Gas permeable and soft contact lens wear in children

To compare children's reports of comfort, vision, and contact lens-related issues in gas permeable (GP) and soft (SCL) contact lens wearers.

Subjects were 116 8- to 11-year old children in the Contact Lenses and Myopia Progression Study. Aspects of contact lens wear were compared for children remaining in their original treatment group (either GPs or SCLs) for 3 years. Questionnaires were completed at every visit, as was visual acuity. Comparisons were made between the two groups using logistic regression or mixed linear models analyses as appropriate to examine the contact lens wearing experience. Additionally, children crossing over from GP wear to SCLs were compared with children remaining in GP lenses to determine the potential factors related to GP dissatisfaction.

Seventy percent of GP wearers and 93% of SCL wearers wore their assigned lenses every visit. GP wearers wore their lenses significantly fewer hours per week than the SCL wearers (76.2 h/week vs. 86.8 h/week, respectively, p = 0.003). GP wearers had statistically significantly better visual acuity though the difference was not clinically meaningful (p < 0.001). Comfort was poorer among the GP wearers using the Ocular Pain subscale (p < 0.001) but did not differ using a subjective question about comfort. Symptoms were more frequent in GP wearers than SCL wearers (p = 0.002) and were related to reports of discomfort. Significant factors relating to crossing over from GPs to SCLs were lower wearing time with GPs and itching.

Children are able to successfully wear GP and soft contact lenses. Long-term adaptation occurred more frequently to SCLs than to GPs. The amount of time GP lens wearers are able to comfortably wear their contact lenses and the amount of itching may help determine whether they will remain in that modality.