hong kong workers’ long-hour wear of contact lenses in relations to corneal oxygen deficiency...

Hong Kong Workers’ Long-hour Wear of Contact Lenses In Relations

To Corneal Oxygen Deficiency Survey

Presenter : Dr. Robert Chung (Director of Public Opinion Programme, the University of Hong Kong)

July 12, 2005

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Survey Overview

Survey Objective

To understand the COD condition of Hong Kong workers as a result of long-hour wear of contact lenses and their knowledge and attitude on COD.

Survey Period

June 10 – 15, 2005

Methodology

Telephone interviews conducted by interviewers

Targets Cantonese-speaking full time workers, aged 25-44, who have worn contact lenses in the past 12 months

Conducted By

Public Opinion Programme, The University of Hong Kong

Successful Samples

509

Response Rate

88.9% (based on qualified targets）

Sample Error

Less than 2.2%

Respondents’ Profile

Gender

86%

14%

Valid samples ： 509

Female

Male

Age

24% 23%21%

32%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

25-29years 30-34years 35-39years 40-44years


Occupation

19%

8%

18%12%

42%

0%5%

10%15%

20%25%30%35%40%45%

Adm

in/M

gt

Cler

ical

/Sec

reta

ry

Serv

ice/

Sale

s/Pr

omot

ion

Educ

atio

n/So

cial

Wor

k Skill

ed

Oth

ers


Monthly Personal Income

15%

31%

20%15%

5% 6%3% 2% 3%

<1%<1%0%5%

10%15%

20%25%30%35%


Education Level

<1%

47%53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Primary or below Secondary Tertiary or above


Survey Findings

35% Interviewees Have To Work At least 10 Hours A Day

1%1%

37%25%

24%3%

7%1%

<1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Don't know/ Difficult to say

6hours

7 hours

8 hours

9 hours

10 hours

11 hours

12 hours

Over 12 hours


Question ： On average how many hours do you have to work per day?

Mean: 9.2 hours

(Standard deviation: 0.06 hours)

Mean: 9.2 hours


30% Interviewees Have to Wear Contact Lenses For Work For At Least

10 Hours A Day

2%9%

1%4%

33%22%

20%2%

6%1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%


0 hour

1-3 hours

4-7 hours

8 hours

9 hours

10 hours

11 hours

12 hours

Over 12 hours


Question ： On average how many hours do you need to wear contact lenses for work in a day ?

Mean: 8.1 hours


Mean: 8.1 hours


75% Interviewees Wear Contact Lenses For The Sake of Convenience During Work or

Exercise

4%

15%

25%

75%

2%

3%

3%

1%

2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%


Others

Don’t want others to know that they are short- sighted

Need to meet clients

Long working hour

Can see better

More comfortable than wearing glasses

Wearing glasses affects outlook

More convenient for work/ exercise than wearing glasses


Question ： Why do you have to wear contact lenses for so many hours ？

72% Interviewees Are Wearing Disposable Contact Lenses

24%

29%

<1%

16%

3%

32%

1%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%


Others

Conventional

Monthly disposable continuous

Monthly disposable

Bi-weekly disposable

Daily Disposable


Question ： What type of contact lenses are you wearing ？

The Corneal Health of Hong Kong Workers Wearing Contact Lenses for Long Hours

32% 28% 27%

3% 2%<1%

76%

36%45%

61%75%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Eyes

dry

out

Wea

ry e

yes

Eyes

get

red

Vis

ion

get

s bl

urry

/haz

y

Eyes

fee

l irr

itat

ed

Eyes

fee

l squ

eeze

d

Eyes

fee

l pai

n

Eyes

wit

h te

ars

Oth

ers

No

ne

of

the

abo

ve

Do

n't

kn

ow

/Diffi

cult

to

say

Over 60% Interviewees Have Experienced COD Symptoms Due To long-hour Wear of Contact

Lenses

Dried Eyes, Weary Eyes & Blood Shot Eyes


Question ： Have you experienced the following conditions as a result of wearing contact lenses for long hours ？

Only 12% Interviewees Know That COD is a Main Reason For Those Eye

Discomforts

12%

12%

32%

35%

10%

9%

5%

3%

4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%


Others

Contact lenses not fitted

Exhausted/ not enough sleep

Wearing contact lenses for too long

The contact lenses become dirty after long hours of wear

Lack of oxygen after long hours of wear

Too focused and exhausting after long hours of wear

Lack of mositure after long hours of wear

Question ： What are the key reasons for all the eye discomforts ？



About 50% Interviewees Use Eyes-drops to Resolve Their COD Symptoms

3%5%7%

10%20%22%

47%

4%1%2%2%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Don't know/Difficult to say

Others

Change the contact lenses

Blink the eyes

Massage the eyes

Stop wearing the contact lenses

Clean the contact lenses and wear it again

Will not do anything;just tolerate it

Close the eyes and rest for a while

Take-off the contact lenses and re-wear it after rest

Take off the contact lenses and wear glasses

Put eye-drops

Q ： What will you do to sooth your eyes’ discomforts as a result of long-hours of wear contact lens?

84% Interviewees Have Napped In With the Contact Lenses Before

16%

84%Yes


No

Question ： Have you ever slept or napped in with contact lenses ？


Common COD Symptoms After Napping In With Contact Lenses ：

Dried Eyes, Blurry Vision, Irritated Eyes, Tired

Eyes, Blood-Shot Eyes

24%17% 15% 14%

5% 6%<1%

76%

39%41%44%46%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Eyes

dry

out

Visi

on g

ets b

lurry

/haz

y

Eyes

feel

sque

ezed

Wea

ry e

yes

Eyes

get

red

Cann

ot o

pen

the

eyes

Eyes

feel

pai

n

Eyes

feel

itch

ing

Eyes

with

tear

Oth

ers

Non

e of

the

abov

e

Don

't kn

ow/D

ifficu

lt to

say

Hong Kong Workers’ Knowledge and Attitude Towards Corneal Oxygen Deficiency

67% Interviewees Said They Know About “Corneal Oxygen Deficiency”

(COD)

32%

67%

1%

Yes


No

Question ： Do you know “Corneal Oxygen Deficiency” ？

Don’t know/Difficult to say


55% Do Not Know The Symptoms of Corneal Oxygen Deficiency

(COD)

5% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3%

55%

25%

6%10%11%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Eyes

get

red

Eyes

dry

out

Eyes

feel

pai

n

Visi

on

gets

blu

rry/

hazy

Eyes

with

tear

Wea

ry e

yes

Eyes

feel

itch

ing

Eyes

feel

sque

ezed

Dam

age

to the

eye

cel

l

Affec

t th

e vi

sion

Oth

ers

Don'

t kn

ow

/Diffi

cult to sa

y

Q ： Do you know the symptoms of COD ？ [Only those who have heard about COD]

For Those Who Said They Know About COD

9% Misunderstand the Causes of COD

38%

40%

24%

6%

2%

<1%

5%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Don't know/Difficult to say

Others

Working on computer for toolong

The contact lenses have becomedirty

The contact lenses are lack ofmoisture

Wearing contact lenses for toolong

Wearing low oxygen permeablelenses for too long


Q ： Do you know the cause for COD [For those who have heard about COD]

For Those Who Said They Know About COD

Only 25% Interviewees Are Aware of the Availability of High Oxygen Permeable

Lenses

74%

25%

1%

Know


Q ： Do you know any high oxygen permeable contact lenses made of a new material called Silicone Hydrogel are available now?

Don’t know

Difficult to say


90% Interviewees Agree Wearing Contact Lenses For Long Hours Is Unhealthy For

Eyes

<1%

48%

1%4%5%

42%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Ver

yag

ree

Quit

eag

ree

Hal

f &

half

Quit

edi

sagr

ee

Ver

ydi

sagr

ee

Don't

know

/D

ifficu

ltto

say

Q ： I consider wearing contact lenses for long hours is unhealthy for my eyes


6%

38%

<1%3%7%

46%

0%5%

10%15%

20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Ver

y ag

ree

Quit

e ag

ree

Hal

f &

hal

f

Quit

e di

sagr

ee

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don't

know

/diffi

cult

to s

ay

Q ： I care about the potential problems of corneal oxygen deficiency as a result of wearing contact lenses for long hours

84% Interviewees Are Concerned About COD As A Result of Long Hours of Wearing

Contact Lenses


86% Interviewees Opt For High Oxygen Permeable Lenses For

Preventing COD

5%

48%

1%3%5%

38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%V

ery

agre

e

Qui

te a

gree

Hal

f &

hal

f

Qui

te d

isag

ree

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don

'tkn

ow/D

ifficu

ltto

say

Q ： I will choose high oxygen permeable contact lenses in order to prevent COD


4%

38%

1%7%

11%

39%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Ver

y ag

ree

Quit

e ag

ree

half &

hal

f

Quit

e di

sagr

ee

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don't

know

/diffi

cult

to s

ay

Q ： I consider high oxygen permeable contact lens will become the new standard for choosing contact lenses

77% Interviewees Consider High Oxygen Permeable Lenses Will Become

The New Standard for Choosing Contact Lenses


7%

32%

1%

9%12%

39%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Ver

y ag

ree

Quit

e ag

ree

Hal

f &

hal

f

Quit

e di

sagr

ee

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don’t

know

/Diffi

cult

to s

ay

Q ： I believe wearing high oxygen permeable contact lenses will help me prevent COD problems and thus maintain work efficiency

71% Interviewees Agree Wearing High Oxygen Permeable Lenses Will Help Prevent COD & Thus Help Maintain

Work Efficiency


7%

27%

1%6%

12%

47%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Ver

y ag

ree

Quit

e ag

ree

Hal

f &

hal

f

Quit

e di

sagr

ee

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don't

know

/diffi

cult

to s

ay

Q ： I believe wearing high oxygen permeable contact lenses will help prevent COD problems and thus keeps my eyes healthy and shining

74% Interviewees Agree Wearing High Oxygen Permeable Lenses Will Help

Prevent COD & Thus Keep Eyes Healthy & Bright


8%8%

15%

29%

13%

26%

0%5%

10%15%

20%25%30%35%

Ver

y ag

ree

Qui

te a

gree

Hal

f &

hal

f

Qui

te d

isag

ree

Ver

y di

sagr

ee

Don

'tkn

ow/D

ifficu

ltto

say

Q ： I believe high oxygen permeable contact lenses will facilitate long hour wear, even while I am sleeping or napping

35% Interviewees Agree High Oxygen Permeable Lenses Will Facilitate Long-

Hour Wear, Even While Sleeping or Napping

Summary

Hong Kong Workers Have Experienced COD Symptoms As A

Result of Long-Hour Wear of Contact LensesWith long working hours in Hong Kong, many work-

savvy workers wear contact lens for long hours.30% interviewees have to wear contact lenses for work for at least 10 hours a day. 70% of them have experienced the following COD symptoms: eyes dry out, eyes feel tired, eyes get red.84% have napped in with the contact lenses before.Workers will find ways to sooth their eyes’ discomforts.They will put eye drops (47%), take off the lenses and change to ordinary glasses (22%), take off the lenses and rest for a while (20%), close their eyes (10%), take off the lenses and cleanse and put them on again (5%).

ConclusionsThe findings of the survey is a manifestation of how most Hong Kong full time workers seek to remain comfortable in order to maintain efficiency.In this highly competitive environment, many workers work extensive hours while wearing contact lens, so they should care more about COD, as many of them might be experiencing COD symptoms without being fully aware of it.However, they lack the knowledge of the root cause of their eye problems and are obviously using the wrong methods to rectify.Ideally, they should try to consult their ophthalmologist or optometrists for professional advice.

hong kong workers’ long-hour wear of contact lenses in relations to corneal oxygen deficiency...

Documents

day valid samples

gender valid samples

age valid samples

occupation valid samples

exercise valid samples

long hours

type of contact lenses

hours of wear contact