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Lens-free recovery periods did not affect comfort during daily wear
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Lens-free recovery periods of up to 80 minutes during a 12-hour contact lens wear day did not positively affect end-of-day comfort, according to researchers in Optometry and Vision Science.
Using two different lens types, power-matched lotrafilcon B or senofilcon A silicone hydrogel lenses, researchers were unable to show a clear effect of those recovery periods on end-of-day comfort, tear film or ocular parameters, according to the study.
A total of 25 symptomatic lens wearers participated in the study in nine individual 12-hour days across one spectacle (no lens) day and eight lens wear days.
For lens wear days, lenses were worn bilaterally in 2-hour intervals, separated by lens-free recovery periods of 0, 30, 60 or 80 minutes. New lenses were worn for each 2-hour interval.
Average comfortable wear time with habitual lenses was 5.6 hours, and actual wear time was 11.9 hours.
Researchers found end-of-day comfort was significantly worse on lens wear days than on spectacle wear day. No significant effect from recovery periods on end-of-day comfort was found.
There were no effects of recovery period length on noninvasive tear film break-up time, tear meniscus height, corneal staining, conjunctival staining, bulbar conjunctival redness or limbal redness.
After 6 and 8 hours of cumulative wear time, comfort scores with lenses were significantly lower compared to the spectacle wear day, according to the study.
With lens wear, noninvasive tear film break-up time at the beginning and end of day were shorter compared to spectacle wear.
Global staining scores were minimal, ranging between 18 and 150, and were not affected by the length of the recovery periods or by lens wear, according to researchers,
Researchers suggest that once lens wear exceeds the usual comfortable wear time, wearers will not benefit from short recovery periods. – by Abigail Sutton
Disclosure: Stahl reported no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of remaining authors’ financial disclosures.
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