remote follow-up via phone or email is all that is needed to order a supply.

BE AN EXPERT WHO PATIENTS TRUST

Patients look to us to be the experts on the latest technology in eye care. I like to give my patients an update on the newest lenses and treatments available, as well as anything else that would be of interest to them at their annual eye examination.

Because I strive to provide top quality care for each of my patients and recommend to them the best products and options available to support their ocular health and comfort, I almost exclusively suggest daily contact lenses. (There are some specific instances in which I just cannot. For example, when I have a patient with a contact lens prescription that is outside the parameters of what I have available in a daily lens offering.) It is rewarding to see a patient’s amazement over their improved symptoms at an affordable cost, and the increase in contact lens sales and word-of-mouth buzz about your practice from the happy daily disposable wearers who will be sure to bring in more patients.