As clinical innovations continue to expand and patient expectations rise, contact lenses have evolved from a solution for refractive errors to play a pivotal role in managing complex corneal conditions, ocular surface disease, and visual rehabilitation.
Advances such as scleral lenses for keratoconus and severe dry eye, orthokeratology (ortho-K) for myopia management, and customized multifocal lenses have transformed this field into a thriving specialty with both medical significance and business opportunities.
The real challenge, however, lies in transitioning from routine soft lens fittings in a primary care setting to cultivating a comprehensive contact lens practice that incorporates advanced modalities, medical applications, and consistent referral relationships.
Drawing on responses from over 580 optometrists, this report reflects the opinions of optometrists across diverse professional backgrounds and practice settings, highlighting the belief that specialty contact lenses (e.g., scleral lenses, corneal GPs, ortho-K, hybrid) are an integral part of the modern optometry practice.
Employing a mixed-methods approach—combining quantitative and qualitative data through structured and open-ended questions—the 2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report explores prevalence, preparedness, and preferences in fitting specialty contact lenses.
Read on—and download the report—to gain insight into the challenges eyecare professionals face with specialty contact lenses and the creative ways they are overcoming them.
Download the 2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report now, or keep reading to preview the findings!
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2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report
Download your free copy of the report to learn how fellow optometrists are incorporating scleral lenses, ortho-K, hybrid lenses, and more into their practices!
The 2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report covers questions regarding:
- Practice owners' interest in expanding their specialty contact lens line of service
- The most frequently fit specialty lens modality
- The primary indications for specialty lens fitting
- Utilization of ortho-K lenses for the pediatric myopia population
- Use of imaging equipment—topography, OCT, and keratometry—in exams
- Confidence in troubleshooting lens discomfort and vision complaints
- Opinions on the services offered by specialty labs
- Advice to new optometrists on embracing specialty contact lenses
Download the 2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report now, or keep reading for a sneak peek at our findings!
Facing challenges with confidence
Indications ranging from keratoconus to pediatric myopia and irregular astigmatism can be effectively addressed with the use of specialty contact lenses.
However, offering specialty lenses does include its own specific set of challenges. The primary obstacles identified by respondents were cost, chair time, troubleshooting fit/vision, and insurance coverage.
Luckily, the ODs we surveyed were relatively confident in their ability to troubleshoot when needed—3.46 on a scale of 1 to 5—and even more so in educating their patients on specialty contact lens options (3.81). Those surveyed also expressed confidence in training staff to assist with specialty lens care and insertion/removal.
This implies that those who have adopted specialty contact lenses feel confident in their ability to utilize these technologies to treat relevant conditions and enhance visual outcomes.
For further illumination on this trend, download the report.
Making the most of modalities
Likely due to the rapid expansion of options and relative ease of fitting, respondents utilized scleral lenses significantly more often than any other modality. Scleral lenses are particularly valuable for patients with keratoconus, corneal ectasia, post-surgical irregularities, ocular surface disease, and severe dry eye, where conventional contact lenses often fail to provide adequate comfort or vision.
Advances in customization, including wavefront-guided optics and tailored haptic designs, further expand their role in managing highly irregular corneas and complex refractive errors.
As Erin Rueff, OD, PhD, FAAO, Dipl AAO, pointed out, corneal GPs are proving a missed opportunity and can set practitioners apart: “Corneal GPs are, despite their underutilization, a very important tool in the contact lens management of patients with keratoconus and similar conditions."
Also, somewhat surprisingly, less than half of those surveyed fit ortho-K lenses for myopia, further highlighting that many practitioners are hesitant to adopt specialty contact lenses as a first-line treatment.
For further illumination on this trend, download the report.
Increasing revenue and reach
Specialty contact lenses offer the opportunity to add a revenue stream to your existing practice, while also enhancing your ability to optimize outcomes and improve patients’ vision and overall satisfaction.
With over 90% of those surveyed expressing an interest in expanding their specialty contact lens practices, it is clear that practitioners recognize the potential of these lenses to elevate their practices.
For further illumination on this trend, download the report.
Overwhelmingly, the key piece of advice offered by our respondents for those eager to expand or integrate specialty lenses was to start—slowly, perhaps even with a single lens modality—but do not wait to begin.
Once specialty contact lenses have been incorporated, the next step is to inform the public and attract the appropriate patients.
When it came to the most effective way to expand their patient base, our participating optometrists found that word of mouth was the top means of marketing, followed by referrals—first from ophthalmologists, then from general optometrists.
For further illumination on this trend, download the report.
In closing
Ultimately, specialty contact lenses represent more than just advanced technology—they are an opportunity to elevate patient care, expand clinical expertise, and distinguish a practice in an increasingly competitive landscape.
By embracing these modalities, optometrists can not only address complex visual challenges but also transform patients’ quality of life in meaningful ways.
Whether you are just beginning to integrate specialty lenses or looking to grow an established service, the 2025 Specialty Contact Lens Report provides valuable insights, strategies, and peer perspectives to guide your journey.
