Soft contact lens and corneal changes associated with Visine use

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Physiology
• Ophthalmic Drug Research

Background:

• Contact lens wear is common, and patients may use over-the-counter eye drops for comfort.
• Tetrahydrozoline is a vasoconstrictor found in many popular eye drops.
• The potential impact of tetrahydrozoline on contact lens wearers' ocular health is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of tetrahydrozoline (Visine) on contact lens wearers.
• To assess changes in visual acuity, lens coloration, and corneal integrity.
• To compare outcomes between the tetrahydrozoline-treated eye and the control eye.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen subjects wore Cibasoft clear daily wear contact lenses.
• Subjects applied two drops of tetrahydrozoline (Visine) twice daily to one eye for four months.
• Ocular assessments included visual acuity, lens coloration, and slit lamp examinations, compared to baseline and the control eye.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant changes in visual acuity or contact lens coloration were observed.
• Clinically significant alterations in corneal integrity were identified in 26.7% of the subjects.
• The study highlights potential risks to corneal health despite seemingly stable visual parameters.

Conclusions:

• While tetrahydrozoline did not impact visual acuity or lens color, its use in contact lens wearers may pose a risk to corneal integrity.
• Ophthalmologists and optometrists should be aware of these findings when advising patients on eye drop usage with contact lenses.
• Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms behind tetrahydrozoline-induced corneal changes in contact lens wearers.