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Rigid gas-permeable contact lenses for visual rehabilitation of traumatized eyes in children
Zia Sultan Pradhan1, Rashmi Mittal, Pushpa Jacob
1Department of Ophthalmology, Christian Medical College, Schell Eye Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India.
Insights
Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses significantly improved vision in children after ocular trauma, especially those with high astigmatism. These contact lenses were well-tolerated and offered a valuable visual rehabilitation option.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Contact Lens Science
Background:
- Ocular trauma in children can lead to significant visual impairment.
- Traditional spectacle correction may be insufficient for visual rehabilitation post-trauma.
- Rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses present a potential alternative for visual correction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of RGP contact lenses for visual rehabilitation in children following ocular trauma.
- To compare visual acuity achieved with RGP contact lenses versus spectacle correction.
- To identify factors influencing visual improvement and issues related to RGP lens wear.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series including children under 15 with ocular trauma.
- Comparison of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with RGP lenses and spectacles.
- Analysis of factors affecting visual improvement and identification of contact lens-related problems.
Main Results:
- RGP lenses significantly improved BCVA (0.47 LogMar) compared to spectacles (0.81 LogMar) (P < 0.001).
- Seven out of 12 eyes showed >2 line BCVA improvement with RGP lenses.
- Eyes with higher astigmatism (mean 5.45 D) benefited most from RGP correction (P = 0.009).
- High tolerance observed, with 91% continuing lens wear during the ~15-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- RGP contact lenses are a useful refractive treatment for children with post-traumatic eyes.
- High astigmatism is a key factor predicting successful visual rehabilitation with RGP lenses.
- RGP contact lenses demonstrate good tolerance in pediatric patients post-ocular trauma.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness and tolerance of rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses in the visual rehabilitation of children postocular trauma.
Methods:
In this retrospective case series, children below 15 years of age with ocular trauma were included. The best-corrected visual acuity with RGP contact lenses was compared with that of spectacle correction. The factors affecting visual improvement were analyzed, and problems caused by contact lens use were identified.
Results:
Twelve eyes of 12 boys were included. The mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.81 ± 0.29 (LogMar equivalent) with spectacles and 0.47 ± 0.27 (LogMar equivalent) with contact lenses (P < 0.001). Seven of the 12 eyes achieved a >2 line increase in visual acuity with contact lens correction as compared with that using spectacle correction. The mean astigmatism in eyes that achieved this improvement in vision was 5.45 ± 1.6 diopters, whereas the mean astigmatism in the eyes that did not improve was 2.6 ± 1.2 diopters, which was statistically significant (P = 0.009). No other factors (age, corneal scar location/density, grade/zone of injury, lens status, and occlusion) seemed to affect visual improvement with contact lenses. The mean follow-up duration was about 15 months during which 91% of the patients continued their contact lens usage.
Conclusions:
RGP contact lenses offer a useful refractive treatment alternative in traumatized eyes of children. Eyes with high degrees of astigmatism were found to benefit the most. RGP contact lenses were found to be well tolerated in this population.
