title: Compliance study of contact lens wearers in Japan, part 1: internet survey of actual circumstances of lens use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a survey of contact lens (CL) wearers who use their CLs with satisfaction in Japan and to establish the actual circumstances of CL use.
  
  
  METHODS
  An Internet survey was conducted in 1,000 CL wearers in Japan with questionnaires concerning CL purchase/change, compliance with the duration of wear, and occurrence of complications of CL use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Replies from 636 women (63.6%) and 364 men (36.4%) were received. The largest source of CL purchase was CL specialty stores (eyeglass chains, 41.3%). The most frequent CL types were 2-week frequent replacement (2WFR) soft CLs (SCLs) (32.1%), daily disposable (DD) (31.0%), and other lenses. The main determining factors of purchase were "price" (38.0%), "recommendation of a doctor/staff" (37.6%), and "comfort" (34.1%). The number of wearers who changed their CLs was 372 (37.2%), and the main reasons for change were "inexpensive" (34.9%) and "recommendation of a doctor/staff" (31.2%). In DD and 2WFR/planed replacement SCLs, 270 (42.7%) of 632 wearers were compliant with the recommended duration of use, and the remainder were self-identified as noncompliant. The main reason given for noncompliant behavior was "no harm in extending the duration of use" (60.3%). The number of wearers with eye complications related to lens was 373 (37.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The choice of CLs by wearers seems to be price driven rather than being safety focused. Despite being aware of noncompliant behaviors regarding CL use, there were many noncompliant wearers. Clearly, ophthalmologists, optometrists, CL manufacturers, and other CL-related practitioners should cooperate and better educate patients to promote the importance of compliance with safe lens use.
authors.affiliation: GPR & Research Department (H.I., K.M.), Menicon Co, Ltd, Nagoya, Japan; Shimamoto Eye Clinic (S.S., Y.A.), Fukui, Japan; and Department of Ophthalmology (H.D.C.), University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX.
authors.forename: Hideji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichijima
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ariwaka
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muraki
authors.forename: H Dwight
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D055815:Young Adult