Fitting of Colored Contact Lenses Declining in UK

The fitting of colored contact lenses in Great Britain has been on the decline for over a decade, according to a report in Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, the journal of the British Contact Lens Association.

The study found that cosmetically tinted soft contact lenses to enhance or change the wearer’s eye color have become less popular in the UK over the past 12 years. Authors of the study suggest there may be several reasons for the declining popularity of the lenses:

1. The limited availability of lens tints in new silicone hydrogel contact lenses and disposable contacts, which together represent a large majority (78 percent) of new soft contact lens fittings in the UK today.
2. Growing concerns among consumers and eye doctors about the risks of complications associated with wearing colored contact lenses.
3. Reduced promotion of color contact lenses by lens manufacturers.

The study also found that wearers of colored contact lenses are more likely to be female and younger than those wearing non-tinted lenses.

Colored lenses also tend to be worn on a part-time basis and are replaced less frequently that non-tinted lenses, the study found.