More BrandsIt is generally accepted that contact lens discomfort (CLD) is the main reason for people to discontinue wearing lenses. Estimates show that as many as 50% of lens wearers around the world experience CLD. Despite the scale of the problem, and the massive body of literature dedicated to it, eye care experts have so far operated without a consensus on the definition of CLD. To address this issue, the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) organised a workshop which brought together 79 experts from different countries, and lasted for 18 months.
The TFOS International Workshop on CLD was chaired by Professor Jason J. Nichols from University of Houston’s College of Optometry. A number of subcommittees were formed to examine various aspects of CLD, among them epidemiology, classification, diagnosis, and management. The whole series of reports produced by the subcommittees has been published in the current issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.
Workshop vice-chair Mark Willcox, Professor at the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of New South Wales, said that participants worked hard to achieve a consensus on multiple CLD aspects. They employed an evidence-based approach, maintaining open communication, dialogue, and transparency throughout the process. TFOS founder and workshop organiser David A. Sullivan added that the results would greatly raise awareness of factors that may be linked to CLD, and should promote further research into this important area.
The workshop participants have agreed on a definition of CLD, which provides solid foundation for further work on the problem. According to the report, CLD is a condition characterised by intermittent or persistent eye irritation due to contact lens wear. It may or may not be accompanied by visual disturbance, and is the result of reduced lens-eye compatibility. The outcome of CLD can involve reduced wearing time, or outright discontinuation of lens wear.
