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Hydrogel contact lens dehydration in controlled environmental conditions
Philip B Morgan1, Nathan Efron, Sarah L Morgan
1Eurolens Research, Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, Manchester, UK. philip.morgan@umist.ac.uk
Eye & Contact Lens
|July 21, 2004
Summary
Environmental conditions do not affect hydrogel contact lens dehydration. However, Proclear lenses showed less dehydration than ACUVUE lenses, with no significant differences in comfort across environments or lens types.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Hydrogel contact lenses are widely used for vision correction.
- Understanding factors influencing contact lens dehydration is crucial for patient comfort and ocular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of varying environmental conditions (arid, temperate, arctic) on the dehydration of hydrogel contact lenses.
- To compare the dehydration and comfort of two specific soft contact lens brands (ACUVUE and Proclear) under these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Six participants wore one ACUVUE and one Proclear lens for 200-minute sessions in a controlled environmental chamber simulating arid, temperate, and arctic conditions.
- Lens dehydration was quantified by measuring water content before and after wear using a soft contact lens refractometer.
- Subjective lens comfort was assessed post-wear.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in lens dehydration were observed across the three environmental conditions.
- Proclear lenses exhibited significantly less dehydration compared to ACUVUE lenses (P = 0.001).
- No significant differences in lens comfort were found between environmental conditions or between the two lens types.
Conclusions:
- Environmental extremes do not significantly impact the dehydration of soft contact lenses.
- The Proclear lens material demonstrates superior resistance to dehydration compared to the ACUVUE lens.
- Lens comfort is not substantially affected by environmental conditions or the specific lens type tested in this study.