Cost-benefit analysis supports specialty contact lenses for eye conditions

Specialty contact lenses for irregular cornea and ocular surface diseases are highly cost-effective and provide significant benefits to patients, according to a study that found that despite their upfront cost, there is an excellent benefit-cost ratio and meaningful improvements in quality of life.

Researchers analyzed expenses institutional records and patient surveys, estimating the cost per patient using a micro-costing approach. The study also assessed quality of life improvements using the National Eye Institute’s 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ 25), converted to quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

The median cost for specialty lenses was approximately $693 per patient, with corneal lenses averaging $262 and scleral lenses $1,321. Although the total expense was comparable to the annual GDP per capita of low-income groups, it was significantly lower than the benchmarks for middle- and high-income populations. The benefit-cost ratio was 136:1, and the cost per QALY gained was $1,628 for corneal lenses and $1,874 for scleral lenses.

The study concluded that specialty contact lenses are both cost-effective and beneficial for patients.

Reference
Balaji J, Subramanian M, Saravanan S, et al. Cost and benefits of availing specialty contact lenses for irregular cornea and ocular surface diseases from patient perspectives. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2025;102385. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2025.102385. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39988517.