title: International rigid contact lens prescribing.
abstract: Rigid lenses have been fitted less since the introduction of soft lenses nearly 40 years ago. Data that we have gathered from annual contact lens fitting surveys conducted in Australia, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the USA between 2000 and 2008 facilitate an accurate characterization of the pattern of the decline of rigid lens fitting during the first decade of this century. There is a trend for rigid lenses to be utilized primarily for refitting those patients who are already successful rigid lens wearers-most typically older females being refit with higher Dk materials. Rigid lenses are generally fitted on a full-time basis (four or more days of wear per week) without a planned replacement schedule. Orthokeratology is especially popular in the Netherlands, but is seldom prescribed in the other countries surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia. n.efron@qut.edu.au <n.efron@qut.edu.au>
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Efron
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Magne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helland
authors.forename: Motozumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itoi
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Jason J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Eef
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van der Worp
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D038622:Internationality; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*