중·고등학교 및 대학교 여학생을 대상으로 실시한 투명·미용 소프트 콘택트렌즈 착용 및 관리 실태 조사

Purpose: To investigate the actual state of wear and care of soft contact lenses in women, and the differences by type and age group. Methods: The wearing and management status of soft contact lenses in 153 female middle school, high school, and university students (32, 41, and 60, respectively) was surveyed on from May to July 2018. Results: Wearing cosmetic contact lenses (62.09%) was twice as common as wearing corrective contact lenses (37.91%), and the wearing of cosmetic lenses (51.63%) was highest for aesthetic purposes. It was found that 45.75% of contact lens wearers used the lenses for longer than the recommended period of usage, and 84.97% used eye make-up with the contact lenses. Approximately 73.72% and 49.02% of lens users were not well aware of replacement cycles of lens containers and lens solutions, respectively, and 75.82% of them were not particularly observant of the expiry date of the lens solution. Approximately 65.23% of the lens users observed did not clean the lens container properly, and majority of them did not manage it properly. There was no difference between the percentages of educated people who purchased corrective and cosmetic lenses; however, middle school students were more likely to be instructed on lens care than were high school and university students (p<0.05). Conclusions: Female students wearing soft contact lenses did not fully understand the effective length of wear, the necessity to not use eye make-up when wearing lenses, and the method of management of containers and solutions. Therefore, continuous education and guidance on the wear and care of contact lenses is necessary, not only in the early teen years when they are first worn but also in high school and university students.