A market survey of contact lens practice in Hong Kong

The aim of this survey was to evaluate the use of contact lenses, current prescribing habits of practitioners and the development of the contact lens market in Hong Kong.

Questionnaires were sent to all registered contact lens practitioners in Hong Kong. This questionnaire sought information about their choices on prescribing contact lenses and lens care products and their opinions on continuing education and future trends of contact lens development.

A total of 286 responses (22 per cent) were returned. On average, the respondents reported that 36 per cent of their patients were contact lens wearers and most were myopes. The ratio of new fittings to refittings was 1:3. Of the contact lens wearers, 66 per cent were fitted with planned replacement lenses, mostly daily disposable lenses. Multipurpose solution was the most popular lens care regimen prescribed. Only 48 per cent of astigmatic patients were fitted with toric lenses and the use of overnight orthokeratology and silicone hydrogel lenses was limited. Single vision contact lenses with over-spectacles and monovision contact lenses were the most popular management for presbyopes. Dryness was the major problem reported by contact lens wearers. Practitioners look forward to further development of custom-made toric, multifocal and silicone hydrogel lenses. The major source of new contact lens information was communication with contact lens suppliers.

Compared to previous reports, there was no significant change in the prescribing habits of practitioners. The major complaint of contact lens wearers is still ocular dryness. The contact lens market is driven by younger contact lens wearers, and planned replacement soft contact lenses together with multipurpose solutions dominate. The use of bifocal/multifocal lenses remained low and practitioners want low cost bifocal/multifocal contact lenses with better visual performance and toric lenses with a wider range in parameters. The use of overnight wear lenses such as silicone hydrogel and ortho-k lenses is limited and 30 days continuous wear silicone hydrogel lenses are prescribed mainly for daily wear.