Johnson & Johnson Vision
05 May 2021
Johnson & Johnson Vision has launched a new patient support and behaviour change programme, the Acuvue 21 Day Challenge.
The programme is designed to enhance the experience of new contact lens wearers and encourage successful ongoing use by delivering a series of tips and information to patients over the first three weeks of a contact lens trial.
Complementing the experience in-practice, the programme aims to provide extra support during the contact lens trial.
Jakob Sveen, managing director, Northern Europe and general manager UK & Ireland, Johnson & Johnson Vision, commented: “The purpose of the programme is to extend the positive experience patients have with their optician by providing support after they leave the practice, improving the likelihood that they build confidence in contact lenses and complete their trial.”
“For eye care practitioners, the hope is that we help reduce patient drop-outs and build long-term loyalty,” he added.
At a virtual launch event for the challenge on Thursday 29 April, Sveen told attendees that the idea for the programme was developed through recognising the challenges faced by the industry during the pandemic: “We’ve recognised the opportunity we have now to leverage technology in a new way to help overcome those challenges.”
In the second week, the programme offers a range of resources to help build confidence, including advice from successful wearers, and tips for making contact lenses part of a routine.
The final week includes creative ideas for making the most of contact lenses and reminders to get back in touch with their practitioner in the event of any issues and at the end of the challenge.
The inspiration behind the challenge was the concept that it can take time to form a habit. James Haden, sales director for Johnson & Johnson Vision UK, pointed to examples in exercise or smoking cessation programmes (such as Couch to 5K) that, “relevant, useful, timely nudges can make a massive difference to help people form new habits.”
“We know when people start something new, they often start with the ‘I can’t’ mindset so actually helping them visualise progress and mark the progress they’re making can make a big difference,” he continued.
The challenge is being supported by Acuvue brand ambassador and world champion heptathlete, Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
Supporting the launch of the Acuvue 21 Day Challenge, Johnson & Johnson Vision has developed a range of resources for practices, including a digital toolkit and e-learning modules for staff.
Patients can sign up for the challenge on the Acuvue website when they begin a new trial with the Acuvue brand contact lenses. By signing up for the challenge, patients can also enter a competition for a chance to win a year’s supply of free contact lenses.
“Now we face into the reality that our industry has fundamentally changed as the world around us has also changed, and going forward, there will only be the new way,” he said, adding: “The reality is, as daunting as that might seem at first blush, there is certainly a silver lining of opportunity there for us if we embrace and help shape that future ahead of us.”
Though ways of working have changed, the company noted that many of the fundamental challenges with contact lens patients have remained the same “or perhaps even become more pronounced,” something the company aims to address through the new challenge.
Outlining how the challenge supports the in-practice experience, Haden shared: “We know there are many stages where contact lens wearers may give up or drop out of their trial phase and in fact, only 35% of those who visit their ECP will go on to make a first purchase.”
“Whilst they may be highly motivated when they're in the store to try contact lenses, it’s often that home-alone phase where they feel a bit overwhelmed or may lose a bit of confidence,” Haden shared, adding that this is where the Acuvue 21 Day Challenge aims to help.
Sharing her insights into the challenges around retaining patients in contact lenses, Faye McDearmid, optometrist and professional affairs consultant for Johnson & Johnson Vision, agreed that while patients may arrive with excitement around the potential opportunities of wearing contact lenses: “The reality of learning that new skill hits in. Especially as an adult, our mindset is a little different in that we have a consequence mind and think more about the things that might go wrong.”
McDearmid explained that being able to meet and address challenges that might arise through the contact lens trial, and maintaining that motivation at home “is really critical.”
“It’s a fragile time for them where, if it’s taking longer to apply lenses than is ideal, if they’ve forgotten a little bit of something that they were meant to do, it can be really easy to then lose those factors and go back into wearing glasses,” she explained.
While practitioners might encourage patients to get back in touch for help or support, McDearmid explained that patients may feel a little anxious or embarrassed and might not want to admit to struggling. She suggested the challenge could be a way for the patient to keep connected and be provided with “reliable, accurate, trustworthy advice.”
McDearmid added that, as the challenge operates in partnership with the practice, if the patient has any issues or concerns, they are directed back to their practitioner. She added: “They are still your patient and you are the expert for them.”
The programme is designed to enhance the experience of new contact lens wearers and encourage successful ongoing use by delivering a series of tips and information to patients over the first three weeks of a contact lens trial.
Complementing the experience in-practice, the programme aims to provide extra support during the contact lens trial.
Jakob Sveen, managing director, Northern Europe and general manager UK & Ireland, Johnson & Johnson Vision, commented: “The purpose of the programme is to extend the positive experience patients have with their optician by providing support after they leave the practice, improving the likelihood that they build confidence in contact lenses and complete their trial.”
“For eye care practitioners, the hope is that we help reduce patient drop-outs and build long-term loyalty,” he added.
At a virtual launch event for the challenge on Thursday 29 April, Sveen told attendees that the idea for the programme was developed through recognising the challenges faced by the industry during the pandemic: “We’ve recognised the opportunity we have now to leverage technology in a new way to help overcome those challenges.”
The challenge
The first week of the three-week programme focuses on practice and technique, delivering practical tips and information by email to help patients get used to their contact lenses, from putting on and taking off contact lenses to keeping them clean.In the second week, the programme offers a range of resources to help build confidence, including advice from successful wearers, and tips for making contact lenses part of a routine.
The final week includes creative ideas for making the most of contact lenses and reminders to get back in touch with their practitioner in the event of any issues and at the end of the challenge.
We know when people start something new, they often start with the ‘I can’t’ mindset so actually helping them visualise progress and mark the progress they’re making can make a big difference
The inspiration behind the challenge was the concept that it can take time to form a habit. James Haden, sales director for Johnson & Johnson Vision UK, pointed to examples in exercise or smoking cessation programmes (such as Couch to 5K) that, “relevant, useful, timely nudges can make a massive difference to help people form new habits.”
“We know when people start something new, they often start with the ‘I can’t’ mindset so actually helping them visualise progress and mark the progress they’re making can make a big difference,” he continued.
The challenge is being supported by Acuvue brand ambassador and world champion heptathlete, Katarina Johnson-Thompson.
Supporting the launch of the Acuvue 21 Day Challenge, Johnson & Johnson Vision has developed a range of resources for practices, including a digital toolkit and e-learning modules for staff.
Patients can sign up for the challenge on the Acuvue website when they begin a new trial with the Acuvue brand contact lenses. By signing up for the challenge, patients can also enter a competition for a chance to win a year’s supply of free contact lenses.
Behind the programme
Speaking at the launch of the challenge, Sveen explained that the company took a “fresh look” at the learnings of the past year, exploring “how we can best engage, retain and nurture contact lens wearers in this new reality, recognising that we will not return to the way things were pre-COVID.”“Now we face into the reality that our industry has fundamentally changed as the world around us has also changed, and going forward, there will only be the new way,” he said, adding: “The reality is, as daunting as that might seem at first blush, there is certainly a silver lining of opportunity there for us if we embrace and help shape that future ahead of us.”
Though ways of working have changed, the company noted that many of the fundamental challenges with contact lens patients have remained the same “or perhaps even become more pronounced,” something the company aims to address through the new challenge.
Now we face into the reality that our industry has fundamentally changed as the world around us has also changed, and going forward, there will only be the new way
Outlining how the challenge supports the in-practice experience, Haden shared: “We know there are many stages where contact lens wearers may give up or drop out of their trial phase and in fact, only 35% of those who visit their ECP will go on to make a first purchase.”
“Whilst they may be highly motivated when they're in the store to try contact lenses, it’s often that home-alone phase where they feel a bit overwhelmed or may lose a bit of confidence,” Haden shared, adding that this is where the Acuvue 21 Day Challenge aims to help.
Sharing her insights into the challenges around retaining patients in contact lenses, Faye McDearmid, optometrist and professional affairs consultant for Johnson & Johnson Vision, agreed that while patients may arrive with excitement around the potential opportunities of wearing contact lenses: “The reality of learning that new skill hits in. Especially as an adult, our mindset is a little different in that we have a consequence mind and think more about the things that might go wrong.”
McDearmid explained that being able to meet and address challenges that might arise through the contact lens trial, and maintaining that motivation at home “is really critical.”
“It’s a fragile time for them where, if it’s taking longer to apply lenses than is ideal, if they’ve forgotten a little bit of something that they were meant to do, it can be really easy to then lose those factors and go back into wearing glasses,” she explained.
While practitioners might encourage patients to get back in touch for help or support, McDearmid explained that patients may feel a little anxious or embarrassed and might not want to admit to struggling. She suggested the challenge could be a way for the patient to keep connected and be provided with “reliable, accurate, trustworthy advice.”
McDearmid added that, as the challenge operates in partnership with the practice, if the patient has any issues or concerns, they are directed back to their practitioner. She added: “They are still your patient and you are the expert for them.”
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