New CORE Guidance Focuses on Contact Lens Handling and Dropout Impact

The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has launched Issue 92 of Contact Lens Update focused on contact lens handling and its potential impact on successful lens wear and dropout. The bi-monthly publication is available at no charge by visiting ContactLensUpdate.com.

“Contact lens handling is an essential part of the patient experience and can significantly influence confidence, satisfaction, and long-term wear. Difficulties with application, removal, or lens care may contribute to frustration and ultimately discontinuation. Effective handling education should be considered an integral component of contact lens care. Providing clear, practical instruction and ensuring that patients feel comfortable and competent with their lenses from the beginning can help support successful, sustained use,” said Daddi Fadel, adjunct assistant professor at the University of Waterloo and a consultant for CORE.

Meredith Bishop, OD, MS, FAAO, who serves as the Director of Global Medical Education, Vision, Johnson & Johnson, where she leads education strategy and develops resources for eye care professionals, co-authored the opening editorial with Stephanie Wong, a clinical scientist at CORE specializing in contact lens and dry eye research and an associate editor of Contact Lens Update. They explore how handling difficulties contribute to contact lens dropout and offer practical strategies for tailored training, patient education, and ongoing support to promote successful wear.

Sebastian Marx, an optometrist, professor, and researcher at the JENVIS Research Institute in Germany, provides the feature article that reviews contact lens dropout, examining key causes such as visual dissatisfaction, handling difficulties, discomfort, and ocular surface disease, and highlighting strategies to improve retention and re-engage former wearers.

In the clinical insight, CORE offers practitioners a practical video series with step-by-step guidance on corneal, soft contact lens, and scleral lens handling, including insertion, removal, cleaning, and safe lens care. The videos translate essential handling techniques into clear, clinically useful guidance to help patients build confidence and establish safe, consistent lens-wearing routines.

The conference highlight is shared by Anna Sulley, an optometrist with more than 30 years of experience across clinical, research, and professional roles in the contact lens sector, including as a Visiting Research Fellow at Aston University. The study compares spherical and toric daily disposable lenses made from the same material, finding similar comfort, wettability, fitting, handling, and chair time over 10 hours.

In addition to a complete archive of back issues, ContactLensUpdate.com offers a resource library that provides no-cost professional tools, patient resources, images and video. It also houses complimentary technical training videos produced by International Association of Contact Lens Educators, plus an industry glossary. Industry professionals can access the latest issue directly from ContactLensUpdate.com or quickly sign up for email receipt of future issues.

The publication receives support from the educational arms of Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.