British Contact Lens Association

Facts and stats on the UK contact lens market

In total there were 3.3 million contact lens wearers in the UK in 2009 representing 6.8 per cent of the adult population, according to the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM).

The size of the UK contact lens market in 2009 was £198.7m, said the ACLM. This represents an increase of two per cent from 2008.

The market in 2009 was made up of the sale of over 537 million contact lenses. Market value comprised daily disposables (57 per cent), soft frequent replacement lenses (12 per cent), silicone hydrogels (23 per cent), soft traditional lenses (two per cent) and rigid lenses (six per cent).

The number of people using daily disposable lenses has increased by six per cent in the last 12 months with these lenses now worn by 1.4 million people.

According to the annual ‘Trends in contact lens prescribing’ survey compiled by Eurolens Research at the University of Manchester, 98 per cent of new contact lens fits and 95 per cent of refits in 2010 were soft lenses. Of new soft lenses prescribed, 48 per cent were silicone hydrogel lenses and the most common replacement schedule was monthly (52 per cent) followed by daily (45 per cent). More than a third new soft lenses prescribed were toric lenses (for astigmatism) and about one in 10 (11 per cent) was a multifocal lens (for presbyopia).

The proportion of extended wear lenses (allowing overnight wear) prescribed was five per cent of new fits and 13 per cent of refits. The proportion of rigid lenses prescribed as refits fell to five per cent. Overall, rigid lenses accounted for only four percent of all fits.

There were no survey reports in 2010 of orthokeratology lenses being refitted. Most prescribed contact lens solutions (89 per cent) were multipurpose solutions.

For more information on the UK contact lens market visit the ACLM website www.aclm.org.uk, call 01380 860418 or email secgen@aclm.org.uk.