| Purpose:
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| Traditionally, subjects in contact lens performance studies are primarily adapted contact lens wears. The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of two extended wear contact lens materials among a population of new contact lens wearers. |
| Method: |
| A total of 498 eyes (249 patients) were enrolled into this controlled, randomized, 6 month study by 9 investigators. A silicone hydrogel material (balafilcon A) was fit on one eye and a traditional hydrogel material (etafilcon A) was fit on the other eye. Following one week of daily wear adaption, the patients wore the lenses for 7-day continuous wear. Visits were scheduled at 24 hrs, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. |
| Results: |
| An assessment of the slit lamp events that occurred over all visits indicated no significant difference for Epithelial Edema, Corneal Staining, Tarsal Abnormalities or Infiltrates. There was a significant difference in favor of the silicone hydrogel lens for Epithelial Microcysts, Limbal Injection, Bulbar Injection and Neovascularization. Lens movement was significantly better with the silicone hydrogel lens. Lens deposit and surface wettability assessments that occurred over all visits demonstrated no significant difference. |
| Conclusions: |
| The results indicate that practitioners should observe fewer clinical signs among new patients fitted with balafilcon A lenses for extended wear. This difference appears to be related to the oxygen permeability of the material and the fitting characteristics of the lens. |
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