Characterization of patients who report compliant and non-compliant overnight wear of soft contact lenses

PurposeTo describe compliant and non-compliant overnight wear (EW) of soft contact lenses from a large observational study.MethodsA retrospective chart review of 3211 SCL patients with known EW status (aged 8–33 yrs, SCL power +8.00 to −12.00 D) captured data from 10,516 clinical visits (2006–2009). Status of EW was either daily wear (DW), compliant EW (overnight wear of US Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) EW-approved lenses), non-compliant EW (overnight wear of DW-approved lenses). The effect of demographic and clinical characteristics on the likelihood of reporting EW was examined using logistic regression. Additionally, the effect of these same characteristics on the likelihood of non-compliant EW was assessed with logistic models.ResultsEight-hundred and eight patients (25.2%) reported EW. Non-compliant EW was reported by 6% of wearers (13 hydrogel, 2 silicone hydrogel brands) In multivariate models, patient age and lens replacement schedule were significant factors for EW (vs. DW) and for non-compliant (vs. compliant) EW (p < 0.0001). Other factors significantly related to EW were gender, smoking, lens material, sphere power, and years of CL wear (p ≤ 0.007, all).ConclusionsYoung people (ages 18–25 yrs), males, smokers, myopes, silicone hydrogel lens wearers and patients with >1 yr of CL wear were significantly more likely to report EW. Non-compliant EW occurred often in young people and daily disposable wearers, though many brands had non-compliant EW use. Understanding who is likely to wear EW and non-compliant EW will help clinicians pointedly counsel patients more at risk on best practices with EW.