● Tear film assessment should be undertaken with minimal invasion of the structure – non-invasive techniques should be used whenever possible ● Assessment must be made both prior to and during contact lens wear. Tear film quality should be assessed both with the lens in situ and without the lens ● Use of the Tearscope in clinical practice allows a more detailed examination of the tears to be un...

The early 1990s saw a large increase in the number of contact lens wearers in the UK. It is estimated that this figure doubled between 1990 and 1996 to reach approximately three million wearers. The increased uptake of contact lenses during this period is thought to have been due to a number of factors, including the availability of frequent replacement soft lenses, the introduction of daily di...

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of mini-scleral design (MSD) contact lenses to treat keratoconus patients who were unsatisfied with the results of corneal inlay. METHODS In this prospective interventional case series, 9 eyes of 6 keratoconus patients who were unsatisfied with the results of corneal inlay were fitted with MSD contact lenses. Demographic data, uncorrected visua...

AIM To assess the feasibility of using a contact lens electrode to record the electroretinogram (ERG) in preterm infants less than 35 weeks after conception. METHODS The ERG was recorded from seven very low birthweight preterm infants on a total of 14 occasions using an infant monkey contact lens electrode. Age at recording the first ERG ranged from 23 to 51 days (gestational age 32-34 weeks)...

The quest for the optimal method to correct various refractive errors continues. In studying different contact lens designs and refractive procedures we are constantly evaluating different approaches to patient management. Recognizing that the cornea is a dynamic and vibrant anatomic structure, we must include other parameters in the equation of the "perfect contact lens fit" or "the best surgi...

PURPOSE UVB radiation from sunlight is known to be a risk factor for human cataract. The purpose in this study was to investigate the ability of a class I UV-blocking soft contact lens to protect against UVB-induced effects on the ocular tissues of the rabbit in vivo. METHODS Eyes of rabbits were exposed to UVB light for 30 minutes (270-360 nm, peak at 310 nm, 1.7 mW/cm(2) on the cornea). Eye...

The evolution of contact lens technology and clinical practice over the past three decades has been remarkable, with dramatic improvements in material biocompatibility, better lens designs and care systems, and more flexible and convenient modalities of wear. However, our approach to the aftercare examination has remained conservative, with the general modus operandi having not fully evolved fr...

ed from the full reports. DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF CLD While clinicians practicing in the area of contact lenses all are familiar with CLD, a variety of terms and verbiage have been used to describe this problem. Typically these patients present with symptoms of ocular discomfort of some sort (e.g., dryness, irritation, discomfort, fatigue, and so forth), and it is common Copyright 2013...

PURPOSE We evaluated the usefulness of commercially available materials for protecting the cornea from drying during vitrectomy with a wide-angle viewing system. METHODS THREE VITREORETINAL SURGEONS EVALUATED FUNDUS VISIBILITY DURING VITRECTOMY ON THE IMAGES OF FIVE STUDY MATERIALS USED ON THE CORNEA: balanced saline solution, a viscoelastic agent, a vitrectomy contact lens, a rigid gas perme...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine ocular surface and tear film, contact lens, care solution, medical, and patient-related factors that are associated with corneal staining in contact lens wearers. METHODS In this cross-sectional/nested case-control study, in addition to the assessment of corneal staining with fluorescein, a variety of tear film and ocular surface, contact lens,...