title: Treatment of contact lenses with papain. Increase in wearing time in keratoconic patients with papillary conjunctivitis.
abstract: In 15 Keratoconic patients with papillary conjunctivitis associated with wearing rigid polymethylmethacrylate contact lenses, the cleaning of the lenses with enzymatic contact lens cleaner (papain) increased lens wearing time in nine and diminished the symptoms of mucus and itching in 12. In 13 control, lens-wearing keratoconic subjects with papillary conjunctivitis, three had a decrease, four had an increase, and six had no change in lens wearing time and one had a diminution of symptoms. Use of the enzymatic contact lens cleaner did not, however, influence the biomicroscopic appearance of the papillary conjunctivitis. The inclusion of the enzymatic contact lens cleaner in the cleaning regimen offered an adequate improvement in wearing time and tolerance for three of four patients that previously suffered a reduction in wearing time that compromised or precluded their vocational responsibilities.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000150:complications; D010206:Papain / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D010206:Papain