Meeting patient needs with contact lenses

Chicago-Incorporating contact lens fitting into refractive surgical practices is critical to achieve successful visual outcomes. According to Warren Fagadau, MD, this is an area that has been relatively neglected in ophthalmology.

Dr. Fagadau, a long-term advocate of state-of-the-art contact lens service availability in a comprehensive care setting, is in private practice in Dallas.

“Our practice philosophy incorporates patient advocacy, vision correction as a continuum, education, and identification of choices for patients within the realm of state-of-the-art services,” Dr. Fagadau said.

When he discusses options with his patients, he includes a discussion of anatomy and functional needs assessment.

“The attitudes of the patients are critical and we attempt to manage their expectations,” he said.

Numerous contact lens options are available that can help manage patients’ visual needs after cataract surgery. Dr. Fagadau believes that it is important to incorporate these contact lenses into premium implant practices. He demonstrated the relevancy of using contact lenses by recounting case reports of patients with keratoconus, anisometropia, and others pathologies who were otherwise unhappy with their refractive outcomes but who benefited from individualized contact lenses prescribed to match their often-complicated visual needs.

“In a successful premium implant practice, the use of contact lenses is logical and often neglected as an answer for achieving patient satisfaction,” he said. “The trio of cost, quality, and convenience in contact lenses is now achievable and should be integrated formally with surgical refractive services to serve the best interests of our patients. Integration with optometrists and technician-providers can be the answer in a busy practice. Contact lenses are invaluable for achieving excellent visual outcomes in dissatisfied patients.”

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