title: A multi-country assessment of compliance with daily disposable contact lens wear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate compliance with daily disposable contact lens (DDCL) wear and investigate re-use of lenses according to country and DDCL material worn.
  
  
  METHODS
  Optometrists invited eligible DDCL patients from their practices to participate in a survey on DDCL wear in Australia, Norway, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). Eligible participants completed an online or paper version of the survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  805 participants completed the survey (96% online): Australia 13%, Norway 32%, UK 17%, US 38%. The median age was 38 years; 66% were female. Silicone hydrogel (SiHy) DDCLs were worn by 14%. Overall, 9% were non-compliant with DDCL replacement; Australia 18%, US 12%, UK 7% and Norway 4%. There were no differences with respect to sex, years of contact lens wear experience or DDCL material (SiHy versus hydrogels). The primary reason for re-use was "to save money" (60%). Re-use of DDCLs resulted in inferior comfort at insertion and prior to lens removal (p=0.001). 75% reported occasional napping and 28% reported sleeping overnight for at least one night in the preceding month, while wearing their DDCLs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-compliance with replacement of DDCLs occurred in all countries investigated; the rate was highest in Australia and lowest in Norway. Re-use of DDCLs was associated with reduced comfort. DDCL wearers often reported wearing lenses overnight. It is important for optometrists to counsel their patients on the importance of appropriate lens wear and replacement for DDCLs.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Contact Lens Research, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: kdumble@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dumbleton
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Bente M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Aakre
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plowright
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Lyndon W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Compliance; Contact lens; Daily disposable; Overnight wear; Re-use; Replacement