This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Long-term silicone hydrogel lens use alters tear film
Eur J Ophthalmol. 2011;doi:10.5301/ejo.5000079.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses tend to modify the tear film and impression cytology of the ocular surface significantly after long-term use, a study found.
"Silicone hydrogel lenses, despite their high oxygen permeability and low water content, produce significant changes on tear film and impression cytology on long-term use," the study authors said.
The researchers evaluated ocular surface changes by examining surface staining, tear film breakup time, Schirmer 1 test, conjunctival impression cytology with color-coded mapping and Ocular Surface Disease Index in 60 eyes of 30 participants assigned to two cohorts. The first cohort included 20 participants with a mean age of 28 years who used new-generation silicone hydrogel contact lenses on a daily basis; the second cohort included 10 participants with a mean age of 29 years who did not wear contact lenses.
Average contact lens use duration was more than 7 years.
Results showed that the contact lens group had lower tear film breakup time and higher staining scores (P < .001). Schirmer values were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean OSDI score was 34.59 for lens wearers and 19.28 for those who did not wear contact lenses.
The researchers found significant correlations in tear film breakup time, cornea staining, and grade 2 to grade 3 metaplasia ratios between duration of lens use and amount of daily wear time.