Tips & Tricks for Fitting a Patient with Astigmatism
Helping your astigmatism patients understand the benefits of contact lenses for their condition is one thing, but achieving an optimal fit and comfort level can mean all the difference in whether they stick with lenses. Below are some tips for helping different types of new wearers get the best results from their lenses.
Glasses Wearers
With these patients, make sure they know:
- ACUVUE® brand contact lenses for astigmatism provide the same visual acuity as their glasses*, with an unobstructed view and flexibility to change their look or use sunglasses.
- There are lenses for all types of astigmatism, plus other options such as two-week replacement reusables or daily disposable options, giving every patient a personal solution for their condition.
- ACUVUE® lenses are rated easy to put in and take out by other glasses wearers who have tried them.
Lapsed Wearers
For patients who have tried contact lenses once before and had a negative experience, understanding the reasons why will help you figure out the issue and make the best recommendation moving forward. To begin, you might want to ask the following:
- Did you notice an improvement in your quality of vision when wearing contacts?
- How was the comfort of your contact lenses throughout the day? Did it vary?
- What similarities and differences did you notice between wearing glasses and contact lenses?
In many cases, comfort is the reason patients discontinue use of contact lenses. If that’s the case, it’s also the perfect opportunity to let your patient know about the comfort technologies ACUVUE® has available.
Spherical Wearers
During routine checkups with astigmatism patients who already wear contacts, but may be wearing spherical lenses instead of toric, it’s a great time to try and help them understand the benefits of simply changing the type of lens they wear.
Seeing is Believing
It’s easy to tout the difference ACUVUE® toric lenses can make, but with a 93% first fit success rate, why not have your astigmatism patient try them during their visit so they can see and feel the difference?
Toric Wearers
For patients who already wear toric lenses for astigmatism, it’s important to check in to see if they’re satisfied with them. Many patients don’t realize that all lenses are not created equal and that ACUVUE® may be a better option.
You might ask:
- Is your vision clear and consistent throughout the day?
- How is your vision when moving your eyes, or in an extreme gaze?
- Did you feel the same level of comfort throughout the day?
If your patient hasn’t tried ACUVUE® brand lenses for astigmatism, it’s the perfect opportunity to highlight the BLINK STABILIZED™ Design Technology unique only to ACUVUE® toric lenses. With four stabilization zones providing clear and stable vision throughout the day with minimal impact from eye or head movements.1,2,3 Switching lenses could be the small change your patient needs to achieve optimal vision acuity with lenses for astigmatism.
* Based on Visual Acuity using a standard eye-chart.
1. Chamberlain P et al. Fluctuation in Visual Acuity During Soft Toric Contact Lens Wear. Optom Vis Sci 2011; 88: E534-538
2. McIIrait and 2009 for AOfAh R, Young G, Hunt C. Toric lens orientation and visual acuity in non-standard conditions. CLAE 2010; 33 (1): 23-26.
3. JJV Data on File 2008. No other toric contact lens has the total package like ACUVUE OASYS Brand Contact Lenses for Astigmatism with HYDRACLEAR PLUS.
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