BCLA webinar to explore the overlooked link between vision and contact lens comfort

BCLA webinar to explore the overlooked link between vision and contact lens comfort

Eye care professionals will be encouraged to take a broader view of contact lens discomfort in a sponsor-led BCLA webinar exploring how visual factors may contribute to perceived discomfort and reduced lens wear.

‘What are we not seeing with contact lens comfort?’ will take place on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, from 7pm to 8pm, via Zoom.

The CooperVision sponsor-led webinar will be led by Associate Professor Neema Ghorbani Mojarrad, who will explore the multifactorial nature of contact lens discomfort and consider whether clinicians could be missing an important piece of the puzzle by focusing primarily on ocular causes.

Despite continuing advances in contact lens materials and design, discomfort remains a significant challenge for both patients and practitioners and can ultimately lead to reduced wearing time and discontinuation.

The session will examine how vision can influence perceived physical discomfort and overall contact lens satisfaction. It will also explore the potential role of ciliary microfluctuations and their impact on visual comfort.

A key focus will be helping practitioners recognise that patients may not always be aware that a visual problem is contributing to what they perceive as ocular discomfort – or may struggle to communicate the distinction.

BCLA Chief Executive Brad Parkes said: “Contact lens discomfort is one of the most persistent challenges facing our profession, and it is easy to focus on the obvious ocular causes when trying to understand why a patient is struggling.

“This webinar offers an opportunity to step back and consider whether we are seeing the whole picture. Understanding the relationship between vision and perceived comfort could give practitioners another valuable tool when assessing patients who are experiencing discomfort or reducing their lens wear.

“Neema brings a strong research background to this topic, and I’m sure the session will challenge clinicians to think differently about how they approach contact lens comfort and patient satisfaction.”

During the webinar, attendees will consider how a more holistic approach to contact lens discomfort could improve patient management and retention. The session will explore the possibility that visual discomfort can manifest as what patients experience or describe as ocular discomfort, and how better understanding and communication of these factors could contribute to long-term satisfaction.

Neema Ghorbani Mojarrad is an Associate Professor at the University of Bradford and Chair of the British and Irish University and College Contact Lens Educators (BUCCLE), which promotes collaboration and the dissemination of evidence-based contact lens knowledge.

He is an Associate Editor of BMJ Open Ophthalmology and holds fellowships with both the BCLA and the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE). His research interests include myopia management, myopia development, contact lenses and the anterior eye.

Neema has received a number of awards for his clinical and research work, including the Association of Optometrists Newly Qualified Optometrist of the Year award in 2015, the VDCO Peter Abel research prize in 2021 and the College of Optometrists George Giles prize in 2022.

The webinar is open to all eye care professionals, with one CPD point available.

Registration is now open at www.bcla.org.uk.