Real-Time Ocular Comfort Reporting in Monthly Replacement Contact Lens Wearers

Abstract

Purpose

To map contact lens (CL) comfort over the full wear day and across 1 month’s wear in established, asymptomatic to minimally symptomatic, reusable, soft CL wearers.

Methods

Adult, 18- to 45-year-old, participants were recruited and required to have 20/20 best-corrected visual acuity or better and must have been asymptomatic to minimally symptomatic CL wearers. Participants were required to be able to wear TOTAL30® sphere CLs and have minimal astigmatism. Participants were fit in the study CLs and asked to wear these CLs daily for the next month for 16 hours per day each day. Participants were asked to complete a visual analog scale (VAS) survey via text message at time of CL application and after 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 hours of wear and at CL removal on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and at 2 weeks and 1 month. The utilized VAS had a ±50 scale with positive scores being comfortable, negative scores being uncomfortable, and scores of 0 being neutral comfort.

Results

Forty-eight participants were recruited who had a mean ± SD age of 26.2 ± 5.2 years (71% female). Mean initial VAS CL comfort scores at initial CL dispense were 45.56 ± 9.20 units. Mean CL wear times for any of the days evaluated were at least 14.80 ± 2.41 hours per day and did not differ across the study (p = 0.77). Mean comfort VAS scores significantly decreased over the wear day (all days p ≤ 0.02), yet there were no significant differences in VAS comfort scores across the same time of day for the duration of the study (all times p ≥ 0.06).

Conclusion

This study determined that while CL wearers were slightly less comfortable at the end of the day compared to application, this comfort change was minimal given that the average participants had overwhelmingly good comfort at all time-points evaluated. Comfort scores were likewise consistent across 1 month of wear.

Keywords:

• comfort
• contact lenses
• monthly
• reusable
• text message
• visual analog scale

Data Sharing Statement

No additional data beyond this reported will be publicly shared.

Acknowledgments

Alcon Research, LLC supported this study. REDCap data collection was supported by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s CTSA Grant (UL1TR001417).

Disclosure

The authors have received support from Alcon Research, LLC (All), Art Optical (ADP), Contamac (ADP), CooperVision (ADP), Euclid Systems (ADP), EyeGate Pharmaceuticals, Inc (ADP), EpiTech (ADP), Kala (ADP), Nevakar, Inc (ADP), Optikal Care Inc (ADP). Dr Pucker is currently an employee of Lexitas Pharma Services; however, he still holds a part-time position at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Additional information

Funding

Alcon Research, LLC supported this research.