[Corneal neovascularization following short-term wear of soft contact lenses]

Between 1980 and 1982 the author treated 9 patients suffering from severe, partly irreversible bilateral damage to the cornea resulting from the use of soft contact lenses. After three months to two years the patients complained of a foreign body sensation, dryness and of a substantial reduction in visual acuity. The high degree of comfort experienced initially encourages patients to wear soft lenses for excessively long periods of time and this can lead to severe complications: while at first there was only slight capillary proliferation at the limbus, superficial and deep vascular proliferation subsequently developed. Use of the soft contact lenses was discontinued and locally applied corticosteroids brought about some improvement. However neovascularization persisted, requiring an intraocular lens implant in one eye - and causing a permanent reduction in the visual acuity of three patients. Wearers of soft contact lenses should be examined regularly by an ophthalmologist (at least twice a year) and should be made aware of the above complications.