A focus on multifocal contact lenses

For the Vision Care team at Johnson & Johnson, 100% Optical was an opportunity to highlight the opportunities of multifocal contact lenses.

The contact lens provider’s stand featured wall displays designed to help delegates understand the lived experience of presbyopia. This included a lenticular print of a street scene that moved in and out of focus in the near and far zones to simulate presbyopia.

Johnson & Johnson also highlighted its Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day Multifocal.

Kate Stockwell, head of marketing in the UK and Ireland for vision at Johnson & Johnson, told OT: “There’s a huge opportunity around retaining the existing single vision contact lens wearers in the market as they become presbyopic.”

“We know that a lot of those contact lens wearers don’t realise that presbyopia is what they are experiencing and don’t realise that multifocal contact lenses are an option, and assume they just need to give up contact lenses and resort to glasses,” Stockwell said.

Stockwell emphasised the importance of patient awareness and education around presbyopia and multifocal contact lenses, and highlighted the role of eye care professionals in having early conversations about presbyopia, before the patient reaches that stage.

This supports patients to have prior awareness and understanding of what it will involve, “how normal it is – it’s nothing to be feared,” and the solution of multifocal contact lenses, she added.

Relaying the approaches of the Johnson & Johnson professional affairs consultants when discussing multifocal contact lenses with a patient, Stockwell shared that “making it personal” and asking open questions have can be helpful.

“Taking the time to find out about their lifestyle, hobbies and passions,” means practitioners are “then able to tailor a contact lens conversation to that individual patient,” she said. Having exploratory conversations, with a personal touch, can engage those considering contact lenses to become “happy new wearers.”

Asked about opportunities expected in the contact lens market in the year ahead, Stockwell emphasised “a huge growth potential” in the multifocal contact lens segment.

“There are so many presbyopes out there who are frustrated with their vision and looking for better solutions, and we know there are about eight million presbyopes who are open to contact lenses,” she said.

Responding to changing lifestyles will be another key area for the contact lens market, Stockwell said, adding: “We all live very digitally-intense lifestyles these days. We spend hours on screens, whether our phones, monitors, or TVs. We know that patients want their contact lenses to keep up with that lifestyle; to go seamlessly through different environments.”

The Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day Multifocal can help address the needs of presbyopic patients, providing crisp, clear vision across all distances and lighting conditions, Stockwell said.

The contact lens features OptiBlue Light Filter, Pupil Optimised Design, and TearStable Technology, for visual clarity and comfort.