Treatment, material, care, and patient-related factors in contact lens-related dry eye.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of general contact lens and material characteristics, care solutions, treatment, and patient-related factors on contact lens-related dry eye.


METHODS
The data were derived from the Contact Lens and Dry Eye Study, designed as a cross-sectional and nested case-control study including 360 subjects. In separate statistical models, logistic regression was used to examine general contact lens characteristics, specific hydrogel lens materials, care solutions, and patient-related factors associated with dry eye status (controlled for age, gender, and current treatments).


RESULTS
Several factors were significantly associated with dry eye, including treatment factors such as a recent contact lens refitting (odds ratios [OR] = 5.75, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 2.14 to 15.46) and use of artificial tears/rewetting drops (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.16), in addition, currently worn materials including Food and Drug Administration (FDA) group II (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 1.14 to 6.19) and IV (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.08 to 3.24). Significant patient-related factors included decreased overall satisfaction (OR = 3.57, 95% CI = 2.08 to 5.88,), dry eye in the absence of contact lens wear (OR = 6.54, 95% CI = 2.57 to 16.62), reduced daily lens wear duration (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.26), and reduced ability to wear lenses as long as desired (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.30 to 4.54). Care solutions were not associated with contact lens-related dry eye.


CONCLUSIONS
The strong association of common treatment factors with dry eye status in contact lens wearers suggests that these treatments are not entirely effective. The use of high water content materials was strongly related to dry eye in lens wearers, whereas care solutions were not. Contact lens-related dry eye was also associated with several patient-related factors such as greater ocular discomfort (without lenses), dissatisfaction, and inability to wear lenses for desired durations.
Ramamoorthy
Padmapriya
P
College of Optometry, The Ohio State University, 320 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Sinnott
Loraine T
LT
Nichols
Jason J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018639:Contact Lens Solutions