ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to survey Diplomates in the Section on Cornea and Contact Lenses of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) to determine their fitting preferences for astigmatic patients, lens materials used, and their perception of simplicity or complexity of bitoric fitting. METHODS: A total of 180 practitioners, representing all active Diplomates in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section, were sent a survey of 11 questions pertaining to their astigmatic contact lens prescribing habits. Sixty-eight (38%) of those surveyed responded to the questionnaire. RESULTS: The results of this survey included the following: (1) gas permeable (GP) lenses represented 28.7% of all contact lenses fit; (2) a spherical power effect (SPE) bitoric lens was preferred (versus four other options) by 58.8% of respondents for a 3.5 diopter (D) refractive astigmat with no residual astigmatism, whereas a cylinder power effect (CPE) bitoric was preferred by 55.9% for a 3.5 D refractive astigmatic with more than 1 D of residual astigmatism; (3) only 10.4% of responding practitioners consider GP torics to be difficult to fit. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Back surface toric and bitoric GP lenses are considered easy to design and fit by most Diplomates. (2) The Mandell-Moore guide is the preferred empirical method, and the Polycon SPE is the preferred diagnostic fitting method for bitoric lenses for those responding to the survey.
