BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to examine the clinical success of high Dk (oxygen permeability) piggyback contact lens (PBCL) systems for the correction of contact lens intolerant keratoconus patients. METHODS Sixteen patients (29 eyes) who were not able to wear gas-permeable rigid lenses were included in this study. Hyper Dk silicone hydrogel (oxygen transmissibility or Dk/t = 150 units...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe age and other risk factors for ocular events that interrupt soft contact lens (SCL) wear in youth. METHODS A retrospective chart review of SCL wearers aged 8 to 33 years at the first observed visit was conducted at six academic eye care centers in North America. Data were extracted from all visits during the observation period (>3 years). Clin...

PURPOSE To investigate the release of surface-active agents (surfactants) from unworn soft contact lenses (SCLs) and their influence on the lens surface wettability in vitro. METHODS Surface tension (ST) of blister pack solutions was measured by pendant-drop technique. STs at the air-aqueous interface and contact angles (CAs) of four conventional and seven silicone hydrogel SCLs were evaluate...

PURPOSE To determine changes in topographical thickness of the epithelium and total cornea after hydrogel (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate; HEMA or soft lens) and PMMA rigid contact lens wear with eyes closed, as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS Epithelial and total corneal thickness in 18 neophyte eyes was measured with OCT at intervals of 10 degrees across a 10-mm zone of...

PURPOSE To develop a novel in vitro method to detect the depth of penetration of the tear film protein albumin into contact lens materials using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). METHODS A poly-HEMA-based hydrogel (etafilcon A) and a silicone hydrogel material (lotrafilcon B) were examined. In vitro, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was labeled with 5-(4,6-dichloro-s-triazin-2-ylamino) flu...

PURPOSE Previous studies have demonstrated deposition of tear proteins onto worn contact lenses. In this study, we used proteomic techniques to analyze the protein deposits extracted from worn daily wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses in combination with different lens care solutions. METHODS Worn lenses were collected and protein deposits extracted using urea and surfactant. Protein extrac...

PURPOSE To determine the distribution of invasive and cytotoxic genotypes among ocular isolates of P. aeruginosa and investigate the influence of the type III secretion system (T3SS) on adhesion to conventional, cosmetic, and silicone hydrogel contact lenses (CL). METHODS Clinical isolates from 2001 to 2010 were analyzed by multiplex PCR for exoS, exoU, and exoT genes. Bacterial adhesion to e...