title: Evaluation of corneal optical properties in subjects wearing hydrogel etafilcon A contact lenses and the effect of administering mannitol-enriched sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of daily administration of mannitol-enriched sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution on the corneal optical properties of subjects wearing low Dk hydrogel (etafilcon A) contact lenses (CLs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five subjects wearing etafilcon A CLs daily for more than 6 months were recruited into this pilot study. Fifteen of the subjects administered a 10% mannitol-enriched 0.05% sodium hyaluronate solution (study group) once daily and 30 subjects did not administer any ophthalmic solution (control group). The subjects were examined at baseline and one month after recruitment. Changes in central corneal thickness (CCT) and corneal light backscatter were evaluated by Scheimpflug imaging (Pentacam HR). Changes in corneal total high-order aberration, corneal spherical aberration, coma, and trefoil were evaluated using the OPD scan II.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At one month, corneal light backscatter decreased significantly in the study group (≤18.30 arbitrary units; P<0.05) and this was highly correlated with a decrease in CCT (R=0.81; P=0.04). The decrease in corneal total high-order aberration, spherical aberration, and coma was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P<0.05). No changes in corneal light backscatter or CCT were found in the control group during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once-daily administration of a mannitol-enriched lubricant ophthalmic solution was effective for improving the corneal optical quality and reducing corneal swelling in subjects wearing low Dk hydrogel (etafilcon A) CLs during one month follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti IRCCS, Rome, Italy ; Vision Engineering Italy Srl, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosati
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni-Addolorata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pileri
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schiano-Lomoriello
authors.affiliation: Fondazione G.B. Bietti IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serrao
keywords: Scheimpflug imaging; contact lens; corneal backscattering; corneal high-order aberrations; corneal optical quality; hypertonic lubricant solution