Pacific University Study on HVID
Disposable contact lenses generally come in on standard diameter. Yet a independent study by Pacific University determined that 27% of contact lens fittings fall outside these standard parameters. This is more than one out of every four patients you see – a quarter of the population. The study indicated that larger and smaller corneas would benefit from a larger or smaller lens diameter that is more HVID appropriate. While a one size fits all contact lens is convenient, it overlooks this large segment of your patient base. This might also contribute to the steady drop out rate we have seen over the last 25 years despite the huge strides in contact lens designs and materials.
Additional HVID findings
To further substantiate the above findings, we conducted our own internal clinical evaluation on HVID and comfort. Utilizing our account base, more than 450 patients were measured and asked to rate the comfort level of their contact lens. Like Pacific University, our findings showed that 25% of patients fall outside standard parameters. In addition, we found that these 25% of patients had comfort issues. 37% of patients with HVID less than or equal to 11.3 and 53% of patients with HVID greater than or equal to 12.3 reported a level of discomfort with their contact lens.
What does this mean for your practice???
The contact lens drop out rate has averaged 16% -30% – and the number one reason patients drop out of contact lenses is due to discomfort. Are you aware of how many contact lens patients you are losing? When a patient drops out of contacts, are you also losing a referral? And what is this costing you? The numbers can be surprising…
16% can mean a lot of money lost
Average annual revenue generated by a CL patient is $326
Average single doctor practice sees 3,200 patients annually
25% are CL patients = 800 patients
16% drop out: 128 x $326 = $42,000
Average lifetime of a patient is 24 years
$42,000 x 24 = $1,008,000 lost revenue
The good news is... you can reverse these numbers!
Improving patient comfort with a lens that fits correctly is an easy solution – simply incorporate 13.6 and 14.8 into your practice and give 100% of your patients the all day comfort they want – and deserve. Get started – simply complete the form below or call us at 877.336.2482.