Weekly Wear for a Seasonal Shift

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As a Clinical Excellence Captain and optometrist practicing primary eye care at MyEyeDr in suburban Birmingham, Alabama, I treat the full spectrum of eye care needs—ocular pathology, glaucoma, diabetes, cata­racts, ocular surface disease, and, of course, contact lenses—in patients of all ages, from infants to older adults. About 30% of my practice centers around contact lens wearers, and that group alone is a diverse mix. I fit children as young as 6, adults well into their 80s, and all ages in between. Some wear daily disposables, others prefer reusable lenses, and still others are in specialty contacts they’ll keep for up to a year. I see every lifestyle challenge, environmental trigger, and compliance struggle that comes with contact lens wear, and I’ve learned that putting patients in the right lens for them is the key to success.

FALL MEANS BUSIER EYES 
In Alabama, we don’t really get an “off” season for allergies. Nestled in a valley with poor air circulation, our region deals with year-round allergens. That means my patients are constantly battling environmental challenges that affect contact lens comfort.

In addition to allergy pressure, there are the increased visual demands that come with seasonal changes. Fall brings back-to-school schedules, back-to-office commutes, more structured routines, and longer hours in front of digital devices. Patients of all ages are suddenly spending more time indoors and more time on screens, and we gen­erally see an uptick in symptoms of eye strain and ocular surface dryness.

THE POSITIONING PUZZLE: WHY WEEKLY? 
As a rule, I prefer my patients to wear daily disposable contact lenses. From a health and hygiene standpoint, nothing beats the freshness of a new lens every day. But, the reality is that not every patient wants, or can afford, to be in dailies. Sometimes it’s purely a cost issue, and other times there are practical reasons dailies don’t work for their lifestyle. For those patients, my next option has always been reusables, preferably with the best features and compliance rates possible. Whereas I used to go straight to a monthly disposable, I now have new options in a more frequent schedule. A 7-day replacement lens provides a nice middle ground between a 30-day reusable lens and daily disposables.

However, I’ve found an approach that’s far more effective than pre­senting the 7-day option solely as a compromise between dailies and monthlies. Instead of emphasizing the replacement schedule of a 7-day lens, I’ve found that patients respond more to its technology and performance benefits. The features of comfort, clar­ity, moisture retention, and visual per­formance resonate most with patients. Once they’re sold on the fact that it’s an upgrade, I add the “icing on the cake,” that they can replace it weekly. A weekly replacement schedule is easy to remember—“new week, new lens.”

WHO BENEFITS THE MOST? 
In practice, I’ve found weekly lenses to be useful for a wide range of patients rather than a single demographic niche.

• Patients frustrated with month­lies. Many monthly wearers can start to notice a degradation in lens performance by the third or fourth week. If the ocular surface itself is healthy but the lens per­formance drops off late in the cycle, weekly disposable lenses are a great solution. Patients immedi­ately recognize the improvement.
• Teenagers and college students. My practice has been seeing an increase in the number of pedi­atric patients choosing contact lenses, and this group enjoys the balance of reusability and hygiene in a weekly option. They appreci­ate the reminder that a clean lens is a healthier lens, and their par­ents also find comfort in the idea that their child is changing the lenses more often.
• First responders and shift work­ers. For those who need to wake up with clear vision, a 7-day lens offers a healthier alternative to the monthly extended-wear options they’ve traditionally relied on. I don’t encourage sleeping in lenses unless absolutely necessary, but having a weekly option that is FDA-approved for overnight wear expands what I can offer them.
• Patients with contact lens– related dryness. It’s important to distinguish between true dry eye disease (DED) and contact lens–related dryness. Weekly lenses with a high-moisture material tend to perform much better for the latter. Patients often report feeling an immedi­ate difference on day 1—ideally, they shouldn’t even feel it on their eye—and that comfort usually endures until they replace the lens at the end of the week.

A COST COMPROMISE 
With 7-day lenses, the cost is close enough to that of monthlies that patients still perceive the value compared to the daily disposable price point. And, because it’s a newer product category, manufacturers tend to support the weekly lenses with strong rebates, which makes the yearly supply more appealing. Patients recognize that they’re getting four times as many lenses for nearly the same annual investment.

HOW I INTRODUCE THE OPTION 
I make it a priority to mention con­tact lenses to every patient, even to those who present primarily for glasses. It doesn’t take much chair time. Our intake form collects information on patients’ hobbies and interests, so I can quickly see if they’re into sports, rid­ing a motorcycle, or other activities where glasses may be inconvenient. That opens the door to ask patients if they’ve ever considered contact lenses for their hobbies or thought about the option in general. I find that asking the question in an open-ended way puts the patient in the driver’s seat. Even if they say no, I tell them that’s great, I just wanted to make them aware of all their options.

For those interested in learning about contact lenses, I explain the different categories: daily disposables, weekly replacements, and monthly replacements. I tell them my philoso­phy: the more frequently you replace your lenses, the healthier your eyes are likely to be. Then I match the option to their lifestyle and budget.

LOOKING AHEAD 
As demands on our patients’ visual performance increases—packed schedules, greater screen usage, and ever-increasing environmental allergens—we need every tool available to keep their eyes comfortable and healthy. Weekly contact lenses provide a flexible, patient-friendly option that bridges the gap between the health benefits of dailies and the affordability of monthlies. I consider the 7-day lenses a strategic solution that I can confidently recommend to the right patients, knowing it fulfills a need while offering the benefits of advanced technology.

Mark E. Schaeffer, OD, FAAO
Clinical Excellence Captain, MyEyeDr, Birmingham, Alabama
mark@drmesconsulting.com
Financial disclosure: Consultant (Alcon)