While a substantial proportion of daily wear soft contact lens wearers experience day-to-day challenges while wearing their lenses, findings from a new study show that lenses made with senofilcon A, a new generation silicone hydrogel material, were associated with a reduction in discomfort, dryness, and other commonly reported problems associated with contact lens wear. The findings were presented today at the American Academy of Optometry Annual meeting and are also published in the December issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the peer-reviewed journal of the Academy.

“Studies have shown that contact lens wearers often discontinue lens wear due to symptoms of dryness and discomfort,” said study co-author Robin Chalmers, O.D., FAAO, an independent clinical researcher specializing in contact lens epidemiology. “In this study, symptoms of discomfort and dryness were significantly reduced when patients wore contact lenses made with senofilcon A. The smoothness of this material may help reduce the number of people who subsequently abandon lens wear.”

Problems with discomfort and dryness affect approximately 67 percent of the more than 36 million contact lens wearers in the United States, with about four in ten (42 percent) wearers reporting that they use rewetting drops at least once a day to keep their eyes from feeling dry. And, while three million people a year become new contact lens wearers, studies suggest that during the same period approximately 2.7 million people stop wearing contact lenses, with one in four (24 percent) citing dry, challenging environments or wearing conditions as reasons for discontinuing contact lens wear.

About the Study
A study of current soft contact lens wearers was conducted to estimate the prevalence of problems in wearers and to evaluate the benefit of fitting patients who exhibit signs or symptoms with contact lenses made with senofilcon A, currently marketed in the U.S. under the name ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS.

At the outset of the study, researchers evaluated clinical data from 1,092 current soft contact lens wearers to calculate the prevalence of six common signs and symptoms associated with contact lens discomfort. Criteria included patient reports of frequent or constant discomfort or dryness, and at least two hours of uncomfortable wear at the end of the day. Nearly half (48%) showed at least one of the six criteria. Uncomfortable hours of wear at the end of the day (31%) was the most commonly reported problem, followed by frequent or constant dryness (28%) and discomfort (17%).

Following the evaluation, 257 wearers were fit with senofilcon A lenses and reassessed two weeks later. Among subjects who reported problems before refitting, 88% said they noticed improvement in overall comfort, 76% in comfortable hours of wear, and 75% in frequency of dryness.

The study was sponsored by VISTAKON®, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., marketer of ACUVUE OASYS.