Patient response to thin hydrogel contact lenses

This study was designed to evaluate the patient response to experimental Bausch & Lomb thin F series SOFLENSES. The center thickness of these lenses was 0.04-0.06mm compared to 0.14-0.16 mm for the conventional F series lenses. Eight of the twenty-three subjects fitted (35% of the patients, 39% of the eyes) were successful by the standard of Sarver, Harris and Polse. The principal reason for failure was discomfort, which was often associated with poor centration and arcuate staining. Neither vertical corneal striae nor significant corneal thickening were observed during the eight hour wearing periods. Lens handling was a major problem. During the eight weeks of the study 35% of lenses used were torn. Our results indicate that even though thin F series SOFLENSES cause less corneal edema than conventional F series SOFLENSES, the overall patient response to these thin lenses is less favorable than the response to conventional SOFLENSES. Further research with thin hydrogel lenses is needed to determine if the patient response can be improved by altering such lens parameters as diameter and/or curvature.