title: Twelve years' continuous wear of the same therapeutic soft contact lens: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a case of a patient who had worn the same therapeutic soft contact lens (TSCL) continuously for twelve years, since he had failed to attend normal follow-up visits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Microbiological histological and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of conjunctiva, cornea and TSCL were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultures were negative. Corneal histology revealed mild stromal edema and mild epithelial parakeratosis. Corneal SEM was remarkable for the preservation to some extent of normal corneal epithelial specialization with microtricae and microvillae. SEM of the TSCL showed a ruffed multi-layer surface with several cracks including different types of cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patient showed surprising tolerance to the continuous wear of the same contact lens for 12 years.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital of Athens, University Eye Clinic, Athens Medical School, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokolakis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baltatzis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zafirakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Livir-Rallatos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ladas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Voudouri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002465:Cell Movement; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013997:Time Factors