Clinician interpersonal communication skills and contact lens wearers' motivation, satisfaction, and compliance.

The relation between the practitioner and patient may have important effects upon the safety and success of contact lens wear. In this study we investigated the interrelations among clinicians' interpersonal communication skills and patients' motivation, satisfaction, and compliance with care and maintenance instructions. These variables were measured through questionnaires and interviews. Significant associations were found among many aspects of the clinicians' interpersonal skills and aspects of the patients' motivation and satisfaction. These findings are consistent with those from other health care settings and indicate that the quality of the contact lens practitioner's interpersonal skills can substantially influence patient outcomes and perceptions.