SpecialEyes 54 Multifocal Contact Lens Fitting Tips

Making an Initial Multifocal Contact Lens Fitting More Successful

As a consultant at SpecialEyes, I often get asked questions about how to make an initial multifocal contact lens fitting more successful. So today, I wanted to provide a few tips to use in your office the next time you are fitting the SpecialEyes 54 Multifocal. We know that chair time may be limited, but trust us, taking a few extra minutes to implement these practices in the beginning could save you a ton of time later.

Obtain Fresh Exam Information
It may sound like a no brainer, but everything starts with a thorough exam. As patients age, they have the potential to experience anatomical and physiological changes that ultimately impact vision. Even if you have been seeing a patient for 10 years and their Rx has never changed, there is value in performing a fresh manifest refraction and obtaining new Keratometry (k) readings.

SpecialEyes consultants also request that before ordering a set of trials the practitioner obtain an accurate pupil size measurement. The SpecialEyes 54 Multifocal offers a unique advantage with its customizable multifocal optic zones. Utilizing the SpecialEyes Multifocal Simulator, the pupil size measurement is used to appropriately distribute custom multifocal optics over the patient’s pupil. Unless the patient’s work or preferences call for optimal vision in a different lighting condition, SpecialEyes recommends designing the multifocal optic zone sizes based on a patient’s effective pupil size measurement in regular room illumination. So be sure to take note of the room lighting and instrument used to obtain the measurement and share that information with the consultant during the initial contact lens design.

Set the Expectation
As you know, ensuring that your patient has realistic expectations is crucial to a successful multifocal contact lens fitting. Explain that the lens is designed to provide a good balance of distance, near, and intermediate vision. The operative word here is balance. If the patient is expecting perfect vision at all ranges with no room for compromise, they may not be an ideal candidate. Furthermore, reassure the patient that vision will likely get better with wear time and adaptation.

Patient History
During consultations, I always appreciate when a practice shares details about the patient's previous lens wear history and visual requirements for daily activities. One of the beautiful things about designing a custom soft multifocal is the ability to adjust virtually any parameter and power to meet the patient’s needs. We can increase the lens thickness for better handling, add prism for stabilization, or mimic the fit from a previous lens design. If you prefer using an enhanced monovision approach, our multifocal is available in both distance and near center. Even better, we can change the size of the center and peripheral multifocal optic zones to optimize vision based on your patient’s occupation or hobbies.

Conclusion
The initial exam sets the tone for a successful multifocal contact lens fitting. In addition to performing a careful refraction and obtaining solid corneal and pupil size measurements, the road to success also includes communication. First communicate with your patient to establish realistic expectations. Use this time to gather details about what the patient needs most out of their multifocal toric contact lenses. Find out what their daily activities, occupation, and hobbies include to determine what visual tasks are most important. If the patient has tried previous brands, ask them what their chief complaint was and how those lenses could be improved. Once you have all of the patient exam information, share those details with our consultants. By providing detailed information, our consultants can help you make the initial multifocal contact lens fitting more successful.

For more information on how to make multifocal contact lens fittings more successful, contact our consultation department.

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