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.

Wearing contact lenses improves self-worth measures among girls, according to the results of a study conducted at five clinical centers in the U.S. by a collaborative team of optometrists and psychologists.

The three-year study, conducted from September 2003 to October 2007, assessed the effects of eyeglasses and contact lenses on the self-perception of nearsighted children ages 8 to 11 years.

A total of 484 nearsighted children (59 percent female) participated in the Adolescent and Child Health Initiative to Encourage Vision Empowerment (ACHIEVE) study. The children were randomly assigned to wear glasses (n=237) or contact lenses (n=247) for three years.

At the end of the three-year period, all children were surveyed using the Self-Perception Profile for Children scale, a proven measurement tool used in numerous studies in the fields of developmental psychology and social development. The scale evaluates self-perception in five areas: scholastic competence, social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance and behavioral conduct. It also provides a global measure of self-worth.

Commenting on the results of the study, lead investigator Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD (Ohio State University College of Optometry) said, “Contact lenses significantly improve how children feel about their physical appearance, acceptance among friends and ability to play sports. Contact lenses even make children more confident about their academic performance if they initially dislike wearing glasses.”

Though children in both groups showed changes global self-worth over the three-year treatment period, the change was only significantly different between contact lens wearers and spectacle wearers among girls who reported low levels of satisfaction with eyeglasses at the beginning of the study.

“Girls are particularly vulnerable to social and psychological distress during the transition years of early and middle adolescence and this data suggests that for girls, in particular, a switch from glasses to contact lenses may result in an improvement in self-perception,” said Mitchell J. Prinstein, PhD, Professor and Director of Clinical Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and co-author of the study.

Based on the results of the study, both researchers say contact lenses provide benefits to children beyond simple vision correction, and that parents and eye doctors should take this into consideration when considering eyewear choices for children. 

The ACHIEVE study was supported by funding from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. (makers of ACUVUE brand contact lenses) and The Vision Care Institute, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson Company.

Source:  Girls’ overall self-worth improves with contact lens wear, study shows. (Press release on the Johnson & Johnson website. June 25, 2009.)

New SofLens daily disposable contact lenses by Bausch & Lomb offer the benefits of daily disposable contacts and an advanced optical design, according to the company. The new lenses feature Bausch & Lomb’s proprietary High Definition Optics, which is designed to reduce blur, halos and glare for optimal vision.

SofLens daily disposable contact lenses also feature a thin lens design and slow-release moisture formula for all-day comfort, which is key for sensitive eyes, the company says. As with all daily disposable lenses, contact lens care is unnecessary and there is less risk of lens deposit build-up, which can lead to eye infections.

For a free trial of SofLens daily disposable lenses and a High Definition Optics lens demo, visit www.soflens.com.