Knowledge and practice of contact lens use among young wearers

Aim: To assess the knowledge and practice of contact lens (CL) use among the young current users using a piloted questionnaire. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted between July and August 2013 in two colleges among young, current CL wearers undergoing various professional courses. Results: A total of 122 current CL users between 18-23 years were evaluated of which 67.2% were females. About 79.5% of the students were using soft CL of which 44.3% were disposable CL users. The participants preferred CL because they looked better (45.9%), improved their self confidence (30.3%) or felt more comfortable (30.3%) as compared to spectacles. About 37.7% of the students had the habit of sleeping with their CL on. CL were being cleaned regularly on removal by 73% while 5.7% were cleaning it only occasionally. Multipurpose solution was used for rinsing the lenses by 59% of the students. About 62.3% of contact lens users had problems/complications related to lens usage and the most frequent complications were general discomfort (26.2%), dryness (22.1%) and itching of eyes (17.2%). Only 61.8% of those who had complications consulted an Ophthalmologist. Statistical analysis used: Cross tab analysis using Fisher’s exact test to assess various correlations and categorical variables using frequencies and percentages. Conclusion: About 26.6 to 45.1% of young CL users do not follow the recommended lens care and hygiene practices. CL education on wear and care is of paramount importance and a regular follow up with an Ophthalmologist is mandatory.