Compliance amongst contact lens wearers: comprehension skills and reinforcement with written instructions

Patient non-compliance is one of the key issues when considering contact lens failures and related ocular complications. Patient education is believed to be of paramount importance to improve compliance, especially when this education consists of written as well as oral instructions.

Patients received oral or oral plus written information depending on their score from a previously validated oral and written comprehension test. A survey containing theoretical and practical questions was given to the patient at the end of the study in order to establish compliance with the given instructions.

No statistically significant difference was encountered between the group of patients receiving oral instructions only and the group receiving oral plus written information. A correlation was discovered between non-compliance and ocular complications and between ocular complications and the physical appearance of contact lenses and cases.

The oral and written comprehension test served to establish the comprehension skills typology of the patients, thus allowing for the appropriate type of instructions (oral or written) to be given to each patient in accordance with their particular abilities. This methodology could lead to a relevant increase in compliance.