title: The effect of silicone hydrogel bandage soft contact lens base curvature on comfort and outcomes after photorefractive keratectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relative pain and the relative amount of contact lens loss experienced using two different base curvatures (BCs) of the Acuvue Oasys bandage soft contact lens (BSCL) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty patients undergoing PRK on either the Allegretto or the VISX laser at the Joint Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center in Lackland AFB, TX, were randomized to one of the two different BCs of the Acuvue Oasys BSCL: 8.4 or 8.8 mm. Patients were evaluated on postoperative days 1 and 4 during which they completed a survey rating absolute pain in each eye on a visual analog pain scale. Lens loss was recorded throughout the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated on the Allegretto laser preferred the 8.4-mm BC lens, whereas comfort after treatment on the VISX depended on corneal shape. For VISX, patients with very flat corneas (steep K ≤42 preoperative or ≤38 postoperatively) preferred an 8.8-mm BC lens while patients with very steep corneas (steep K >45 preoperative or >42 postoperative) preferred an 8.4-mm BC lens, though these results were largely not statistically significant. Patients who lost their lenses prematurely tended to be those whose corneal curvature did not match their contact lens BC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals treated with the Allegretto laser or individuals with more prolate corneas should likely be fit with an 8.4-mm BC Acuvue Oasys BSCL while individuals with more oblate corneas should likely be fit with an 8.8-mm BC lens to minimize postoperative pain and premature BSCL loss.
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine (K.R.T.), Atlanta, GA; and Joint Warfighter Refractive Surgery Center (R.P.M., J.R.T., M.C.C., V.A.P.), Department of Ophthalmology, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX.
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Ryan P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Molchan
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Townley
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: Vasudha A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Panday
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D047070:Bandages, Hydrocolloid; D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic; D058447:Eye Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018903:Photorefractive Keratectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012826:Silicone Elastomers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D012826:Silicone Elastomers