Contact Lens Cases Costing Americans > $1 Billion Annually

From Patent Application 09/666784

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Americans may unnecessarily (and unwittingly) spend more than $1.6 billion annually on contact lens solution due to an increase in contact lens case volume.
• Contact lens solution manufacturers and retail establishments that sell contact lens solution have benefited.
• It is unclear whether a justification for an increase in volume exists.

SUMMARY

Quite some time ago I noticed that the frequency at which I was purchasing contact lens solution had increased, but I couldn’t figure out why. I believe I recently discovered the answer, and I’m not too pleased.  I learned that:

Subtle increases in the size of my contact lens case reservoirs have resulted in an increase in annual solution usage, and thus, an increase in solution purchase frequency.

After conducting a small experiment and running some numbers, I was surprised by the findings:

• The increase in case size from the smallest (4.5mL) to the largest (13 mL) is ~189%!
• This increase may account for ~$90 per year in additional solution purchases, per person.
• As an approximate 18,000,000 Americans wear soft lenses, this increase could (at its most severe) amount to ~$1,600,000,000 in unnecessary solution purchases.
• This tally equates 162,000,000 bottles of 12 ounce solution.  (That's a lot of trash!)

Although it is unclear whether contact lens manufacturers are behind the apparent increase in size, it certainly benefits their coffers. You can draw your own conclusion, but, for what it's worth, companies do bundle lens cases with solution. (No, I did not purchase and measure the bundled case.)

Further, my newest contact lens case, provided for free when I last purchased contact lenses from an internet-based contact lens store, has the largest reservoir. The case with the smallest reservoir is one which I have owned for several years. (I wish I knew for how long, but it's been a while.)

Admittedly, I am not an expert in the design of contact lens cases and a good reason for the increase in size may exist.  For example, patent 09/666784 states: "The present invention also provides structural enhancements that improve the durability of the case and facilitate lens removal and insertion."  I'm not too convinced that a more voluminous case truly facilitates "lens removal and insertion", but that doesn't mean it isn't feasible. 

Lastly, the approximate ~$1.6 billion dollar figure likely falls closer toward the hundreds of millions range (due to factors I highlight in the assumptions section below), but I'm willing to bet that the true amount is quite significant - likely in the several hundreds of millions of dollars per year range.

What do you think?

-Adam

PS: You can find me on Twitter - @apzuckerman

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PROCESS

• Step 1: Collect unique contact lens cases from my house (Note: I had five).
• Step 2: Fill a single reservoir in each contact lens case with water tinted with green food coloring.
• Step 3: Measure the amount of liquid via an oral syringe.
• Step 4: Calculate the results.

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PICTURES

All Cases	Case 1: 8 ml Per Day
Case 2: 8.5 ml Per Day	Case 3 (smallest): 4.5 ml Per Day
Case 4 (largest): 13 ml Per Day	Case 5: 12 ml Per Day

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CALCULATIONS

- 1 US fluid ounce = 29.5735297 milliliters

- 12 US fluid ounces = 354.88235 milliliters

- 12 oz bottle of solution = $9.99

- Based on 18,000,000 Americans wearing soft lenses.

- A difference of 162,000,000 bottles! (That's a lot of trash.)

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FOR THE NAYSAYERS (AKA: Assumptions/Notes)

• Contact lens cases are filled once per day to the brim, 365 days per year.
• Calculations carried out on a 12 ounce bottle at $9.99 of contact lens solution, not including tax.
• Calculations do not account for price variations due to sales, value brands, bulk rate packs or otherwise.
• Calculations are based on 18,000,000 soft contact lens wearers, per the The University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
• Calculations do not account for individuals who do not change their contact lenses every day (AKA: Multi-day/weekly contact lenses).
• “ML Per Day” is a doubling of a single contact case reservoir.
• I make no assertion that solution manufacturers are behind the increased volume in cases. 
• For measuring, I used a 10 ml Oral Syringe with Dosage-KorcTM, manufactured by Apothecary Products, Inc.® in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
• I used water with green food coloring to aid in reading.
• Prior to measuring, the contact lens reservoirs were filled to the brim.
• No, I am not a scientist.
• No, I have not (yet) reached out to contact lens case or solution manufacturers for comment.

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SOURCES

• The University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
• "Over 24 million people in the United States now wear contact lenses."
• "More than 75% of contact lens wearers in the United States use soft lenses.
  
  
• CVS - (Solution information)
• Bausch & Lomb Renu Multiplus No Rub Solution
• SKU #965970
• 12 ounce
• Directions: “To clean, disinfect and remove protein daily, complete these simple steps: Step 1: Thoroughly rinse each side of the lens (5 seconds) with ReNu MultiPlus Multi-Purpose Solution. Step 2: Place cleaned contact lens in the lens case and fill with fresh ReNu MultiPlus Multi-Purpose Solution. Soak at least four (4) hours. Always follow your eye care professional's instructions. Based upon your individual tear chemistry and lens-wearing schedule, your eye care practitioner may recommend additional products or procedures such as placing 3 drops of this solution on each lens surface and rubbing for 20 seconds before Step 1. Storage: You may store your lenses in the unopened lens case until ready to wear, up to a maximum of 30 days. See inside of carton for complete cleaning and disinfection directions.”