title: Trends in US Contact Lens Prescribing 2002 to 2014.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document contact lens prescribing patterns in the United States between 2002 and 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of contact lens prescribing trends was conducted each year between 2002 and 2014, inclusive. Randomly selected contact lens practitioners were asked to provide information relating to 10 consecutive contact lens fits between January and March each year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the 13-year survey period, 1650 survey forms were received from US practitioners representing details of 7702 contact lens fits. The mean (±SD) age of lens wearers was 33.6 (±15.2) years, of whom 65.2% were female. Rigid lens new fits decreased from 13.0% in 2002 to 9.4% in 2014. Across this period, silicone hydrogels have replaced mid water contact lens hydrogels as the soft lens material of choice. Toric lenses represented about 25 to 30% of all soft lens fits. Multifocal soft lenses are generally preferred to monovision. Daily disposable lens fits have recently increased, and in 2014, they represented 27.1% of all soft lens fits. Most lenses are prescribed on 1 to 2 weekly or monthly lens replacement regimen. Extended wear remains a minority lens wearing modality. The vast majority of those wearing reusable lenses use multipurpose lens care solutions. Lenses are mostly worn 7 d/wk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey has revealed prescribing trends and preferences in the United States over the past 13 years.
authors.affiliation: *BScOptom, PhD, DSc, FAAO †OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO ‡BSc(Hons), PhD, FAAO Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, and School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Australia (NE); Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama (JJN); School of Medicine (Optometry), Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia (CAW); and Eurolens Research, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK (PBM).
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Efron
authors.forename: Jason J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000639:trends*; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009907:Optometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States