Rotation of spin-cast hydrogel lenses

This study was designed to determine if spin-cast hydrogel contact lenses rotate on the eye, and if so, to investigate the parameters which influence rotation. If these lenses do rotate, correction of residual astigmatism may be difficult, if not impossible. We monitored the lens rotation associated with 12 specially marked B and L Soflens TM contact lenses on six corneas after insertion and 30 minutes later by use of high speed motion pictures. To analyze lens rotation, the film was projected with a stop action projector and the amount of rotation measured with a protractor. Thirty-one percent of the 144 observations made showed some lens rotation, the majority of which was encyclorotation. Most of the lenses showed little or no change in rotation between the two time periods. Corneal curvature was the only lens or eye parameter associated with rotation. Why lenses were more likely to rotate on steeper corneas is not fully understood. Our findings indicate that Softlenses TM may rotate, but there is no definite way of determining in advance if a given lens will rotate on a given eye. This emphasizes the need for individualized lens fitting and proper patient monitoring.