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Morphologic changes in corneal endothelial cells during 3 years of fluorocarbon contact lens wear
W M Bourne1, S B Holtan, D O Hodge
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. bourne.william@mayo.edu
Purpose:
To record morphologic changes that occur in corneal endothelial cells during daily wear of rigid, gas-permeable fluorocarbon contact lenses during 3 years.
Methods:
Nineteen new wearers and 32 previous wearers were fitted with daily-wear fluorocarbon contact lenses. Photographic images of the central corneal endothelium and central corneal thickness measurements were recorded at baseline, 2 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after fitting.
Results:
In the new wearers, an increase in the coefficient of variation of cell area was present by 2 months after lens fitting and increased further over the subsequent 3 years. The increase in coefficient of variation of cell area was correlated with the oxygen transmissibility of the lens. Endothelial cell density was decreased at 2 and 3 years. Corneal thickness did not change. In the previous lens wearers after 3 years, there were no significant changes from baseline in any morphologic value. Corneal thickness was decreased significantly.
Conclusions:
Although oxygen transmissibility in fluorocarbon contact lenses is improved over previous hard and soft lenses, polymegethism still was induced within 2 months by these lenses, and morphologic changes present from past lens wear did not improve during 3 years of daily wear.