Awareness Survey on Intraocular Contact Lenses (Phakic Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lenses) for Men and Women Aged 20-40 with Visual Acuity Below 0.1

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

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

In recent years, vision correction options have diversified, and interest in surgical corrections such as LASIK and intraocular contact lenses has been increasing. According to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, contact lens users in Japan range widely from young adults to middle-aged individuals, with a particularly high usage rate among those in their 20s to 40s. Against this backdrop, intraocular contact lenses are gaining attention as an option for everyday convenience, long-term cost considerations, and in anticipation of future vision changes. On the other hand, the importance of correct understanding of safety and risks is also pointed out. This survey was conducted as an internet survey with the aim of clarifying the awareness and understanding of intraocular contact lenses among men and women aged 20-40 with visual acuity below 0.1, taking into account this social situation.

Regarding the treatment method of intraocular contact lenses, over 70% (72.8%) of respondents were aware of it, and approximately 70% (71.9%) were interested in it as a treatment method. Among them, women in their 20s and 30s showed a higher tendency to be interested. The reasons for high interest included feeling burdened by "the inconvenience of glasses/contact lenses" and "monthly contact lens costs." As drawbacks of the treatment, many respondents cited "fear of surgery" and "safety."

Q1. Awareness Survey

Q1. Were you aware of the treatment method called intraocular contact lens?

Regarding the treatment of intraocular contact lenses, a survey of 20-40 year olds with visual acuity below 0.1 found that 35.5% "knew about it" and 37.3% had "heard the name."

Combining these two, 72.8% of the total were aware of intraocular contact lenses in some form, indicating that it has gained a certain level of recognition as a vision correction option.

Q2. Awareness by Gender and Age Group

Q2. Awareness of intraocular contact lenses by gender and age group

Visual acuity below 0.1, men and women in their 20s...