Frequent replacement and conventional daily wear soft contact lens symptomatic patients: tear film and ocular surface changes.
We analyzed tear film changes, ocular surface tissue alterations and inflammatory conditions in Frequent Replacement Soft (FRS) Contact Lens (CL) or Conventional Soft (CS)-CL wearers suffering from eye discomfort, by applying complementary diagnostic tests. Our data suggest the following conclusions: i) eye discomfort symptoms begin after 1-3 years of successful wear, mainly in FRS-CL wearers; ii) tear film stability is affected by CL wear, mainly in FRS-CL wearers; iii) CL wear produces a subclinical moderate inflammation based on mononuclear cell recruitment in 3 out of 4 patients of both types of lenses; iv) CL wear induces dry eye conditions, more pronounced in FRS-CL users; v) discomfort symptoms, presence of subclinical inflammation, degree of dryness are not directly related to a clinical presentation of intolerance, mainly in FRS-CL wearers; vi) CL wear-related discomfort symptoms should never be underestimated, since a hidden inflammation or dryness can be present beyond an apparently good clinical picture.
Versura
P
P
Center of Biotechnological and Clinical Research in Ophthalmology, University of Bologna, Italy. versura@alma.unibo.it
Bernabini
B
B
Torreggiani
A
A
Cellini
M
M
Caramazza
R
R
D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009799:Ocular Physiological Phenomena; D013666:Tears; D013997:Time Factors