Tendency to obtain written informed consent in clinical applications of contact lenses

Notwithstanding contact lenses extensive clinical application, complications particularly in the absence of adequate hygiene and education remain a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate physicians' propensity to obtain written informed consent prior to the prescription of contact lenses, and to investigate the factors associated with this practice.

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to physicians authorized to prescribe contact lenses. The questionnaire collected data on demographics, prescription habits, patient education practices, and consent behaviors of clinicians. Associations between demographic factors and consent behaviors were analyzed using chi-square tests. A power analysis determined a minimum sample size of 370 participants. The survey was created using the Google Forms Platform. The results were recorded anonymously and stored securely using a password-protected system.

A total of 390 physicians participated in the study(mean age:33.7 years;54.1 % female). The majority of these professionals were employed in university or tertiary hospitals(76.4 %), and most of their prescriptions were for contact lenses for refractive(97.4 %) and therapeutic(65.1 %) reasons. Pre-usage education was provided by 88.7 % of physicians, and 95.7 % of these informed patients about potential complications. However, only 4.3 % of participants obtained written informed consent, 12.2 % obtained verbal consent, and 36.5 % obtained no consent. Among the remaining respondents, 41.8 % were unaware of the necessity for informed consent, while 5.2 % believed it was unnecessary. A statistically significant variation in consent practices was observed according to professional rank(p < 0.05). The highest rates of written consent were recorded among professors (11.1 %).

This study underscores a critical paucity of awareness and consistency in obtaining informed consent prior to contact lens utilization, a particular concern among early-career physicians. Although patient education was commonly provided, formal documentation of consent was rare. Establishing standardized consent guidelines will reduce variability in obtaining written informed consent, enhance medicolegal safety, and guide future clinical practice in contact lens prescription.