Strategies to better engage, educate, and empower patient compliance and safe lens wear: compliance: what we know, what we do not know, and what we need to know.

Purpose: To assess the extent of noncompliant behavior of contact lens wearers and to develop strategies of engaging and educating patients to increase compliance with safe contact lens practices.

Methods: The literature regarding noncompliance with medical regimens, contact lens wear, and cleaning was reviewed. One hundred eleven contact lens wearers from a college campus, a dental clinic, and ophthalmology clinics were surveyed in a pilot study regarding their contact lens knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Contact lens complications.

Complications associated with contact lenses range from mild to severe and occur with all lens modalities. Contact lens wear can cause a change in corneal physiology, which can lead to epithelial, stromal, and endothelial compromise. Other complications include lens deposition, allergic conjunctivitis, giant papillary conjunctivitis, peripheral infiltrates, microbial keratitis, and neovascularization.

Disposable and frequent replacement contact lenses.

Disposable and frequent replacement contact lenses dominate the marketplace. They are available in a wide variety of parameters for use in refractive errors, including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. They are convenient and affordable and lend themselves to most wearing modalities, including daily wear, flexible wear, and extended wear for up to 30 days.