These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The relationship between long-term contact lens wear and corneal thickness.
    Author: Myrowitz EH, Melia M, O'Brien TP.
    Journal: CLAO J; 2002 Oct; 28(4):217-20. PubMed ID: 12394550.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of long-term contact lens wear on corneal thickness and to compare differences based on rigid versus soft lens material. METHODS: This analysis included scanning slit topographic imaging (Orbscan, Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY) performed on 124 consecutive patients (248 eyes), who underwent comprehensive evaluations in consideration of refractive surgery by one surgeon. RESULTS: Sixty-two 62 patients (124 eyes) who had not previously worn contact lenses had a least-squares mean pachymetry of 546.4 microm +/-3.5 SE. Thirty-nine patients (78 eyes) who had previously worn soft contact lenses for an average of 16 years had a least-squares mean pachymetry of 543.2 microm +/-3.8 SE. Twenty-three patients (46 eyes) who had worn rigid contact lenses for an average of 19 years had a least-squares mean pachymetry of 509.4 microm +/-6.9 SE. Mean pachymetry differed significantly between eyes wearing rigid lenses versus no lenses (P<0.0001) and between eyes wearing rigid lenses versus soft lenses (P=0.0002). CONCLUSION: Long-term rigid contact lens wear is associated with a decrease in the average central-corneal thickness (CCT) by an average of 37 microm, in this group of otherwise healthy eyes, compared to no contact lens wear. Long-term soft contact lens wear did not appear to significantly change corneal thickness compared to no contact lens wear. Caution should be exercised when screening patients with a history of long-term rigid contact lens wear for possible excimer-laser photoablative correction.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]