A retrospective case series: use of SoftPerm contact lenses in patients with keratoconus

To evaluate the performance of the SoftPerm contact lens in patients with irregular astigmatism caused by keratoconus.

Twenty-four eyes of 14 patients with keratoconus who had intolerance to rigid gas-permeable contact lenses and were fitted with SoftPerm lenses at Kartal Training and Research Hospital between August 1998 and January 2002 were evaluated retrospectively. The average follow-up time was 23 months. Patients were between the ages of 16 and 39 years. All patients were examined by corneal topography before a SoftPerm contact lens trial. A standard protocol was used to select the initial trial lens on the basis of computer-generated topographic keratometric readings. Final lens selection was based on clinical performance. Visual acuity and complications were analyzed after fitting.

Best-corrected spectacle visual acuity of 20/40 or better was noted in 12.5% of eyes before the SoftPerm contact lens trial and increased to 83.3% after the SoftPerm contact lens fitting. Lens damage especially related to separation at the junction was observed in 29.1% of patients, discomfort in 29.1%, giant papillary conjunctivitis in 25%, and peripheral corneal neovascularization in 25%. Discomfort was the most common reason for discontinuation.

SoftPerm lenses can be considered when high astigmatism is encountered in patients with keratoconus who have better visual acuity with SoftPerm lenses than with spectacles and who are intolerant of rigid gas-permeable lenses.