Which is better, 1 or 2?

There is no shortage of research participation opportunities in the Wildermuth Optometric Research Clinic at The Ohio State University College of Optometry! Research participation opportunities range in topics of myopia management, amblyopia, keratoconus, contact lenses, and more. In this issue, I am going to focus on the clinical study, Evaluation of Wear Experience with Dailies TOTAL1 Multifocal® Contact Lenses in Presbyopic Adults That Have Dropped out of Contact Lens Wear, conducted by the Innovation in Vision and Eye-care Research Group (iVERG).

As things change in life, so does our vision. A survey shows that permanent contact lens discontinuation over the age of 40 is reported by 15% of individuals.* This study seeks adults 38 years of age and older who dropped out of contact lens wear due to less than satisfactory vision. The study is enrolling at two sites, The Ohio State University College of Optometry with Jennifer Fogt (OD’99) and at ProCare Vision Centers, Inc. with Katherine Bickle (OD/MS’13).

Participants wear the study-provided Dailies Total1 Multifocal contact lenses for five weeks. The study visits includes eye health assessments, contact lens fittings, and a survey about wear experience. At the end of the study, a prescription for Dailies TOTAL1 Multifocal® lenses is provided to participants. Nidhi Satiani (OD’05), a co-investigator on the study, says, “It is exciting to have new opportunities for individuals who felt that they would never be able to wear contact lenses again due to their presbyopia.” The data collected about the participant wear experiences are used to help future patients and doctor make decisions about multifocal contact lens wear. This study allows patients to ask themselves again - which is better, glasses or contact lenses? 

*Rueff EM, Varghese RJ, Brack TM, Downard DE, Bailey MD. A Survey of Presbyopic Contact Lens Wearers in a University Setting. Optom Vis Sci. 2016 Aug;93(8):848-54. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000000881. PMID: 27232896.