Key Takeaways

• More than half of surveyed US adults aged 38 years and older reported little or no familiarity with multifocal contact lenses or did not recognize the term, despite broader interest in products and services associated with healthy aging
• Among respondents who were very familiar with multifocal contact lenses, 75% said they would consider wearing them, suggesting an association between awareness and consideration
• Nearly half of adults aged 38 to 42 years said they would prefer to discuss presbyopia with their eye care professional before symptoms develop, highlighting an opportunity for earlier patient education

New research from CooperVision suggests that discussions about multifocal contact lenses could begin earlier in the patient journey, as US adults increasingly consider appearance, lifestyle, and healthy aging when making health-related decisions.

The company's "Unmet Opportunities: Multifocal Contact Lenses and the Anti-Aging Movement" (U.S.) report examines attitudes toward aging and awareness of multifocal contact lenses among US adults aged 38 years and older. The findings point to a gap between consumers' interest in maintaining a youthful appearance and their familiarity with multifocal contact lenses as an option for addressing age-related vision changes.

According to the research, two-thirds of respondents said they want to maintain a younger appearance as they age, and nearly half expressed concern about how their eyes will look as they grow older.

When participants were asked to select their top 3 anti-aging products and services from 10 available categories, multifocal contact lenses ranked as the fourth most frequently selected option. According to CooperVision, they were selected at a rate comparable to fitness memberships and aesthetic dental care and ahead of cosmetic procedures.

Despite that interest, more than half of respondents reported little or no familiarity with multifocal contact lenses or did not recognize the term, suggesting a potential opportunity for increased patient education.

Familiarity was also associated with greater consideration of the lenses. Among respondents who reported being very familiar with multifocal contact lenses, 75% said they would consider wearing them.

The findings suggest that some patients may be receptive to learning about presbyopia and available vision correction options before they begin experiencing symptoms. Nearly half of respondents aged 38 to 42 years said they would prefer to discuss presbyopia with their eye care professional before symptoms develop, according to CooperVision.

Adults aged 38 to 47 years were also significantly more likely than older respondents to value multifocal contact lenses for reasons related to feeling younger, improving their appearance by avoiding age-related stereotypes, and discreetly concealing signs of aging from others.

“For many years, presbyopia discussions have typically started after patients begin noticing symptoms,” Jennifer Palombi, OD, FAAO, director of professional affairs—Americas at CooperVision, said in a statement. “These findings suggest there is value in shifting those conversations earlier.”

Dr. Palombi added that educating patients about their options could help them make more informed decisions while strengthening patient-provider relationships and potentially contributing to practice revenue.

In addition to presenting the survey findings and market data, the report provides practical guidance for incorporating healthy-aging themes into discussions about presbyopia.

The resources include prompts for annual eye examinations intended to help eye care professionals introduce multifocal contact lenses in a patient-centered manner.

The findings may be particularly relevant as clinicians consider when to begin educating patients approaching presbyopia. Rather than waiting until near-vision symptoms become disruptive, the research suggests that some patients in their late 30s and early 40s may welcome earlier information about anticipated vision changes and available correction options.

The full Unmet Opportunities: Multifocal Contact Lenses and the Anti-Aging Movement (U.S.) report is available through CooperVision's practitioner resources website.