WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Contact Lens Institute (CLI) has published an in-depth report on everyday actions that the eyecare community can take to draw interest from potential and former contact lens wearers. Based on research with more than 1,000 vision-corrected adults segmented by glasses-only wearers, new contact lens wearers, and former contact lens wearers, “Beyond Vision: Behaviors to Attract New & Returning Contact Lens Wearers" is the latest offering from CLI’s See Tomorrow initiative. The 26-page document includes multiple infographics depicting high-value takeaways that can be used for staff training.

Another 19 quick-take columns and bulleted checklists offer practical implementation tips, all of which were contributed by 2024 CLI Visionaries. The report is available for download or online reading here.

“With 47.8 percent of glasses wearers indicating a high interest in trying contact lenses, and lapsed contact lens wearers signaling what would motivate them to resume use, the tremendous untapped potential for the category is unmistakable,” said Stan Rogaski, CLI’s executive director. “Our research found specific areas of consumer excitement, concern and misperception that eyecare practices can leverage to aid more efficient and effective contact lens conversations among likely candidates. Better yet, these aspects can be reinforced easily and quickly across the entire patient experience, from appointment scheduling to the exam to follow-up, by every member of the practice team.”

Highlights within the “Beyond Vision” report include:

  • Sources of contact lens influence, led by optometrists and ophthalmologists (66 percent of glasses wearers/46 percent of new contact lens wearers), opticians (44 percent of glasses wearers/26 percent of new contact lens wearers), and friends and family (40 percent of glasses wearers/31 percent of new contact lens wearers).

  • A ranking of 25 factors that would aid potential wearers’ consideration of contacts, with an eye doctor explaining why contacts can benefit a patient placing first among these factors (66 percent).

  • Primary motivators for initial contact lens trial among new wearers, who called out freedom from glasses (44 percent), personal appearance (42 percent), and ease of use (39 percent) as the most significant.

  • Additional non-behavioral issues that dissuade trial, including fear factors such as patients not wanting to touch their eye (44 percent) and infection concerns (25 percent); affordability (30 percent); and misperceptions that having dry eye (27 percent) and astigmatism (17 percent) prevent contact lens wear.

  • Ratings from former contact lens wearers of what would motivate them to return, split by those who lapsed within the past two years compared with those who lapsed in the longer-term.

  • The additive value of having contact lens advocates throughout the practice, as up to 30 percent of glasses-only wearers reported that such enthusiasm would influence their decision to try contacts.
The research was commissioned by CLI and conducted by Prodege from February 1-9, 2024, via an online survey. Respondents included 1,053 vision-corrected adults aged 18-64 years residing in the U.S.