Awareness Survey on Intraocular Contact Lenses (Phakic Posterior Chamber Lenses) for Men and Women in their 20s to 40s with Vision of 0.1 or Less

AT-Working Co., Ltd. (Head office: WORK VILLA MYJ kanda 5F, 1-4 Kanda Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), which sells "IPCL®" (hereinafter, IPCL), approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in April 2025, in Japan, has conducted a survey on intraocular contact lenses among men and women in their 20s to 40s nationwide.

IPCL is a treatment method called an "intraocular contact lens" that corrects myopia and astigmatism by inserting a small lens into the eye. It uses an acrylic polymer material mainly composed of HEMA, which is widely used for intraocular lenses for cataracts and contact lenses. Unlike LASIK, it does not shave the cornea, making it a highly reversible treatment method that has attracted attention as the lens can be removed in the future. In Japan, it obtained pharmaceutical approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in April 2025 after multi-center clinical trials, and was launched in September of the same year.

In recent years, the options for vision correction have diversified, and interest in surgical correction such as LASIK and intraocular contact lenses is growing. According to data published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, contact lens users in Japan are widespread from young to middle-aged people, with a particularly high usage rate among those in their 20s and 40s. Against this background, intraocular contact lenses are gaining attention as a choice that considers daily convenience, long-term costs, and future changes in vision. On the other hand, the importance of a correct understanding of safety and risks is also pointed out. This survey was conducted via the internet to clarify the awareness and understanding of intraocular contact lenses among men and women in their 20s to 40s with vision of 0.1 or less, based on these social circumstances.

Regarding the treatment method of intraocular contact lenses, more than 70% (72.8%) of the survey subjects were aware of it, and about 70% (71.9%) were interested in the treatment. Among them, women in their 20s and 30s showed a higher tendency to be interested. The reasons for the high interest were the "inconvenience of glasses and contact lenses" and the "burden of monthly contact lens costs." The main drawbacks of the treatment cited were "fear of surgery" and "safety concerns."

Q1. Awareness Survey

When surveying people in their 20s to 40s with vision of 0.1 or less about the treatment called intraocular contact lenses, 35.5% said they "know about it," and 37.3% said they "have heard the name."

Combining these two, 72.8% of the total have some form of awareness of intraocular contact lenses, suggesting it has gained a certain level of recognition as a vision correction option.

Q2. Awareness Survey by Gender and Age

Men and women in their 20s with vision of 0.1 or less...